UK competition watchdog to probe UK broadcasters’ use of freelancers

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a probe into the use of freelance services and the employment of staff supporting the production, creation and/or broadcasting of television content in the UK, excluding sport content, after concluding that broadcasters may be engaged in cartel-like activity.

The CMA has launched an investigation under section 25 of the Competition Act 1998 into a suspected infringement or infringements of the Chapter I prohibition of the act by a number of undertakings involved in the production, creation and/or broadcasting of television content.

The watchdog said its probe would cover potential breaches of competition law by the BBC and ITV as well as production outfits Hartswood Films Limited, Hat Trick Productions Limited, Red Planet Pictures Limited, Sister Pictures Limited and Tiger Aspect Productions Limited.

The probe is reportedly likely to focus on pay and conditions offered to freelances and the practices employed by the organisations under investigation in setting compensation rates.

The current probe excludes the use of freelances in producing sports content because the CMA launched a separate investigation into this last year that is still ongoing.

That probe, which covers the BBC, ITV, BT Group, Sky and production outfits IMG Media Limited  and Sunset & Vine Productions Limited, kicked off in July 2022, with information gathering and a review and analysis of that information due to complete this month.