UK Media & Publishing Payments Significantly Outpace National Average, But Disparities Persist

The Numbers

• Companies Analysed: 36
• Average PaymentCheck Score: 68.0/100
• UK Average: 50.0/100 (Media & Publishing is 18.0 points above)
• Top Payer Score: 98.55/100 (SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT UK LIMITED)
• Bottom Payer Score: 40.5/100 (LITTLE, BROWN BOOK GROUP LIMITED)

What Stands Out

The Media and Publishing sector demonstrably outperforms the UK average for payment practices, with an average PaymentCheck score of 68.0 against a national benchmark of 50.0. However, a wide spread exists, with the best payer (Sony Music) nearly 60 points higher than the worst (Little, Brown Book Group), indicating significant inconsistencies within the sector.

Best Payers

1. SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT UK LIMITED - 98.55/100
2. ENTERTAINMENT MAGPIE LIMITED - 96.06/100
3. SMITHS NEWS TRADING LIMITED - 93.63/100
4. NEWSQUEST MEDIA GROUP LIMITED - 90.65/100
5. EMERALD PUBLISHING LIMITED - 89.5/100

Worst Payers

1. LITTLE, BROWN BOOK GROUP LIMITED - 40.5/100
2. THE ORION PUBLISHING GROUP LIMITED - 44.3/100
3. WH SMITH TRAVEL LIMITED - 45.67/100
4. WILLIAM WILSON LTD. - 46.28/100
5. ACADEMY MUSIC GROUP LIMITED - 50.15/100

Regional Patterns

Regional analysis is limited by the small sample sizes, but the data suggests that Yorkshire and The Humber, West Midlands, Wales, and the East of England all show promise, averaging above 83.0. The 'Unknown' region tops the averages at 98.5, but only reflects one company, meaning it's not truly representative.

If you're struggling with late payments from companies in the Media & Publishing sector, you can use this late payment calculator to work out how much you're owed in interest and compensation.

While the Media & Publishing sector leads the UK in payment practices, the significant difference between Sony Music's 98.55 score and Little, Brown Book Group's 40.5 underscores the need for greater consistency and accountability across the board.