Notes on the method
Executive Summary
- Documentaries confirm their strategic positioning on linear networks, but OTT advances
In the 2022/2023 season (compared to the previous), the documentary sector has grown in terms of hours (555, +4%) compared to a slight decrease in titles (231, -1%). There was a slight decrease in the content volume broadcast by linear networks (183, -9%) but an increase in hours in programming (442, +5%). The increase in documentary titles for OTT platforms is significant (48, +41%), although focused on shorter formats, with a consequent small decrease in hours (93, -2%). - Single documentaries decline and docuseries are stable. Docudramas and the hourly volume of docu-realities increase
Documentaries report a decline in terms of content (140, -5%) and hourly volume (157, -14%). Docu-series are stable compared to 2021/2022 in both indicators (75 titles, 281 hours); docu-dramas only represent 3.5% titles and 2% hours of the offer but mark a strong increase in title volume (8, +167%) and hours (12, +24%). Docu-realities show a significant increase in hourly coverage (105, +77%) although a decline in title volume (8, -11%). History, current affairs and society are the topics most covered by docu-dramas and docu-reality, while the offer of documentaries and docu-series is more thematically fragmented. - The strength of outsourced productions
Compared to 2021/2022, outsourced productions have grown in title volume by +16%, while insourced productions have dropped by -32%. Similar trends can also be seen in the overall hourly volume: outsourced productions have increased by +27%, and insourced productions have decreased by -46%. 139 independent productions were surveyed, marking a 20% increase compared to the overall production companies detected in the previous monitoring.