Media accounting
Plain-English guides to the accounting issues media companies face, each with a worked example from the industry.
Media accounting guides
- Media accounting: the key IFRS issues4 minute readMedia accounting explained: film and TV production costs, content amortisation, licensed content, royalties, advertising revenue, sports rights and licences.
- Film and TV production costs4 minute readFilm and TV production costs under IFRS: development, production and post-production, overheads, incentives, marketing and commissioned shows.
- Content library amortisation4 minute readContent amortisation under IAS 38: accelerated methods based on viewing, why revenue-based methods are restricted, estimate changes and impairment.
- Streaming content licences5 minute readStreaming content licences under IFRS: when licensed content becomes an asset, deferred payments, amortisation over the window and why IFRS 16 does not apply.
- Music royalties5 minute readMusic royalties under IFRS 15: streaming income as usage-based royalties, estimates for late statements, minimum guarantees, artist advances and catalogues.
- Advertising revenue4 minute readAdvertising revenue under IFRS 15: recognising revenue as adverts run, agency commissions, audience guarantees, make-goods, digital ads and principal or agent.
- Sports media rights4 minute readSports media rights under IFRS: when broadcasters expense rights, weighting by event value, prepayments, onerous deals and how leagues recognise revenue.
- Broadcast licences4 minute readBroadcast licences under IAS 38: cost, renewals and indefinite useful lives, licences that will be auctioned, impairment, free licences and US GAAP.
- Barter and advertising swaps4 minute readBarter transactions under IFRS 15: advertising swapped for goods, services or shares, fair value of non-cash consideration and commercial substance.
- Subscriptions in publishing4 minute readSubscriptions in publishing under IFRS 15: prepaid subscriptions, print and digital bundles, free gifts, introductory offers, newsstand returns and archives.
- Video game revenue4 minute readVideo game revenue under IFRS 15: game licences, online services, virtual currency, consumable and durable items, season passes and platform fees.
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About these guides
Each guide starts from an accounting issue media companies actually face and works through it with numbers from the industry. 11 of 11 planned guides are published; more are added with every batch.