email print share on Facebook share on Twitter share on LinkedIn share on reddit pin on Pinterest

TELEVISION Europe

Europe produces over 11,000 hours of home-grown TV fiction per year

by 

- European Audiovisual Observatory's report finds that the yearly production of TV fiction in the European Union amounts to around 920 different titles

Europe produces over 11,000 hours of home-grown TV fiction per year

European Audiovisual Observatory's brand new report (download here) finds that the yearly production of TV fiction in the European Union (EU) amounts to:

  • about 920 different titles
  • representing over 16 400 episodes
  • and more than 11 000 hours.

Average number of titles, episodes and hours of TV fiction produced per year in the EU 2015-2016

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

This new report has just been published by the European Audiovisual Observatory, part of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Its publication coincides with the French Series Mania Festival in Lille, where report author, Gilles Fontaine, the Observatory’s Head of Department for Market Information, will present his findings on 2 and 3 May. The data was collected for 2015 and 2016 and covers 102 different services: 52 private channels, 45 public channels and 5 SVOD services.

l.  Formats and length

The EU produces mostly short formats, including a significant number of TV films: A total of 44% of all fiction titles are TV films (1 or 2 episodes), and 90% of all fiction titles produced have 26 episodes or fewer produced per year.

Breakdown of TV fiction titles produced by number of episodes produced each year

ll.  Continuing series VS new series

Continuing TV series represent about half of the TV series produced each year[1], the other half being new projects.

[1] Excluding TV films.

Number of titles of new and continuing TV series (excluding TV films)

lll.  Top five series producing countries in Europe

Germany is, by far, the leading country for production of TV fiction in the EU, in terms both of number of titles and number of hours. Germany produces 2156 hours of TV fiction a year. Next in line are Spain, Portugal, Britain and France.

Breakdown of number of TV fiction hours produced in the EU by country of origin – average 2015-2016

lV.  The role of public and private broadcasters

Public broadcasters are involved in the production of the vast majority (73%) of TV fiction titles. However, private audiovisual groups[1], generally speaking, tend to focus their investments on a more limited number of long-running projects. Private broadcasters therefore account for 56% of the number of hours produced, vs. 44% for public broadcasters.

[1] Including SVOD services.

Breakdown of number of hours of TV fiction produced by statute of service – average 2015-2016

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

Did you enjoy reading this article? Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive more stories like this directly in your inbox.

See also

Privacy Policy