ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the evolving investment strategies of US-based streaming services in European scripted television between 2012 and 2023, focusing on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, and Disney+. Drawing on an original dataset of 438 titles, it traces shifts in commissioning models, geographic concentration, language use, and genre preferences. Findings reveal a transition from licensing to full originals, with strong market asymmetries favouring larger Western European territories. Whilst streamers emphasise local storytelling, commissioning practices often prioritise scalable formats and transnational appeal. The study highlights the tension between creative opportunity and structural dependency, especially in smaller markets where rights retention and production autonomy remain limited. Through the lens of power asymmetries, co-production strategies, and regulatory challenges, the chapter critically assesses how localisation operates within a streamer-driven logic. It argues that future sustainability hinges on meaningful policy interventions and greater equity in streamer–producer relationships across the European audiovisual space.
