It looks like 2006 was a pretty good year for the UK’s independent TV production sector. According to indie TV org Pact’s just-released annual production census, combined production revenues were 9.8% from 2005 figures to US$3.6 billion. And the take from TV sales shot up 12%, bringing in approximately US$3.38 billion.
As for where the revenue is coming from, the census indicates that the landscape is changing. UK multi-channel commissions are becoming a larger source of revenue and now account for 9.4% of total sales, up from 4.2% in 2005, while 19.8% of all TV revenue now comes from sales made to the international market. Of that figure, however, a full 60.5% was generated by sales of factual and factual entertainment series ordered by US broadcasters.

The report further indicates that the sector is attractive to capital investors, with 45% of companies surveyed fielding a takeover approach in 2006. Additionally, consolidation remains top of mind, as 33% of companies with revenues between US$10 million and US$20 million stated their intention to merge, acquire or be acquired. Interestingly, only 10 companies account for 57% of the sector’s revenues.

As for all the doom and gloom currently pervading talk in indie circles, 80% of companies surveyed considered their situation to be ‘stable’.

Collected between September and December 2006, 138 companies, representing 73% of the industry’s revenue, participated in Pact’s census which was sponsored by KPMG and Bank of Ireland Corporate Banking.