Has Scripted Television Peaked?

Peak-TV

Scripted television shows released in the United States reached new heights in 2017, again!

By the Numbers

According to the research department at FX network, 487 shows were produced in 2017, up 7% from 455 in 2016. In 2010, just 216 shows were produced.

SVOD providers released 117 shows, which is a 30% increase since 2016. Only just four years ago, there were barely a dozen shows produced by Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu.

Netflix is now the single largest supplier of new shows.

Broadcasters are spending more than ever to produce a record number of shows, 153 in 2017, only to witness their viewers withdraw in greater numbers. The 153 shows broadcasters produced in 2017 was a new record in output.

Basic cable companies remained the largest producer of scripted television shows with 175, a 4% decline from 2016.

Finally, PayTV original programming grew almost 20% to reach 42 shows. This growth is mainly attributable to more viewers moving online, which led to the subsequent launch of several standalone SVOD services by HBO, Starz, and others.

To recap; of the 487 shows, 175 were released by basic cable channels (e.g. TNT), 153 by broadcasters (e.g. ABC), 117 by SVOD providers (e.g. Netflix), and 42 by pay television networks (e.g. HBO).


The number of shows released doubled in the last seven years.

Production Glut

PayTV and SVOD Licensing Values

There is a better way to accurately project licensing revenue for films. Invest in reliable distribution research that includes financials and terms from Netflix and Starz.

The Starz Pricing Guide provides PayTV and SVOD licensing values for films available for premium television exhibition from 2014 through 2020.

The Netflix SVOD Value Report takes you inside an actual Netflix’s licensing agreement for an entire slate of films. The report includes licensing fees for films released in North America from 2010 through 2016, with rights extending into 2018.