The BBC has announced its shortlist of bidders for the sale of BBC Broadcast.
The sale is subject to the final approval of the BBC Governors and Executive Board, and the UK's Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
Apax Partners, Exponent Private Equity, Macquarie Group and Thomson/Technicolor have been selected to enter the final stage of negotiations.
This follows an extensive evaluation of bids from both financial and industry buyers. The BBC will now enter into detailed negotiations with the four companies to determine the right partner for the BBC in delivering future services.
The sale stems from the corporation's internal review of its commercial businesses. The review team concluded that, while the services provided by BBC Broadcast are vital to the BBC, they did not necessarily need to remain owned by the BBC.
For more information, visit www.bbcbroadcast.com.
