Television camera

Television marketing message 3

The UK television industry is known worldwide for its pioneering spirit and innovation, and is a world leader in the field of digital broadcasting and the development of broadcasting technology.

• The UK was the first country to launch digital TV services in 1998 (1). 96 per cent of all TV homes in the UK have a digital TV, among the highest rates in the world (2). Analogue terrestrial TV services were eradicated in February 2012.

• The UK is home to substantial High Definition (HD) TV production and post-production facilities. HD is now widely used by the BBC and other major UK broadcasters.

• Technologies such as video-on-demand, personal video recorders and broadband are increasingly transforming the UK television market into an on-demand service. Examples include BBC iPlayer, which has proved phenomenally successful since its launch in 2008, with a pilot global version being introduced in July 2011.

• The UK is the world’s most advanced digital radio market, attracting investment from a growing number of global manufacturers. With over 250 radio stations, the UK is home to more than half the Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) services broadcasting in the world today. DAB transmissions cover over 85 per cent of UK households and are rising (3). The UK has the highest penetration of DAB in the EMEA region. Digital radio platforms now account for over a quarter of all radio listening in the UK (2). The UK Government is aiming for a complete switchover from the FM wavelength to digital by 2015.

• The recently established MediaCity UK, in Manchester, is the UK’s first designated digital and creative community, providing world-class facilities for TV broadcasters and production companies. Based on 200 acres of former dockland at Salford Quays, the site provides space for 1,150 media-related businesses and is home to a state-of-the-art BBC complex and the largest TV production studio block in the UK. (4)

• From the launch of 3DTV to the creation of new global formats, the UK television sector has shown the capacity to create new ideas, take risks and successfully bring these ideas to market. (5)

• In March 2012, the UK Chancellor announced the introduction of corporate tax relief for UK high-end TV companies as of April 2013.

Sources

1. Digital TV Progress Report Q2 2009, Ofcom

2. Ofcom Communications Market Report: UK, August 2011

3. www.uk-dab.info

4. www.mediacity.co.uk

5. Creative UK: The Audiovisual Sector & Economic Success, Communications Chambers, April 2011