Brexit

COBA: UK multichannel investment in content passes £1bn milestone

Investment in UK content by multichannel broadcasters has now surpassed £1 billion annually, according to a report commissioned by commercial broadcasters’ organisation COBA. According to the report, investment in UK programmes by multichannel broadcasters has now hit £1.1 billion (€1.2 billion) a year, highlighting increased investment by newer channels alongside the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 […]

Discovery applies for Netherlands channel licences ahead of Brexit

Discovery is applying for new broadcast licences in the Netherlands for its European pay TV channel portfolio, ahead of Britain’s scheduled exit from the Europe Union on March 29. A spokesperson for the broadcaster confirmed that Discovery is applying for around 50 licences in the Netherlands for services that were previously licensed in the UK by broadcast regulator […]

Brexit report highlights ‘reciprocity gaps’ for broadcast business

A report on the impact of Brexit on the audiovisual media industry compiled by the European Audiovisual Observatory has highlighted the ‘reciprocity gaps’ that are likely to arise between the UK-based industry and EU-based counterparts after the UK leaves the EU. In the event of an agreement being signed, the first gap that will emerge […]

Crash-out Brexit threatens ‘huge disruption’ to broadcast

A no-deal Brexit would have a disastrous impact on the UK broadcasting sector, according to commercial broadcasters association COBA. Ahead of the UK parliament’s likely rejection of prime minister Theresa May’s Brexit agreement with the EU, COBA warned that crashing out of the EU would create huge disruption for broadcasters, their workforce and suppliers and […]

Support for broadcasters ‘vital’ to Brexit talks, says Wright

In his first public-facing speech as secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport in the UK, Jeremy Wright is to explain that protecting broadcasters will be a “vital” part of Brexit negotiations, during Edinburgh’s International TV Festival. In particular, Wright will say that he will support broadcasters when it comes to talent and […]

COBA sounds alarm on Brexit

COBA, the UK multichannel broadcasters’ association, has once again sounded the alarm on the likely impact of Brexit on the industry and has called on the government to seek an “ambitious” deal on broadcasting before companies are forced to activate their contingency plans. Speaking to the parliamentary committee on exiting the EU, COBA executive director […]

UK pledges ‘best possible arrangements’ for broadcast sector after Brexit

The UK has promised to seek the “best possible arrangements” for the broadcast sector in its white paper on Brexit, but broadcasters have criticised the lack of clarity set out in the government’s plan. The government’s ‘The future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union’ white paper, which was published yesterday, promised a […]

COBA calls for ‘urgent clarity’ on Brexit transition

The UK’s Commercial Broadcasters Association (COBA) has called for “urgent clarity” on whether there will be a post-Brexit transition period that will retain the status quo for broadcasters licensed in the UK. COBA said that international broadcasters cannot wait until March 2019 – when the UK is scheduled to leave the EU – to undertake […]

Study highlights pre-Brexit importance of UK audiovisual business

Some 29% of all European TV channels are based in the UK and the UK, with 12% of European TV households, accounts for 21% of the EU28 audiovisual market, according to a forthcoming report on the impact of Brexit by the European Audiovisual Observatory. The report, The impact of Brexit on the audiovisual industry: a […]

Estonia targeting potential Brexit broadcast exodus

Estonia has emerged as the latest country to target UK-based broadcasters looking for a new home in the post-Brexit world, following an initiative by Ireland in February. Broadcasters targeting EU countries require a single ‘country of origin’ licence to operate within the Union. The UK has dominated this market in the past, but with Brexit […]