British TV exports reach nearly $1bn

2003 was "a milestone year" for exports of British television programmes, according to the chairman of the British Television Distributors' Association, Ian Jones.

For the first time, income from TV exports approached $1bn, up from $754m in 2002. Exports to the US, which the BTDA says "respects our creative and production skills, particularly in the areas of drama and documentaries," accounted for 43% of the total number of exports.

"At its best, our TV is the envy of the World," said Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell. "These figures bear that out. They show the UK industry going from strength to strength - producing programmes that are not only of exceptional quality but also overwhelming popularity both here and across the globe. They are a testament to the power of UK creative talent in the international arena."

The statistics out today show that the US tends to be more involved in co-productions with UK companies, while Western European nations prefer to buy finished programmes.