The UK-based Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has fined four sport production and broadcast companies as part of a settlement after they were investigated for allegations of colluding to fix freelancer pay rates.
The probe was launched in 2022 by the CMA after allegations surfaced that ITV, The BBC, Hat Trick Productions, Hartswood Films, Sister And Tiger Aspect Productions and Red Planet Pictures might have worked together to limit the costs of freelance services as well as the pay of staff supporting the production, creation and/or broadcasting of sports television content in the UK.
On Friday, the CMA issued a statement announcing the probe had been closed and that the production companies had agreed to pay a combined £4m for colluding on freelancer pay rates.
The CMA said it had found 15 instances where a pair of companies coordinated on how much to pay freelancers, unlawfully sharing sensitive information including on day rates and pay rises.
BT and IMG each had six infringements and had to pay £1.7m each. The BBC was found to have three infringements and was fined £424,165. ITV had five infringements and paid a fine of £339,918.
Sky had the most infringements with ten, but wasn't fined because it had alerted the CMA to the problem before the organization launched its probe.
"It’s completely unacceptable that a number have admitted to collusion on rates of pay," said Head of the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union (Bectu) Phillippa Childs in a statement. "Today’s announcement from the CMA is a damning indictment of the behaviour of some broadcasters. It must be stressed how this behaviour directly impacts the freelancers on which broadcasters rely.
"It’s entirely right that the broadcasters involved have been fined, but they should also consider how to regain the trust of their freelance workforce who work in sport," Child continued. "Bectu calls on broadcasters and Pact to come to the table and negotiate with the union on freelancer rates to ensure fair and transparent pay, which would act as an important starting point to address some of these wider issues."