Brexit


COBA calls for “ambitious” broadcasting deal ahead of 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

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 says ‘urgent clarity’ is needed 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 […]

COBA: £1bn annual British TV investment under threat from Brexit

Losing access to EU markets through Brexit could cost the UK’s television market £1 billion (US$1.4 billion) per year in investment from international broadcasters, an influential broadcaster body has warned. Research from media analysis firm Oliver & Ohlbaum (O&O) for the Commercial Broadcasters Association (COBA) reveals that international networks invested £1.02 billion in the UK […]

COBA: Brexit ‘threatens UK’s int’l position’

The UK leaving the European Union without a trade deal would “jeopardise” the territory’s position as “Europe’s leading international broadcasting hub”, according an influential trade body. “International broadcasters based here would, reluctantly, be forced to restructure their European operations,” said Adam Minns, executive director of the Commercial Broadcasters Association (COBA), in an interview with the […]

Cartoon Forum chief surprised by lack of UK projects

Marc Vandeweyer, Cartoon Forum’s general director, has been surprised by the lack of UK animation projects appearing at Cartoon Forum this year. “It’s a surprise and a big surprise to see that there are fewer projects than last year from the UK,” he told TBI. “Last year, there were nine or ten of them, and […]

Factual Hot Picks

Following the Sunny Side of the Doc event in La Rochelle, France, TBI profiles five hot factual projects currently making an impression from Grayson Perry’s Divided Britain to France 2’s Age of the Builders – Notre Dame.   Grayson Perry: Divided Britain Transvestite artist Grayson Perry first came to attention in 2003 when he won the prestigious Turner […]

Discovery grows international revenues, profit

Discovery has reported an uptick in revenues and profit at its international business but noted Brexit concerns meant ad revenues were down in its largest market, the UK. “You have the UK down 4% and Brexit has had a meaningful impact on the UK,” CEO David Zaslav told analysts in the wake of Discovery reporting […]

Liberty says ITV ‘not interesting’

ITV’s market valuation and the premium that would be required to buy it means that the commercial broadcaster is “not interesting” as an acquisition target to Liberty Global, according to president and CEO Mike Fries. Answering an analyst question on ITV, in which Liberty Global holds a 9.9% stake, after the cable giant reported less […]