A new report from Pact shows that the UK’s independent TV production sector is now worth more than £3bn to the UK economy – four times that of nine years ago. 

Pact’s report is published today (17 July) and makes for revealing – and encouraging – reading, with international earnings up 12% to £939m last year, almost one third of the sector’s total value.

UK primary commissioning has grown 8.4% year-on-year to a record £1.67bn; although much of this is spent by public service broadcasters, the report states that multichannel commissioning is now worth £381m.

It’s good news too for the small-medium sized indies, as their commissioned content has also grown; conversely, the commissioners have reigned in their spending somewhat on productions from the larger indies.

Fact-ent grows

Perhaps unsurprisingly given the zeitgeist for programmes such as The Apprentice, The Hoarder Next Door and The Undateables, the report also confirms that factual entertainment is the genre showing the most significant growth, up 5% to 17%.

This all bodes well for the indie sector, and with the recent swingeing changes in commissioning both inwards and outwards at the BBC, things seem to be moving pretty quickly.

Chief executive of Pact, John McVay, said: “We must celebrate the success of our TV industry in the UK.  With decades of award winning programmes produced both here and around the world, UK television is yet again showing why it is one of the leading creative industries. At the heart of that success is our independent production sector, which brings competition, innovation and entrepreneurship to the benefit of broadcasters and viewers.

“International audiences want British TV productions – commissioners know they will get the highest quality of programming when they buy British. This is a major business success story and it is testament to the talent in the UK’s indie production sector.”