Also, on the first day of Series Mania 2025 in Lille, Ampere Analysis presented its latest insights into the evolving global TV market. The session, “A Year of Series”, led by Guy Bisson and Cyrin Amore, highlighted key trends shaping content production and distribution.
Ampere’s data shows relative stability in the top 10 scripted commissioning markets between 2022 and 2024 (excluding China), but with notable shifts. Japan has expanded its share, driven by the continued rise of anime. The U.S. market, excluding global streamers, has seen a decline in scripted production volume, reflecting a contraction in original commissions. Meanwhile, global platforms have also scaled back their investments, creating openings for regional and national players, particularly in Europe.
European production groups—including Banijay, Mediawan, and Fédération Entertainment—are increasingly becoming key partners for global streamers. Some platforms are also relying more on in-house production, consolidating creative control while managing costs.
In this uncertain landscape, intellectual property (IP) remains a strong investment. In Western Europe, the percentage of new series based on existing IP has increased by four points, with public broadcasters seeing a five-point rise. Literary adaptations dominate, but video game-based content and remakes are also gaining traction. In contrast, North America has seen a decline in IP-based projects, as streamers shift focus toward renewals and audience retention.
Genre trends indicate that crime remains dominant among European public broadcasters, accounting for a third of all renewals and over a quarter of new series. Children’s content is making a comeback as public broadcasters step in to fill the gap left by commercial players and U.S. streaming platforms. Comedy has become more renewal-driven, with returning series maintaining strong audience loyalty. Romantic content, however, is in decline across most formats, except for a slight rise in romantic comedies.
Ampere also identified thematic shifts. Narratives centered on armed conflict, religion, and mental health are increasing, while social media-focused stories, after a decline post-2022, are regaining momentum. Representation trends show a drop in LGBTQ+ lead content across multiple markets, but gender parity is improving, with near-equal representation of male and female protagonists compared to the male-dominated landscape of 2022.
As global platforms reassess their strategies and U.S. studios reduce scripted output, European producers are in a strong position to fill the content gap. The data suggests several opportunities: prioritizing crime and drama, leveraging adaptable IP, exploring comedy as a secondary genre, and aligning with relevant social themes. For European creatives, strategic partnerships with both streamers and broadcasters will be key to navigating the current market.
