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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'Dramatic Shift In Commissioning' Could Be Problem For British TV Industry, Says Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy
A 'dramatic shift in TV commissioning' has seen the UK become a world leader in high-end drama while the value of smaller shows plummets, according to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy. Delivering a keynote at the Deloitte Conference, Nandy said 'too many talented creatives have been left out of work' by this shift, leaving her concerned. More from Deadline Netflix EMEA Chief Puts 'Mr Bates' Debate To Bed: "We Absolutely Would Have Commissioned It In The UK" Sony's Wayne Garvie Roasts "Ridiculous" Channel 4 In-House Plan: "It Could Be Potentially Disastrous" BBC Director General Floats Concerning Vision Of Future Where "People Don't Care" About Nation's Oldest Public Broadcaster She said this has come as broadcast viewing declines by one third while streaming 'soars,' leading to a change in the content mix. 'Take, for example, the dramatic shift in TV commissioning patterns that have seen the UK become a world leader at high-end [drama] at the same time as smaller producers have seen the value of their commissions fall by one third,' she said. The 'squeezed middle' dropping out of the UK indie market was the talk of last year's Edinburgh TV Festival, although 2025 has been characterized by a scripted funding crisis driven by American co-producers pulling out of the UK. Nandy said the UK government is providing solutions, however. She flagged improvements like the recent Media Act, providing a 'more sustainable settlement for PSBs so they continue to invest in high quality original content,' she said. While she pointed to smaller commissions declining, she flagged later in her speech that cheaper fare like Come Dine With Me and 'everything in between' are selling just as well as big high-end dramas like Doctor Who and Bridgerton around the world. Possibly nodding to the UK government's refusal to impose a levy on the streamers, Nandy said she wants a 'sustainable ecosystem' for both PSBs and streamers across the UK. 'We won't penalize you through taxes and levies but ensure we have a regulatory framework that creates opportunities for business both big and small and for UK talent to be showcased across the world,' added Nandy. Nandy was speaking at the Deloitte and Enders Media & Telecoms 2025 and Beyond Conference just prior to BBC boss Tim Davie and Netflix EMEA chief Larry Tanz. Best of Deadline Everything We Know About 'Nobody Wants This' Season 2 So Far List Of Hollywood & Media Layoffs From Paramount To Warner Bros Discovery To CNN & More Everything We Know About 'Happy Gilmore 2' So Far
South Wales Argus
23-05-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Channel 4 announces creation of in-house production arm
Llyr Morus, chairman of TAC, has expressed concerns as Channel 4 announces the creation of an in-house production arm (Image: TAC) This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald. Channel 4 has announced the creation of its in-house production arm, Channel 4 Productions (C4P). This follows the removal of its exemption from doing so in last year's Media Act. Teledwyr Annibynnol Cymru (TAC) has expressed concerns regarding the potential impact on commissioning. TAC chairman, Llyr Morus, said: "Channel 4 will need to ensure a level playing field for commissioning. "This is crucial to ensuring that C4P is not party to conversations or data which gives it an advantage over external suppliers." Concerns were also raised about the in-house production team being located in the same building as the commissioning team. TAC is in discussions with Ofcom about how the relationship between Channel 4 Corporation and Channel 4 Production will be regulated. Simultaneously, Channel 4 announced the closure of its Indie Growth Fund, which has benefited several Welsh production companies, in favour of a new Creative Investment Fund. This fund will take larger equity stakes in scalable companies.
