Two-thirds of people believe requiring streamer-only audiences to pay the licence fee is “unfair” if they don’t watch BBC or live programming, according to a Yougov poll commissioned by COBA. Of the 2,000+ UK-wide respondents, 69% said extending the scope of the... read more
UK drama co-productions tallied 28 in 2024, a fractional dip on 2023’s total of 31, according to a new report for COBA. Within this, co-productions between UK and US partners rose sharply, while co-productions with Europeans fell. Over the last decade,... read more
A new report from COBA and Pact highlights how a mixed ecology of public and private finance has fuelled exceptional growth in the screen sector clusters of Glasgow, South Wales and Bristol. Over the five year period, investment in content rose strongly and jobs... read more
Third-party broadcasters and SVoDs are estimated to have invested a record £132m in PSB drama in 2022, up nearly 70% on 2018’s figure of £78m, according to new independent research published by COBA. Analysis by media sector consultancy Oliver & Ohlbaum... read more
COBA, the industry body for commercial broadcasters and on-demand services, has strongly welcomed Ofcom’s decision not to change rules governing the amount of advertising public service channels can show. COBA and others raised concerned that the proposed changes to... read more
Broadcasters have slammed Ofcom’s proposed changes to advertising rules which they say will result in the loss of nearly half an hour of news coverage a day. A new report published today from leading broadcasting association COBA suggests that plans to allow more... read more
Media Statement April 19 2023 Ofcom’s proposal today to increase the amount of advertising on PSBs by up to 850 hours per year is clearly something viewers do not want and the regulator lacks the evidence base to support such a move. Ofcom’s own audience research,... read more