The consultancy firm presented the session One TV Year in the World: Cracking Audience Trends during the second day of Miptv, to analyze the main trends in TV in 2020, a year when pay TV became increasingly non-linear and SVOD consumption almost doubled in several territories.
During the second day of Miptv Digital, which is taking place this week in a 100% digital format, the event presented the session One TV Year in the World: Cracking Audience Trends, about the latest trends in the TV industry worldwide.
The session was hosted by Glance (Eurodata TV Worldwide) and presented by its Head of Content Insight, Avril Blondelot, and Vice-President, Frédéric Vaulpré, who started off by saying that TV consumption had increased in 2020 vs 2019, after 30 years of relative stability.
“Average viewing time per day was two hours and 54 minutes, up six minutes on 2019,” Vaulpré said. “Among young adults, the figure was one hour 49 minutes, two minutes up on 2019. The number one region for TV consumption was Europe, followed by South America.”
Non-linear viewing continued to be a strong trend in developed TV markets, Vaulpré added, with shows like ITV’s I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here and Sky’s Gangs Of London both attracting high levels of non-live audience. Interestingly, he noted, the vast majority of pay-TV viewing is now non-linear, suggesting an increased blurring in the traditional distinction between pay-TV and VOD services.
In terms of SVOD, a major talking point in 2020, the US, Norway and France all reported strong increases, with French SVOD consumption almost doubling in 2020. Among the most in-demand programmes across Europe in 2020 were The Queen’s Gambit and Emily In Paris.
Glance Head of Content Insight Avril Blondelot explored the strongest launches across Europe in 2020, with The Masked Singer especially prominent. A key insight, Blondelot said, was that “despite Covid-19, 2020’s launches were not as strong as 2019, with 18 out of the 32 countries analysed down year-on-year”. The picture was more positive in terms of acquisition launches.
Blondelot said 2020 was dominated by cop shows, with Banijay Rights’ Backstrom, All3Media’s Van Der Valk and ITV Studios’ McDonald & Dodds performing strongly. However, there was also room for empathetic human dramas like RAI Italy’s Live And Let Live. In unscripted Linda’s Wintermaand on SBS6 Netherlands was an example of “viewers seeking warm, comforting TV”, Blondelot added.
Coming into 2021, The Masked Singer continues to be strong, but there are also positive signs for Lego Masters and I Can See Your Voice. Cop series and thrillers have started well in 2021, with ITV’s Pembrokeshire Murders, TF1’s La Promesse, and Keshet’s Line In The Sand among star performers.
Paul Youngbluth, director of Glance’s UK-based sister company Tape Consultancy, finished the session by providing insights into why series such as Showtime’s Your Honor, ITV’s Finding Alice, Comedy Central’s Growing Pains and Dave’s Unforgivable had already proved popular with audiences.
