Broadcast Indie Survey 2014

INDIE The definitive report on the UK independent production sector

SURVEY 2014

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Indies 2014

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Mergers drive growth

Contents 04 Introduction Consolidation and new players define the sector this year 07 Main tables Full results for the 153 indies that completed our survey 16 Top 30s ‘True’ indies versus ‘owned’ indies 20 Top owners/consolidators In a year of M&A activity, All3Media remains on top

So, who’s left then? A frantic wave of consolidation has brought around £310m of global indie revenues under new ownership and taken eight UK indies off the market.

ITV Studios has snapped up Big Talk and The Garden and shows no sign of stopping, while merging with Twofour has tripled Boom Pictures’ revenues in one fell swoop. Meanwhile, StudioCanal ROBIN and William Morris Endeavour (WME) have taken PARKER their first stakes in the UK production market with investments in Red Production Company and IMG respectively.

Of the 153 companies in this year’s survey, 85 still qualify as true indies – but 15 of them admit that being bought or merging with another indie within the next five years is the only way they’ll survive. With hungry UK and international buyers out there, there’s a distinct possibility their luck could be in.

Broadcasters made positive noises about the volume and range of indies they dealt with in 2013, but nevertheless, smaller producers, particularly in the regions, were vocal about feeling squeezed out by the amalgamated larger players. In the face of criticism, both the BBC and Channel 4 have made a point of emphasising their commitment to improve supplier relations in the past year, and it will be interesting to see if this improves their standing next year. ITV is certainly doing something right, and generally has a very happy customer base.

Tackling diversity is an issue for many indies – and one in which they expect broadcasters to take a lead. A small group of indies also flagged up concerns about the rising influence of GroupM Entertainment, particularly when dealing with Channel 5. It wasn’t many, but it’s the first time GME has been mentioned in the survey.

But lest we forget, it’s been a corking creative year for UK producers.

Hits such as Broadchurch, Educating Yorkshire, Call The Midwife, The Great British Bake Off and Gogglebox have won awards, international sales and, most importantly, the hearts of audiences. This pipeline is the backbone to a thriving sector whose revenues have topped even last year’s historic breakthrough of the £2bn barrier.

Our thanks to everyone who took part and helped us navigate the expanding footnotes necessary to explain this ever more complex picture, and to About Corporate Finance for casting an expert eye over the figures.

Time to place your bets on the deals that will shake things up for next year…

22 Top suppliers ITV overtakes BBC and C4 to become best broadcaster

INDIE SURVEY METHODOLOGY

32 Top 10 specialists Entertainment and factual indies celebrate strong 2013

An email questionnaire was sent out to more than 300 producers in February. They had to have had at least one piece of commissioned programming broadcast in the UK in 2013, and still be in business. Any omissions are therefore no longer trading, had no shows on air, or did not complete the survey.

Companies are ranked based on their 2013 turnover or the most recent full year for which figures are available. Where turnovers are equal, the company with the most hours of production is ranked higher.

We also polled companies that own indies. Some super-indies, broadcasters and studios opted not to break down the turnover of their individual subsidiaries. These subsidiaries are not listed in the main league table, but their turnovers are included within those of their owners.

Individual broadcaster league tables, ranking indies by volume and spend, were supplied by the broadcasters themselves.

38 Nations and regions 2013 was a good financial year for out-of-London indies 36 Peer poll A diverse slate makes Twofour a hit with rivals

With thanks to Audio Network for sponsoring this year’s survey.

For further information visit www.audionetwork.com

While every care has been taken in compiling the tables, Broadcast relies on participants to supply accurate results and bears no responsibility for errors or omissions

Broadcast Editor Chris Curtis Supplement Editor Robin Parker Production Editor Dominic Needham Group Art Director, Media Peter Gingell Contributors Kate Bulkley, Alex Farber, Jake Kanter, Jane Marlow, Will Strauss, Peter White, Andy Fry Group Commercial Director Alison Pitchford Conferences Director Charlotte Wheeler Business Development Manager Patricia Arescy Sales Manager Sonya Jacobs www.broadcastnow.co.uk

21 March 2014 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 3

Indies 2014 Overview League tables

New players provide a boost Consolidation was rife in the UK indie sector in a year when the pool of true indies shrunk and non-traditional revenue sources played an increasingly significant role. Kate Bulkley reports

U

K indies proved their value in 2013, a year when consolidation dominated the sector and the pool of ‘true’ indies became ever more shallow.

Strong commissioning, new drama tax credits and the growing appetite for secondary distribution rights from the likes of Netflix and Hulu all played their part in growing the sector.

The 153 production companies that responded had a combined turnover of £2.09bn in 2013. Add in Argonon’s companies, which are filed as a collective group, and the figure rises to £2.11bn. ITV Studios also chose not to break down its swelling portfolio, meaning that Big Talk, The Garden and So TV – worth a combined £48.5m in 2012 – don’t feature here.

However you slice that, it’s up from 2012’s £2.08bn. IMG is again the top individual earner, with £150m in turnover for a slate of sports programmes that moved it up 16% year on year and attracted the attentions of William Morris Endeavour (WME).

NBC Universal-owned Carnival Film & Television leapfrogged Fremantle UK’s Thames and Endemolowned Remarkable Television to take second place with £99m in revenues, up a colossal 50% from 2012, thanks to another rack of dramas led by Downton Abbey, Dracula and Whitechapel. With IMG largely an international concern, Carnival is way out in front when it comes to money derived from UK productions.

Other indies showing significant growth in their top lines in 2013 include Red Planet Pictures, maker of Death In Paradise, which reported a near doubling of its top line to £14.7m, up from a 2012 level of £7.8m (a blip year when it had no shows on air).

Bake Off powerhouse Love Productions also saw a big bump to £13.8m in 2013, up from £10.3m a year earlier.

Optomen, incorporating Gordon Ramsay imprint One Potato Two Potato, grew turnover by 26% to £57.3m, led by Mary Queen Of The High Street and The Store Detectives, and now derives 79% of revenues 4 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 21 March 2014

Great British Bake Off: producer Love Productions grew revenues by a third

from overseas. Warner Bros-owned Shed Productions’ turnover rose to £19.5m from £13.1m.

Highs and lows True North, Company Pictures and Discovery’s brace of UK indies, Betty TV and now Raw TV – though these figures are from prior to Raw’s acquisition – all fared well.

Buffalo Pictures, maker of Doc Martin, saw its top line plummet to £717,000 from £7.5m in 2012. The lag between commissioning and payment

‘However you slice up the 2013 figures, they’re up from 2012’s £2.08bn’

was a big factor here, underlining the problem of having such a big dependency on one hit show.

Revenues at scripted indie Baby Cow dropped by 60%. “We have a number of film scripts in development now, but the vast majority of the funding for both cinema releases last year, including Alan Partridge movie Alpha Papa, was recorded in the previous financial period,” says head of production Jonathan Merrell.

The Inbetweeners Movie similarly propped up Zodiak-owned Bwark

Indie snapshot successes and concerns Fastest risers % Midnight Oil Productions Retort (Fremantle Media UK)

467* 200

Nerd TV (Red Arrow)

140.5

Red Planet Pictures

89

Tigress (Endemol) Blast! Films Raise the Roof Watershed (Shed)

Indie confidence levels

Biggest concerns %

70

Budgets

32

Securing commissions

23

Talent

10

Managing growth

4

Convergence/technology

4

Diversification

4

61.5

GroupM

4

61.5

Regional bias

3

Scottish independence

2

Licence fees

2

52.5

Raw TV (Discovery)

52

Carnival Film & TV (NBCU)

50

*Midnight Oil is a small indie in only its second year of trading

Distinctiveness Other Based on 96 responses

1 10

25%

75%

More confident than 2012 Less confident than 2012 Based on 96 responses

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

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in 2012; it dropped 42.5% to £4.7m in 2013.

Meanwhile, North One TV recorded a fall of 39% to £13.4m despite continuing to make Fifth Gear and The Gadget Show for C5, which tells its own story.

There’s uncertainty even for indies with long-running format hits: revenues at Endemol’s Remarkable Television, maker of Pointless and The Million Pound Drop, dropped by 26%.

New entrants include Neal Street Productions, maker of Call The Midwife.

The film, theatre and TV producer broke out its broadcast revenues for the first time, reporting a healthy £15m turnover on the back of one steady hit.

ITV has spent almost £100m plus earnouts buying half a dozen indies over the past two years.

Production arm ITV Studios’ earnings before interest, tax and amortisation grew by 24% to £133m, largely as a result of consolidating The Garden and Big Talk. And ITV’s appetite for more programming creation clout looks to be far from sated as chief executive Adam Crozier moves into year four of his five-year transformation plan.

“ITV is now buying indies like we did five years ago,” observes Tim Hincks, president of Endemol.

“Maybe they are trying to catch up?”

Boom Pictures, Discovery and Sony Pictures Television International are among those on the indie consolidation front foot. Arguably the biggest M&A story of 2013 was Boom snapping up Twofour in October, in a deal estimated to have been at nine times sales multiple on Twofour’s 2012 profits – calculated at £3m – making the deal worth £30m.

These kind of numbers continue to look attractive to indies of a certain size aiming to be part of a bigger group, and there is likely to be more consolidation in the coming months.

Now that BBC Worldwide has moved away form buying stakes in

KeY NuMbers

Call The Midwife: Neal Street Productions www.broadcastnow.co.uk

£2.1bn Total global turnover

£1.4bn Combined turnover of top 30 ‘owned’ indies

16,016 Total original hours across indie sector

£317m Combined turnover of top 30 ‘true’ indies

7 Indies have landed product placement deals in the past year

4 Indies have worked in 3D in the past year

13 Indies have produced ad-funded content in the past year

31% Believe they don’t do enough to improve diversity

indies, the 25% it currently holds in demand service Prime Instant Video Clerkenwell Films, Baby Cow and (formerly known as LoveFilm).

Mammoth Screen might be targets Product placement appears to be for a consolidator. Funding for sostill a relatively minor, albeit growing, called start-up indies is also possible: area of business, while branded enterBoom backed former ITV drama tainment is also growing. chiefs Laura Mackie and Sally Haynes’ Sales to overseas markets are on the new production company Mainstreet rise and have become a major income Pictures early last year, while Karl stream for many indies. Fresh One’s Warner’s new outfit Electric biggest 2013 commission to Ray is backed by Sony. go to air was Dream School The setting up of USA, and the territory Channel 4’s new acquiof the 85 ‘true’ indies accounted for 25% of its sition fund will add a 2013 sales. say they need to be bought or merge with new player in the indie Many UK indies have another within five stake-buying game. And some kind of US presyears to survive private equity players are ence to better tap into the also eyeing UK indies: most lucrative TV market in witness the participation of the world. Some £9.5m of LDC private equity in backing Boom.

Shine Group-owned Kudos Film and Television’s turnover is now from international sales, and this could rise Revenue generators with continued exports of BroadNew sources of revenue are coming church and The Tunnel. from non-traditional players like A fifth of Shed’s £110m group turnNetflix, Hulu, Yahoo! and Amazon, as over is from outside the UK. Meanwell as brands and advertisers, all while, Neal Street sold Call The looking to licence and even commisMidwife to 30-plus countries, and sion distinctive programming.

Gogglebox maker Studio Lambert’s In 2013, we saw the rise of oversea’s share of revenues rose from GroupM Entertainment, a new kind 22% to 27%. of commissioner (identified as a It’s not all rosy, however. Indies serious threat by 4%), and secondary aired concerns about cash flows rights sales to Hulu and Netflix are levelling out across the year and now considered significant lines getting faster payment from broadof business by many indies – especasters so that development work can cially those with series that can be be funded to find that next big hit. marketed as ‘box sets’ for the bingeSqueezed and falling budgets were viewing generation. also noted, especially in connection Fresh One Productions reported with C5, which has been on a major that £878,000 came from digital cost-cutting exercise, and not everyproperties in 2013, including videoone welcomes Group M’s increasing on-demand sales, apps, online involvement. Richard Desmond now games and original VoD, as well as has the channel on the auction block advertising revenue generated from for a mooted £700m.

Jamie Oliver’s Food Tube channel Looking ahead, C4 chief creative on YouTube. officer Jay Hunt is asking indies to Expect more commissions and slice 2-3% off their budgets for returnrevenues coming from digital sources ing series, while BBC3’s plan to take moving forward. Only last month, BBC3 online by 2015 will halve its Tiger Aspect’s BBC1 drama Ripper budget, meaning lower-cost commisStreet was saved from extinction with sions. Tough times ahead. a new series funded by Amazon’s on-

Food Tube: Fresh One

15

Doc Martin: Buffalo Pictures 21 March 2014 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 5

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Indies 2014

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Top Independent companies 1-30 Indie

Turnover 2013 (£m)

Turnover 2012 (£m)

% change

Profit 2013 (£m)

Turnover from UK (£m)

% of total

150.89

129.86

16.00

3.00

51.89

34.50

1

IMG1 (WME)

2

Carnival Film & Television (NBCU)

99.00

66.00

50.00

-

99.00

100.00

3

Thames (FM UK)

86.60

89.60

-3.50

-

86.60

100.00

4

Avalon TV (Avalon)2

66.60

62.60

6.40

-

47.20

71.00

66.52

60.00

10.10

-

51.90

78.00

58.18

47.30

23.00

-

45.38

78.00

57.30

45.50

26.00

-

12.00

21.00

54.10

45.00

20.00

-

-

-

53.40

47.03

13.50

-

47.60

89.00

52.50

70.50

-25.50

-

-

-

52.00

40.00

30.00

-

49.70

94.50

47.10

41.00

15.00

-

12.80

27.00

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Lime Pictures (All3M)3 Twofour (Boom Pictures)4 Optomen/One Potato Two Potato (All3M)3 Tiger Aspect (Endemol) Wall To Wall (Shed) Remarkable Television (Endemol) Company Pictures (All3M)3 Studio Lambert (All3M)3

Key shows

Original UK hours 2013

Premier League; C4 Racing; World Snooker Downton Abbey; Dracula; Whitechapel The X Factor; BGT; Take Me Out; Family Fortunes Russell Howard's Good News; Man Down Hollyoaks; TOWIE; Geordie Shore Educating Yorkshire; Splash!; Alex Polizzi Food Glorious Food; Great British Menu Ripper Street; Peaky Blinders The Voice UK; New Tricks; Long Lost Family Pointless; Million Pound Drop The White Queen; Moonfleet; The Village Gogglebox; Undercover Boss; Four In A Bed Your Face Sounds Familiar; Big Brother

Full-time UK staff

Digi revenues 2013 (£m)

3,750

309

0.50-0.70

29

24

-

172

23

-

55

90

-

218.5

320

0.94

173

105

-

82

90

0.29

86

68

0.40

79

183

-

532

12

-

46

23

0.66

86

50

-

323

15

-

13

Initial (Endemol)

45.30

45.80

-1.00

-

-

-

14

Shine TV (Shine)5

44.00

48.00

-8.50

-

31.00

70.50

Merlin; MasterChef

151

32

-

15

Kudos Film & TV (Shine)5

43.40

54.40

-20.00

-

31.00

71.50

Broadchurch; Utopia; Mayday; The Tunnel

42

37

1.30

16

Hat Trick Productions

37.00

35.20

5.00

-

18.40

49.50

Room 101; HIGNFY

47.5

65

0.53

17

Left Bank Pictures (Sony)6

36.00

45.00

-20.00

-

17.60

59.00

20

23

-

18

Raw TV (Discovery)

35.00

23.00

52.00

-

5.00

14.00

46

35

0.01

32.00

38.00

-16.00

-

24.00

75.00

129

69

0.67

32.70

32.00

2.19

-

30.40

93.00

691.5

75

-

30.00

26.20

14.50

-

-

-

330

143

-

28.00

25.00

12.00

-

22.50

80.00

1449

150

-

133

23

-

224

120

-

70

7

-

676

220

-

21

19

-

67.3

115

6.00

19 20 21 22

7

Objective Productions (All3M)3 Princess Productions (Shine)5 RDF Television (Zodiak Media) Sunset + Vine (Tinopolis)8

23

Boundless (FM UK)

27.60

23.80

16.00

-

27.60

100.00

24

Lion TV (All3M)3

25.00

28.00

-10.50

-

20.00

80.00

24

Talkback (FM UK)

25.00

22.90

9.00

-

25.00

100.00

22.41

21.98

2.00

-

21.95

98.00

21.00

24.00

-12.50

3.20

21.00

100.00

26 27

Boom Pictures Wales (Boom Pictures) Red Production Co (StudioCanal)9

Strike Back; Mad Dogs; Ice Cream Girls Gold Rush; Neighbourhood Watched; Blackout The Cube; Toast Of London; Fresh Meat Got To Dance; The Face; Sunday Brunch Tipping Point; Wheelers, Dealers and Del Boys Premier League; Test Cricket Highlights; NFL The Apprentice; Four Rooms; Grand Designs Homes Under The Hammer; Horrible Histories Celebrity Juice; Through the Keyhole Clare Balding Show; GT Academy Scott & Bailey; Last Tango In Halifax Embarrassing Bodies; Nurses

28

Maverick TV (All3M)3

20.30

18.10

12.00

-

20.30

100.00

29

Shed Productions (Shed)10

19.50

13.09

45.50

-

16.60

85.00

Waterloo Road

30

47

0.60

30

Mentorn (Tinopolis)8

18.00

22.00

-18.00

-

15.30

85.00

Question Time; Motorway Cops

223

25

-

1 IMG profit is estimated. William Morris Endeavour bought IMG at end of 2013. These figures relate to when it was independent; 2 Avalon Group companies are year to 30 June 2013. Avalon TV also produces 295 hours of radio; 3 All3Media Group companies are year to 31 August 2013. Maverick also produced 150+ hours for YouTube; 4 Twofour merged with Boom Pictures in October 2013; 5 All Shine companies are year to 30 June 2013; 6 Left Bank Is year to 30 June 2013; 7 Raw TV was bought by Discovery in February 2013. These figures relate to the period before the sale; 8 Tinopolis Group company figures are all to 30 September 2013; 9 Red Production Company profit is estimated. Studio Canal bought 60% stake in December 2013; 10 Digi revenues are Shed Group

Downton Abbey: Carnival www.broadcastnow.co.uk

The White Queen: Company

Room 101: Hat Trick 21 March 2014 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 7

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Indies 2014

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Top IndependenT companIes 31-61 Indie

Turnover 2013 (£m)

Turnover 2012 (£m)

% change

Profit 2013 (£m)

Turnover from UK (£m)

% of total

31

Firecracker Films (Tinopolis)11

16.80

18.00

-6.50

-

7.56

45.00

32

Betty TV (Discovery)

15.80

12.50

26.50

-

13.70

86.50

15.78

20.00

-21.00

-

5.60

35.50

33 34

Bentley Productions (All3M)3 CPL Productions (Red Arrow)

15.70

13.20

19.00

-

14.90

95.00

35

Zeppotron (Endemol)

15.40

19.30

-20.00

-

-

-

36

Tinopolis Wales12

15.00

12.00

25.00

-

15.00

100.00

36

Dragonfly (Shine)

15.00

20.00

-25.00

-

10.60

70.50

36

Neal Street Productions13

15.00

-

-

-

15.00

100.00

39

Twenty Twenty (Shed)

14.70

10.50

40.00

-

13.40

91.00

40

Red Planet Pictures

14.67

7.75

89.00

-

14.67

100.00

41

Rondo Media

14.50

14.10

3.00

-

14.50

100.00

41

Ricochet (Shed)

14.50

14.17

2.50

-

14.00

96.50

43

Off The Fence

14.16

10.95

29.50

-

3.00

21.00

44

Pioneer (Tinopolis)8

14.00

15.00

-6.50

-

2.80

20.00

45

Fresh One

13.94

15.52

-10.00

-

6.35

45.50

46

Love Productions

13.76

10.32

33.50

-

6.21

45.00

13.40

22.00

-39.00

-

10.70

80.00

13.40

9.00

49.00

-

9.30

69.50

13.40

11.00

22.00

-

13.00

97.00

13.00

17.00

-23.50

-

-

-

13.00

9.16

42.00

-

10.50

81.00

47 47 47 50

5

North One TV (All3M)3 Monkey Kingdom (NBC) World Productions (Marcus Evans Group) IWC Media (Zodiak Media Group)14

51

Hartswood Films

52

Nutopia

12.00

15.50

-22.50

0.59

2.50

21.00

53

Input Media

11.94

13.15

-9.00

-

7.44

62.00

54

Renegade Pictures (Shed)

11.90

12.29

-3.00

-

11.90

100.00

55

Atlantic Productions

11.70

-

-

-

-

-

56

Darlow Smithson Prods (Endemol)

11.40

12.00

-5.00

-

-

-

57

Baby Cow16

10.30

25.87

-60.00

-

6.00

58.50

58

True North17

10.10

7.10

42.50

-

8.10

81.00

59

Zig Zag Productions

10.00

15.00

-50.00

-

6.00

60.00

60

Keo Films18

9.80

7.80

25.50

0.10

9.80

100.00

61

Windfall Films (Argonon)19

9.70

7.05

37.50

-

4.98

51.50

15

Key shows The Man With The 10 Stone Testicles Bear Grylls Escape From Hell; Undateables Midsomer Murders Off Their Rockers; All Star Mr & Mrs Would I Lie To You; Black Mirror Heno; Prynhawn Da Plane Crash; One Born Every Minute Call The Midwife Sing While You Work; First Dates Death In Paradise;

By Any Means Rownd A Rownd; The Indian Doctor Cowboy Builders; Cowboy Traders Generation Cryo; Britain's Broken Families Weather That Changed The World Jamie’s Money Saving Meals Great British Bake Off; Sewing Bee The Gadget Show; Operation Homefront Made In Chelsea; Newlyweds The Great Train Robbery Location, Location, Location The Guilty

Original UK hours 2013

Full-time UK staff

Digi revenues 2013 (£m)

44

22

1.70

61

27

-

8

5

-

35

79

-

58

7

-

410

140

-

54

20

0.10

9.25

8

1.40

64

65

-

14

10

-

398

62

-

83

73

-

70

40

-

50

60

-

32.5

24

0.88

33.5

35-50

-

80

32

0.22

34

13

-

4

7

-

100

75

-

3

8

-

1980s; Siege In The Sahara Chelsea TV; Roland Garros tennis Don't Tell The Bride; Barely Legal Drivers

19

16

1.44

1766

120

0.39

37

31

-

Galapagos 3D

21.5

31

-

48

23

-

18

17

0.30

80

20

0.48

44

22

-

24

40

-

38

54

-

Richard III: The King In The Car Park; The Mill Starlings; Common Ground; Gifted Build the Dream; The Valleys; Bloody Tales Scam City; Dream Date The Toughest Hugh’s Fish Fight; River Cottage The Murder Trial; Easter Eggs Live

11 Firecracker Films is year to 30 September 2013; 12 Tinopolis Wales hours are approximate; 13 Neal Street is year to 31 March 2013. While the company also produces films and theatrical plays, this figure is for its TV division only; 14 IWC Media includes Lucky Day and Bullseye; 15 Nutopia is year to 31 March 2013; 16 Baby Cow is 25% owned by BBCW. Figures are estimated for tax year to 31 March 2014; 17 True North turnover is estimated; 18 Keo is year to 31 March 2013; 19 Windfall became part of Argonon after this period

The Great Train Robbery: World Productions 8 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 21 March 2014

Galapagos 3D: Atlantic Productions

The Murder Trial: Windfall Films www.broadcastnow.co.uk

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Indies 2014

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TOP INDEPENDENT COMPANIES 62-91 Indie

Turnover 2013 (£m)

Turnover 2012 (£m)

% change

Profit 2013 (£m)

Turnover from UK (£m)

% of total

62

October Films

9.45

6.05

56.00

-

7.14

75.50

63

Spun Gold TV

9.00

6.40

40.50

-

7.60

84.50

63

Blink Films

9.00

7.00

28.50

-

5.00

55.50

65

Wag TV20

8.75

7.80

9.00

0.76

3.00

35.00

66

Retort (FM UK)

8.40

2.80

200.00

-

8.40

100.00

67

Clerkenwell Films21

8.06

8.20

-1.50

-

8.06

100.00

68

Icon Films

7.90

5.50

43.50

-

3.00

38.00

68

Arrow Media

7.90

-

-

-

2.00

25.50

70

The Foundation (Zodiak)

7.20

9.40

-23.50

-

-

-

70

Lucky Giant (NBCU)

7.20

-

-

-

7.20

100.00

72

Blast! Films

6.50

4.03

61.50

0.60

5.26

81.00

73

Somethin' Else22

6.30

8.20

-23.00

-

-

-

74

Raise The Roof23

6.09

3.77

61.50

0.97

5.80

95.00

75

Gogglebox Entertainment (Sony)

5.80

6.21

-6.50

-

5.60

96.50

75

Silver River (Sony)

5.80

6.20

-6.50

-

5.40

93.00

77

Tigress Productions (Endemol)

5.62

3.33

70.00

-

-

-

78

Magnum Media24

5.60

4.40

27.50

-

5.00

89.50

79

25

Tern Television

5.40

5.70

-5.50

0.42

4.10

76.00

80

Plum Pictures26

5.20

5.10

2.00

-

4.20

81.00

5.12

-

-

0.38

4.00

78.00

5.10

-

-

-

2.10

41.00

81 82

Oxford Film & Television Electric Sky Productions

83

Outline Productions27

5.08

5.40

-6.00

-

4.63

91.00

84

Flame TV (Avalon)2

4.90

3.50

40.00

-

-

-

85

Rollem Productions28

4.80

4.43

8.50

0.29

4.76

99.00

86

Pacific

4.75

3.86

23.00

-

0.53

11.50

87

Bwark (Zodiak)

4.70

8.20

-42.50

-

-

-

88

Blakeway Productions (Ten Alps)29

4.50

4.00

12.50

0.20

4.50

100.00

89

Kalel Productions30

4.25

-

-

0.17

2.13

50.00

90 91

Victory Television (Sony) Burning Bright Productions31

4.10

3.60

14.00

-

4.10

100.00

4.02

3.85

4.50

-

3.20

77.00

Key shows Rude Tube; Trauma Level One Alan Titchmarsh; Paul Hollywood’s Pies & Puds Classic Car Rescue; Treasures Decoded How Do They Do It?; Combat Countdown Count Arthur Strong; Phoneshop; IT Crowd Misfits River Monsters; Big Foot Files; Animal Airport Ultimate Airport Dubai; Terror in the Skies Tickety Toc; Dani's Castle; Fort Boyard Family Tree Route Masters: Running Londons Roads 50 Years Of Rock Excess; Play On! Phil Spencer: Secret Agent Release The Hounds; Plain Jane Benefits: How Much Is Enough?

Countdown To The Rains; Nature Shock Ben Earl: Trick Artist Town With Nicholas Crane Inside Death Row With Trevor McDonald Our Queen; The Story of the Jews Fat Doctor; Crazyland Health Freaks; Great British Garden Revival Heir Hunters; Saints & Scroungers The Syndicate Pioneer Woman; Barefoot Contessa Drifters; 30 And Counting Queen Victoria’s Children; Dispatches Eye Spy; Secret Princes Five Minutes To A Fortune Poaching Wars With Tom Hardy

Original UK hours 2013

Full-time UK staff

Digi revenues 2013 (£m)

41

19

-

122

7

-

31

8

-

40+

14

0.01

8

3

-

8

6

-

34.5

75

-

28

55

-

55

9

-

4

4

-

20

14

-

8

65

2.00+

52

16

0.01

57.5

7

-

22

12

-

22

9

-

4

3

-

47

25

0.05

25

7

-

18.5

15

-

183

6

-

31

8

-

84

4

-

6

2

-

5

7

-

3.5

9

-

28

9

-

4

1

-

36

7

-

7.5

5

-

20 Wag TV UK turnover and digital revenues are estimated; 21 25% owned by BBCW; 22 Somethin’ Else is year to 31 March 2013. Also produces around 4,000 hours of radio; 23 Raise the Roof is year to April 2013; 24 Magnum Media is year to 30 September 2013; 25 Tern TV is year to 31 March 2013; 26 Plum Pictures is year to 30 June 2013; 27 Outline is year to 30 April 2013; 28 Rollem Productions is year to 31 April 2013; 29 Ten Alps indies Blakeway, Brook Lapping and Films of Record are all year to 31 March 2013; 30 All of Kalel’s shows are co-productions with Objective. This figure, which relates to the year to 31 January 2013, is in addition to Objective’s share of turnover from these productions; 31 Burning Bright is 25% owned by BBCW

Drifters: Bwark (Zodiak) 10 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 21 March 2014

Release The Hounds: Gogglebox Entertainment

Ben Earl: Trick Artist: Magnum Media www.broadcastnow.co.uk

THE WORLD IS WATCHING Beyond Distribution has been proudly representing UK producers worldwide since 1984.

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M7134 BEY Globe_Ad.indd 1

11/09/13 10:08 AM

Indies 2014 TOP INDEPENDENT COMPANIES 92-123 Indie

Turnover 2013 (£m)

Turnover 2012 (£m)

% change

Profit 2013 (£m)

Turnover from UK (£m)

% of total

92

Reef Television32

4.00

4.03

-0.50

0.20

3.41

85.00

92

Touchpaper Television (Zodiak)

4.00

9.80

-59.00

-

-

-

94

Channel X

3.85

4.00

-3.50

0.43

3.75

97.50

95

World Media Rights33

3.80

4.40

-13.50

0.45

0.62

16.50

95

Nerd TV (Red Arrow)

3.80

1.58

140.50

-

1.30

34.00

97

Wild Pictures

3.76

3.55

6.00

-

3.76

100.00

98

Century TV

3.43

2.70

27.00

-

3.43

100.00

99

Attaboy TV

3.37

2.92

15.50

-

3.37

100.00

100

The Comedy Unit (Zodiak)

3.20

3.20

0.00

-

-

-

101

3DD Productions

3.10

3.40

-9.00

0.01

0.74

24.00

3.00

3.00

0.00

-

2.50

83.50

2.90

2.90

0.00

0.30

2.00

69.00

2.80

3.60

-12.00

-

2.40

85.50

2.65

2.09

26.50

-

2.40

90.50

102 103 104 105

34

Thumbs Up Productions Brook Lapping (Ten Alps)29 Oxford Scientific Films (Boom Pictures) Rise Films

106

Back2Back TV35

2.45

2.80

-12.50

-

2.45

100.00

107

Pilot Film and TV Productions

2.40

3.00

-20.00

-

0.25

10.50

Key shows Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Being Human; Coming Up Hebburn; John Bishop’s Only Joking Air Crash Confidential; Black Ops Inside The Gangsters’ Code; 12-Year-Old Lifer HMP Aylesbury; Zoo; Fraud Squad Moto GP; Ride London Cycling Wheeler Dealers; Strippers: Cars For Cash Badults; Limmy's Show; Rab C Nesbitt Live Vibrations; In Conversation; Movie Talk Britain And Ireland’s Next Top Model The Iraq War; Exposure; Thatcher Obit Pandas Back to the Wild 3D; Animal Odd Couples

Original UK hours 2013

Full-time UK staff

Digi revenues 2013 (£m)

63

15

-

9.5

7

-

10

5

0.01

50

7

-

8

5

-

17

11

-

243

10

-

25

9

-

12

11

-

50

4

0.10

20

3

-

9

9

-

8

11

-

3

4

-

21

10

-

35

12

-

Plebs Jews On Bikes; Lily Cole’s Art Matters Globe Trekker; Planet Food; Bazaar

32 Reef figures are awaiting verification in April; 33 World Media Rights operating model is in pre-sales, rather than active commissions; 34 3DD is year to 31 March 2013; 35 Back2Back TV is year to 30 April 2013

STRATEGIC ADVISERS

TO THE INDIE TV SECTOR Wiggin is not just a law firm focussing solely on the media and digital space. We act as commercial advisers and strategists for our clients. We make deals and we create policy. We provide the full range of development, financing, production, tax credit and distribution advice to a wide range of television companies and we have advised on a significant proportion of the recent M&A activity in the indie sector.

We also initiated the TV tax credit and we have formed a packaging division that helps source finance and distribution for TV projects.

So, whether you are thinking of selling your company or are seeking investment, or whether you require strategic or day-to-day advice in connection with your production activities, we would be delighted to work with you.

CONTACT Michael Brader (Corporate) T: 020 7927 9679 E: michael.brader@wiggin.co.uk Medwyn Jones (Production) T: 020 7927 6644 E: medwyn.jones@wiggin.co.uk www.wiggin.co.uk

12 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 21 March 2014

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Sponsored by

Indie

Turnover 2013 (£m)

Turnover 2012 (£m)

% change

Profit 2013 (£m)

Turnover from UK (£m)

% of total

108

Darrall Macqueen36

2.25

1.51

48.50

0.17

2.10

93.50

109

Red House (Zodiak)

2.20

-

-

-

-

-

109

Spring Films

2.20

-

-

-

0.40

18.00

111

Topical Television (Avalon)2

2.10

1.90

10.50

-

-

-

112

Saltbeef TV

2.10

-

-

-

2.10

100.00

113

Watershed (Shed)

2.03

1.33

52.50

-

2.00

98.50

114

Denhams Broadcast & Digital37

1.95

2.13

-8.00

0.14

0.94

48.00

115

Sweet TV

1.80

-

-

0.18

1.40

78.00

116

Wildfire TV38

1.77

1.30

36.00

-

1.77

100.00

117

Midnight Oil Productions

1.70

0.30

467.00

0.15

-

-

118

Knickerbockerglory39

1.67

1.23

36.00

0.40

1.67

100.00

119

Alaska

1.60

-

-

-

1.50

94.00

119

Testimony Films

1.60

1.80

-11.00

-

1.00

62.50

121

Indus Films (Boom Pictures)

1.58

1.60

-1.00

-

1.58

100.00

122

True Vision40

1.57

1.80

-13.00

0.08

1.40

123

Vsquared TV

1.52

1.65

-8.00

0.13

1.30

Key shows

Original UK hours 2013

Topsy & Tim; Baby Jake; Bear Behaving Badly Double Your House For Half The Money The Secret Life Of Uri Geller Real Rescues; Caught Red Handed Friday Download; Christmas Download Stacey Dooley Investigates Rick Stein’s India; The Hungry Sailors Rachel Allen’s Everyday Kitchen; Man vs World Walking Through History The Doctors Revisited; Unlocking Sherlock Boom Town; Jodie Marsh On Steroids River Deep, Mountain High; XBox Music Room

Full-time UK staff

Digi revenues 2013 (£m)

10

7

-

11

24

-

4

6

-

32

5

-

25

5

-

19

8

-

36

11

0.28

17.5

8

-

14

3

-

9.5

5

0.09

14

4

0.07

25

7

-

10

9

-

Wild Shepherdess; Swansea Market

7

11

-

89.00

Growing Up Poor

5

12

-

86.00

Tour de France; Vuelta a Espana

120

4

-

The Lost Hero Of 9/11

36 Darrall Macqueen’s UK turnover is estimated; 37 Denham is year to 31 March 2013; 38 Wildfire TV turnover is estimated; 39 Knickerbockerglory figures are estimated; 40 True Vision UK turnover is estimated

Nobody wants a creative accountant But you do want an accountant who understands the creative industries Baker Tilly’s specialist media and technology group is dedicated to helping our clients overcome the challenges of this fast-moving sector. From start-ups to established multinational businesses, we understand the key business issues facing those in the creative industry. This means we can provide you with proactive and strategic advice, freeing you up to focus on running your business.

www.bakertilly.co.uk Baker Tilly UK Audit LLP, Baker Tilly Tax and Advisory Services LLP, Baker Tilly Corporate Finance LLP, Baker Tilly Restructuring and Recovery LLP and Baker Tilly Tax and Accounting Limited are not authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 but we are able in certain circumstances to offer a limited range of investment services because we are members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. We can provide these investment services if they are an incidental part of the professional services we have been engaged to provide. Baker Tilly & Co Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to conduct a range of investment business activities. The term ‘Partner’ refers to the title of senior employees, none of whom provide services on their own behalf. © 2014 Baker Tilly UK Group LLP, all rights reserved 0257

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

21 March 2014 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 13

Indies 2014

Sponsored by

TOP INDEPENDENT COMPANIES 124-153 Indie 124

Raw Cut Television

125

CTVC42

126

Turnover 2013 (£m)

Turnover 2012 (£m)

% change

Profit 2013 (£m)

Turnover from UK (£m)

% of total

1.49

-

-

-0.38

1.09

73.00

1.45

1.08

34.00

-0.09

0.81

56.50

Liberty Bell (Avalon)

1.40

-

-

-

-

-

127

Juniper TV43

1.37

1.57

-12.50

0.27

1.30

95.00

128

Big Wave Productions

1.30

-

-

0.01

0.65

50.00

129

Clearstory

1.25

0.64

94.50

0.18

0.80

64.00

1.20

3.50

-

-

1.00

83.50

130 131

2

Freeform Productions Screenchannel Television

1.20

1.45

-17.00

1.82

1.20

100.00

Key shows Neighbourhood Blues; Police Interceptors Murder Workers; The Spy Who Went Into The Cold Dave Gorman’s Modern Life Is Goodish This Week; Sunday Politics; Dispatches Precision: The Measure Of All Things

-

10

20

-

10

3

-

51.5

6

-

3

5

-

Sex Box

1.5

3

0.02

A Place In The Sun

30

4

-

23

4

-

3

6

-

13

9

-

7.5

2

-

4

3

-

6

3

-

7

10

-

1.5

1

-

12

5

-

11.5

1

-

7

5

-

4

2

0.20

9

3

-

4

5

-

2.25

3

-

4

1

-

8

6

-

Fake Britain; The Sheriffs Are Coming Turtle Boy; Breaking The Taboo; Flatmates

1.14

0.70

64.00

-

0.95

83.50

133

Sixteen South

1.13

-

-

0.08

-

-

134

Illuminations

1.11

-

-

0.03

0.67

60.00

135

Dartmouth Films

1.10

0.51

116.00

0.03

0.60

54.50

136

Hardcash Productions

1.00

1.00

0.00

0.10

1.00

100.00

137

Middlechild TV

0.93

-

-

-

0.49

53.00

The Dog Rescuers

137

Great Meadow Productions44

0.93

-

-

0.04

0.77

82.00

Wodehouse In Exile

140 140 142

Ruby Film and Television Films Of Record (Ten Alps)21 Lambent Productions45

0.90

0.95

-5.50

-

0.50

55.50

0.90

-

-

0.02

0.90

100.00

0.90

1.40

-35.50

0.02

0.90

100.00

0.82

0.83

-1.50

-

0.79

97.00

Digi revenues 2013 (£m)

12

Sundog Pictures

Colonial Pictures

Full-time UK staff

31

132

139

Original UK hours 2013

Pajanimals Julius Caesar; Lionel Bart Utopia (doc); Challenging Behaviour Forced to Marry; Undercover Colleges

One PM CST with George Clooney; Auction Case Histories; Dancing On The Edge Iceland Foods: Life In The Freezer Cabinet Out of Jail & On The Streets Doc Martin; Heavy Horsepower

143

Buffalo Pictures

0.72

7.50

-91.50

0.45

0.72

100.00

144

Popkorn TV

0.60

1.70

-64.50

-

0.25

41.50

145

Firecrest Films

0.53

0.23

130.50

-

0.53

100.00

146

Crux Productions46

0.50

0.22

129.50

-

0.50

100.00

147

Caledonia TV

0.44

-

-

0.00

0.44

100.00

148

Lemonade Money

0.41

-

-

0.46

0.41

100.00

Random Acts

1

3

-

149

Brassneck TV47

0.32

0.18

78.00

0.10

0.32

100.00

Royalty Close Up

2

1

-

150

Pirate Productions48

0.20

0.17

21.00

-

0.20

100.00

Rubenesque

1

1

-

0.16

-

-

-

0.15

94.00

1

2

-

0.08

2.05

-94.00

-

0.08

100.00

3.5

5

-

0.07

0.01

0.00

0.02

0.07

99.00

46

1

-

151 152 153

Gold Star Productions Yalli Productions (Shed) AMG Television Productions49

Killers Behind Bars Secrets of the Discount Stores Colin Davis In His Own Words; Requiem From Age To Age; Baking

The Unspeakable Crime: Rape 3Gs; Boris Johnson's Guide To London Brisca F1; 750 Motorclub racing

42 CTVC is a not-for-profit company owned by the Rank Organisation; 43 Juniper is estimated; 44 Great Meadow is year to 31 March 2013; 45 Lambent is year to 31 May 2013; 46 Crux figures are to 31 March 2013, and are estimated; 47 Brassneck is year to 31 March 2013; 48 Pirate Productions turnover is estimated 49 AMG is estimated for tax year to 30 September 2013

Modern Life Is Goodish: Liberty Bell 14 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 21 March 2014

Dancing On The Edge: Ruby Film & TV

Rubenesque: Pirate Productions www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Production

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Let Mackinlay Simpson take care Nativ. “Linear broadcast uses a lot of expensive kit with very high operational costs. Distribution to other added isvalue IP-enabled platforms baseddoes on Q What Mackinlay Simpson offer commoditised IT and is a lot more when auditing production cost-effective.”

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Q What are the most

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Mackinlay Simpson also prepares timely management accounts so there are no shocks at the end of the year.

Q What services do you

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A pre-sale due-diligence pack will ensure that the company is shown in the best possible light

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

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Contact details Mackinlay Simpson Ltd, 20 Exhibition House, Addison Bridge Place, London W14 8XP T +44 (0)20 7602 6366 F +44 (0)20 7602 2663 E info@ms.uk.com www.ms.uk.com

➤ | Broadcast | Broadcast 21 March 201400 Month 2013Indie Survey | 15

Indies 2014 ‘true’ indies Top 30 producers not majority owned by a larger group Indie 1 2 3

Hat Trick Productions Neal Street Productions1 Red Planet Pictures

Turnover 2013(£m)

Turnover 2012 (£m)

% change

Profit 2013 (£m)

37.00

35.20

5.00

-

15.00

-

-

14.67

7.75

89.00

Turnover from UK (£m)

% of total

Key shows

Original UK hours 2013

Full-time UK staff

Digi revenues 2013 (£m)

18.40

49.50

Room 101; HIGNFY

47.5

65

0.53

-

15.00

100.00

Call The Midwife

9.25

8

1.40

-

14.67

100.00

Death In Paradise;

By Any Means

14

10

-

Rownd A Rownd; The Indian Doctor

398

62

-

4

Rondo Media

14.50

14.10

3.00

-

14.50

100.00

5

Off The Fence

14.16

10.95

29.50

-

3.00

21.00

Generation Cryo

70

40

-

45.50

Jamie’s Money Saving Meals

32.5

24

0.88

33.5

35-50

-

6

Fresh One

13.94

15.52

-10.00

-

6.34

7

Love Productions

13.76

10.32

33.50

-

6.21

45.00

Great British Bake Off; Sewing Bee

8

Hartswood Films

13.00

9.16

42.00

-

10.50

81.00

The Guilty

3

8

-

19

16

1.44

9

Nutopia2

12.00

15.50

-22.50

0.59

2.50

21.00

1980s; Siege In The Sahara

10

Input Media

11.94

13.15

-9.00

-

7.44

62.00

Chelsea TV; Roland Garros tennis

1766

120

0.39

11

Atlantic Productions

11.70

-

-

-

-

-

Galapagos 3D

21.5

31

-

80

20

0.30

12

Baby Cow3

10.30

25.87

-60.00

-

6.00

58.50

Starlings; Common Ground; Gifted

13

True North4

10.10

7.10

42.50

-

8.10

81.00

Build The Dream; The Valleys

80

20

0.48

44

22

-

14

Zig Zag Productions

15

Keo Films5

16

October Films

10.00

15.00

-50.00

-

6.00

60.00

Scam City; Dream Date; The Toughest

9.80

7.80

25.50

0.10

9.80

100.00

Hugh’s Fish Fight; Ottolenghi’s Med

24

40

-

75.50

Rude Tube; Trauma Level One

41

19

0.00

122

7

-

9.45

6.05

56.00

-

7.136

17

Spun Gold TV

9.00

6.40

40.50

-

7.60

84.50

The Alan Titchmarsh Show

17

Blink Films

9.00

7.00

28.50

-

5.00

55.50

Classic Car Rescue; Treasures Decoded

31

8

-

How Do They Do It?; Combat Countdown

40+

14

0.01

8

6

-

19

Wag TV6

8.75

7.80

9.00

0.76

3.00

3.00

20

Clerkenwell Films

8.06

8.20

-1.50

-

8.06

100.00

21

Icon Films

7.90

5.50

43.50

-

3.00

Misfits

38.00

Big Foot Files; River Monsters

34.5

75

-

28

55

-

20

14

-

8

65

2.00+

21

Arrow Media

7.90

-

-

-

2.00

25.50

Ultimate Airport Dubai

23

Blast! Films

6.50

4.03

61.50

0.60

5.26

81.00

Route Masters: Running Londons Roads 50 Years Of Rock Excess; Play On!

24

Somethin’ Else7

6.30

8.20

-23.00

-

-

-

25

Raise The Roof8

6.09

3.77

61.50

0.97

5.80

95.00

Phil Spencer: Secret Agent

52

16

0.01

26

Magnum Media

5.60

4.40

27.50

-

5.00

89.50

Ben Earl: Trick Artist

4

3

-

47

25

0.05

9

27

Tern Television10

5.40

5.70

-5.50

0.42

4.10

76.00

Town With Nicholas Crane

28

Plum Pictures11

5.20

5.10

2.00

-

4.20

81.00

Inside Death Row With Trevor McDonald

25

7

-

18.5

15

-

183

6

-

29 30

Oxford Film & Television Electric Sky Productions

5.12

-

-

0.38

4.00

78.00

Our Queen; The Story Of The Jews

5.10

-

-

-

2.10

41.00

Fat Doctor; Crazyland

1 Neal Street is year to 31 March 13. While the company also produces films and theatrical plays, these figures are for its TV division only; 2 Nutopia is year to 31 March 13; 3 Baby Cow is 25% owned by BBCW. Figures are estimated for tax year to 31 March 2014; 4 True North turnover is estimated; 5 Keo is year to 31 March 2013; 6 Wag TV UK turnover and digital revenues are estimated; 7 Somethin’ Else is year to 31 March 2013. Also produces around 4,000 hours of radio; 8 Raise the Roof is year to April 2013; 9 Magnum Media is year to 30 September 2013; 10 Tern TV is year to 31 March 2013; 11 Plum Pictures is year to 30 June 2013

1980s: Nutopia 16 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 21 March 2014

The Valleys: True North

Ultimate Airport Dubai: Arrow Media www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Sponsored by

‘owned’ indies top 30 producers owned by a larger group Indie 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

IMG (William Morris Endeavour)1 Carnival Film & Television (NBC) Thames (FM UK) Avalon TV (Avalon)2 Lime Pictures (All3Media) Twofour (Boom Pictures)3 Optomen/One Potato Two Potato (All3M)4 Tiger Aspect (Endemol) Wall To Wall (Shed) Remarkable Television (Endemol) Company Pictures (All3Media)4 Studio Lambert (All3Media)4

Turnover 2013 (£m)

Turnover 2012 (£m)

% change

Profit 2013 (£m)

Turnover from UK (£m)

% of total

Key shows

Original UK hours 2013

Full-time UK staff

Digi revenues 2013 (£m)

150.89

129.86

16.00

3.00

51.90

34.50

3,750

309

0.50-0.70

99.00

66.00

50.00

-

99.00

100.00

Downton Abbey; Dracula; Whitechapel

29

24

-

86.60

89.60

-3.50

-

86.60

100.00

The X Factor; BGT; Take Me Out

172

23

-

350

90

-

Premier League; Channel 4 Racing

66.60

62.60

6.40

-

47.20

71.00

Russell Howard’s Good News; Man Down

66.52

60.00

10.10

-

51.90

78.00

Hollyoaks; TOWIE; Geordie Shore

218.5

320

0.94

78.00

Educating Yorkshire; Splash!

173

105

-

Food Glorious Food; Great British Menu

82

90

0.29

Ripper Street; Peaky Blinders

86

68

0.40

The Voice UK; New Tricks

79

183

-

58.18

47.30

23.00

-

45.38

57.30

45.50

26.00

-

12.00

21.00

54.10

45.00

20.00

-

-

-

53.40

47.03

13.50

-

47.60

89.00

52.50

70.50

-25.50

-

-

-

Pointless; Million Pound Drop

532

12

-

95.50

The White Queen; Moonfleet

46

23

0.66

Gogglebox; Undercover Boss

86

50

-

Your Face Sounds Familiar; Big Brother

323

15

-

52.00

40.00

30.00

-

49.70

47.10

41.00

15.00

-

12.80

27.00

13

Initial (Endemol)

45.30

45.80

-1.00

-

-

-

14

Shine TV (Shine)5

44.00

48.00

-8.50

-

31.00

70.50

Merlin; MasterChef

151

32

-

15

Kudos Film & TV (Shine)5

43.40

54.40

-20.00

-

31.00

71.50

Broadchurch; Utopia; Mayday; The Tunnel

42

37

1.30

16

Raw TV (Discovery)

35.00

23.00

52.00

-

5.00

14.00

Gold Rush; Blackout

46

35

0.00

20

23

-

129

69

0.67

691.5

75

-

330

143

-

17 18 19 20 21

6

Left Bank Pictures (Sony)7 Objective Productions (All3M)3 Princess Productions (Shine)5 RDF Television (Zodiak Media) Sunset + Vine (Tinopolis)8

30.00

45.00

-20.00

-

17.60

59.00

Strike Back; Mad Dogs; Ice Cream Girls

32.00

38.00

-16.00

-

24.00

75.00

The Cube; Toast Of London; Fresh Meat Got To Dance; The Face; Sunday Brunch

32.70

32.00

2.19

-

30.40

100.00

30.00

26.20

14.50

-

-

-

28.00

25.00

12.00

-

22.50

80.00

Tipping Point; Wheelers, Dealers & Del Boys Premier League; Test Cricket Highlights

22

Boundless (FM UK)

27.60

23.80

16.00

-

27.60

100.00

The Apprentice; Four Rooms

23

Lion TV (All3M)3

25.00

28.00

-10.50

-

20.00

80.00

Homes Under The Hammer

23 25 26 27 28

Talkback (FM UK) Boom Pictures Wales (Boom Pictures) Red Production Company9 Maverick TV (All3M) Shed Productions (Shed)10

1449

150

-

133

23

-

224

120

-

70

7

-

25.00

22.90

9.00

-

25.00

100.00

Celebrity Juice; Through The Keyhole

22.41

21.98

2.00

-

21.95

98.00

Clare Balding Show; GT Academy

676

220

-

100.00

Scott & Bailey; Last Tango In Halifax

21

19

-

Embarrassing Bodies; Nurses

67.3

115

6.00

21.00

24.00

-12.50

3.20

21.00

20.30

18.10

12.00

-

20.30

100.00

19.50

13.09

45.50

-

16.60

85.00

Waterloo Road

30

47

0.607

223

25

-

44

22

1.70

29

Mentorn (Tinopolis)8

18.00

22.00

-18.00

-

15.30

85.00

Question Time; Motorway Cops

30

Firecracker Films (Tinopolis)8

16.80

18.00

-6.50

-

7.56

45.00

Man With The 10-Stone Testicles

1 IMG profit is estimated. William Morris Endeavour bought IMG at end of 2013. These figures relate to when it was independent; 2 Avalon Group companies are year to 30 June 2013; 3 Twofour became part of Boom Pictures in October 2013; 4 All3Media Group companies are year to 31 August 2013; 5 All Shine companies are year to 30 June 2013; 6 Raw TV was bought by Discovery in February 2013. These figures relate to the period before the sale; 7 Left Bank Is year to 30 June 2013; 8 Tinopolis Group company figures are all to 30 September 2013; 9 Red Production Company profit is estimated. Studio Canal bought 60% stake in December 2013; 10 Digi revenues are Shed Group

Take Me Out: Thames www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Man Down: Avalon TV

Man With The 10-Stone Testicles: Firecracker 21 March 2014 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 17

Great TV and great music.

They don’t just happen.

5111_January2014Campaign_DPS_Stage1.indd All Pages

It takes‌ 12 first violins, 10 second violins, 8 violas, 6 celli, 4 double basses, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 1 harp, 6 horns, 3 trumpets, 4 trombones, 1 tuba, timpani, 24 singers, 9 hours of recording time and lots of coffee.

Track (ANW2130/1) Time Chasers 2:53 James Brett Recorded at Abbey Road Studios with the English Session Orchestra 18/12/13 #MadeWithLove

Find out what it takes to make great music:

audionetwork.com/madewithlove

13/03/2014 09:20

Indies 2014 Top Owners/Consolidators

A year of consolidation A slew of mergers and acquisitions brought indies with more than £160m of UK revenues under new ownership. But it wasn’t all plain sailing, finds Jane Marlow

T

here are some new entrants to the owners/consolidators table this year, while DCD Media, a presence last year, and boutique group Greenbird both opted not to submit.

The combined UK revenues of the 14 companies that appear in both years are up by 10% to £1.47bn. And this has been a year of non-stop M&A activity, bringing William Morris Endeavour (WME) and StudioCanal into the table, plus we have Red Arrow and Predict­ able Media reporting for the first time.

The most seismic shift in the UK indie sector in recent times has been ITV Studios’ aggressive growth strategy. In 2013, it purchased Big Talk and The Garden, having already bought So TV in 2012. Because the bulk of its revenues come from ITVS’ own productions and it does not break down its individual units’ turnover, it cannot offer a fair comparison with other owners/consolidators and we have excluded it from this table.

In 2012, the three UK indies now under ITVS’ wing had combined UK revenues of £48.5m, so if they have continued on a similar path, the group’s UK turnover from indies is likely to be somewhere between Boom Pictures and Avalon. ITVS’ total UK revenues grew by £48m to £456m, fuelled in part by the combined revenues of its new acquisitions.

Combined UK turnover from these 18 owners and consolidators now stands at £1.57bn, but the established players have weathered a tough market. All3Media chief executive

Youngers: Big Talk was bought by ITV Studios

‘The US market is growing much more quickly. You have higher budgets and faster growth’ Lorraine Heggessey, Boom Pictures

A Year of deals Owner ITV Studios WME Boom Pics StudioCanal

Producers

UK revenue (£m)

Global revenue (£m)

Big Talk; The Garden

33.001

34.901

IMG

51.90

150.90

Twofour

45.38

58.20

Red Production Company

21.00

21.00

Discovery

Raw TV

5.00

35.00

Argonon

Transparent TV; Windfall Films

4.982

9.702

161.26

309.50

Total 1 Combined 2012 figure; 2 Transparent figures not available

20 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 21 March 2014

Farah Ramzan Golant says: “The lack of momentum in 2012 continued into 2013. There was general caution and risk aversion across the board that meant we didn’t bounce into the year with things looking up.”

Against this backdrop, Ramzan Golant picks out Company Pictures’ performance in new drama and Objective Productions’ success with Reflex as All3M’s highlights.

Fremantle Media UK chief executive Sarah Geater says the Talkback owner met all its goals in 2013, but describes the commissioning environment as “difficult”. And despite merging with Twofour, an indie firing on all cylinders, Boom Pictures executive chair Lorraine Heggessey uses the word “patchy”.

“Things are a little bit better, but it still takes people time even to decide if a series is going to return, never mind whether they’re going to commission a new show,” she says.

As the production community grows while UK production budgets continue to be squeezed, it’s hardly surprising that producers are looking for opportunities overseas.

About Corporate Finance managing director Tom Manwaring, who recently brokered the Raw/Discovery deal, says: “The US market is growing much more quickly. You have higher

budgets and faster growth, but typically you don’t retain the rights.”

Raw derives 86% of its £35m turn­ over from outside the US and Manwaring puts the appetite for content in the US down to the cable advertising market, which is up around 10% a year.

All3M chief financial officer Neil Bright says All3Media America, which launched in January 2013, is beginning to drive the business. Ramzan Golant describes the US hub as “a game-changer”. “We had strong labels there already, but by consolidating the model into one campus, every label has its own zone,” she says. “When Maverick, for example, got an indigenous American commission, it had the immediate support of the whole American infrastructure.”

US ambition was core to Boom Pictures’ expansion this year. Its acquisition of Twofour bolstered its UK turnover by 60%, but also gave it a fledgling rights business and a company making decent early progress in the US. Buying into Laura Mackie and Sally Haynes’ new drama imprint Mainstreet Pictures should also reap returns in the years to come.

“There were certain capabilities we wanted to bring into the group, such as the rights group, expanding in the US and mainstream entertainment,” says Heggessey. “Twofour had all of those and it would have taken us longer to get there had we not been able to merge with it.”

Dynamic deals As far as expansion is concerned, Heggessey seems to have reached her goal. “I deliberately positioned Boom to be in the middle [of the consolidators table],” she says. “We have enough scale to invest in creativity and for the ideas we believe in to have a push behind them, and we can now control our own rights, which gives us more security. We can attract and support great talent, but we never want to become massive.”

One of the most dynamic deals of 2013 was StudioCanal’s purchase of a 60% stake in Red Production www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Sponsored by

Top owners/ConsolidATors 1-19 Company

UK turnover 2013 (£m)

UK turnover 2012 (£m)

Change (%)

Pre-tax profit (£m)

1

All3Media

288.30

2

Endemol

3

277.80

4.00

-

507.50

57.00

-

184.40

203.00

-9.00

-

1,033.87

17.84

-

Shine Group (News Corp)1

173.00

158.00

9.50

-

510.00

34.00

19.00

4

Fremantle Media UK (RTL)

150.70

146.70

2.50

-

150.70

100.00

-

5

Zodiak Media (De Agostini)

129.00

135.00

-4.50

-

430.00

30.00

-

6

NBCU2

115.50

75.00

54.00

-

-

-

-

7

Shed Media Group (Warner Bros)

110.00

99.00

11.00

-

138.00

80.00

20.00

8

Tinopolis

110.00

93.00

18.50

-

165.00

60.00

40.00

9

Boom Pictures

80.80

27.60

292.75

-

88.20

92.00

-

10

Avalon Group

55.60

50.40

10.00

-

75.00

74.00

26.00

11

WME

51.89

-

-

-

150.89

34.50

-

IMG

12

Sony

32.70

44.30

-26.20

-

-

-

-

Left Bank Pictures; Gogglebox Entertainment; Silver River; Victory TV; Electric Ray

13

StudioCanal

21.00

-

-

-

-

-

-

Red Production Company

14

Discovery2

18.70

12.50

49.50

-

-

-

-

Betty TV; Raw TV

15

Red Arrow

16.20

-

-

-

-

-

-

CPL Productions; Nerd TV

16

Marcus Evans Group

13.00

11.00

18.00

-

13.40

97.00

-

World Productions

17

Argonon

12.00

7.00

71.50

-

34.00

35.50

-

18

Predictable Media

4.17

-

-

-

4.17

100.00

-

2

Global turnover (£m)

Amount from UK (%)

Amount from US (%)

UK subsidiaries North One; Bentley; All3M Int’l; Optomen/ One Potato Two Potato; Lion; Company; Lime; Maverick; Objective; Studio Lambert Zeppotron; Remarkable; Initial; Darlow Smithson; Tiger Aspect; Tigress Shine TV; Princess Productions; Kudos Film & TV; Dragonfly Television; Brown Eyed Boy; ChannelFlip; Shine 360 Thames; Talkback; Boundless; Retort; Newman Street RDF; IWC Media (inc Bullseye and Lucky Day); Bwark; Touchpaper Television; The Comedy Unit; Red House; Foundation Carnival Film & TV; Monkey Kingdom; Lucky Giant Shed Productions; Shed Media Scotland; Wall To Wall; Ricochet; Twenty Twenty; Watershed; Yalli; Renegade; Headstrong Sunset+Vine; Mentorn; Firecracker Films; Pioneer Twofour; Boom Wales; OSF; Indus Films; Mainstreet Pictures; Delightful Industries Avalon TV; Flame TV; Liberty Bell; Topica Television

Remedy; Leopard Films; Leopardrama; Transparent TV; Britespark Films; Blacklisted; Windfall Films Superhero TV; Room 414 Productions; Mox Productions

1 Shine Group is year to 30 June 2013; 2 NBCU, Sony and Discovery UK totals are calculated by adding UK revenues from their UK indies

Company. This has given the Gallic media group a TV production presence in the UK for the first time and could trigger a period of rapid growth for the Last Tango In Halifax indie.

StudioCanal executive vice-president, strategy, finance & technical, Romain Bessi says the new tax credit was one reason for coming to the UK, but finding the right partner was paramount. “We are not looking to buy many companies in the UK,” he explains. “We wanted to buy one that would continue developing its own business with its own creative DNA.” Red is key to StudioCanal’s ambition to have six international TV series in production every year. Managing director Andrew Critchley says the access his company now has to StudioCanal’s vast film library, and the potential it offers for TV spin-offs, is a great opportunity.

“We’re looking at The Wicker Man as well as Billy Liar,” he says. “This is one part of a fairly substantial expansion ambition that we’ve got, while keeping our domestic projects going.” www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Bessi says the acquisition gives Red the ability to develop more ambitious productions. Regarding his plans for the UK, he adds: “It’s more about organic growth than buying other producers because there aren’t so many great companies to buy.”

Sebastian Scott’s Predictable sneaks in at the bottom of the table with a model that’s about growing a new generation of content creators. “You build up a network of companies who really want to work with you – and work together rather than a system of purchasing pre-established companies that are looking for an exit,” says Scott, who plans to expand further in 2014. “All our companies earn shares in the top company so they will be incentivised to work with each other and motivated for everyone else’s success as well as their own.”

Meanwhile, Argonon, which effectively operates as an indie and credits its subsidiary shows as, for example, ‘Leopard Argonon’, is scaling up with Windfall Films.

‘It’s more about organic growth because there aren’t so many great companies to buy’ Romain Bessi, Studio Canal

As content creators spread their nets wider than ever across the globe, Sony Pictures Television president of international production Andrea Wong’s comments have particular resonance at a time when the commissioning power of BBC3 is uncertain.

“It certainly feels like the UK production sector thrived in 2013, with independent producers developing original, world-class programming,” she says.

“However, I would echo a recent independent study by Oxford University, which stressed the importance of BBC commissioning to UK production as a whole. It is imperative that the BBC continues to support UK indies by commissioning original content, particularly in the entertainment genre.”

The outlook for 2014 is consolidation at the top end of the table as Apollo gets nearer to a deal that could result in Endemol merging with Core Media. Buyers are circling All3M too, with Fremantle Media rumoured to be eyeing it up. The next year could get very interesting.

21 March 2014 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 21

Indies 2014 TOP SUPPLIERS

ITV climbs to top of the pile The commercial broadcaster impressed indies with its speed of response and clear decisionmaking, while Channel 4 was voted worst broadcaster despite being seen as best last year

I

t came off well in Broadcast’s commissioning survey last summer and was recently named Channel of the Year at the Broadcast Awards, but ITV’s improved standing among indies was laid bare in responses to this year’s Indie Survey.

Last year, Channel 4 was riding high for the second year running, with the BBC snapping at its heels.

ITV (Through The Keyhole, pictured) eclipsed them both, as well as last year’s third-placed Sky. Its share of the ‘best broadcaster’ votes more than doubled to 28%.

This year’s figures tally with last summer’s survey more broadly. Then, ITV was judged ‘most improved’, followed by Sky and the BBC. Only one in five indies said Channel 4 had improved; a whopping 61% said it was ‘a lot or a little worse’.

By and large, indies’ complaints are perennial, ground down by commissioners’ procrastination and AVERAGE BUDGET CHANGE %

Increase

–

Same

58.5

-1-10%

34.0

-11-20%

7.5

-21-50%

–

‘Last year, C4 was riding high, with BBC snapping at its heels, but ITV eclipsed them both’

obfuscation; ITV won out on speed of response and clarity of decisionmaking. We’ll spare their blushes, but several of the broadcaster’s individual commissioners proved popular too, with these qualities in spades.

The BBC and C4, as ever, split respondents down the middle. C4 has been under increasing scrutiny over the past year and for every bit of praise for its “open, responsive and collaborative” and “creative” commissioning conversations, there is more than one indie bemoaning its tendency to issue the “lingering maybe”.

Beyond the PSBs, there’s still a mixed picture, with some frustration about what Sky in particular wants beyond “offering viewers new content”. But Sky’s high-end drama push is reflected in strong showings for Kudos and Carnival in its top supplier table, while UKTV’s ongoing reinvention has transformed its top-end supplier base, with only two of last year’s top 10 returning.

Good news for indies is that budgets stabilised in 2013. In a reverse of 2012, more than half of respondents said they had remained static and a third said they had dipped by less than 10%.

But C4’s plan to shave up to 3% off

BEST BROADCASTER (% SHARE) 2013

2012

ITV

28

13.3

BBC

23

27.7

20.5

30.1

Sky

11

14.5

Discovery

6.5

4.8

Channel 5

5.5

3.6

Others

5.5

6

Channel 4

Based on 92 responses

WORST BROADCASTER (% SHARE) 2013

2012

33

25.4

BBC

27.5

32.8

Channel 5

13.5

6.0

Sky

12.5

13.4

ITV

4.5

11.9

Discovery

3.5

6.0

Others

5.5

4.5

Channel 4

Based on 87 responses

returning shows’ budgets could cast a cloud over next year and the industry is also waiting to see what BBC3’s move means in terms of both volume and spend. It might not be pretty.

Based on 134 responses

Strictly Come Dancing: BBC 22 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 21 March 2014

The Mill: Channel 4 www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Sponsored by

BBC MAINTAINING MOMENTUM ➤ BBC TOP SUPPLIERS (BY HOURS)

T

Hours

Key shows

IMG Media 12 Yard Productions

370 180

Snooker; Darts; Football League Show Pressure Pad; Who Dares Wins

3

Cactus TV

155

Saturday Kitchen; Christmas Kitchen

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Endemol Entertainment* Fremantle Media UK* Mentorn Lion Television Sunset+Vine Shine TV Flame Television

152 131 119 116 93 68 65

Jedward's Big Adventure; Snog Marry Avoid?

Escape To The Country; Count Arthur Strong Question Time; The Big Questions Officially Amazing; Monty Don’s French…

Women’s Euro 13; Women's WC 14 Quals MasterChef; Idris Elba – King Of Speed Heir Hunters; Don’t Get Done, Get Dom

➤ BBC TOP SUPPLIERS (BY SPEND)

Pointless: Endemol Entertainment

he BBC maintained its position as the second best UK broadcaster to work with, but it is ITV in the top spot this time, rather than Channel 4. Still, the corporation avoided its usual position as the worst broadcaster to do business with, as C4 picked up this dubious honour.

The change was more likely a result of increased dissatisfaction with C4 than a substantial improvement at the BBC, which has acknowledged supplier issues. Last year, it launched a project to tackle its indie relations, adding new guidelines containing pledges on cancelling meetings and responding to ideas.

Indies griped about slow responses to pitches and the BBC’s complicated management structures. There were other concerns about prevarication and a lack of understanding about the digital space. However, many noted improvement and the corporation was praised for the “fair deals” it strikes during the commissioning process.

The BBC worked with 296 production companies in 2013, a marginal increase on the 290 it did business with in 2012.

Of this group, 43 were indies the corpora-

Company

1 2

tion had not previously worked with – a decline on the 59 new indies it worked with in 2012.

IMG Media topped the BBC’s top suppliers by hours table for the third year running, growing its share of the corporation’s output by nearly 3% on the back of programmes such as The Football League Show. After entering this group in 2012, Cactus TV cemented its position, building its output by 29 hours.

Flame Television knocked STV Productions out of the line-up.

The Avalon-owned indie has three big daytime brands to its name, including Don’t Get Done Get Dom and Heir Hunters.

Over in the biggest suppliers by spend table, Wall to Wall Television and Fremantle Media UK held on to the top two positions, while Tiger Aspect climbed from eighth to third on the back of dramas including Ripper Street. Avalon Television was a new entry, as was Red Planet Pictures after a quiet 2012.

Meanwhile, Endemol Entertainment – consisting of Endemol indies Remarkable and Initial – remains a solid performer in both tables thanks to long-running franchises Pointless (above) and Snog Marry Avoid? (left).

Company

Key shows

1 2

Wall to Wall Fremantle Media UK*

Who Do You Think You Are?; New Tricks; The Voice UK The Apprentice; QI; Never Mind The Buzzcocks

3

Tiger Aspect

Ripper Street; Howard Goodall’s Story Of Music

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Company Pictures Shed Productions 12 Yard Productions Endemol Entertainment* Avalon Lion Television Red Planet Pictures

The Village; Truckers; The White Queen Waterloo Road Eggheads; In It To Win It; Perfection Pointless; Richard Hammond’s Secret Service Not Going Out; Russell Howard’s Good News Homes Under The Hammer; Horrible Histories Death In Paradise; By Any Means

*BBC brackets together FM UK companies under one banner and Endemol companies Initial and Remarkable Television as Endemol Entertainment

Source: BBC

WHAT THE INDIES SAY PROS “Most of the commissioners respond quickly and professionally”

CONS “Lost in space – byzantine structures with very poor internal communication”

“Much more open and simpler to deal with than in the past”

“Expects full shooting scripts before giving you any development money”

“Commissioners are generally supportive and are willing to give shows time to grow”

“Too slow, and TV commissioners are limited in their understanding of online”

BROADCASTER RESPONSE

Danny Cohen BBC director of television

“I’m encouraged to see that the BBC was number two in this survey of the best broadcasters to work with.

“Last summer, I set out a new set of editorial commitments, specifically designed to help us keep improving our record. We commission a huge volume of programming across all genres, as well as across the whole of the UK, and while I’m pleased to see many of our suppliers rate us so highly, it’s clear we have more to do. We will keep striving to improve.” ➤

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

21 March 2014 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 23

Indies 2014

Sponsored by

TOP SUPPLIERS ITV POSITIVE FEEDBACK ➤ ITV TOP SUPPLIERS (BY HOURS) Company

Hours

Key shows

1 2

Zodiak Media* Thames

275 151

Tipping Point; Lucky Stars X Factor; Britain’s Got Talent; Take Me Out

3

Spun Gold

113

Alan Titchmarsh Show; Love Your Garden

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Twofour Talkback Lime Pictures Denham Productions Olga TV Shine TV Carnival

84 36 31 30 26 21 20

Splash!; Storage Hoarders; Happy Families Through The Keyhole; Celebrity Juice The Only Way Is Essex The Hungry Sailors Paul O’Grady Show; Perspectives: Gypsy Rose Lee Nursing The Nation; Saturday Farm Downton Abbey; Whitechapel

➤ ITV TOP SUPPLIERS (BY SPEND)

Tipping Point: Zodiak

I

TV continued to curry favour with the indie community, becoming the best broadcaster to work with for the first time in many years. It’s indicative of a trend under director of television Peter Fincham, who helped ITV top Broadcast’s creative processes review at the Edinburgh International Television Festival last year.

Producers praised the speed of ITV’s responses to programming ideas, as well as the collaborative approach it takes to developing shows. Audience understanding and creative feedback were also highlighted as positives.

In 2013, ITV did business with 89 independent suppliers, up from 81 in 2012 and 73 in 2011.

Some 14 of this group were completely fresh to ITV’s commissioning processes, though this was down on the 23 new indies the broadcaster worked with in 2012.

Zodiak Media remained ITV’s top supplier by hours, beating Thames for the second year in a row. The super-indie grew its share of ITV output by 36%, with Tipping Point and celebrity spinoff Lucky Stars

establishing themselves in the schedule. Dickinson’s Real Deal also continued to deliver the goods.

Thames’ hours decreased by 33, while Spun Gold’s edged up slightly. Olga TV was a new entry after cementing The Paul O’Grady Show in daytime. Otherwise, Shine TV and Denham Productions swapped places, while Downton Abbey producer Carnival slipped to 10th.

Overall, ITV spent around £260m with the indie community last year, with Twofour entering its top 10 suppliers by spend on the back of shows including Splash! and Storage Hoarders.

Avalon slipped out of the list after Harry Hill’s TV Burp came to an end, but Thames held on to top spot, still commanding big fees for flagship entertainment brands Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor.

It wasn’t all good news for ITV, however. There was continued indie concern over its policy of not paying production fees up front, while one producer noted that ITV “expects you to write a development script for less than the Writers’ Guild minimum”.

Company

Key shows

1 2

Thames Carnival

X Factor; Britain’s Got Talent; Take Me Out Downton Abbey; Whitechapel; Murder On The Homefront

3

Zodiak Media*

Tipping Point; Lucky Stars; Dickinson’s Real Deals

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Kudos Talkback Endemol Red Production Co Lime Pictures Buffalo Twofour

Broadchurch; Law & Order UK Through The Keyhole; Celebrity Juice; Living La Vida Loca Your Face Sounds Familiar; Prize Island Scott & Bailey; Pat & Cabbage The Only Way Is Essex Doc Martin; Martin Clunes: Heavy Horsepower Splash!; Storage Hoarders; Happy Families

*ITV reports Zodiak Media’s indies collectively Source: ITV

WHAT THE INDIES SAY PROS “Quick, fair, supportive, wellfunded and run by some of the best TV execs in the UK”

ITV works with indies to manage production budgets”

“They know what they want, respond quickly and don’t interfere when you’re in production”

CONS “They expect you to write a development script for less than the Writer’s Guild minimum, so they expect writers to take a huge gamble on their time”

“The commissioning process is relatively streamlined and

“Can’t afford to pay production costs up front”

BROADCASTER RESPONSE

Peter Fincham Director of Television, ITV

“Our relationship with the independent production sector is vital to us. We are serious about wanting producers to bring us their very best ideas and scripts, and about ensuring they receive clarity of feedback, and support creatively. We want to be the best broadcaster to work with, and I am really pleased to see the progress we have made in 2013. We will continue to listen and seek feedback from the industry.”

➤ 24 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 21 March 2014

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

POWERFUL ENTERTAINMENT

Congratulations to the UK production community for another year of outstanding programming

Power co-produces, finances, acquires and globally distributes drama and factual content across all platforms

t: 0207 323 0070 e: info@powerentertainment.tv w: www.powerentertainment.tv

Indies 2014 TOP SUPPLIERS CHANNEL 4 LOSING GROUND ➤ C4 TOP SUPPLIERS (BY HOURS) Company

Hours

Key shows

1 2

Remarkable Television 378 IMG Media 309

Deal Or No Deal; Million Pound Drop Channel 4 Racing

3

Lime Pictures

128

Hollyoaks

4 4 6 7 8 9 10

Sunset + Vine Studio Lambert Superhero Television Open Mike Zeppotron Boundless Raise The Roof

110 74 70 57 49 45 42

American Football; Crufts; IPC World Swimming Four In A Bed; Gogglebox; Undercover Boss What’s Cooking?

Alan Carr: Chatty Man; The Last Leg 8 Out Of Ten Cats; Black Mirror; 10 O'Clock Live Four Rooms; Grand Designs; The Intern Phil Spencer Secret Agent; Fill Your House For Free

➤C4 TOP SUPPLIERS (BY SPEND) C4 Racing: IMG

W

ith much of 2013 taken up with a debate about its relations with the production sector, it’s no surprise that Channel 4 has slipped down the pecking order in the list of indies’ preferred suppliers.

It fell behind ITV and the BBC as the best broadcaster to work with and leaped to the top of the table of the worst.

Many complain about waiting too long for answers and the demoralising effect of the “lingering maybe”, and there is a common complaint of commissioners disempowered in terms of making decisions, but heavyhanded on production matters.

The heat may have gone out of the situation since last summer, but the grumbles continue.

The picture is significantly brighter when it comes to multiplatform producers, where C4 was comfortably the best to work with, receiving 45% of the votes.

While the likes of Remarkable and Lime remain important suppliers, there has been some movement on the hours and spend lists.

26 | Broadcast | 21 March 2014

New C4 Racing producer IMG and Gogglebox producer Studio Lambert (the show had two series in 2013) stand out as new entries, while Open Mike, producer of The Last Leg (below), is up a place.

The Garden’s 24 Hours In A&E is enjoying long runs and large ratings. But whether the indie’s acquisition by ITV Studios brings a new frisson to its C4 relationship remains to be seen.

C4 is still in the process of finalising the details of its overall spend with indies and the number of companies it worked with in 2013, but it expects to have allocated around £2m to about 50 companies via its Alpha Fund.

Production outside of London is up, and C4 is keen to highlight the increased number of Welsh producers of primetime shows.

There is also a fascinating development on the horizon in the shape of the Growth Fund. By the time the Broadcast Indie Survey 2015 comes around, C4 will own stakes in several small production firms. How those companies perform, with C4, and with other broadcasters, will be of great interest.

Company

Key shows

1 2

Lime Pictures Remarkable Television

Hollyoaks Deal Or No Deal; Million Pound Drop; Superscrimpers

3

Zeppotron

8 Out Of Ten Cats; Black Mirror; 10 O’Clock Live

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Open Mike Productions Company Television Objective Productions IMG Media Studio Lambert The Garden* Maverick Television

Alan Carr: Chatty Man; The Last Leg Shameless; London Irish Fresh Meat; Toast Of London; Face The Clock; Eye Spy Channel 4 Racing Four In A Bed; Gogglebox; Undercover Boss 24 Hours In A&E; The Audience; Bedlam Embarrassing Bodies; Was It Something I Said?

*The Garden’s entry is prior to its takeover by ITV

WHAT THE INDIES SAY PROS “It has creative briefs, proper budgets and sensible business affairs.”

“Still the most accessible and creative commissioning conversations.”

CONS “It used to be the gold standard. No longer.”

“There’s a climate of confusion for commissioners and we get contradictory feedback.”

BROADCASTER RESPONSE

Jay Hunt Chief creative officer

“I am immensely proud of our deep creative relationships with hundreds of independent production partners, which delivered a range of critically acclaimed programming in 2013.

“I want all of our relationships with producers to be the best and the most creative that they can be, and we have introduced stretching new measures to continue to improve diversity of supply, turnaround time and the delivery of feedback. If there are instances where we are not getting it right, we want to know about it and we are committed to acting on that feedback.”

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Sponsored by

CHANNEL 5 FRESH APPROACH ➤ C5 TOP SUPPLIERS (BY HOURS) Company

Hours

Key shows

1 2

Princess Productions Initial

497 247

The Wright Stuff Big Brother; Celebrity Big Brother

3

Sunset + Vine

63

Cricket

4 4 6 7 8 9 9

North One IWC Media Ricochet Twofour Raw Cut Dragonfly Objective

27 27 22 19 15 12 12

The Gadget Show Robson’s Extreme Fishing; Big Body Squad Cowboy Builders; Cowboy Traders The Railway; The Hotel Inspector Police Interceptors My Secret Past; Beat The Ancestors Greatest Stand Up Comedians

➤ C5 TOP SUPPLIERS (BY SPEND)

Celebrity Big Brother: Initial

C

hannel 5 director of programmes Ben Frow’s first full year in charge has been a solid ratings year. The channel beat Channel 4 across a week for the first time since its launch, while it developed successful series such as its On Benefits… strand and continued to get the most from Big Brother.

However, while anecdotally many producers are complimentary towards Frow’s fresh and fast approach, and his love of a catchy title, the data suggests that not much has changed in 12 months.

Despite Frow’s open-door policy, the broadcaster – currently in the middle of a strongly contested sale process – worked with 59 indies last year, including 12 new producers.

That’s roughly in line with the 57, including 14 new clients, that it worked with in 2012.

Additionally, the number of hours produced by its in-house division C5 Productions has doubled from 25 to 51.

Shine Group-owned The Wright Stuff pro-

ducer Princess Productions remains C5’s biggest supplier by hours, producing 497, down from 600 hours in 2012.

Big Brother indie Initial added nearly 40 hours to its slate, while The Gadget Show producer North One also supersized its order from 16 to 27 hours. Ricochet, producer of Cowboy Traders (below), remains a mid-table fixture.

Dragonfly Film and Television moved into C5’s top 10 suppliers by hours with My Secret Past and Beat The Ancestors, as did Objective, which made a slew of clip shows.

The channel was named best broadcaster by 5.5% of respondents, up from last year’s 3.6%. But 13.5% named it the worst, compared with only 6% in 2012 and 10% in 2011.

Channel 5’s regional balance also shifted towards London and the southeast, with more spend from producers within the M25: 87% compared with 10% from outside the M25 in the UK and 3% in Scotland.

Company

Key shows

1 2

Initial Princess Productions

Big Brother; Celebrity Big Brother The Wright Stuff

3

IWC Media

Robson’s Extreme Fishing; Big Body Squad

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Ricochet Dragonfly North One Sunset + Vine Tigress Objective Crackit

Cowboy Builders; Cowboy Traders My Secret Past; Beat The Ancestors The Gadget Show Cricket Monty Halls And…; Nature Shock Greatest Stand Up Comedias Countdown to Murder; Excessive Compulsive Collectors Source: C5

WHAT THE INDIES SAY PROS “Gets back to you quickly and has a straightforward commissioning process.”

“Quick to give an answer and despite poor budgets, it is easy to deal with.”

CONS “Doesn’t offer cash flow, which creates a lot more work.”

“Terms for indies are poor and has a terrible rights situation.

It either wants one-offs or for programmes to be paid through GroupM Entertainment.”

BROADCASTER RESPONSE “Channel 5 has good working relations with a large number of producers, on whom we rely to compete against the larger public service broadcasters. GroupM Entertainment provides valuable additional financing, which is optional, and it enables our programme budget to go further.”

C5 spokesman

➤ www.broadcastnow.co.uk

21 March 2014 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 27

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Indies 2014

Sponsored by

TOP SUPPLIERS SKY GROUP SPENDING INCREASE ➤ SKY TOP SUPPLIERS (BY HOURS) Company

Hours

Key shows

1 2

Princess Productions Left Bank Pictures

73.5 18.5

Got To Dance; The Face Strike Back

3

Tiger Aspect

3 5 5 7 8 8 8

Thumbs Up CPL Productions Kudos Film & TV Baby Cow Tidy Productions Carnival Film & TV Shine TV

17 13 12 11 10.5 10 10 10

Mount Pleasant Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model A League Of Their Own The Tunnel Starlings Stella Dracula Ashley Banjo’s Secret Street Crew

➤ SKY TOP SUPPLIERS (BY SPEND) Dracula: Carnival Film & TV

L

ast year, the value to the indie sector of Sky’s £600m commitment to British content was revealed for the first time: it spent £139m on indie content in 2012, up on the previous year’s £128m.

However, this year the pay-TV broadcaster declined to share how much it spent on indie productions over the past 12 months.

While its overall spend on British content increased from £450m to £527m, it’s not clear if any of that increase was spent on original commissions, or whether the entire rise was spent on production across its sport and news teams, as well as rights for distribution arm Sky Vision.

The company worked with 159 indies in 2013, a 19% increase on the previous year, and 70 of these were new to Sky. Notable new suppliers include Kudos, which became its biggest supplier by spend, with The Tunnel also rocketing the ShineGroup drama producer into Sky’s top 10 indie suppliers by hours. It has also made 2014’s firefighter drama The Smoke.

Neal Street, which is making US co-production Penny Dreadful (set to air on Sky Atlantic later this year) is another new supplier, as is Fifty Fathoms. The Tiger Aspect-backed indie is making

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

dark drama Fortitude, its biggestever drama commission.

Shine Group’s Princess Productions remained Sky’s biggest supplier by hours with series including Got To Dance and The Face, though its hours dropped from 95 in 2012 to 73.5 in 2013.

Britain And Ireland’s Next Top Model producer Thumbs Up remains in the top 10, alongside A League Of Their Own indie CPL Productions, Mount Pleasant’s Tiger Aspect and Starlings producer Baby Cow, joined by new entrants including Strike Back indie Left Bank Pictures and Ruth Jones’ Tidy Productions, which makes Stella (below).

Recently closed Splash Media, Adam Buxton’s Bug producer Burning Bright and Blockbusters owner Fremantle Media (in the shape of Thames) have all fallen out of the top 10 by hours.

Sky has dropped a place to become the fourth most-popular broadcaster after ITV jumped into top place; 11% of respondents chose it as their favourite to work with. It will be hoping its recently unveiled overhaul of indie rules of engagement and an indie briefing day in April for up to 200 producers will help it improve relations this year, when it is set to hit its £600m spending target.

Company

Key shows

1 2

Kudos Film & TV Princess Productions

The Tunnel Got To Dance; The Face

3

Left Bank Pictures

Strike Back

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Tidy Productions Tiger Aspect Carnival Film & TV CPL Productions Big Talk Roughcut TV Thumbs Up

Stella Mount Pleasant Dracula A League Of Their Own Chickens Trollied Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model Source: Sky

WHAT THE INDIES SAY PROS “Offers good budgets and is prepared to pay for quality with quick decision-making”

CONS “There’s been a huge churn of commissioning in the past year or two” “The new central commissioning structure is complex and they are constantly changing their mind throughout the commissioning process”

“The drama team has become much better to deal with under Anne Mensah and its commitment to spending money on original drama is great for the industry”

“Not communicative and too busy internally”

“Fast, efficient and commercial”

BROADCASTER RESPONSE

Stuart Murphy Director of entertainment channels, Sky

“It’s great that we’re seen as being fast at decision-making and having a great drama team. It’s obviously disappointing that someone has struggled with our commissioning structure and process, especially as most people think it’s pretty straightforward. But as we’ve demonstrated, we’re committed to having an ongoing and open dialogue with the industry, so if anyone has feedback for us, I’d urge them to give us a shout.” ➤➤ 21 March 2014 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 29

Indies 2014

Sponsored by

TOP SUPPLIERS UKTV STRATEGY CHANGE

D

espite a strategic shift towards originations, UKTV’s level of commissioning remains relatively low – and its supplier base remains dynamic.

The broadcaster’s top 10 suppliers were responsible for producing around 10 fewer hours of content than 2012’s top 10 – with just UMTV and Cactus TV returning. The broadcaster’s total supplier base also continued to drop, from 28 to 20 businesses.

However, it invested in a series of big-budget projects including Wild Rover’s adaptation of Fuji’s Japanese format School Of Hard Sums, Tiger Aspect’s Crackanory, Objective’s The Incredible Mr Goodwin and The Happenings, North One Television’s Ross Noble Freewheeling and Hat Trick sitcom You, Me and Them.

The number of hours Optomen produced for Good Food dropped massively last year, and it has slipped completely out of the top 10 this year, replaced at the top by UMTV following an increase in hours for of its Red Bull-funded strand.

➤ UKTV TOP SUPPLIERS (BY HOURS)

WHAT THE INDIES SAY

BROADCASTER RESPONSE

PROS “Despite some difficulties in the commissioning process, at least it gives some back end on productions.”

Richard Watsham Acting director of commissioning

CONS “Extremely poor at managing relationships.”

“Worst for business affairs.”

Dara O Briain: School of Hard Sums: Wild Rover/Fuji

1 2 3 4 4 6 6 8 9 10

“UKTV is constantly evaluating how to improve its relationship with suppliers. If we want to compete editorially with the terrestrial channels, then it’s important that we match their budgets too.

“We are only as good as the suppliers we work with.”

Company

Hours

Key shows

UMTV Cactus Twofour October Films Splash Media Objective North One Outline Wild Rover/Fuji Liberty Bell

14 13.5 11 10 10 9 9 7.5 6.5 6

Red Bull series The Roux Scholarship Choccywoccydoodah Starstruck/Christmas My Flat Pack Home Fantasy Homes By The Sea The Incredible Mr Goodwin; The Happenings Ross Noble Freewheeling; Two Ronnies Spectacle James Martin USA Cakes Dara O Briain: School Of Hard Sums Dave Gorman: Modern Life Is Goodish Source: UKTV

DISCOVERY BOOST IN ORDERS

T

he rise of Betty TV as a key supplier for Discovery has been cemented over the past 12 months after its acquisition by the broadcaster in 2011.

The indie has become the broadcaster’s third-biggest supplier, boosted by shows including Bear Grylls: Escape From Hell and Ultimate Shopper, having failed to reach the top 10 the previous year.

However, it wasn’t the only indie to secure more work from Discov-

Bear Grylls: Escape From Hell: Betty TV

➤ DISCOVERY TOP SUPPLIERS (BY HOURS) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

WHAT THE INDIES SAY

Company

Hours

Key shows

Raw TV Wag TV Betty TV Objective Maverick TV Blink Films October Films Icon Films North One TV Attaboy TV

45 39 28 19.5 24 23 21 16 18 15

Gold Rush; Jungle Gold How Do They Do It?; Nasa’s Unexplained Files Bear Grylls: Escape From Hell; Ultimate Shopper Breaking Magic Last Chance Salon; Your Style In His Hands Meet The Sloths; World’s Top 5 Deadly Dilemmas; You Have Been Warned River Monsters Fifth Gear Wheeler Dealers

PROS “Approachable, supportive, collaborative.”

“A great commissioning team.”

“Responsive and practical.”

“Fast, responsive and it works in partnership with us.”

CONS “Terms of business and lack of rights.”

ery, which worked with 18 new suppliers out of a total base of 71.

Windfall has fallen out of the top supplier list, while Objective’s pop-science format Breaking Magic has helped it break into the top five. But Raw, which recently became Discovery’s second UK indie, remains out in front.

It is also clear that Discovery is ordering more content – its top 10 suppliers made around 35 hours more than in 2012.

BROADCASTER RESPONSE Julian Bellamy Creative director

“It is important to be transparent, straightforward and a good partner for suppliers to work with.

“When you are significantly expanding the level of original commissioning, you must try to ensure that you are good to deal with.”

Source: Discovery

30 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 21 March 2014

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MIPTV Booth: P4.C10

www.redarrowinternational.tv

Indies 2014 Genre league tables

Factual rises as drama drops Entertainment and factual indies were the big winners in 2013 as output across drama, children’s and fact ent fell, while BT’s arrival gave sport a boost. Jane Marlow reports

My Mad Fat Diary: Tiger Aspect

drama Drop in hours

Independent producers made 40 fewer hours of drama than in 2012 – a drop of nearly 7%. The tried-and-tested likes of George Gently, Law & Order UK, Waterloo Road and Downton Abbey are the legs of this table.

Unsurprisingly, Lime Pictures again tops the 2013 chart with Hollyoaks. In 2013, the Liverpoolbased indie produced an extra 13 hours of drama.

Company’s plan for life after the loss of long-runners Shameless and

Total hours 2013 539.8 Total hours 2012 579.5 Change -7% Top 10 total hours 436.0 Drama commissioners are not known for their impulsive, hasty decision-making, which can be made even worse in straitened, risk-averse times.

➤ top 10 drama producers

Wild At Heart kicked in during 2013 with a seemingly direct drama pipeline into the BBC, which aired The White Queen, The Village, George Gently and Truckers.

Tiger Aspect was on the up in 2012, rising from four to 27 hours, but things stepped up another gear last year with 46 hours including key new shows Peaky Blinders and My Mad Fat Diary.

But ITV had arguably 2013’s most talked-about drama. Kudos spread its bets across the broad­ casters with crime dramas, Mayday going head to head on the BBC with Broadchurch on ITV. Both had stellar casts, but the missing May Queen scenario was pipped by Tennant and Coleman’s brooding investigation. Broadchurch captured the public’s imagination and became the breakout hit of the year.

Entertainment output increase Total hours 2013 3,898.9 Total hours 2012 3,436.0 Change +13.5% Top 10 total hours 3,506.4 This genre isn’t back to Big Brother’s heyday of 6,500 hours. But with a

‘With a 13.5% rise in output in 2013, entertainment is a growing source of revenue for the independent sector’ 13.5% rise in output in 2013, it was a growing source of revenue for the independent sector (unlike children’s programming or drama), particularly for Argonon’s Remedy, which was the biggest winner in the entertainment category.

The company put on a whopping 700 hours in 2013, with new commissions for its MTV slate in the form of MTV HD Top 20s, as well as reviving Channel 4’s 15 To 1 and BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards.

The high-volume returning shows continue to dominate the table, as The X Factor, launched in 2004, and Britain’s Got Talent, now in its seventh year, still hit the mark for ITV. As the channel returns to good financial health, it could be that the table will have some new additions in 2014.

The reinvented Big Brother keeps Initial as a returning presence in the table. Thames and Talkback are separate entities now within Fremantle UK, but the sum of their output means the com­ pany’s labels’ output remains steady in this genre.

➤ top 10 entertainment producers

Company

Hours (’13)

Hours (’12)

1

Lime Pictures

142.5

129.5

2

Rondo Media

60

3

Tiger Aspect

46

3

Company Pictures

5

Kudos

6 7

Key shows

Company

Hours (’13)

Hours (’12)

Key shows

Hollyoaks

1

Argonon (Remedy)

1,900

59

The Indian Doctor; Rownd a Rownd

2

Princess Prods

691.5

27

Peaky Blinders; My Mad Fat Diary

3

Remarkable

458

46

58

The White Queen; Moonfleet

4

Initial

320

35.5

33

Broadchurch; Utopia; Mayday

5

Thames

157

Shed Productions

30

20

Waterloo Road

6

Rondo Media

143

Carnival

29

29

Downton Abbey; Dracula

7

ITN Productions

81.9

8

Left Bank Pictures

19

26

Strike Back; Mad Dogs

8

Talkback

70

54 QI; Celebrity Juice; Sweat The Small Stuff

9

Red Production Co

15

35

Scott & Bailey; Last Tango In Halifax

9

Objective

55

44 The Cube; Breaking Magic

13

13

Merlin

10

3DD Productions

50

10 Shine TV

32 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 21 March 2014

1,195 MTV Chart Show; 15 to 1; On Set With…

224.25 Got To Dance; Sunday Brunch; Set List 557 Pointless; Million Pound Drop 311 Big Brother; Celebrity Big Brother 210.1 Take Me Out; BGT; X Factor 135 Womex Festival; Cor Cymru Festival 78 The Breakfast Fix

100 Live Vibrations; London Live; In Contrast

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Factual EntErtainmEnt lEVEl plaYinG Total hours 2013 1,610.25 Total hours 2012 1,584.60 Change +1.65% Top 10 total hours 1,004

Richard III: The King In The Car Park

Factual hours on thE up

(below) and The Railway are, it’s more realistic to plump for the latter explanation.

The top of the table hasn’t changed too much, with Tinopolis Wales still on top. Stablemate Mentorn Media and All3Media’s Optomen continue to appear just below, and travel specialist Pilot puts in a consistent performance.

Arguably the year’s defining show was Twofour’s Educating Yorkshire. Having won a Bafta for Educating Essex, the format travelled up north and had us in tears as we watched pupil Musharaf overcome his stammer, King’s Speech-style.

Darlow Smithson looked to another king for its inspiration. The programming surrounding the

Total hours 2013 2,288.0 Total hours 2012 1,483.0 percentage change +54% Top 10 total hours 907 A 54% total increase means an additional 1,000 hours of factual programming was produced by indies in 2013. So we’re either a nation with a sudden and huge thirst for knowledge, or the figures are a victim of genrereassignment.

As fantastic as shows such as How The Universe Works, Mary Queen Of The High Street

➤ Top 10 FaCTuaL produCers Company

Hours (’13)

Hours (’12)

In 2013, we saw almost exactly the same amount of hours of the nation’s favourite chefs, chat show hosts, property developers and petrol heads on our screens as in 2012. But this figure might be hiding a degree of growth in the indie sector as there are some notable absences from the top 10.

For example, Maverick, which reported 45.5 hours of fact ent last year, has reclassified its content over factual, specialist factual and popular factual, but when the individual totals are added together, its output has grown by 62 hours.

The juggernaut that is The Wright Stuff keeps Princess Productions at the top of the

table alongside Shine TV, Remarkable, Boundless, IWC, North One and RDF TV, which all maintain their presence in the genre. But there are a couple of interesting new entries too. A Place In The Sun producer Freeform is out, but Electric Sky Productions is in with 51 hours including Fat Doctor.

‘The bar for entry into the top 10 has been raised this year from 45 to 50 hours’ The bar for entry into the top 10 has been raised this year from 45 to 50 hours and there’s a bit of a scrum at the bottom.

What’s the low hum from just outside the top 10? It’s Twenty Twenty’s choir shows letting us know that their producer has the X factor too…

The Gadget Show: North One

➤

➤ Top 10 FaCTuaL enTerTainmenT produCers Company

Key shows

Hours (’13)

Hours (’12)

Key shows

410

390

Heno; Prynhawn Da

1

Princess Prods

420

490

Optomen

82

109

Mary Queen Of The High Street

2

Shine TV

117

85

MasterChef; Ashley Banjo’s Secret…

2

Mentorn

79

80

Question Time; Motorway Cops

3

Remarkable TV

74

65

Supersize Vs Superskinny

4

Twofour

63

64.5

Educating Yorkshire; The Railway

4

Boundless

70

132

Four Rooms; Grand Designs

5

Dragonfly

54

68

Plane Crash; One Born Every Minute

4

Mentorn

64

-

6

RDF TV

50

60

Wheelers, Dealers And Del Boys

5

IWC

57

81

6

Pioneer

50

65

Weather That Changed The World

6

Electric Sky Prods

51

-

8

Ricochet

42

20

Food Unwrapped; Cowboy Builders

6

North One

51

45.3

8

Darlow Smithson

42

13

Richard III: The King In The Car Park

8

RDF

50

45

Dickinson’s Real Deal

10

IWC

35

30

Inside The Mind Of Leonardo

8

Twofour Argonon (Leopard/ Transparent TV)

50

33

50

-

The Magaluf Weekender Botched Up Bodies; Street Patrol UK; Trade Your Way To The USA

1

Tinopolis Wales

3

10

Pilot Film & TV

35

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

49

Globe Trekker; Planet Food; Bazaar

8

The Wright Stuff

Cowboy Trap Location, Location, Location Fat Doctor The Gadget Show

21 March 2014 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 33

Barclays is a trading name of Barclays Bank PLC and its subsidiaries. Barclays Bank PLC is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Financial Services Register No. 122702). Registered in England. Registered number is 1026167 with registered office at 1 Churchill Place, London E14 5HP

Indies 2014

Sponsored by

GENRE LEAGUE TABLES CHILDREN’S BIGGEST LOSER Total hours 2013 639.83 Total hours 2012 749.80 Change -14% Top 10 total hours 593 As far as the independent sector’s output is concerned, children have got it bad. Output in this genre dropped by 14% in 2013, the biggest loss in all the genres.

As ever, though, there were winners and losers. Kindle Entertainment had a quiet year, as did True North and Kudos.

New kid on the block Zig Zag has gone in at number 10, thanks to Split Second, its slow-mo gameshow for Nickelodeon.

Belfast-based Sixteen South teamed up with Jim Henson to create Pajanimals for US 24-hour pre-school television channel Sprout. Saltbeef TV’s CBBC/BBC2 teen entertainment show Friday Download is

Clare Balding Show: Boom Pictures Wales

the sports arena also boosted indie-produced content. The telecoms giant awarded the contract to produce its Premier League coverage to Sunset + Vine. This is reflected in the company’s output, which has grown by 350 hours, up nearly a third on last year.

That kind of growth is worth celebrating, but the other benefi-

discovery of the body of Richard III formed part of a slate that made it a new entry this year in the factual top 10.

SPORT GOOD GROWTH Total hours 2013 7,671.0 Total hours 2012 6,460.5 Change +18.7% Top 10 total hours 7,671.0

‘In 2013, there were 1,210 more hours of sport made by independent producers than in the Olympics year’

Remember the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics?

Remember thinking there was wall-to-wall sport on TV and there couldn’t be enough hours in the day to squeeze in any more? Well, it turns out there is.

In 2013, there were 1,210.5 more hours of sport made by independent producers than in the year of our home nation’s Olympics. BBC Sport accounted for a lot of the Olympic output, but BT’s arrival in

ciary of BT’s foray into this genre is Boom Pictures Wales, and its growth knocks 33% into a cocked hat. The addition of The Clare Balding Show to its slate doesn’t mean it is now snapping at the heels of sports behemoths IMG and Input, but it has helped shoot it up to number five. Its hours rose from 26 in 2012 to 148 in 2013.

➤ TOP 10 SPORT PRODUCERS Company

Hours (’13)

now in its sixth series, and the small company now sits alongside Lime Pictures, whose drama House Of Anubis keeps it a constant in the table.

Boom Pictures is a big winner too. Welsh programming stokes its production engine and although 100 hours have been lost since last year, the volume it produces still puts it streets ahead of other producers in this genre.

In terms of growth, Lion TV was propelled up the table from tenth last year to number six as it doubled its output.

But sadly, its magnificent Horrible Histories was in its swansong year.

House of Anubis: Lime Pictures

➤

➤ TOP 10 CHILDREN’S PRODUCERS

Hours (’12)

Key shows

Company

Hours (’13) Hours (’12) Key shows

1

IMG Sports Media

3,742 3,379.5 Premier League; C4 Horse Racing

1

Boom Pics Wales

404

507

2

Input Media

1,766

1,575 Chelsea TV; Roland Garros; FA Cup

2

The Foundation

55

46

3

Sunset+Vine

1,449

1,100 Premier League; Test Cricket Highlights

3

Saltbeef TV

25

-

4

Century TV

235

- Moto GP; Ride London Cycling

4

Lime Pictures

24

22.5

House Of Anubis

5

Boom Pics Wales

148

26 GT Academy; Clare Balding Show

5

Rondo Media

22

23

Rownd a Rownd

6

Rondo Media

146

141 Sgorio

6

Lion TV

13

7.5

Horrible Histories; Officially Amazing

7

Vsquared TV

120

109 Tour de france; Vuelta a Espana

6

Sixteen South

13

-

8

AMG TV

46

25 Brisca F1; 750 Motorclub Racing

8

Objective Prods

12

10

Help! My Supply Teacher Is Magic

9

North One

17

14 IoM TT

9

Darrall Macqueen

10

13

Baby Jake; Topsy & Tim

10

Love Productions

13 Keane And Vieira: The Best Of Enemies

10

Zig Zag

15

-

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

2

Stwnsh and Cyw children’s services Tickety Toc; Dani's Castle; Fort Boyard Friday Download; Christmas Download

Pajanimals

Split Second

21 March 2014 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 35

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Indies 2014

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GENRE LEAGUE TABLES ➤ TOP 10 POPULAR FACTUAL PRODUCERS Company

Hours (’13)

Hours (’12)

Key shows

1

Off The Fence

42

-

Wildest Islands

2

True North

36

6

Junior Vets

3

Wall to Wall

30

12

Long Lost Family

4

Betty TV

41

44

The Undateables; The Food Inspectors

5

Silver River

15

12

Auction Hero

6

Keo Films

13

-

River Cottage To The Core

7

Fresh One

10.5

-

Jamie’s Money Saving Meals

8

Electric Sky

10

-

Fat Doctor

9

Tern TV

9

-

9

Ricochet

9

23

Fix My Teen Family Cowboy Builders; Cowboy Traders

The Hunt For Britain’s Sex Gangs: True Vision

➤ TOP 10 CURRENT AFFAIRS PRODUCERS Company

Hours (’13)

Hours (’12)

Key shows

1

Juniper

51

55

This Week; Sunday Politics

2

Tern TV

13.5

12

One Day In

3

Blakeway

12

12

Dispatches: Plebs, Lies and Videotape

4

Hardcash

6

9

Exposure: Undercover Colleges

5

October Films

4.25

2

Dispatches

6

Brook Lapping

4

5

Margaret Thatcher Obituary

7

Firecrest Films

2

-

7

True North

2

10

Dispatches

7

Wild Pictures

2

3

Dirty Britain

10

True Vision

1

2

The Hunt For Britain’s Sex Gangs

10

Blink Films

1

-

Porn On The Brain

10

Films of Record

1

3

Panorama: Blacklist Britain

Dispatches: Secrets Of The Discount Stores

Toast Of London: Objective

➤ TOP 10 SPECIALIST FACTUAL PRODUCERS Company

Hours (’13)

Hours (’12)

Key shows

1

Electric Sky

102

-

2

Boom Pics Wales

54

45

3

World Media Rights

50

-

Air Crash Confidential; CIA Declassified

4

Maverick

40

-

Bizarre ER

4

Wag TV

40

-

How Do They Do It?

6

Denhams

36

-

Rick Stein’s India

6

Windfall Films

34

32

8

Off The Fence

21

-

Generation Cryo

9

Atlantic

18

-

Galapagos 3D

10

Wildfire TV

14

5

1066: Time Team Special

The Man Who Ate Himself to Death Winter Fair 2013

D-Day: As It Happens; Easter Eggs Live

➤ TOP 10 DAYTIME PRODUCERS

➤ TOP 10 COMEDY PRODUCERS Company

1

Avalon TV

Hours (’13)

350

Hours (’12)

51

Generation Cryo: Off The Fence

Company

Key shows

Hours (’13)

Hours (’12)

Key shows

Man Down; Not Going Out

1

RDF TV

200

215

Dickinson’s Real Deal

Lion TV

168

110

Homes Under The Hammer

2

Tiger Aspect

46

14

Bad Education; Psychobitches

2

3

Objective

18

18

Toast Of London; Big Bad World

3

Spun Gold TV

95

-

3

Baby Cow

18

21

Starlings; Common Ground

4

Twofour

51

60

5

Hat Trick

17

24

The Revolution Will Be Televised

5

Studio Lambert

50

-

Million Second Quiz

Boundless

46

-

Four Rooms

The Alan Titchmarsh Show Holiday Hit Squad

6

The Comedy Unit

12

25

Limmy’s Show!; Badults

6

7

Big Talk

11

19

Him & Her; Chickens

7

Raise the Roof

30

41

Phil Spencer: Secret Agent

8

CPL

10

4

British Comedy Awards

8

Objective Prods

22

18

Secret Removers; Beat The Clock

9

Retort

8

-

Count Arthur Strong; Phoneshop

9

Shine TV

21

-

10

Zeppotron

7

12

A Touch Of Cloth

10

Screenchannel TV

19

22

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Britain’s Best Bakery Fake Britain

21 March 2014 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 37

Indies 2014 NATIONS AND REGIONS

A financial breakthrough With turnover levels finally reflecting increased programming hours, producers in the nations are regions are reaping the financial rewards of recent years of hard work, writes Will Strauss

I

f 2012 was a good year to be an indie producer in the nations and regions, then 2013 was a cracker.

In last year’s survey, there were increases across every statistic except hard cash. This year, they completed the circle by reporting record revenues too.

The combined £316m generated by producers in the nations and regions was up £19m (7%) on 2012 and was the highest total since at least 2009 (and likely before that).

To illustrate the point further, the average turnover across the 34 surveyed regional indies was £9.3m, £900,000 more than their 2012 counterparts and a whopping £1.8m more than 2011.

That’s a far-from-insignificant 24% increase in turnover in just two years.

With some companies not submitting figures to both years’ surveys – and some new entries – that figure is, to some extent, comparing apples with oranges. But, if you take the 27 indies present in both 2013 and 2012, the rise is even more significant: the average income per indie was up by more than 20%.

Regional success Once again, much of that leap in turnover is found in the higher echelons of our league table. Eight of the top 10 out-of-London indies enjoyed yearon-year financial growth and their combined revenues shot up by an impressive £20m (9%) to £255m.

Overall, 56% of the nations and regions-based firms that responded to the survey increased turnover in 2013, a slight increase on 2012 but nowhere near the highs of 2011, when 80% were reported to have done so.

While the figures look good in isolation, the growth in nations and regions does not compare favourably with the overall UK picture, where 64% of indies that reported figures in 2012 and 2013 grew year on year.

As most of the bigger companies had a strong year, the top 10 biggest regional and national indies is very stable. The top five all maintained their lofty positions from 2012, with 38 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 21 March 2014

‘The £319m generated by the producers is the highest total since at least 2009’

Meanwhile, Zodiak’s Glasgow-based just Red Production Company and Boom Pictures Wales swapping places IWC Media lost 25% of its revenues, slipping from seventh to ninth. in third and fourth.

When it comes to original programThe gap between the top two ming hours, things remained fairly biggest earners continues to close, stable (2,756 vs 2,845) outside however, thanks to a nigh-on 25% London, but headcount was up once increase at Twofour. Just £8m now again – 39 staff compared with 35 in separates the Educating Yorkshire 2012 and 30 in 2011. indie from Lime Pictures in pole posiFor the real story of this year’s tion, despite the Hollyoaks producer survey, however, you have to head adding 10% to its annual turnover. west to Bristol. As well as Off The Interestingly, when comparing Fence, Icon Films made huge strides, the performances of the big two, the with turnover up 44% year on year. most striking change is not in overall And most impressively, Tigress Profinances but the income from internaductions increased revenues by 70%, tional commissions and sales. Lime, making the Endemol-owned factual an established force overseas, brought indie the fastest-growing supplier in 22% from abroad, the same as it outside of London. did last year. Twofour also “When you have the brought in 22%, but in 2012 monolith of the BBC that figure was just 2%.

Natural History Unit While the top 10 scooping up all the big didn’t change a great The combined natural history stuff, it deal, there were some revenues of the top makes you more innovanotable variants. Off 10 regional indies tive,” says managing The Fence, which has a director Dick Colthurst, strong international presdiscussing the improved perence, turned over 29.5% formance of the science, adventure more in 2013 than it did in 2012, and wildlife show producer. with original programming hours Colthurst cites the BBC2/Animal shooting up from 25 to 70.

Planet fast-turnaround fixed-rig comOn the debit side, perhaps not surmission Africa 2013: Countdown To prisingly, Red couldn’t maintain its The Rains as an example of the type of remarkable growth from last year, pro“big event, natural history thing” his ducing 14 fewer hours and dropping income by 12.5%. But it’s in an enviable company now makes, which has become the bedrock for its growth. position: thanks to StudioCanal taking Not everyone in the nations and a stake, it’s primed for new ambitions. regions is 100% happy, of course.

One regional producer’s biggest challenge is “keeping the company going when it is increasingly hard to get commissions as a small indie”, while another was worried about being taken seriously.

“I think UK broadcasters pigeonhole us as being a small regional and not a serious player,” said the company owner. “We are now considering merging with a London indie.”

Fortunately, most are more optimistic. In 2011, 53% were confident about the future. In 2012, it was 72%. Now it Africa 2013: Countdown To The Rains: Tigress is 85%. Long may that continue.

£255m

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Sponsored by

REGIONAL INDIES TOP 34 Company

Locations

Turnover 2013 (£m)

Turnover 2012 (£m)

Change (%)

Pre-tax profit Turnover from (£m) UK (£m)

% of total

Key shows

1

Lime Pictures (All3Media)1

Liverpool

66.52

60.00

10.10

-

51.90

78.00

Hollyoaks; TOWIE; Geordie Shore

2

Twofour (Boom Pictures) 2

Plymouth

58.18

47.30

23.00

-

45.38

78.00

Educating Yorkshire; Splash!

3

Boom Pictures Wales (Boom)

Clare Balding Show; GT Academy

4

Red Production Company3

5

Maverick TV (All3Media)

1

Cardiff

22.41

21.98

2.00

-

21.95

98.00

Manchester

21.00

24.00

-12.50

3.20

21.00

100.00

Scott & Bailey; Last Tango In Halifax

Birmingham

20.30

18.10

12.00

-

20.30

100.00

Embarrassing Bodies; Nurses

6

Tinopolis Wales (Tinopolis)

Llanelli

15.00

12.00

25.00

-

15.00

100.00

Heno; Prynhawn Da

7

Rondo Media

Cardiff

14.50

14.10

3.00

-

14.50

100.00

Rownd A Rownd; The Indian Doctor

8

Off The Fence

9

IWC Media (Zodiak)5

10 11

4

Generation Cryo; Britain’s Broken Families

Bristol

14.16

10.95

29.50

-

3.00

21.00

Glasgow

13.00

17.00

-23.50

-

-

-

True North6

Leeds

10.10

7.10

42.50

-

8.10

81.00

Build the Dream; The Valleys

Icon Films

Bristol

7.90

5.50

43.50

-

3.00

38.00

Big Foot Files; River Monsters

Maidstone, Kent

7.20

9.40

-23.50

-

-

-

Glasgow

6.09

3.77

61.50

0.97

5.80

95.00

12

The Foundation (Zodiak)

13

Raise the Roof7

14

Tigress Productions (Endemol)

15

Tern Television8

16

Rollem Productions

Location, Location, Location

Tickety Toc; Dani's Castle; Fort Boyard Phil Spencer: Secret Agent Countdown to the Rains; Nature Shock

Bristol

5.62

3.33

70.00

-

-

-

Aberdeen/Gl’gow/Belfast

5.40

5.70

-5.50

0.42

4.10

76.00

Town With Nicholas Crane

Leeds

4.80

4.43

8.50

0.29

4.76

99.00

The Syndicate

9

17

The Comedy Unit (Zodiak)

Glasgow

3.20

3.20

0.00

-

-

-

Badults; Limmy's Show!; Rab C Nesbitt

18

Back2Back TV10

Brighton

2.45

2.80

-12.50

-

2.45

100.00

Jews On Bikes; Lily Cole’s Art Matters

Southampton

2.10

1.90

10.50

-

-

-

Plymouth

1.95

2.13

-8.00

0.14

0.94

48.00

Rick Stein's India; The Hungry Sailors

Winchester

1.80

-

-

0.18

1.40

78.00

Rachel Allen’s Everyday Kitchen; Man vs World

Cardiff

1.70

0.30

467.00

0.15

-

-

The Doctors Revisited; Unlocking Sherlock

19

Topical Television (Avalon)

20

Denhams Broadcast & Digital

21

Sweet TV

22

Midnight Oil Productions

11

Real Rescues; Caught Red Handed

23

Testimony Films

Bristol

1.60

1.80

-11.00

-

1.00

62.50

24

Indus Films (Boom Pictures)

Cardiff

1.58

1.60

1.00

-

1.58

100.00

25

Big Wave Productions

Manchester

1.30

-

-

0.01

0.65

50.00

Precision: The Measure Of All Things

26

Freeform Productions

Chorleywood, Herts

1.20

3.50

-

-

1.00

83.50

A Place In The Sun

27

Sixteen South

Belfast

1.13

-

-

0.08

-

-

28

Colonial Pictures

29

Lambent Productions12

30

Firecrest Films

31

Crux Productions13

32

Caledonia TV

33

Pirate Productions14

34

AMG Television Productions15

The Lost Hero Of 9/11 Wild Shepherdess; Swansea Market

Pajanimals

St Aubin, Jersey

0.90

0.95

-5.50

-

0.50

55.50

One PM Central Standard Time

Brighton

0.82

0.83

-1.50

-

0.79

97.00

Out Of Jail And On The Streets

Glasgow

0.53

0.23

130.50

-

0.53

100.00

Secrets Of The Discount Stores

Liss, Hampshire

0.50

0.22

129.50

-

0.50

100.00

Colin Davis In His Own Words; Requiem

Glasgow

0.44

-

-

0.00

0.44

100.00

From Age To Age; Baking

Edinburgh

0.20

0.17

21.00

-

0.20

100.00

Rubenesque

Marple, Cheshire

0.07

0.01

0.00

0.02

0.07

99.00

Brisca F1; 750 Motorclub racing

1 All3Media Group companies are year to 31 August 2013; 2 Twofour merged with Boom Pictures in October 2013; 3 Red Production Company profit is estimated. Studio Canal bought 60% stake in December 2013; 4 Tinopolis Wales hours are approximate; 5 IWC Media includes Lucky Day and Bullseye; 6 True North turnover is estimated; 7 Raise the Roof is year to April 2013; 8 Tern TV is year to 31 March 2013; 9 Rollem Productions is year to 31 April 2013; 10 Back2Back TV is year to 30 April 2013; 11 Avalon Group companies are year to 30 June 2013; 12 Lambent is year to 31 May 2013; 13 Crux figures are years to 31 March 2013, and are estimated; 14 Pirate Productions turnover is estimated; 15 AMG is estimated for tax year to 30 September 2013

The Syndicate: Rollem Productions www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Pajanimals: Sixteen South

Secrets Of The Discount Stores: Firecrest 21 March 2014 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 39

Indies 2014 PEER POLL

Twofour is top of the class Riding high on the success of fixed-rig series Educating Yorkshire, the indie has leaped to the top of the table as rivals acknowledge its diverse slate and innovative ideas CREAM OF THE CROP Company

1 2 3 4 5= 5= 7= 7= 9 10= 10= 10= 10=

Twofour Love Productions The Garden Raw TV Keo Films Wall to Wall Red Production Company Windfall Films Studio Lambert Hartswood Films Plum Pictures Hat Trick Productions Kudos Film & TV

1 28 24 22 17 15 15 12 12 11 8 8 8 8

Indies were asked to name their top three. They were then ranked, with three points awarded for first, two for second and one for third.

BEST OF THE REST True Vision “Ethical, principled productions on important social issues. It ploughs a straight furrow.”

Baby Cow “Rarely makes a bad show. Superb scripted output.”

Blast! Films “Successfully moved from single films to popular series, which is tough to do.”

Minnow Films “A good ethos and always makes thought-provoking films.”

Tiger Aspect “A good spread of quality drama and comedy; dedicated and experienced.”

Firecracker Films “It has cracked the US with an extraordinary range of programmes.”

Betty TV “Has matured into a strong and intelligent production company.”

Lion TV “It continuously produces innovative historical and factual programming.”

Darlow Smithson Productions “The new team proved they were as good as the old. The Mill was a brave commission, well executed.”

Green Inc “For proving that an independent

from Northern Ireland, run2014 by people | Broadcast | 21 March 40company Indie Survey of integrity and flair, can triumph.”

Outline “Nice people, nice shows. It has made great progress for a small to medium-sized indie.”

40 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 21 March 2014

TWOFOUR

Points

‘Twofour came into the Boom Pictures fold and was named Best Indie at the Broadcast Awards’

Educating Yorkshire

Last year’s ranking 8= Two words sum up Twofour’s ascent from joint eighth in last year’s poll to number one this year, a clear four votes ahead of its nearest rival: Educating Yorkshire.

Peers were clearly impressed as Twofour not only found a credible follow-up to the acclaimed Educating Essex, but effortlessly eclipsed it, building to a moving, emotional crescendo.

2

“Some of the best TV in a while,” said one indie, while another praised Twofour for straddling “factual” and “entertainment”, without “sacrificing integrity or resorting to cheap exploitation tactics”.

The accolade caps a major year for Twofour, which came into the Boom Pictures fold and was named Best Indie at the Broadcast Awards. That Educating Yorkshire is only one string to its bow also won it plaudits: its other big shows of 2013 included series one of ITV’s Splash!; Alex Polizzi: The Fixer for BBC2; ITV2’s The Magaluf Weekender; and The Railway and The Hotel Inspector for C5.

“Innovative ideas that work”, declared one producer of the diverse slate, which has helped the Plymouth-based indie be recognised as “a role model for indies outside London”.

LOVE PRODUCTIONS

Last year’s ranking 2 “Clever formats about important issues” is how one rival shrewdly described Love’s slate, which has kept the indie in second position for a second consecutive year.

The Great British Bake Off (pictured) is the kind of golden format that any indie would give their right arm to have conceived. After a breakthrough year in 2012, the show went off the chart in 2013, hitting a peak of 9.1 million during the final and winning a BBC1 transfer. Indies marvelled at Love’s ability not to let the format’s success go its head and maintain its low-key charm.

‘Bake Off is the kind of golden format that any indie would give their right arm to have conceived’ If Junior Bake-Off and The Great British Sewing Bee were well-executed twists on this comforting formula, Channel 4’s Why Don’t You Speak English? was the latest in a line of innovative takes on social issues that stretches through to this spring’s runaway hit, Benefits Street.

“It has had amazing success with a very broad slate of programmes,” said one producer, while another praised Love’s “great ambition, scale and execution”. www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Sponsored by

Last year’s ranking 1 Last year’s number one is still going strong in a year in which its strong team and slate enticed ITV Studios to add The Garden to its growing portfolio of indies.

Channel 4’s 24 Hours In A&E (right) remains The Garden’s flagship, a gold standard for fixed-rig. But the factual indie took a peek inside out-of-hours plumbers, GPs and vets for C4’s Up All Night: Britain

4

5=

THE GARDEN

3

On Call, looked at How To Find Love Online, again for C4, and secured its first Channel 5 order for On The Buses.

“Its clear, strong ethos is borne out in every production,” said one producer. Another spelled out this ethos: “Thoughtful, intelligent, populist.”

Rivals admired its high production values and innovative approach to form, coupled with a high strike rate of access that has led to what one described as “world domination” of documentaries.

WALL TO WALL

Last year’s ranking 5 In Alex Graham’s swansong year with Wall to Wall, it continued to bestride the mid-week schedules of BBC1 and ITV. Its factual juggernauts Long Lost Family and Who Do You Think You Are? rolled on, while ITV delved deeper into social history with Births, Deaths and Marriages. Meanwhile, The Voice UK remained a more-than-solid Saturday night hit for BBC1.

“It is still the best after all these years,” said one producer, while several echoed one respondent’s tribute to its “consistent quality of ideas and production and smart business.”

Shortlisted for Best Indie at the Broadcast Awards, Wall to Wall was also much admired for the scale and creative success of its Hitchcock drama The Girl, named Best Drama at the event.

RAW TV

New entry Even before the inevitable happened and Raw came under Discovery’s wing this month, the producer was the envy of its peers for its continued conquering of the US, with shows such as Gold Rush – one of Discovery’s most successful commissions ever.

Raw strengthened its relationship with the broadcaster with six-part series The Unexplained Files and also made inroads at Spike TV with the scripted exploration of technology iHuman, which represents its latest attempt to blur boundaries.

“It has forged a business in the US from the start,” marvelled one onlooker.

Closer to home, Raw won plaudits for its ambitious Channel 4 one-off Blackout (pictured), a what-if scenario that mixed raw

5=

Long Lost Family

7= user-generated footage, news and factual archive, and hand-held drama inserts.

“Raw seems like an extraordinarily wellrun factory,” noted one rival, while another summed up its strengths: “Scale, persistence and creativity. ”

KEO FILMS

Last year’s ranking 7 “It has worked out how to mount campaigns that don’t make you feel bad,” declared one producer of Keo. Much of this is down to the on-screen charm and passion of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, who continues to bridge his traditional River Cottage with heartfelt campaigns such as Hugh’s Fish Fight.

Keo also continued its Welcome To… strand for BBC2 with an acclaimed look at Rio and, several months before Benefits Street, took a look at life on the breadline with the unemployed in Skint, pulling in an average 2.8 million viewers.

The other string to Keo’s bow is managing director Debbie Manners’ chairing of

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Pact, with peers praising her time and effort in negotiating with broadcasters.

One final verdict: “True craftsmen who make top-quality programmes and won’t let anything leave the edit unless it’s strong.”

RED PRODUCTION COMPANY

Last year’s ranking 4 Writer Sally Wainwright continues to show the Midas touch with this Manchester-based drama indie. Her BBC1 series Last Tango In Halifax remains a critics’ darling and audience favourite, while ITV’s police procedural Scott & Bailey is a rock-solid part of the broadcaster’s schedule.

Wainwright also found time to pen Sky Living single The Last Witch and conceived BBC1 series Happy Valley, due on air this year.

Founder Nicola Shindler and co also enticed Russell T Davies back into the fold, signing up as producer of his forthcoming Channel 4 drama trio Banana, Cucumber and Tofu.

StudioCanal took a stake in the indie in December, capping a great year for the company, praised for its “daring and commercial” subjects.

Skint Last Tango In Halifax 21 March 2014 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 41

➤

Indies 2014

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PEER POLL 7=

WINDFALL FILMS

New entry “Always surprising and inventive” was one verdict on the science- and history-leaning factual indie, where “quality and innovation” go hand in hand. Moving on from the monster hit that defined it, Windfall has left Inside Nature’s Giants behind, picking up major commissions for BBC2, Channel 4, Discovery and National Geographic.

In their individual ways, C4’s D-Day: As It Happens and Easter Eggs Live both demonstrated Windfall’s creative take on specialist factual and ability to create distinctive, event TV. BBC2’s The Wonder Of Dogs was a resilient performer, pulling in 2.9 million viewers and an above-average 12.4% share over three weeks.

With international commissions including Nat Geo’s Megastructures and Discovery’s World’s Biggest Ship, Railroad Alaska and Strip The City – a returning format – Windfall continues to punch above its weight.

10=

HARTSWOOD FILMS

Last year’s ranking 8= There was no Sherlock in the UK in 2013 but Hartswood’s contemporary take on the stories continued to sell to every corner of the globe.

Beryl Vertue and family pulled another drama hit out of the bag with Debbie O’Malley’s three-part The Guilty (pictured).

ITV’s other 2013 drama that kicked off with the search for a missing child clocked up an average of 4.5 million over its run.

With Red now under StudioCanal’s wing, Hartswood continues to impress as one of the top three standalone indies. “A fiercely independent producer of great shows,” one producer said.

10= PLUM PICTURES Last year’s ranking 8= Plum has a bona fide hit in Channel 4’s George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (right). Such is the broadcaster’s confidence in the show that it recently ordered two series in one go.

It’s a prime example of Plum’s way with talent in a roster that also includes James May, Trevor McDonald and Paris-based chef Rachel Khoo, whose BBC2 series Little Paris Kitchen

10=

was singled out by producers for its Gallic charm.

Plum’s output now spans BBC1, BBC2, BBC4, ITV, C4, Sky 1 and Sky Sports, with hard-hitting investigations, presenter-led specialist factual series, fact ent formats and AFP sports programming all in the mix.

HAT TRICK PRODUCTIONS

D-Day: As It Happens

9

STUDIO LAMBERT

New entry As Stephen Lambert took to the stage to collect his two Broadcast Awards for Gogglebox, there was much admiration for a pioneer returning to the top of his game in his home country.

Studio Lambert has been defined for some time by the runaway success of Undercover Boss USA, but the light touch and expert casting of Gogglebox (below) – a seemingly effortless format, and one initially greeted with some scepticism – reminded viewers of why his company is held in such high esteem.

“It has its finger on the contemporary pulse so well,” marvelled one producer, singling out BBC2’s The Great Interior Design Challenge as another creative high.

Recently, Lambert has also mined Israeli dating format Girlfriends for ITV2 and produced one of TV’s most thoughtful examinations of contemporary British life in How To Get A Council House.

42 | Broadcast Indie Survey | 21 March 2014

New entry The Have I Got News For You producer continues to be the flag-bearer for truly independent production. BBC1’s topical panel show is still going strong after 46 series, while Room 101 has been reinvented as a competitive format in a pre-watershed slot on the same channel.

Jimmy Mulville and co continue to stretch the producer into interesting areas. BBC3’s Broadcast Digital Award-winning The Revolution Will Be Televised (pictured) is seen as one of the hottest, sharpest satires around, while

Hat Trick got in early on the channel’s online future with mockumentary Going Native.

Meanwhile, the indie was trusted with the first original sitcom for Gold – You, Me and Them – and worked on two commissions for Sky: Nixon: The One for Sky Atlantic and the eagerly awaited Sky 1 medical drama Critical.

10= KUDOS FILM & TV New entry “After a bit of a lull, it has come back with a bang,” declared one producer of the company behind former hits Spooks and Hustle. And what a bang: Broadchurch was arguably the most talked-about show of 2013, building its audience through word of mouth and winning foreign sales and a US remake. “Awesome perfection” was one respondent’s verdict.

Equally distinctive was Utopia (pictured), C4’s visceral, unsettling and frequently beautiful drama. Quintessentially C4, this looked like nothing else around, earned a recommission, and found its way to Hollywood director and House Of Cards helmer David Fincher, who’s preparing an HBO remake.

Also on 2013’s slate was ITV’s first studio sitcom in aeons, Vicious, paving the way for a resurgence in the genre for the broadcaster. www.broadcastnow.co.uk

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Speaker highlights include: David Abraham Chief executive Channel 4

Simon Fox Chief executive Trinity Mirror

Farah Ramzan Golant Chief executive All3Media

Adam Crozier Chief executive ITV

Josh Berger President and managing director Warner Bros Entertainment

Richard Bradley Managing director Lion TV

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