Number of Streaming Shows Overtakes Basic Cable, Broadcast for First Time
Number of Streaming Shows Overtakes Basic Cable,
Broadcast for First Time, FX Reports
By Joe Otterson December 13, 2018 11:16AM PT
Streaming services snatched their biggest piece of the TV
pie ever in 2018.
According to FX’s annual report on the number of scripted
originals on TV, the number of streaming shows has surpassed the number of
basic cable and broadcast shows for the first time ever. Out of 495 scripted
originals that aired in 2018, 160 of them did so on a streaming platform. That
is compared to 146 on broadcast and 144 on basic cable. Pay cable accounted for
the remaining 45 shows.
Streaming shows also saw the biggest increase
year-to-year, growing from 117 last year. Broadcast dipped slightly, dropping
from 153 in 2017. Basic cable saw a more sharp decline, compared to the 175
shows that aired on basic cable the previous year. Pay cable was up slightly
from 42.
On a percentage basis, streaming shows now account for
approximately one third of all scripted originals, with approximately 32%.
Broadcast made up 30% and basic cable 29%, with pay cable making up 9%.
The total number of shows across all of TV was up again
as well, rising from 487 in 2017. The year-to-year growth was less than that of
previous years, however. For example, the number of shows grew from 455 to 487
between 2016 and 2017. The 495 scripted originals this year was also off from
FX Networks CEO John Landgraf’s prediction that 520 such shows would air this
year.
The decline in scripted basic cable shows comes as
networks like WGN America, MTV, and A&E have all but abandoned their
scripted series ambitions, focusing instead on acquisitions and unscripted reality
shows. Broadcast network Fox has also geared down on its number of scripted
originals, with the network having launched just three new shows this fall with
two on deck for midseason.
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