The BBC was voted one of the best and worst broadcasters to do business with by this year’s Indie Survey respondents, topping both the ‘strongest broadcaster’ and the ‘most difficult’ to work with lists. Some indies appreciate the “clear feedback” they receive from commissioners, but there is also continuing dissatisfaction with slow processes and “challenging” budgets.
The top three indies by hours of content supplied have changed for the first time since 2017, with sports specialist Whisper moving up to second place from fourth with 278 hours, up from 93 in 2021.
Whisper was awarded the contract for production of the BBC’s wrap-around coverage of all 31 matches of the Uefa Women’s Euros 2022, including the Lionesses’ triumph in the final. The indie’s hours are set to remain at a similar level after it was named the BBC’s production partner for Wimbledon in 2023 and 2024.
| Rank | Company | Hours | Key shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IMG Media | 301 | Premier League |
| 2 | Whisper | 278 | UEFA Women’s Euros 2022 |
| 3 | Remarkable Television | 196 | Your Body Uncovered; The Wall |
| 4 | Cactus TV | 152 | Saturday Kitchen Live |
| 5 | Naked | 98 | Tonight With Target; The Rap Game; The Apprentice |
| 6 | STV Studios | 92 | Bridge Of Lies; Antiques Road Trip; The Travelling Auctioneers |
| 7 | Lion Television | 91 | Mary Beard On Forbidden Art; Stolen: Catching The Art Thieves |
| 8 | Tern TV | 74 | Sunday Morning Live; Scotland’s Sacred Islands With Ben Fogle |
| 9 | Ricochet | 73 | The Repair Shop; The Bidding Room |
| 10 | Mentorn | 68 | Question Time |
IMG, Remarkable Television and Cactus TV have been the BBC’s top three suppliers since 2018, with IMG consistently coming top of that group. However, Saturday Kitchen Live indie Cactus slips to fourth place this year with 152 hours, down four from last year (156).
Banijay label Remarkable (Your Body Uncovered; The Wall) dips from second to third, while Fremantle label Naked (Tonight With Target; The Rap Game UK) enters the top five for the first time with 98 hours. It’s slate also includes The Apprentice, which returned after a two-year hiatus, and Cara Delevingne’s BBC3 doc Planet Sex.
By spend, Remarkable, which also produces perennial favourites Pointless and Richard Osman’s House Of Games, holds on to the top spot for the third year running, while Naked shoots up to second place, replacing drama indie World Productions. World falls out of the top 10 having dominated BBC1’s 2021 drama schedule with big hitters Vigil, Line Of Duty and Showtrial.
| Rank | Company | Key shows |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Remarkable Television | Your Body Uncovered; The Wall |
| 2 | Naked Television | Tonight With Target; The Rap Game; The Apprentice; Planet Sex |
| 3 | ITV Studios | Ralph & Katie |
| 4 | Hungry Bear Media | Michael McIntyre’s Big Show |
| 5 | Sister Pictures | The Split; This Is Going To Hurt |
| 6 | House Productions | Sherwood |
| 7 | Ricochet | The Repair Shop |
| 8 | Dancing Ledge Productions | Crossfire |
| 9 | Caryn Mandabach | Peaky Blinders |
| 10 | Neal Street Productions | Call The Midwife |
ITV Studios jumps from ninth to third place on the spend table, with shows including Ralph & Katie, while Michael McIntyre’s Big Show producer Hungry Bear climbs one place to fourth. Broadcast’s Best Independent Production Company of 2023, Sister (The Split, This Is Going To Hurt), comes in at number five.
With House Productions (Sherwood), Dancing Ledge (Crossfire), Neal Street (Call The Midwife), and Caryn Mandabach (Peaky Blinders) also featuring in the top 10, drama indies make up half of the list.
WHAT THE INDIES SAY
PROS
“Quality and editorial clarity”
“Straightforward negotiation, strong editorial feedback”
“Supportive across all departments”
CONS
“Budgets are very tight and negotiating overages is hard”
“Too expensive and time consuming to gain access”
“Commissioners take ages to respond to anything”
BROADCASTER RESPONSE
“We’re proud to work with more producers in the UK than any other commissioner, and it’s good to hear we are a supportive, collaborative and creative partner. We focus on delivering value to all audiences, which means we sometimes have to make difficult decisions about what we commission. We try to ensure we’re great to work with across all of our genres.”
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