Supporting the European Audiovisual Production: Lessons From the UK Television Sector

Guest Lecture by Prof. Gillian Doyle (University of Glasgow).

In the UK, public policy has played a significant role in supporting the development and commercial success of an ‘independent’ television production sector. At the same time, many leading TV production companies have become prime targets for corporate activity in recent years and many have been subject to a takeover, often by large broadcasters and by  US media groups and streaming services.  Does this matter? What can the rest of Europe learn from the UK experience?

Recent transformations in ownership, characterized by increasing consolidation, have raised concern about the ability of the European ‘independent’ production sector to survive and flourish in an increasingly globalized and competitive environment for television.  Drawing on the case of the UK, this lecture considers the relationship between independence, scale and economic sustainability in the European TV production sector and, in particular, it focuses on what lessons can be drawn about how, in an era of increasingly globalised competition, public policy can play an effective role in supporting this crucial sector of the European creative economy.

Registrations at: petar@hum.ku

About

Gillian Doyle is a Professor of Media Economics at the University of Glasgow where she directs Glasgow’s MSc in Media Management. Her research on media economics and policy and on the impact of digitisation has been published in several languages.