The UK television production sector saw a significant decline in revenue in 2023, falling by 8.4% compared to the previous year. This decline can be attributed to a combination of factors, including a decrease in domestic commissions and a sharp drop in commissions from linear broadcasters overseas. Despite the drop, the sector's revenue of £3.61 billion still remained above pre-pandemic levels.
According to PACT, the organization representing the UK's independent producers, the decrease in domestic TV revenues was particularly pronounced, falling by 8.3% from 2022 to £2.02 billion. PACT attributes this decline to a number of factors, including smaller commissioning budgets, a downturn in the advertising market, and rising UK inflation.
The overall decline in UK commissioning revenues was even more pronounced, falling by 10.2% from 2022 to £1.78 billion. This drop was largely due to a significant 35.4% decline in revenues earned from multichannel commissions. However, international digital commissions remained relatively stable, declining by only £12 million in 2023 to £684 million.
Despite the decline in revenue, the UK continues to attract global streaming companies as a destination for high-value productions. Revenue from international digital commissions accounted for 23.5% of all primary TV rights revenues, highlighting the growing importance of these platforms in the UK production landscape.