The European Audiovisual Observatory has released its latest report, Female Professionals in European TV/SVOD Fiction Production – 2015-2023 Figures, highlighting persistent gender disparities in the industry. Covering six key production roles—directors, writers, producers, cinematographers, composers, and editors—the report underscores slow progress in gender representation, with projections indicating full gender parity may not be achieved until 2046.
Between 2019 and 2023, women made up only 27% of professionals working in European TV and SVOD fiction production. Gender inequality is reinforced by three cumulative factors: a lower overall presence of women in the industry, fewer assignments for female professionals, and a tendency for women to share roles more frequently than their male counterparts.
The share of women varies significantly depending on the profession. Producers (43%) and writers (37%) have the highest female representation, while editors (31%) and directors (27%) align with the industry average. However, women remain severely underrepresented in key creative roles such as composers (10%) and cinematographers (10%).
Despite some progress, leadership in production teams remains predominantly male. While female writers accounted for 37% of fiction writing during this period, only 26% of writing teams were led by women. In contrast, male-led teams dominated with 59%, while 15% of teams were gender-balanced.
Since 2015, the representation of women across all roles has increased by just 4 percentage points, from 23% in 2015-2018 to 27% in 2019-2023. Some roles have seen slightly better progress, such as directors (+8%), while others remain stagnant, like editors (+0%). At the current pace, gender equality is projected to be achieved in: 2030 for producers, 2035 for directors, 2036 for writers, 2063 for composers, and 2103 for cinematographers. Editors may never reach gender parity under current trends
One optimistic takeaway from the report is that women in leadership roles are more likely to work with other women. Productions led by female directors, writers, or producers tend to have higher female representation across all roles. This suggests that progress in one category could accelerate improvements in others, potentially shortening the timeline for achieving gender equality in the industry.
While the European TV and SVOD fiction industry has made modest strides toward inclusivity, structural barriers remain, and without deliberate interventions, gender parity could remain a distant goal. The findings reinforce the need for continued industry efforts, policy changes, and investment in female talent development to close the gender gap more swiftly.
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