Data shows Netflix is now the largest commissioner of new scripted shows in Europe, surpassing major local broadcasters

Data shows Netflix is now the largest commissioner of new scripted shows in Europe, surpassing major local broadcasters

Was the single largest commissioner of new scripted shows in Europe last year, data from Ampere Analysis shows. The media-research firm found that Netflix commissioned 72 new scripted series in Europe in 2020, up from 43 series a year earlier, according to a report published on July 1. The streaming service surpassed the commissions by even major local broadcasters BBC and ZDF, which respectively commissioned 54 and 55 new scripted series in 2020. Netflix has made a significant mark in Europe, shaking up the production landscape and prompting local players to widen their appetites for content to compete. Germany's ZDF, long a home for fare like police procedurals, is even commissioning sitcoms now, . The boost in European production at Netflix came as the streaming service opened new hubs throughout Europe in 2019 and 2020, including in the UK and Spain. It now has offices in Amsterdam, Madrid, Berlin, London, Paris, Brussels, and Istanbul, and is set to open locations in Rome and Sweden. The European Union has been pushing streamers in the region, like Netflix, to invest more in the local economy, by . The Europe, Middle East, and Africa segment makes up roughly one third of Netflix's global