Last Word 22
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DAY 2
Learning the new language of content
hances are you’ll hear two things repeated again and again during your time at Content London this year. The first is that audiences are, more than ever, in the market for local content – stories that reflect their lives. Hence streamers, whether that’s Netflix, Disney+ or Viaplay, are here at Content London to develop and commission swathes of local originals to add some specificity to their SVoD services. The second is that audiences are seeking out programming from different countries Nico Franks explores the ramifications of global audiences’ seemingly and cultures like never before, partly as an insatiable appetite for both local- and foreign-language programming. unexpected consequence of the pandemic, when viewers sought a change of scenery amid the lockdowns. Meanwhile, hot new US series never make it Luckily for our industry, these two pearls of to market as studios prioritise their best content received wisdom don’t appear to be mutually for their own streaming services. Even arguably exclusive. In the same way audiences are clearly the most popular US show on air at the moment, In the same way hungry for shows that are dark as well as light, Succession, is written by a British/American audiences are clearly they crave a mixed diet when it comes to TV – team of writers out of Brixton, south London. hungry for shows that devouring local produce as well as tucking into Today we will hear from Disney+ and Netflix are dark as well as light, they crave fare from more far-flung places. and tomorrow HBO Max and Amazon, all of a mixed diet when it comes to TV – This is a world forecast by execs at Content which are here at Content London as part devouring local produce as well as London in years gone by. But not even the most of their considerable drive to attract new optimistic of panellists could have predicted subscribers outside the States, eyeing up the tucking into fare from more farit would unintentionally create such a severe non-English-language successor to Succession in flung places. shortage of translators, resulting in dodgy select markets all over the world. Nico Franks dubbing and sub-par subtitles. But not every country’s local industry will This could only be the beginning of the benefit from this push in the same way the UK non-English-language revolution, as the called the “disproportionate” amount of British has, and it’s important not to give the US-based gradual implementation of the European content shown in EU countries. streamers too much of a halo. After all, they are Union’s Audiovisual Media Services Directive – So where does all this leave English-language backed by tech giants, many of which do not which requires streamers to have at least a 30% programming? In many ways, it depends on the even pay their fair share in taxes back home, let share of European content in their catalogues – accent. UK content seems more popular than alone in international markets, and they don’t begins to have an impact in the years ahead. ever, but US programming has been gradually invest in local markets in the same way public This could prove a boon for international disappearing from international broadcasters’ service broadcasters do. producers with outposts in different European primetime schedules for years now. Meanwhile, according to one UK-based exec countries, theoretically able to speaking at Content London this coproduce with themselves and week, after years of meddling, US allowing a streamer to meet its partners are no longer demanding obligations in different countries with as many changes to casting, plots or one piece of content. scripts, as the need to ‘Americanise’ European works status continues shows for their domestic audience has to apply to audiovisual content diminished. originating in the UK, as the UK As the US streamers’ local-language remains party to the Council of push shifts up another gear, will this Europe’s European Convention on hands-off approach and trust in local Transfrontier Television, regardless expertise continue or, as we enter this of Brexit. Fears remain, however, that new era of global content, could we see the EU will target Europe’s biggest a gradual ‘Americanisation’ of nonSuccession producer of film and TV and what it has English-language programming?
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The official Content London Daily magazine is published by C21 Media Ltd (www.c21media.net). Editorial director: Ed Waller. Reporters: Jonathan Webdale, Clive Whittingham, Nico Franks, Jordan Pinto, Karolina Kaminska, Michael Pickard, Gün Akyuz, Ruth Lawes, Oli Hammett. Chief sub editor: Gary Smitherman. Senior sub editor: John Winfield. Photographer: Simon Wilkinson. Production: Eleanore Hayes, Courtney Brewster. Events: Gemma Burt, Chloe Hocking. Content London Daily client contacts (C21Media): Odiri Iwuji, Peter Treacher, Hayley Salt. Editor-in-chief & managing director, C21Media: David Jenkinson. Meet the Content London Daily editorial team in the Horsfall Room (Kings Place) or via press@c21media.net. © C21Media 2021
