A recent analysis from Ampere shows that global streamers (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV, Paramount+ and HBO Max/Max) have continued to shift their Scripted commissions outside the US. In H2 2024, North America accounted for just 37% of their first run and renewed TV series orders, down from 45.9% in H1 2023.
A historically dominant market, North America has experienced significant fluctuations over the last two years. This reflects both external disruptions to production pipelines caused by the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes, and broader shifts in commissioning strategies. As streamers continue to expand their geographical footprint by investing in international markets, they have also adopted a more cautious approach to investments in their original content.
Even before the strikes, platforms were scaling back on North American content orders due to high production costs and slowing domestic subscriber growth. While North America’s share rebounded in H2 2024, it has remained about 3%-4% below 2023 levels for a second consecutive year. This suggests a lasting shift in commissioning strategies with no expected sign of the region returning to its previous share of commission volumes.
Western Europe expanded its share of global streamers’ commissions from 22.5% in early 2022 to a peak of 31.9% in early 2024, when it briefly surpassed North America at 30.3%. However, its slight decline to 27.9% in late 2024 suggests the region’s share may have hit a plateau as local streaming markets reach maturity. But Western Europe remains a key hub for high-value genres such as Crime & Thriller, accounting for a record 43% of the streamers’ global TV commissions in the genre in region in 2024.
Meanwhile, the Asia Pacific region grew from 17.4% in early 2022 to a peak of 26.2% in early 2024 of all global streamers’ Scripted commissions. Unlike North America and Western Europe, where new subscriber acquisitions are increasingly challenging, the Asia Pacific region remains a key growth market, and global streamers are prioritising local Originals to attract subscribers.
In 2024, Asia Pacific’s share of global streamers’ Scripted commissions reached its highest level yet, making up a fifth of all orders. This was fuelled by increased investment in countries such as Japan, India, and Thailand, where global platforms, in particular Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, have expanded their local content offerings. At the same time, the region is seeing a rise in high-budget productions, with genres such as Sci-Fi & Fantasy becoming a more prominent part of commissioning strategies. Moreover, much of this content is increasingly popular in other markets too.
Other regions, including Central and South America, Central and Eastern Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa, have maintained stable but modest shares of global streamers’ overall commissions, signaling emerging yet still limited opportunities in these regions.
Ampere's analysis stated that moving forward, North America and Western Europe are expected to retain the dominant share of streamers’ Scripted TV title announcements. Meanwhile, the Asia Pacific region’s growth will depend on how well streamers navigate local audience demands and economic conditions. But with strong subscriber potential and an increasing demand for local content, the region remains a key focal point for global streamers’ future investment.
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