UK TV exports

• The UK Television Exports Report by industry body Pact estimated total revenue from the international sale of UK TV programmes and associated activities was £1.48bn in 2019/20 up 6 per cent over the previous year.
• Sales of finished TV programmes totalled £1.02bn. The figures come from the report published by Pact, with the support of 3 Vision, BBC Studios, ITV Studios and the GREAT campaign.
• The USA remained the largest market for UK TV exports, worth £466m - an annual increase of £20m. It was followed by France (£102m) and Australia (£98m). British TV companies also reported a significant £18m increase in sales to Canada which reached £80m. The potential to grow the television industry's presence in China was highlighted by the 25 per cent rise in sales to £40m.
• The Nordics generated £77m of sales.
• Overall, regions which reported growth during the year included North America (+8 per cent), Asia (+15 per cent), Latin America (+13 per cent), Sub-Saharan Africa (+50 per cent), Europe (+4 per cent) Middle East & North Africa (+3 per cent) and Rest of the World (+32 per cent).

OTHER KEY FINDINGS:

• The sale of finished programmes remains the largest contributor to UK export revenue and increased its overall contribution slightly to 70 per cent. Total revenue from the sale of Formats (£119m) and CoProductions (133m) continue to rise each year.
• Scripted drama remains the key driver of international exports for UK companies, and is the source of 48 per cent of all revenue. Library content (aged 4+ years) accounts for a smaller share of revenue this year (22 per cent) than last (38 per cent). As production stalled throughout much of 2020 due to the global pandemic, feedback from the industry suggests an increase in demand for library content emerging and new market opportunities with it

Source: UKTV Exports Report 2019-20, Pact. Published: January 2021

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