Brexit: Media industry concerns

If there were such a thing as a Guinness Book of Records category for political lobbying, the total hours spent by every single industry in pursuit of definite British Government policy guidelines around Brexit would be the new wonder stat.

But one single factor – the long and nasty civil war within the Conservative Party over the EU – has made it very difficult for any industry to achieve clarity from the Government about how Brexit will affect their sector.

Huge car brands have lead the way on this without satisfaction, so it is not surprising that key issues are still up in the air for the media industry.

A complex sector
Losing access to EU markets through Brexit could cost the UK’s television market £1 billion (US$1.4 billion) per year in investment from international broadcasters, according to the Commercial Broadcasting Association (COBA).

The UK is Europe’s number one broadcasting hub; because of EU membership, a UK broadcasting licence allows international channels to operate throughout Europe.

Adam Minns, Executive Director of the Commercial Broadcasting Association (COBA), has just presented to Parliament’s Exiting the EU Committee, and says active contingency plans are a must.

“The main priority is…