BBC new media chief Ashley Highfield, has told programme-makers that from now on the BBC will only commission shows that come with online and interactive elements attached.

"The days of commissioning programmes are over, we are now only commissioning projects that have levels of interactivity," Mr Highfield said at the Production Show in London this morning.

"It's no longer viable to take programmes pitches without interactive elements such as SMS, internet or interactive TV," he added

Mr Highfield added the BBC was also looking to include interactive rights in negotiations over the terms of new commissions.

"Programmes without interactive TV rights just won't be acquired," he said.

Earlier this year, Mr Highfield described how frustrating it was to find the BBC's Walking with Dinosaurs had no internet aspect attached to it.

"Getting near the end of a four-year production and then, two months before finishing, asking the new media people to do a website is not how you do it," he said.

He also revealed that around 75% of his new media budget would go on narrowband internet projects this year.

A further 20% will be invested in interactive TV development and the remaining 5% on broadband.

The BBC spent around £70m on new media last year but Mr Highfield has not revealed how much the figure will increase this year.

He said the BBC was planning to launch a broadband portal before the end of 2001.

But he added the biggest advances in his department this year were likely to come from interactive TV.

In order to achieve its aims, Mr Highfield said the BBC would forge deals with commercial partners, including internet portals and independent TV production companies.

Mr Highfield was also critical of telecoms regulator Oftel for not forcing the pace of broadband network roll-out.

"The main thing holding back broadband progress was the indecisiveness of Oftel, he said.

"As broadcasters we need to collectively press the regulator speed up roll-out."

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