During its session “How to Turn YouTube into an Asset for Your Series?” at Series Mania, the group explained the evolving role of video platforms in content consuption in Europe.
At this year’s Series Mania, Maria Rua Aguete, Head of Media & Entertainment at Omdia, presented new data showcasing how global platforms are reshaping video consumption across Europe.
In conversation with Justine Ryst, Managing Director of YouTube France and Southern Europe, Aguete highlighted that in France, Netflix and YouTube are the top first-choice video services, with Netflix leading (18%) and YouTube following (12%), ahead of traditional broadcasters and pay TV.
The session, “How to Turn YouTube into an Asset for Your Series?”, underlined the evolving role of YouTube in the content ecosystem. While there is significant audience overlap between YouTube and major French broadcasters such as France TV, TF1+, and M6+, the data also shows that a substantial portion of YouTube’s audience sits outside these services, making it a critical platform for incremental reach.
This dual dynamic positions YouTube as both a complementary platform -enhancing reach among existing TV audiences- and a gateway to new viewers that broadcasters may not otherwise capture.
Aguete also emphasized the importance of scale. Globally, Netflix is forecast to reach over 1 billion monthly active users by 2027, while YouTube is expected to approach 3 billion users, reinforcing its role as a powerful platform for discovery, promotion, and audience expansion.
In the UK, the market reflects a balanced ecosystem between global and local players. Netflix (17%), Sky (15%), and YouTube (9%) rank as the leading first-choice services, highlighting the continued relevance of premium pay TV alongside streaming.
Maria Rua Aguete commented: “Scale and reach are critical, but so is complementarity. Platforms like YouTube not only amplify content but also unlock entirely new audiences, while Netflix continues to lead as the number 1 subscription video player. The findings reinforce a key industry shift: success increasingly depends on combining global scale with local relevance, leveraging platforms not just as competitors, but as strategic partners to grow total audiences”.
