COBA issues Brexit deal warning

Global TV firms with UK operations may be forced to relocate if there is no Brexit trade deal, putting thousands of jobs at risk, the trade body for international broadcasters in the UK has warned.

Adam Minns

In an interview with the BBC, Adam Minns, executive director of the Commercial Broadcasters Association (COBA), said no trade deal would “jeopardise” the UK’s status as the leading broadcasting hub for international firms.

Companies “would be forced to restructure their European operations,” rather than wait for the “cliff edge” of the negotiations deadline date in two years, he said.

“No deal would put at risk thousands of jobs in the UK broadcasting sector, hundreds of millions of pounds of investment every year, and would undermine the sector’s long-term global competitiveness,” Minns said. “Like many sectors, broadcasters cannot wait until the cliff edge of March 2019 to make decisions about the future of their European businesses.”

He estimated that one in four jobs in UK broadcasting is found exclusively or in part at an international channel, with more than £500m (US$657m) a year invested in wages, overheads and technology. COBA represents networks such as Disney and Discovery Communications, both of which have regional headquarters in the UK.

COBA’s comments come after transatlantic producer Komixx Entertainment told C21 at Mipcom it was considering relocating its headquarters from its current London site to its office in Los Angeles due to the uncertainty around Brexit.

Currently, international media firms based in the UK can broadcast to anywhere in the EU thanks to the country of origin principle. However, this could be in danger if a deal cannot be reached.

In response to the unease, the UK government announced it would work hard to ensure broadcasters would get an appropriate deal from the Brexit negotiations.

“The UK is currently the EU’s biggest broadcasting hub and the sector makes an important contribution to our thriving creative industries,” the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said in a statement.

“During our negotiations with the EU we will work to get the right deal for broadcasters and will support their continued growth in the UK.”