Brexit Drives Channel License Migration

The European Audiovisual Observatory’s MAVISE Database has revealed that 250 broadcast licenses have migrated out of the U.K. as a result of Brexit and the transposition of the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD).

In an effort to secure continuity in their distribution outside of the U.K., traditionally U.K.-originating channels have been relocating over the past two years. This includes transnational networks such as Discovery, Disney, NENT, NBC, ViacomCBS, Sony, SPI International and Turner, as well as the internationally targeted versions of Sky and BBC networks.

Most TV channels that relocated were cross-border services targeting foreign European audiences outside the country of origin. Half of the channels available in Europe outside their country of origin fell under U.K. jurisdiction in 2018, as opposed to just 10 percent of them at the end of 2020.

The Netherlands (27 percent), Luxembourg (19 percent), Spain (15 percent), the U.K. (10 percent) and France (6 percent) are the top five hubs of establishment for international networks in 2020.

Additionally, 85 percent of TV channels addressing foreign European audiences fall within the jurisdiction of a European Economic Area (EEA) country. The Netherlands (32 percent), Luxembourg (22 percent) and Spain (18 percent) accounted for over 70 percent of these channels at the end of 2020.

The lion’s share (94 percent) of TV channels available in the 41 European countries covered by MAVISE originate from one of these countries, and among these, almost two out of three are under the jurisdiction of an EEA country.

MAVISE’s snapshot is taken in a context in which post-Brexit consequences are still to be felt and the AVMSD transposition is yet to be completed across the board.