Notes on the method
- More Italian stories: scripted productions speed up
In 2023/2024, first-runs were 123 for 746 hours: 7 more than the previous season, for an hourly increase of +8%. After last season’s slowdown (+1 title, -3% hours between 22/23 and 21/22), scripted productions returns to grow at a steady pace, especially thanks to linear networks (+8 titles, +7% hours vs 22/23). Streaming, instead, sets back, growing only in hours (+13%, thanks to an increase in the number of episodes per season), while, for the first time, VOD catalogue titles don’t grow (-1). - Public networks drive the sector growth, while platforms lag behind
Compared to the previous season, Rai original production has grown – driven by kid’s channels and RaiPlay – (+17 titles, +15% hours), exceeding the 2021/2022 figures and reconfirming public networks as the leading player for scripted content. The second in terms of hourly volumes is Sky Italia (-3 titles, -12% hours) which in terms of content is overtaken by Amazon Prime Video (+1 title, 18% hours), the only among pay groups to have increased its number of titles. Netflix remains stable at 11 titles (= 2022/23), but the hours have increased (+33%), while Paramount+ (-1 title, -41% hours) and Disney+ (-1 title, -19% hours) have decreased in both indicators. Mediaset productions are stable with 7 titles (= 22/23) and -5% hours. - Seriality in constant development. Boom of kids & early teens content
TV series represent slightly more than half (51%) of the monitored scripted content and 75% of the hourly produced volume. Compared to the previous report (+1 title, -0.6% hours between 22/23 and 21/22), this year the increase in seriality has grown (+7 titles, +2% hourly volume vs 2022/23). The content increase for Kids & Early Teens (+12 titles, +70% hours) exceeds TV-movies and platforms (-6 titles, -19% hours), in decline for the last two years (-7 titles, -22% hours compared to 21/22). The docu-drama offer has also declined: +2 titles only for 5 hours of product. - Renewals grow on platforms, original content on networks
Original content has grown from 83 to 88 new titles compared to 2022/2023, with an hourly increase of +15%. New titles prevail over renewals that slacken compared to the previous season (+2 titles, +2% hours) but in terms of hourly volume, new releases are still low (46% vs 54% renewals). The streaming offer is mainly made up of new titles that have however decreased (-7). Renewals are growing on OTTs (+6), while networks are focused on original content (+12 new titles). In seriality, original releases are short series (from 5 to 8 episodes), a format that continues to grow (+7 seasons, +13% hours) to the detriment of long seriality. - Story and History: besides Teen and Crime, History, Biopics and Romance stand out
Drama prevails over Comedy, which however grows significantly (+6 titles, +15% hours). Among the subgenres, the most relevant are Teen & Coming of Age and Crime/Detective, but both are down compared to last year. On the other hand, Historical-Biographical stories are growing, particularly on linear TV, declined as Historical Dramas (+2 titles, +32% hours, La Storia, La luce nella masseria etc.) and Biopics (+2 titles, +33% hours, Marconi, Califano etc.). Romance Shows are also increasing (+1 content, +105% hours), mainly as TV series for VOD catalogues. Finally, there is a boom in Animation (+13 titles, +167% hours), almost exclusively confined to Kids & Early Teens content. - More works and producers. Content costs on the rise
Production players increase from 87 to 94 in a year (two years ago they were 93). The context is increasingly fragmented: compared to last year, the number of producers who created a single project broadcast between September and May has grown. 26 players (31%) contributed to the creation of more than 1 title this season: among these, Palomar and Stand By Me (6 titles each), Picomedia and Lux Vide (both with 5 titles) stand out. The economic values are growing compared to last season, while the works’ cost per minute is confirmed to be higher within the offer of OTTs than networks. Finally, international co-productions have increased (+7 titles, +57% hours), mainly thanks to the growth of Kids & Early Teens titles.