Following the inclusion of the Media Bill in yesterday’s King’s Speech, UK creative industries union Bectu is calling on the government to prove its support for the sector in the Autumn Statement on 22nd November.
The government has faced criticism for its decision not to support the TV and film industries during the Hollywood strikes which have impacted production in the UK.
A petition calling on Rishi Sunak’s government to do more to help film and TV crews impacted by the now-resolved writers and on-going actors strikes attracted over 30,000 signatures.
In September, Bectu said nearly 80 per cent of its members have been impacted by the on-going Hollywood strikes.
Responding to the King’s Speech, Philippa Childs, head of Bectu, said:
“After repeated delays, we welcome the inclusion of the Media Bill in the King’s Speech. The bill considers critical questions about the future of British broadcasting, and will be vital to ensuring the UK’s public service broadcasters can compete in a changing media landscape.
“We await the upcoming Autumn Statement with interest to see if it will now put its money where its mouth is and support the sector and its workers,” she added. “The government has long been vocal about how central the creative industries are to a strong UK economy. The proof will be in the pudding of whether it intends to stand by these warm words.”
