The European Audiovisual Observatory has published its latest report on audiovisual fiction production in Europe, revealing a decline in output across all formats in 2023. Following a brief post-pandemic recovery, the industry saw a 6% decrease in the number of fiction titles and episodes produced, while production hours stagnated with a modest 3% drop. This signals a significant shift for a sector that had experienced steady growth in recent years.
The report also highlighted a marked slowdown in the high-end series segment (13 episodes or fewer per season), where titles fell by 2%. Additionally, seasons grew shorter, both in terms of the number of episodes and their duration, likely as a cost-control response to rising production expenses and inflation.
Telenovelas and soaps dominated production volumes, contributing 61% of total hours despite accounting for only 8% of titles. By contrast, series with 13 episodes or fewer made up over half (52%) of all titles but represented only 23% of total hours. Meanwhile, TV films and collections comprised 31% of titles but a mere 4% of the overall production hours.
GEOGRAPHIC LEADERS AND NATIONAL TRENDS
Germany stood out as the leading producer of fiction titles, maintaining its strong focus on TV films. In contrast, the United Kingdom continued to dominate the high-end series segment, producing more titles in this category than any other European country. Spain emerged as a key hub for global streaming services, which commissioned 38 fiction titles there, placing it alongside the UK as a top destination for streamer investments.
Production volume in hours was concentrated in Germany, Poland, and Greece, driven primarily by long-running soaps and telenovelas. Similarly, Portugal and Spain maintained robust outputs for series with more than 52 episodes per season. Italy, France, and the UK showed a greater emphasis on shorter, high-end fiction series.
INTERNATIONAL CO-PRODUCTIONS ON THE RISE
International co-productions represented 10% of all fiction titles produced in Europe in 2023, with over half now classified as non-linguistic collaborations. These co-productions primarily focused on TV films and series with 13 episodes or fewer. The United Kingdom led the way, often partnering with the United States, France, Canada, and Germany. Nordic countries were also heavily involved, collaborating both internally and with Germany and the UK.
Spain, despite its overall prominence in fiction production, had relatively few co-productions, likely due to its leading role in projects commissioned by global streamers.
COMMISSIONING AND BROADCASTERS’ ROLE
Public broadcasters remained pivotal in European fiction production, commissioning 55% of all titles and 39% of total hours. Private broadcasters, focusing more heavily on telenovelas and soaps, commissioned 31% of titles but produced 57% of hours. Global streamers such as Netflix and Amazon accounted for 14% of titles but just 5% of hours, as they continue to prioritize high-end fiction over long-running series.
The BBC and Netflix emerged as the top commissioners for high-end series in 2023, each responsible for 60 titles. Other leading commissioners included Amazon (37 titles), Germany’s ZDF (36), and ARD (33).
INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION DOMINATES THE MARKET
The European fiction production landscape remains largely driven by independent producers, who accounted for 81% of all titles in 2023. This includes a significant share of productions by groups affiliated with broadcasters but working for third-party networks.
Three major production groups—Banijay, Mediawan-Leonine Alliance, and RTL—stood out as the primary players in independent production. The Banijay Group, in particular, led the way with projects spanning 11 different countries, showcasing its pan-European reach.
The report also underscored the dynamic nature of the production sector, noting that only 3% of companies consistently produced titles over the past nine years. This trend reflects the industry's reliance on new series, with first seasons accounting for more than half of all productions annually.
While production volumes have declined across formats, regional variations and international collaborations underscore the diversity and resilience of European audiovisual fiction. As broadcasters and streaming platforms continue to shape the landscape, the industry must adapt to rising costs and shifting audience preferences to navigate this new phase.
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