Transnationalisation revisited through the Netflix Original: An analysis of investment strategies in Europe

Abstract

Players in the European market have developed a series of transnational collaborations and practices in the cross-border production and distribution of audio-visual content, media ownership, regulation and audience reception. Transnational subscription video-on-demand platforms have also visibly increased their investments in original content, in their attempt to expand and maintain their international subscriber bases. Among them, Netflix has been particularly active in investing in European markets. This article traces the evolution of Netflix investments in European original scripted series produced between 2012 and 2020 and analyses the platform’s investment strategies in European markets through the lens of transnational television theory. The findings point to various elements of transnationalisation, placing European originals at the intersection between local and global, through market dynamics, strategic collaborations and content with transnational appeal. The findings also confirm the growing importance of rights retention and premium content offerings through the increase of big-budget commissions, particularly in developed European markets.

Why to regulate Netflix: the cross-national politics of the audiovisual media governance in the light of streaming platforms

“…As such, the institutionalist perspective deals with the privatization of the media governance, through social media platform policies and technical design choices, affecting the free flow of information on the Internet and, in doing so, promoting or constraining public interest obligations in the media sectors (Flew et al, 2019). Besides, several scholars seek to compare regulatory frameworks and their effects on crucial issues for the audiovisual industries, such as the role of the AVMSD about the functions of data for advertising (Micova and Jacques, 2020) or the ways in which the EU strengthens the internal media market through measures affecting the transnational action of VOD platforms (Albornoz and Leiva, 2021; Iordache et al, 2022; Kostovska et al, 2020).…”

Los procesos productivos y las rutinas de trabajo en series de ficción argentinas y españolas para plataformas digitales audiovisuales

“…Esta consideración coincide con lo planteado por Lotz y Lobato (2023) al mencionar estudios que exploran las normas productivas en las plataformas digitales audiovisuales y de qué modo afectan la autonomía creativa de los profesionales. 3 De modo complementario, y de acuerdo con el objetivo de este artículo, se mencionan los trabajos que consideran las transformaciones suscitadas en el mercado audiovisual argentino y español a partir del desembarco de las OTT audiovisuales, a la CARBONI Austral Comunicación, volumen XII, número 2, diciembre de 2023 Página 9 de 34 vez que se sistematiza y clasifica al sector a través de variables propias de la EPCC: estructura empresarial, oferta de contenidos, modelo de negocio, evolución histórica del mercado audiovisual y políticas regulatorias en el sector, entre otras cuestiones (Baladrón y Rivero, 2018;García Leiva, 2019Iordache et al, 2022;Mastrini y Krakowiak, 2021;Prado, 2017).…”

Audiences of popular European television crime drama: A nine-country study on consumption patterns, attitudes and drivers of transcultural connection

“…Particularly on subscription VoD platforms (Grece and Jiménez Pumares, 2021: 15) and services from strong public service broadcasters (see Kevin and Ene, 2015) European viewers can encounter non-national content from other EU countries. The increase in the circulation of European TV series through new distribution platforms, and the simultaneous growth of European production of high-end dramas (Jiménez, 2020: 12; Iordache et al, 2021; Raats and Jensen, 2020), however, may generate deeper bonds with ‘our European Others’ through ‘mediated encounters’ (Bondebjerg et al, 2017: 27). Or, as Joke Hermes says, ‘popular cultural texts and practices are important because they provide much of the wool, from which the social tapestry is knit’ (2005: 11).…”