BBC, ITV, BT and Img Hit With $5.7 Million in Fines for Freelancer Pay Rate Collusion

Five of Britain’s biggest sports broadcasting and production companies have been sanctioned by the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority for sharing sensitive information about freelancer pay rates, with four firms ordered to pay a combined £4.2 million ($5.7 million) in fines.

The CMA investigation revealed that Sky, BT, Img, ITV and BBC colluded on rates paid to freelance workers including camera operators, sound technicians and producers working on major soccer games and rugby tournaments. The companies shared competitively sensitive information on 15 occasions between pairs of the broadcasters, with most exchanges explicitly aimed at coordinating freelancer compensation.

“We pay our Studio…