Broadcast (magazine)

Broadcast (magazine)
source
Title	Broadcast
Frequency	Weekly
Category	Media and Broadcasting
Founded	1973
Country	United Kingdom
Based	London
Language	English

Broadcast (magazine) is a British weekly trade magazine covering the television, radio, film, and screen industries. It reports on commissioning, production, distribution, regulation, and financing for broadcasters, commissioners, producers, commissioners' executives, regulators, and creatives in the United Kingdom and internationally. The title is widely read across the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky UK, Amazon Studios, Netflix, Warner Bros. Television, Disney, and independent production houses.

History

Established in 1973, the magazine emerged amid a growing market for specialist media titles alongside publications such as The Stage, Screen International, Variety, Broadcasting & Cable, and Broadcasting Magazine. Early coverage tracked developments at the Independent Television Authority, the evolution of BBC services, and the rise of regional companies like Thames Television, Granada Television, Yorkshire Television, and Anglia Television. During the 1980s the title chronicled the expansion of satellite services such as BSkyB, the launch of Channel 4, and regulatory changes involving the Independent Broadcasting Authority and the Office of Communications. In the 1990s and 2000s it followed consolidation moves involving companies like United News & Media, RTL Group, Endemol, Fremantle, All3Media, and Banijay. Coverage shifted to digital transition debates involving Digital UK, Freeview, and the Digital Television Transition as well as commissioning strategies at Channel 4 and global platforms including Hulu and YouTube. The magazine has documented landmark programming from production companies such as BBC Studios, ITV Studios, Sony Pictures Television, Lionsgate Television, and MGM Television.

Content and Features

The magazine publishes news, analysis, interviews, commissioning roundups, production directories, and market reports that reference players like Head of BBC Television, Controller of Drama, Chief Executive Officer, Channel controller, and executives at Endeavour Content, Peacock, Paramount Global, CBS Studios, and ITV plc. Regular columns examine regulatory matters citing the Competition and Markets Authority, the Office of Communications, and the European Commission when relevant. Features profile showrunners, creators, and producers associated with series on BBC One, BBC Two, ITV1, Channel 5, Sky Atlantic, Sky One, Alibi, E4, Dave, and international channels such as HBO, Showtime, AMC, Canal+, Rai, and ZDF. The magazine runs production directories listing crews, facilities, and post-production vendors including Pinewood Studios, Shepperton Studios, Elstree Studios, Arri, Dolby Laboratories, Technicolor, and MBS Group. Investigations have covered talent agents at United Agents, WME, CAA, and ICM Partners and rights deals involving Creative Artists Agency and William Morris Endeavor. Coverage includes festival reporting from Sundance Film Festival, Berlinale, Cannes Film Festival, Edinburgh International Television Festival, and markets such as MIPCOM and NATPE.

Circulation and Audience

Its readership comprises commissioning editors, producers, executives, financiers, and legal teams at institutions such as British Film Institute, Ofcom, National Film and Television School, and trade bodies including Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television, UK Screen Alliance, and Society of Authors. Subscribers also include international buyers at HBO Europe, Sky Deutschland, Star India, Tencent Video, iQIYI, and public broadcasters like PBS, CBC Television, ABC, NHK, and RAI. Advertisers range from rights distributors like BBC Studios Distribution to equipment manufacturers such as ARRI Rental, Sony Professional Solutions, and post-production houses like The Mill and Framestore. Circulation figures have been tracked alongside audited reports used by trade exhibitors, rights markets, and agencies during events like Royal Television Society conferences.

Digital Presence and Online Services

The magazine operates a digital portal with news, searchable databases, job listings, and production directories connected to industry services used by IMDbPro subscribers, rights platforms, and market delegates at MIPCOM and Sundance. It provides newsletters, podcasts, and webinars featuring guests from Channel 4 Drama, BBC Studios Drama Productions, Netflix UK & Ireland, Amazon Prime Video UK, and international commissioners. Online analytics, paywalls, and subscriber services reflect trends in digital publishing followed by titles such as The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline Hollywood, and Screen Daily. The platform integrates social channels where editors engage with professionals and promote content at events like the Edinburgh TV Festival and the Broadcast Awards.

Awards and Industry Influence

The title runs editorially led awards and rankings that spotlight independent producers, commissioners, and executives, contributing to career visibility for figures associated with Bafta, Royal Television Society Awards, National Television Awards, Broadcast Awards, and streaming-era accolades. Its market reports and investigative pieces have influenced commissioning debates among stakeholders including Ofcom, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Competition Appeal Tribunal, and commissioning panels at Channel 4 and the BBC. Lists and curated rankings amplify companies like All3Media, Endemol Shine Group, TwoFour Group, and creatives who work with studios such as HBO Europe and Sky Studios.

Ownership and Editorial Leadership

Ownership has shifted among media investment groups and trade publishers in parallel with consolidation observed at Emap, Ascential, Haymarket Media Group, Future plc, and private equity houses that invest in specialist media. Editors-in-chief and editorial directors have included industry-focused journalists with backgrounds at The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Times, Financial Times, and trade titles such as Broadcasting Trade Press. Editorial leadership maintains ties with industry bodies like BAFTA, PACT (Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television), and the Royal Television Society through event partnerships, judging panels, and speaker engagements.

Category:British magazines Category:Television industry magazines