Library Fare, Streaming Platforms Drive U.K. TV Exports

While library sales and deals with streaming services increased, overall sales of British TV exports slipped by 3.3 percent to £1.4 billion ($1.9 billion) in 2020-21, according to Pact’s TV Exports report.

“To post such a small reduction in exports despite the effects of the pandemic on the U.K. TV industry is further evidence of how resourceful producers have been throughout the pandemic to not only keep their businesses afloat but to continue to bring quality, entertaining content to audiences around the world,” said John McVay, the CEO of Pact.

With the pandemic having impacted the production of new content, distributors were able to tap into their libraries to drive sales—a third of U.K. TV exports were on shows more than four years old, Pact notes. This is up from 22 percent the previous year.

Pact also identified streaming services as a driver of growth, accounting for 44 percent of finished program sales, up from 38 percent in the previous year.

Drama continues to lead U.K. TV exports, with I May Destroy You and It’s a Sin among the past year’s key exports. Drama accounted for 53 percent of export revenues, a 5 percent gain. Factual accounted for 15 percent, with MasterChef, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and Dragon’s Den among the most popular brands worldwide.

By territory, the U.S. remains the biggest buyer of U.K. shows, generating £574 million ($759 million) in revenues and accounting for 40 percent of British TV export income, up from 32 percent. Australia is the second-largest market for British TV exports, delivering revenues of £100 million ($132 million).

“The resilience this unique industry has shown through these extraordinarily difficult times leaves me in no doubt that it will continue to thrive in this golden era for global media,” noted Mike Freer, Minister for Exports. “I am supremely confident that U.K. television exports will go from strength to strength in the years ahead as we build back better from the pandemic and champion the excellence and enduring popularity of U.K. producers’ work around the world.”

Louise Pedersen, CEO of All3Media International, commented, “The resilience, energy and ingenuity of the U.K. production and distribution industry is remarkable—and a genuine asset in the U.K.’s creative industries sector.”

Paul Dempsey, president of global distribution at BBC Studios, stated: “British television is loved by audiences around the world, and even when the pandemic interrupted new production, our rich back catalog has kept viewers everywhere entertained.”

Ruth Berry, managing director of global distribution at ITV Studios, added, “As an industry, we have collectively risen to the challenge of providing our partners across the world with quality U.K. programming during the pandemic, and it’s wonderful to see the global desire for British television remains so strong.”