This article was updated at 3:55 p.m.
LONDON -- Sales to the U.S. helped hike U.K. program exports revenue 6% to $666 million in 2002 despite continued difficult trading conditions worldwide, the British Television Distributors' Assn. said Wednesday.
The U.S. accounts for $232 million in sales revenue, up 16.4%, while income from Canada rose 20.3% to $26 million.
Germany dropped 32% to $40 million; France declined 2.6% ($36 million), Italy fell 8.9% ($17 million), while Spain increased 1.7% to $23 million. Scandinavia also dipped 14.8% to $25 million.
Asia accounted for a 21.1% increase in revenue to $55 million, while Latin American was down 5.8% to $23 million.
Sales of finished programs fell resulting in a drop in earnings of 8.2%. Ready made programs account for almost half ($323 million) of U.K. distributors' revenue.
Rupert Dilnott-Cooper, CEO of Carlton Intl. and co-chair of the BTDA, put the drop down to "new market opportunities in relation to co-production and video deals.
"Co-production is increasingly important: broadcasters are searching for bigger hit shows and with top quality drama and factual, this type of pre-funding is often now the only way to get a show made. This is likely to continue, with earnings effectively transferred from post-sales to pre-funding."
Revenue from co-production grew 29.3%, compared with just 5% in 2001. Last year, Granada Intl. brought together partners from Europe (Italy's Mediaset and Germany's Kirch) and the U.S. (WGBH Boston) together for the first time on "Dr Zhivago," which has sold to 30 countries.
Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee gave exports a boost last year with Carlton Intl. drama "Bertie & Elizabeth" selling to more than 45 countries, while its docu "The Queen's Story" was licensed to more than 30.
Income from formats and local productions continued to rise, up 12.2% to $40 million. "Millionaire" and "Weakest Link" may have reached their peak but continue to sell as do Endemol formats "Changing Rooms" and "Ground Force" and the BBC's veteran music show "Top of the Pops."
Drama and docs continue to fly the flag with Granada's "Forsyte Saga," "Touch of Frost" and "Cold Feet" sold to more than 20 countries. Channel 4 Intl.'s "Shackleton," starring Kenneth Branagh, was broadcast in 20 markets, while Carlton love story "Bob & Rose" played in 45.
BBC doc "Natural World" and "The Lost World" reached 44 and 32 countries respectively, while C4 Intl.'s "How the Towers Fell Down" was shown in 19 markets, including the U.S.
Sales from licensing and merchandising jumped 22.9% thanks to strong performances from HIT's "Bob the Builder," and the BBC's "Walking With Dinosaurs," "The Weakest Link," and "Top of the Pops."
"This will be a significant year for distributors, largely due to changes brought about by the Program Supply Review and its recommendations being included in the Communications Bill," said Ian Jones, general manager at Granada Intl. and BTDA co-chair. "We will be working ever closer with producers to ensure the best programs are made for international consumption."
Under the Program Supply Review producers and distribs will earn more from content because they will keep ancillary rights rather than giving them up to the broadcaster.
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