AudioUK to measure state of UK audio production with expanded census

Trade body AudioUK has launched its latest Audio Production Census, aiming to capture the state of the audio production sector through the activity of podcast, radio and audiobook producers.

The census results will be used to promote the sector, attracting more investment and helping secure policy gains such as tax relief and skills funding. 

It will cover the financial year 2021-22, and follows on from the exercise carried out in 2020, which showed production companies were diversifying into a growing range of audio-led activity.

This year it has been expanded for the first time to include all independent audio production, including podcasts, radio programmes and audiobooks rather than just that made by dedicated companies.

Those who fill out the census will be asked what kind of activity they are engaged in, plus a ballpark figure of their turnover for one year. This figure will include ad and subscription revenues, as well as income from live events and other spinoff activities, commissions from radio stations, brands and digital platforms. 

It is being conducted independently by an external researcher who will anonymise and collate all the data prior to it being shared with AudioUK, who will publish results in June.

The survey will also map where in the UK independent producers are located, plus seek data on training activity and investment in production facilities and equipment.

AudioUK m.d. Chloe Straw said: “The economic value of independent UK audio production is becoming harder to assess, due to an increasingly wide range of audio professionals involved in producing and monetising their own content. This is an expanded exercise to see if we can capture that. 

“It’s incredibly important that every professional involved in creating and distributing their own independent audio content takes part, as we will use the anonymised information to seek benefits for our sector such as skills funding and tax relief.”

Now live, the 2022 Audio Production Census is open until 23rd May.