Latest news

Back European TV fiction production dropped by 600 hours in 2020, but high-end TV series kept on growing

The European Audiovisual Observatory has just published a new edition of its new report on the production of European TV fiction during MIPTV
European TV fiction production dropped by 600 hours in 2020, but high-end TV series kept on growing

Download "Audiovisual fiction production in Europe - 2020 figures" here

This brand-new report: “Audiovisual fiction production in Europe - 2020 figures” has just been published by the European Audiovisual Observatory, part of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. The report analyses the volume, formats, origin, commissioners and producers of original European TV films and TV series released on TV and SVOD between 2015 and 2020.

  • Over 1 000 titles, 20 000 episodes and 13 000 hours produced each year in Europe

Daily soaps account for 9% of seasons but 60% of hours produced and suffered from COVID-caused interruption of shooting. Meanwhile, shorter formats kept on growing, although at a slower pace. Figures also suggest a downward trend for TV films, maybe hinting at a substitution of the production of TV films by TV series.

Number of AV fiction TV films and series seasons produced by format (2015-2020)

Source: European Audiovisual Observatory analysis of The European Metadata Group and IMDB data

  • Germany, the United Kingdom and France produce the most seasons

Germany is the leading fiction production country in Europe by number of TV seasons and TV films produced. But the United Kingdom is the leading producer of a 2-to-13-episode seasons. And figures suggest a production boom in Spain and in Scandinavian countries.

Top 2-to-13-episode series producing countries in number of seasons (2020)

Source: European Audiovisual Observatory analysis of The European Metadata Group and IMDB data

  • Impressive turnover of writers and directors.

48% of screenwriters and 42% of directors were active in only one year between 2015 and 2020. Therefore, on average, a writer wrote, and a director directed only about 2 episode per year (excluding more-than-52-episode seasons).

Average number of TV films and episodes (co)written per year (2015 and 2020) by all active writers

Source: European Audiovisual Observatory analysis of The European Metadata Group and IMDB data

Average number of TV films and episodes (co)directed per year (2015 and 2020) by all active directors

Source: European Audiovisual Observatory analysis of The European Metadata Group and IMDB data

 

Strasbourg 5 April 2022
  • Diminuer la taille du texte
  • Augmenter la taille du texte
  • Imprimer la page
Other News

The European Audiovisual Observatory publishes new analysis of VOD catalogues available in the European Union

European films and TV series accounted for 32% of all works in VOD catalogues in the European Union

10 June 2025 Strasbourg

An insight into the composition of TVOD, SVOD and FOD catalogues in 25 EU member states, looking at film titles and TV seasons and their regions of origin.

Read More

Get the trends in our brand new report!

What's happening on the world cinema markets?

4 June 2025 Strasbourg

Buy the new FOCUS World Market Trends Report!

Read More

The European Audiovisual Observatory has just published a new report on the audience of European films broadcast on television

Theatrical films and TV movies account for 13% of total TV viewing time

3 June 2025 Strasbourg

This report provides an analysis of films broadcast in 2023 by a sample of 141 European TV channels from 18 European Union countries.

Read More

Featured online service

Yearbook online

A unique source of data on:
• television • film • video • on-demand audiovisual services in 43 European countries

  • Over 100 indicators
  • 10-year time series
  • For 43 countries

More information and subscriptions available here

FEATURED NEWSLETTER

Monthly Wrap Up

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to get links to our latest film, TV and VOD publications.

You’ll also get advance invitations to our forthcoming events. Rounding off with links to our recent conference presentations. What’s not to like?

To join our mailing list:

 email Alison Hindhaugh

  telephone on + 33 (0) 3 90 21 60 10 (direct)

VOD dashboard: all our key VOD data in one Excel file

All the main data on VOD:

  • number of services
  • subscriptions
  • revenues
  • main players
  • composition of catalogues
  • viewing time 
  • and more

Link to the Dashboard

Events and Diary

Visit our Events page for up to date details of Observatory events, plus information on events attended by our talented team.

Click here

Watch Our films

Visit our YouTube channel to watch our latest films and conferences.

Click here

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

                      

Watch our videos