2022 Audio Production Census to measure total value of independent podcasting, radio and audiobook production

Trade association AudioUK has launched its latest Audio Production Census, which aims to capture the state of the audio production sector through the activity of the UK’s podcast, radio and audiobook producers; both companies and freelancers making their own audio content.

The Census results will be used to promote the sector in terms of attracting more investment and to help 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 that production companies were diversifying into an ever-growing range of audio-led activity.

AudioUK’s Census, now expanded to include all independent audio production rather than just that made by dedicated companies, aims to capture the activity of all those involved in producing their own podcasts, radio programmes and audiobooks, asking them 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.

The Census 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 Managing Director 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.”

The 2022 Audio Production Census is open to UK audio production companies of all sizes, as well as freelancers and those otherwise working independently to produce their own radio programmes, podcasts and audiobooks. It will be open until Monday 23 May and is available at: https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90441295/audio-radio-production-business-census