The competition watchdog has launched an investigation into a group of broadcasters, including the BBC and ITV, over their use of freelance staff and services.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it had “reasonable grounds to suspect one or more breaches of competition law” in the use of external services and non-permanent staff to produce, create and broadcast their TV content across the UK.
Hat Trick Productions – the TV production company behind Derry Girls and Have I Got News For You – Red Planet Pictures, Sister Pictures, and Tiger Aspect Productions, are also among those who will face further scrutiny as part of the probe.
The initial phase of the investigation will run until March next year.
“ITV confirms that together with other organisations it has received a case initiation notice from the CMA,” ITV said in a statement. “ITV is committed to complying with competition law and to cooperating with the CMA’s inquiries. ITV does not propose to comment further at this stage.”
Both the BBC and Red Planet Pictures acknowledged the investigation and said they were fully cooperating with the CMA’s inquiries.
The other broadcasters were contacted for comment.
The BBC and ITV are also part of a different group of broadcasters being investigated over similar breaches of competition law in their use of freelance work for their sports content. That investigation was launched in July last year, and has since progressed, with the BBC and Sunset & Vine Productions now the target of a formal investigation.
The CMA emphasised it was not yet clear whether its new investigation into non-sports content would drudge up any evidence of wrongdoing.
However, the watchdog is encouraging anyone with information to contact the CMA.
