Growth in European TV fiction is stalling as global streamers cut back on commissioning, according to new figures from the European Audiovisual Observatory.
The Observatory’s latest report, Audiovisual fiction production in Europe – 2015-2024 figures, shows a second consecutive year of decline in 2024. The number of fiction titles produced fell 5% year-on-year, with a 3% drop in episodes and a flat volume of hours. Commissioning by streaming platforms – previously the main engine of growth – was down 7% on 2023, with streamer-ordered titles now in decline since 2023.
On average, Europe (EU27 plus the UK, Norway and Switzerland) generates over 1,200 fiction titles, 23,000 episodes and 14,000 hours each year, excluding animation. But the report points to a highly fragmented and fast-turnover market: more than 2,000 production companies delivered at least one title between 2015 and 2024, yet only 3% produced a fiction title in every single year. First seasons drove much of the activity, making up 54% of all seasons produced annually.
Despite the slowdown, public service broadcasters remain the backbone of scripted output. In 2024, PSBs commissioned 56% of all fiction titles produced in Europe, ahead of private broadcasters on 30% and global streamers on 14%. In hours terms, private broadcasters dominate thanks to soaps and telenovelas, accounting for 59% of hours produced, compared to 35% for PSBs and 6% for global streamers.
Telenovelas and soaps continue to shape the production landscape, representing 60% of all hours. More than half of titles (52%) were series with 13 episodes or fewer per season, underlining the continued shift towards shorter-run dramas alongside high-volume daily strands.
The structure of production varies by territory. Germany, Greece and Poland lead by hours thanks to large volumes of soaps and telenovelas, with Spain, the UK, France and Portugal also generating significant volumes. The UK is the largest producer of series with 13-episodes-or-less per season, ahead of France, Germany, Spain and Italy.
Streamers’ commissioning has been heavily focused on a small group of markets: between 2015 and 2024, 48% of all TV fiction ordered by streaming services was produced in just three countries – Spain (17%), the UK (16%) and Poland (15%).
The report names ARD, RTL Group, Banijay Group, the Mediawan-Leonine Alliance and ZDF as the top producers of TV fiction titles in 2024. Co-productions accounted for 9% of all European TV fiction, with more than 100 co-produced titles a year – almost entirely high-end series and TV films.
