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UK's antitrust watchdog fines broadcast firms $5.2 million in freelancer pay probe


Published on 2025-03-21 03:45:24 - Reuters
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  • UK's competition regulator on Friday fined four sports broadcast and production companies about 4 million pounds ($5.2 million) for sharing sensitive information about fees for freelance workers such as camera operators and sound technicians.

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has imposed fines totaling 52 million pounds on several major broadcasters, including BBC, ITV, and Sky, for engaging in anti-competitive practices related to the payment of freelancers. The investigation, which began in 2022, revealed that these companies had exchanged sensitive information about their hiring practices, potentially leading to lower wages for freelancers. The CMA found that this information sharing, which took place between 2015 and 2022, could have distorted competition in the freelance TV sector. The fines were reduced due to the companies' cooperation and acknowledgment of the breaches. The CMA emphasized that such practices undermine fair competition and can negatively impact the earnings of freelancers in the industry.

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[ https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/uks-antitrust-watchdog-fines-broadcast-firms-52-million-freelancer-pay-probe-2025-03-21/ ]