Strasbourg-based European Audiovisual Observatory, part of the Council of Europe, has released its latest findings in the newly published report titled “Audiovisual fiction production in Europe – 2015-2024 figures.” The study provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of scripted television and SVOD fiction content across Europe, highlighting shifts in commissioning trends, production volumes, and market concentration.
According to the report, the European TV fiction market experienced its second consecutive year of decline in 2024, with a 5% drop in the number of fiction titles produced, a 3% decrease in episodes, and stagnation in total hours of content. A key driver behind this downturn is the notable 7% year-on-year reduction in fiction commissioning by global streaming platforms. This represents a continued reversal from the previous growth trajectory seen in streamer-driven productions and marks a second year of contraction in this segment since 2023.
Despite the dip, Europe continues to produce over 1,200 titles, 23,000 episodes, and 14,000 hours of scripted fiction annually. However, the market shows high volatility. While more than 2,000 production companies were involved between 2015 and 2024, only 3% produced at least one title each year during the entire period. This is largely due to the influx of new series, with first seasons representing 54% of all seasons produced each year.
Public service broadcasters remained the main commissioning force in 2024, responsible for 56% of all fiction titles and 35% of total hours produced. Private broadcasters followed with 30% of titles and a higher share of production hours (59%), primarily driven by daily soaps and telenovelas. Global streaming services accounted for 14% of commissioned titles and just 6% of total hours.
In terms of content format, telenovelas and soaps dominated the European market, accounting for 60% of total production hours. Series with 13 episodes or fewer per season made up 52% of all titles, a structure especially prevalent in the UK, which leads in this category ahead of France, Germany, Spain, and Italy.
From a regional standpoint, Germany, Greece, and Poland topped the rankings in terms of overall volume of hours produced, largely due to their strong output of telenovelas and soaps. The UK, Spain, France, and Portugal also contributed significantly to the fiction content landscape.
Streaming platforms' investments were highly concentrated, with nearly half (48%) of their commissioned content between 2015 and 2024 produced in just three countries: Spain (17%), the UK (16%), and Poland (15%).
Among the top producers of fiction titles in 2024 were ARD, RTL Group, Banijay Group, Mediawan-Leonine Alliance, and ZDF. Co-productions made up 9% of all fiction titles in 2024, with around 100 high-end TV series and films produced annually through international collaboration.
This latest data underscores a clear strategic shift as streaming platforms recalibrate investment, while traditional broadcasters remain the backbone of European fiction production.
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