Notes on the method

Executive Summary

1. The resilience of the entertainment industry
   After slowdown of supply in the first phase of the pandemic, in spring 2020, the 2020-21 season got off to a positive start: the drop in the total hour volume (-2% in the 2021 “guaranteed” quarter, for a total of 10,500 hours) was fully reabsorbed in the following two quarters: at the end of the season there were 16,910 hours of unscripted original content, with a slight increase percentage compared to the pre-pandemic period.
2. The outcome as a combination of three factors
   Network activism(as Retequattro and its Infotainment and Talk offer, + 29%; Tv8, with its Container shows, + 170%; and Canale 5, with its Talent, Reality and Infotainment, + 13%); genre dynamism, increasingly relevant for the operators supply (in particular, Docu); the progressive, albeit slow growth of digital-only productions for streaming platforms (OTT but also streaming services of linear operators.)
3. The “intensive” drive of independent productions
   Independent production content leaped forward in the number of titles (+ 11% compared to the pre-pandemic period), although often short-length (Magazine and Columns) or one-shot products (True crime documentaries). 65% of the hour volume of daily entertainment was still covered by the broadcasters’ in-house productions.
4. The streaming model
   More than two thirds of the digital-only unscripted supply – titles and hour volume – is outsourced, thus assuming that a new “model” of collaboration is taking shape.
5. The crucial value of independent production
   Prime time is still the main time slot for outsourced content. 70% of unscripted shows in this range are outsourced or produced in collaboration with an independent production company.
6. Outsourced productions grow among generalist operators
   especially in terms of titles (+ 11% compared to the pre-pandemic period); while different models are used by multichannel operators, with a higher incidence of in-house content, compared to the pre-pandemic period.
7. International formats
   weigh slightly less in the total supply than in the pre-pandemic period (-3% titles), but the weight of original Italian formats is extremely light (only 1% of total titles)
8. Innovation index growth
   More than half of this season’s supply includes original titles, although not significant when it comes to hour volume.
9. The production of “branded” content
   In line with the pre-pandemic period (7% total shows,) BE now enters non-linear networks (13% supply). Daytime is still its favorite slot, although prime time supply is growing (+13%)
10. Kids Tv: production and supply
    This sector makes use of extensive practice of international co-productions. Among the original productions, entertainment shows stand out (42%,) followed by animation (34%)