Thomas Dey
FeaturesTips for hiring the right distributor
Increasing distribution turnover is one of our key aims to beat the credit crunch. How can we make sure we hire the right distributor?
FeaturesIs profit or turnover the best indicator of a company's value?
Q: Is profit or turnover the best indicator of a company's value?
FeaturesIs a diverse portfolio good for business?
Q: Traditionally we have been a specialist producer of factual entertainment. As a business strategy, how important is it to establish a more diverse portfolio by getting into different genres of television?
FeaturesCan I make economies by offering staff a shorter working week?
Q: I am running a production company and we are looking at how we can reduce the fixed cost of salaries without making people redundant to weather the credit crunch. Can I offer longstanding staff a shorter working week and what legal issues do I need to consider?
FeaturesHow will interest rates affect my business?
Q: As a programme makers, how will I see the cuts in Bank of England interest rates affect my business?
FeaturesWhat are the benefits of a finance director?
Q: I am thinking of hiring a finance director to run my production company on a sounder financial footing. What kind of benefits can I expect that I wouldn't get from my accountant?
FeaturesHow do I cut costs from my indie?
Q: I have been asked to make suggestions about how to trim costs from the running of my independent production company. What sort of areas should I be looking at as a way of saving?
FeaturesWhat are the advantages of delisting?
Q: What are the advantages of delisting a publicly-quoted media stock? Why is this happening more and more and what do I stand to gain as a shareholder?
FeaturesWhy are broadcasters taking stakes in indies?
Q: ITV recently bought a 25% stake in Carbon Media. Why are broadcasters buying minority holdings in production companies and is this a trend that we will see continue in 2009.
FeaturesGloomy state of the economy
Q: There have been some pretty gloomy predictions for the state of the economy in 2009. What's your take on how the financial markets will affect the production sector this year.
FeaturesWeathering the downturn
Q: What financial or business advice can you give to a media company worried about weathering the downturn?
FeaturesWhat should an indie do to prepare for sale?
Q: I'm a medium sized production company looking to sell a few years down the line. Are there things I should be doing now in preparation?
FeaturesHow can indies get the best deal?
Q: Investment vehicle Motive is offering finance for indies struggling with cash flow. As a producer with my own production company how do I go about getting the best deal in exchange for the least equity in my business from a potential investor?
FeaturesIs consolidation focused on new media?
Q: I saw the recent news about All3Media buying multiplatform producer Illumina Digital. Is indie consolidation now focused on new media? Or is there hope for us traditional telly types?
FeaturesWhat interest is there in UK indies from overseas?
Q: The likes of Carnival and At It were bought by foreign companies. Is there much interest in the UK sector from overseas?
FeaturesIn-house sales vs third party distributor
Q: I'm working at a small production company that is considering setting up an in-house sales team to distribute shows. Should we do it ourselves or use a third party distributor?
FeaturesWho wants to buy indies?
Q: Are trade players or VCs more likely to be interested in buying my indie at the moment?
FeaturesHow do I secure funding to grow my indie?
Q: I run a mid-size indie and I'm looking to grow my business. With the credit crunch in full force, what's the best way of securing funding?