Morrison & Foerster has advised the BBC on its first-ever direct bond issue, which raised £170m in a private placement in the US.

The placement, on behalf of BBC Commercial Holdings (BBCH), has a seven-year term set at a 2.71% US dollar interest rate, and will be used to refinance existing debt within the BBC's commercial business.

Funds raised will also support BBC Worldwide – the corporation's main commercial vehicle – invest in content for commercial exploitation.

BBC Worldwide markets shows such as Top Gear and Planet Earth for broadcast abroad, aiming to supplement income received by the BBC through its licence fee.

The London office of Morrison & Foerster advised the BBC on the deal, fielding a team comprising US-qualified partner and private placement specialist Brian Bates and capital markets of counsel Jacob Mendoza.

The pair worked with Nicole Whiting, a senior lawyer in the BBC's commercial legal team.

"This is an excellent deal for BBCH which provides a core of longer term debt at very low cost," the BBC said following the deal.

"In addition, it establishes a new source of funding for the business, which sits alongside the bank debt, with a high quality group of investors. The level of investor demand and final pricing reflects the underlying credit quality and strength of the BBC and its commercial businesses."

Earlier this year, BBC Worldwide turned to Reed Smith, Ashurst and Olswang for advice on the company's £51.5m sale of travel publisher Lonely Planet to US media company NC2 Media.