BBC Motion Gallery incorporates and extends BBC Worldwide's existing 10 million pounds footage sales business by developing new opportunities outside the traditional broadcast market. In addition it will provide cost-effective, creative solutions to media professionals on a global basis.

As part of the launch BBC Motion Gallery has developed a website bbcmotiongallery.com. It has a core collection of some 10,000 moving images from which media professionals around the world will be able to search and license clips for a wide variety of uses ranging from corporate videos, new media, advertising, TV and feature films.

Providing an effective and efficient business tool, the new online platform will be the commercial gateway to the vast range of content held in two of the largest broadcast archives in the world BBC and CBS News. Representing just "the tip of the iceberg" in terms of size and scope, the content on the site will be constantly updated.

A sophisticated search engine and project management tools make it easy for users to access the relevant content and collaborate with colleagues through the site. The first stage of the website development gives customers the opportunity, for the first time, to view moving images from the BBC archive. Additional functionality will be added to the site over time to provide further features.

BBC Worldwide CEO Rupert Gavin said, " It is crucial that we maximise the value of the BBC archive. By using digital technology we will open up our business to its full potential. The overall global market in archive footage is estimated to be worth around 150 million pounds per annum and our new service will give us a bigger foothold in this very important market."

BBC Motion Gallery MD Simon Gibbs added, "The demand for motion imagery is forecast to grow substantially over the next decade. The expansion of broadband and third generation telephony is opening up an increasing number of media outlets. As one of the world's leading media companies, with its access to a vast archive and a substantial global reach, this is a natural market for BBC Worldwide to exploit."

The BBC archive houses some 500 million feet of film and 350,000 hours of video dating from 1934. More than 200 hours of new content is added every week. The extensive collection spans all genres from news, natural history, and wildlife, locations, science, technology, the performing arts. The archive offers an abundance of original programming such as iTop Of the Pops, The Office, Walking with Dinosaurs and The Blue Planet.

From CBS News clients can select footage covering almost every major historic event from the past 50 years. They include the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the Vietnam War and Neil Armstrong's first lunar steps, the Challenger explosion and the events of 9/11.