COBA


European broadcasters slam ‘backwards’ EU directive

Europe’s commercial broadcasters have warned that proposed changes to the regulations governing content and broadcasting in the EU risk damaging growth and investment in the sector. Several of the EU commercial broadcaster’s industry groups signed a joint declaration. They said today that the mooted changes to the AVMS directive will not achieve the EU’s desired […]

EU TV plan risks ‘damaging investment and growth’

Europe’s commercial broadcasters have said proposed changes to to the main directive covering content and distribution risk stunting growth in the sector, reducing consumer choice, and putting a brake on investment in local programming. Europe is in the throes of revising the AVMS Directive with a view to fostering the digital economy in the region. […]

Commercial b’casters call for BBC reforms

The Commercial Broadcasters Association has called for new rules to force the BBC to make a better case for any new services that it plans to launch. COBA is the industry group for the UK’s commercial broadcasters. It argued that the onus should be on UK pubcaster the BBC to “convincingly and demonstrably” prove new […]

Commercial b’casters call for BBC charter changes

The trade body that represents the UK’s commercial broadcasters has called for governance of the BBC to be handled by a new external and independent body. The Commercial Broadcasters Association (COBA) said that the Trust that currently oversees the activities of UK pubcaster the BBC, should be scrapped in its current form and replaced by […]

Industry groups react to BBC report

Industry groups have reacted to yesterday’s report from a committee of MPs into the future of UK public broadcaster the BBC. The Commercial Broadcasters Association said it welcomed the recommendation from the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee that the BBC should consult more openly. Coba gave evidence to the Committee arguing that the BBC’s […]

Leading UK digital channels’ content spend hits £2.6bn

A group of leading UK digital and pay TV channels spent a combined £2.6 billion (US$4.4 billion) on programming last year, a £234 million increase on the 2012 number. COBA, the industry group for commercial pay TV and digital channels, canvassed its members to get the content spending numbers. Its membership comprises A+E, BSkyB, Chinese […]

UK multichannel operators programming spend hits £2.2 billion

The main providers of commercial digital channels in the UK spent a cumulative £2.2 billion on content last year, according to new research. Oliver & Ohlbaum’s Economic Impact Report for COBA, the industry body for UK-based multichannel operators, breaks down the programming spend of the group’s membership, which includes Discovery, BSkyB, Fox International Channels, NBCUniversal, […]

UK multichannel programming spend rockets to £623 million

Commercial multichannel broadcasters spent £623 million on content last year, a 31% year-on-year increase. A report compiled by Oliver & Ohlbaum for the Commercial Broadcasters Association (COBA) showed that investment in original first-run programming increased sharply last year, as did money spent on acquisitions of finished shows. Many multichannel broadcasters, notably BSkyB, have upped their […]