GECs
British TV content exports touch $974 million in 2004
MUMBAI: Britain’s export earnings from exploitation of television programmes has touched $974 million in 2004, up from $921 million a year ago.
The figures were released by Pact, the British trade body for independent TV, feature film, animation and interactive media companies.
The surge in exports was fuelled by sales from home video, DVD and entertainment shows to international broadcasters. The growth in DVD/video revenue up 25 per cent to $159 million in 2004, from $128 million in 2003 is symptomatic of the increased attention UK rights holders are giving to this key area of rights exploitation. Many companies are coming up with increasingly innovative ways of packaging DVDs, including the selling of part works whereby magazines are packaged with a video/DVD and sold in newsagents and kiosks.
Also on the increase is the revenue from the sale of finished TV programmes as opposed to formats which is up 12 per cent. This shows that despite the rise of the programme format, overseas buyers are still happy to buy ready made shows from the UK.
Export earnings from format sales and co-productions, however, declined. This is due to the fact that UK formats rights holders are increasingly taking on the production responsibility of formats in other territories around the world, as opposed to just licensing the rights to an overseas broadcaster or co-producing them with a local production company. In these instances, revenue is counted by companies as production income and not as sales revenue from which the exports statistics are compiled.
RDF, Fremantle Media, TWI and The Television Corporation are examples of UK companies that produce their own overseas versions of formats. The report notes that the move towards producing formats locally, as opposed to simply licensing product, represents a maturation of the market and the growing confidence of UK producers, who already lead the way in international format development and production.
Pact’s list of the UK’s best selling programmes in 2004 serves to highlight the incredibly diverse nature of the UK TV export market. The top 25 best selling programmes cover a range of genres from sport to drama to light entertainment, factual, reality, comedy, documentary, music, action, animation and variety.
A sports-based show actually tops the list of exports. Gillette World Sport, which is billed as “the world’s most popular show”, was seen in 220 countries.
Commenting on the report, Britain’s creative industries minister James Purnell said, “British TV is loved around the world. These statistics prove that. From established favourites like Midsomer Murders to alternative comedy such as Green Wing, our television companies continue to strike a chord with a global audience.”
Adds Pact chairwoman Louise Pedersen, “This year’s export figures reflect the incredible range of creative programming talent that exists in Britain. Distributors have been able to build their businesses particularly in new areas of rights exploitation with the result that more audiences than ever across the world are now watching programmes and formats created in the UK.”
2004 Export Survey Summary Findings
Revenues from DVD and video sales jump 25 per cent
Sales of finished programmes up 12 per cent
The US accounts for around 40 per cent of all the UK’s export revenue generating $418 million in 2004, although sales to North America posted an overall five per cent decline over 2003 figures
Asian and Eastern European markets made a comeback climbing to 18 per cent and 28 per cent respectively
Germany and Spain both posted a decline due to difficult trading conditions
Revenues from licensing and merchandising stay static at one per cent
UK drama perennially popular: British drama is still popular around the world in 2004 from perennials such as Midsomer Murders (204 countries), Ultimate Force (140) and Prime Suspect (122) to the more contemporary hits like Bad Girls (88) and Footballers Wives (36). Current British favourites Shameless and Green Wing are sold to 15 countries apiece. The appearance of Midsomer Murders, Mr Bean and The Thin Blue Line in the Top 25 Best Selling Programmes of 2004 mean that the likes of Rowan Atkinson, Helen Mirren and John Nettles are among the most recognised British TV faces around the globe.
Entertainment hits a home run: Idols continues to go from strength to strength. In India Sony rolled out Indian Idol last year. The Orange British Film Awards (Bafta) aired for the first time on Star World earlier this year. This shows that the good old entertainment/variety show is far from being yesterday’s news and furthermore, strikes a cord with viewers overseas, having being sold to over 150 countries.
Says Pact CEO John McVay, “The export revenues from 2004 show that despite difficult trading conditions in some key markets, the diverse nature of the UK TV market means the industry is still able to deliver significant revenues back to the UK, by exploiting a variety of platforms and genres. The sheer range of programmes that consistently sell across the world proves our domestic market really is a one-stop shop for overseas buyers.”
GECs
Sahara One reports financial results, notes director exit and business realignment
Muted revenues, steady expenses and strategic adjustments shape company’s current phase
MUMBAI: In a tale where the sands seem to be slipping faster than they can be gathered, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited has reported another quarter of wafer-thin income and widening losses, even as a boardroom exit adds to the unease.
The company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that its board, in a meeting held on April 4, approved its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. The numbers paint a stark picture. Total income for the quarter stood at just Rs 0.13 lakh, unchanged sequentially and sharply down from Rs 0.26 lakh a year earlier.
Losses, meanwhile, deepened. The company posted a net loss of Rs 24.16 lakh for the quarter, compared to Rs 18.81 lakh in the June quarter and Rs 39.69 lakh in the same period last year. For the six months ended September 2025, the cumulative loss stood at Rs 39.69 lakh, while the full-year loss for FY25 was reported at Rs 60.72 lakh.
Expenses continued to outweigh income by a wide margin. Total expenses for the quarter came in at Rs 24.30 lakh, led by employee benefit costs of Rs 6.51 lakh and other expenses of Rs 17.78 lakh. Earnings per share remained in the red at Rs (0.11) for the quarter.
The balance sheet reflects a company with significant assets on paper but limited operational momentum. Total assets stood at Rs 23,065.57 lakh as of September 30, 2025, broadly unchanged from March 2025. Equity share capital remained steady at Rs 2,152.50 lakh, while total equity was reported at Rs 18,004.85 lakh.
Cash and cash equivalents saw a modest uptick to Rs 6.75 lakh from Rs 4.68 lakh earlier, supported by a positive operating cash flow of Rs 180.01 lakh for the period.
Yet, beneath these numbers lies a more complex narrative. The company’s auditors flagged their inability to obtain sufficient evidence to form a conclusion on the financial statements, citing lack of access to records. They also raised concerns over the company’s ability to continue as a going concern, pointing to insufficient funds, delayed recoveries, and stalled content investments.
Adding to the governance overhang, the company disclosed that Rana Zia has resigned as whole-time director, effective October 16, 2025, citing other professional commitments. The resignation, noted and accepted by the board, also brings an end to her role across company committees.
Regulatory pressures continue to loom large. The Securities and Exchange Board of India has already initiated penal actions for non-compliance with listing norms, with trading in the company’s shares remaining suspended. There is also a risk of promoter demat accounts being frozen.
Legacy legal issues remain unresolved. A substantial deposit of Rs 694,027.88 thousand linked to the long-running OFCD dispute involving Sahara group entities is still under the purview of the Supreme Court of India. Restrictions on asset disposal continue to weigh on the company’s financial flexibility.
Operationally, challenges persist across multiple fronts. Advances worth Rs 1,92,916 thousand given for film content remain stuck, with delays in project completion and uncertain recoverability. The company’s YouTube channel, despite being operational, has generated no revenue for over three years due to compliance lapses. In a further twist, management has indicated that revenues may have been fraudulently diverted through unauthorised changes to its AdSense account, with a police complaint in the works.
There are also missed revenue opportunities. Television content rights continue to be used by a related party despite the expiry of the licence agreement, with fresh negotiations still underway.
For now, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited appears caught between legacy disputes and present-day operational hurdles. As losses linger and governance questions mount, the road to recovery looks less like a sprint and more like a slow trudge through shifting sands.
