Guy Bisson, executive director at Ampere Analysis, spoke at Mip London this year about Ampere Analysis at Mip London. He covered the state of factual TV shows. Sports commissioning is up. YouTube pulls in more factual viewers. Broadcasters hold strong ground against streamers. The event drew TV execs from around the world. Bisson laid out data on commissions and viewer shifts. It's all part of bigger changes in how we watch unscripted content.
Key Takeaways
- Unscripted series orders dropped nearly 20% from 2022 peaks but show early recovery signs in first-run commissions.
- Sports content drives growth in factual TV commissioning across platforms.
- Broadcasters remain key players, outpacing streamers in some unscripted areas.
- YouTube emerges as a top spot for factual videos, pulling younger crowds.
Background
Mip London brings together TV pros every year. This time, Ampere Analysis stepped up with fresh data. Their global commissioning database tracks over 100,000 shows. It covers scripted and unscripted from development to air. Bisson's talk focused on unscripted trends. Unscripted means reality TV, docs, sports, game shows. No actors with lines. These shows fill schedules cheap and fast. But the market hit rough times post-2022. Production slowdowns bit hard. Strikes in Hollywood didn't help. Global orders for TV series fell. Both scripted and unscripted took hits. Charts from Ampere show the drop clear as day. From 2020 highs, numbers slid through 2024. Unscripted first-run commissions sit 18% below 2022 peaks. All unscripted down 13%. Yet. First-run unscripted ticks up. It's the first good sign in years. Industry folks call it bedding in at a new normal. Sustainable scale, they say. Not back to boom days. But steady.
And sports? That's the bright spot. Factual TV leans heavy on games now. Commissions for sports events and shows jumped. Broadcasters chase live action. Streamers dip in too. But traditional TV networks lead. They have rights deals locked years ahead. Think football matches. Olympics coverage. Tennis majors. These draw crowds like nothing else. Viewers tune in live. Can't skip highlights on demand. That's power streamers envy.
Public broadcasters step up big. In places like UK, France, Canada. Their orders rise as summer slates drop. Commercial free-to-air lags. Streamers hit peak format in 2022. Now they renew old hits. Keeps the pipeline full without big spends.
Key Details
Bisson broke down the numbers. Global TV first-run series orders charted a path. Unscripted dipped then nudged up in late 2024. Scripted still lags from strikes. Here's the split. Unscripted held better in tough times. But genres shifted hard.
Genre Shifts and Platform Plays
Romance and dating shows tanked. Down over 40% in spots. Art, craft, culture followed. Game shows slipped too. Sports? Way up. Factual docs steady. YouTube grabs factual fans. Short clips. Quick facts. Younger viewers flock there. Platforms like it show data fast. Broadcasters stick to long form. But they adapt. More shorts for social.
Streamers chase formats less now. Renewals prop them. Broadcasters commission fresh. Western Europe pumps out unscripted. It's a hub. Data from 2019 to 2024 shows the tug. In one chart, broadcaster share in unscripted hit 66% some years. Streamers at 34%. Numbers flip a bit. But broadcasters don't fade.
"Unscripted series orders are down globally as the production downturn bites, but first-run commissions show recovery signs." – Guy Bisson, Ampere Analysis
And check this. June 2025 commissions fell to 1382 from 1607 year prior. Commercial FTAs dropped most. Public ones climbed. Germany feels pressure. Content strategies change there. UK viewing habits shift too. More devices. Subscriptions stack up.
Fremantle's game show deals fit the trend, like their Japanese comedy format push. Warner Bros. Discovery saw record streams for Milano-Cortina Olympics. Sports rule.
Data runs deep. Ampere tracks every order. From small docs to mega sports rights. Trends point to broadcasters as anchors. YouTube as wildcard. Sports as fuel.
What This Means
TV won't snap back overnight. New scale means fewer shows. Smarter picks. Broadcasters gain edge. They own live sports. Streamers can't match that pull yet. YouTube eats factual bites. Full docs? Still TV turf. Viewers split screens now. Phone for clips. TV for big events.
Producers adjust. Less romance fluff. More sports docs. Game shows hold via renewals. Western Europe exports strong. Asia, US tweak slates. Public money flows steady. Ad bucks chase sports.
Small nets feel squeeze. Big players lock rights. Newbies chase niches. YouTube creators jump in. Platforms pay for top factual. It's a mixed bag. Recovery hints lift spirits. But 20% off peaks? That's the floor now.
Execs at Mip nodded along. Data matches their books. Orders slow. Sports save days. Broadcasters breathe easy. Streamers eye YouTube fights. Change rolls slow. But it rolls.
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the drop in unscripted commissions?
Production slowdowns hit scripted and unscripted hard. Strikes added pain. Global orders fell from 2022 peaks by up to 18% for first-runs.
Why is sports content booming?
Live sports draw huge live audiences. Broadcasters and streamers commission more. It offsets declines in other factual areas like romance shows.
How does YouTube fit into factual TV?
YouTube grows as a spot for factual clips and shorts. Younger viewers go there first. Traditional TV keeps longer formats.
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the drop in unscripted commissions?
Production slowdowns hit scripted and unscripted hard. Strikes added pain. Global orders fell from 2022 peaks by up to 18% for first-runs.
Why is sports content booming?
Live sports draw huge live audiences. Broadcasters and streamers commission more. It offsets declines in other factual areas like romance shows.
How does YouTube fit into factual TV?
YouTube grows as a spot for factual clips and shorts. Younger viewers go there first. Traditional TV keeps longer formats.
