During her Brexit speech earlier this month, British Prime Minister Theresa May highlighted the TV broadcasting service sector, as a key priority during EU negotiations. During this statement, Theresa May acknowledged the important role played by British broadcasters and programme-makers - as she looks to explore more creative solutions to transfrontier broadcasting.

“Change is not to be feared, so long as we face it with a clear-sighted determination to act for the common good” was stated by Mrs May, in a message that promoted Brexit as an opportunity to reaffirm Britain’s place in the world and renew the ties that bind us.

Yet, whilst the outlook is being positively presented by the PM, people employed in the UK by EU broadcasters fear they may soon face either moving to European hotspots like Germany and the Netherlands or risk losing their jobs.

In recent years at Caspian One, our broadcast recruiters have been steadily growing their presence within Europe - supporting broadcast equipment manufacturers, broadcasters & service providers, pay TV operators, Telcos and content owners in their search for highly skilled workforces.

We originally started working in Germany due to the demands of our current clients; but have since become involved with a number of German manufacturers and broadcasters, who’ve experienced a synergy between our attention to detail and thoroughness, in line with German culture and relationship expectations.

During our usual day-to-day communications, most people we speak with are not overly concerned by Brexit-driven changes to the industry. However, interest in the German market specifically is quickly developing, both with employers and candidates - as prominent skill shortages and Brexit negotiations force people to at least consider their options.

Theresa May said during her speech that;

“The UK’s creative hub leads to the development of products that European consumers want - the UK currently provides around 30% of the channels available in the EU. But equally, many UK companies have pan-European ownership, and there are 35 channels and on-demand services, which are offered in the UK but licensed in the EU.

So we should explore creative options with an open mind, including mutual recognition which would allow for continued transfrontier broadcasting - recognising the enriching role that British broadcasters and programme makers play, not only in British - but more broadly in our common European - culture.”

Channel providers such as Discovery, Disney, Turner and Viacom all have bases in Britain, with over 750 British-based channels licensed by Ofcom and broadcast throughout the EU without restriction. While it’s clear Mrs May wants to maintain European relationships and enable continued delivery, should those EU-wide broadcast rights be lost to Britain as a result of Brexit, the annual investment (over £1 billion) by international broadcasters could be put in severe jeopardy.

COBA (Commercial Broadcast Association) warned us of this last month, in a statement saying;

“COBA has consistently argued that broadcasters, like many other sectors, cannot wait until the cliff edge of March 2019 for clarity about the future relationship between the UK and the EU. It is now crucial for businesses and their employees both in the UK and the EU to have clarity on a transitional period as soon as possible.”

From our perspective as UK and European recruiters working across the broadcast, media and entertainment market - we believe in the Prime Ministers intent to deliver an enduring solution with an outcome from the Brexit negotiations, consistent with the Britain we all want to live in. We support Mrs May’s recognition of the enriching role played by UK-based broadcasters, but comparatively, also comprehend the concerns currently felt across the broadcast community.

Caspian One is supporting businesses and broadcast professionals through this stage of disrupt and transition; be that through the sourcing of high demand skills, establishing new international teams, sharing our experience and knowledge, or helping people understand their options and explore new opportunities.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this subject. To talk about Brexit, hiring needs or new career opportunities, contact us at +44 (0) 1202 979 700 from the UK, +49 (0) 800 183 0546 from Germany.