Omdia: Global Streamers' Original Production Grew in 2022

Pixabay
(Image credit: Pixabay)

LONDON—Despite all that has been written about streaming services cutting back on production spending, a new study by Omdia found that original production, measured by hours produced, actually increased in 2022, rebounding from production delays and cancellations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.

The new research published by Omdia's Digital Content & Channels Intelligence Service found that Netflix, Amazon, Apple TV+, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, Paramount+, and Peacock collectively released a total of 1,752 titles and 4,878 hours of first-run original content in 2022, a year-on-year increase of 60% in titles and 87% in hours.

The data also highlighted the global expansion of these streaming services with a growing number of titles created for their offerings outside the U.S. 

Netflix was the most prolific originator with 935 titles and 3,531 hours released in 2022, of which over 50% were from outside of the US. Since the release of Lilyhammer in 2012, Netflix's first original series, Omdia estimates that Netflix has launched over 14,000 hours of original productions.

Omdia estimates that Netflix's 935 online originals released in 2022 (not necessarily the same year they were produced), were worth $5.8bn last year, with about 42% of this total was invested by the streamer outside North America, with $1.1 billion and $1 billion invested in Europe and Asia and Oceania, respectively.

For the third year in a row, Amazon released more non-US originated titles on Prime Video than U.S. titles. Its 2022 crop of 203 titles and 764 hours of original first-run programming were Amazon's highest ever annual totals.

"The increase in original production is mainly driven by two factors: new productions delayed by the COVID pandemic finally arriving online, and the continuing international rollout of studio-backed D2C services such as Disney+, HBO Max, and Paramount+," said Tim Westcott, senior principal analyst at Omdia.

The total number of original titles from these other providers released in 2022 increased to 614 titles in 2022, a year-on-year increase of 44%. A majority of these titles originated from the US. Warner Bros. Discovery service HBO Max produced over 30% of the 614 titles, with Disney+ contributing 19%.

"Whether we will see the same growth this year remains to be seen, with both Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney under pressure from shareholders to reduce their expenditure and stem the losses of their strategic move into streaming," said Westcott. 

George Winslow

George Winslow is the senior content producer for TV Tech. He has written about the television, media and technology industries for nearly 30 years for such publications as Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and TV Tech. Over the years, he has edited a number of magazines, including Multichannel News International and World Screen, and moderated panels at such major industry events as NAB and MIP TV. He has published two books and dozens of encyclopedia articles on such subjects as the media, New York City history and economics.