Global streamers’ Nordic share of titles in all genres is just 6%, and this represents a growth potential, suggests media research firm, Ampere Analytics.

Article: The global streamers operating in the Nordics frequently speak of creating more Nordic content, but based on the Nordic share of their sizeable catalogues, they lag far behind the local streamers/broadcasters.

However, the gap also represents a genuine potential, should the global players ramp up local investments to make up some of the difference, according to a recent Ampere Analytics webinar, “Navigating the Nordics: Exploring the TV and Content Landscape”.

“On the five leading global services in the Nordics, local titles, all genres, only make up an average of 6% of titles. Discovery+ is a leading service, as it is home to many local shows in all reality variants,” senior analyst Peter Ingram, Ampere, said.

Global streamers are represented by Netflix, Discovery+, Prime Video, Disney+, and American platform Plex in Ampere’s analysis. Netflix Nordic features a catalogue that is 4.2% Nordic in origin. Discovery+ has a catalogue that is 23.9% Nordic in origin - supported by its large volume of local reality and entertainment titles. Amazon Prime Video’s catalogue is 3.0% Nordic in origin. Disney+ is only at 1.2% Nordic, and Plex features a catalogue that is 0.5% Nordic in origin, Ampere told NFTVF.

“In contrast, local streamers have an average of 70% local content. Global streamers have already made efforts, and the gap indicates an area they may want to expand in the near term. They may want to capitalise on the engaged Nordic streaming audiences, as well as the international interest in Nordic content,” Ingram said. Local players are here represented by NRK, Yle Areena, TV 2 Play Norway, SVT Play, and Viaplay.

Ampere’s specific analysis of Nordic data does not correlate with the AVMS directive which requires that at least 30% of the content of programs on television channels and video-on-demand platforms must be European.

Ampere goes on to identify another encouraging trend for the general production environment. While the wavering of Viaplay’s activities outside the Nordics will have an impact on overall regional investments, Viaplay remains a leading player in the Nordic region in terms of content spending, according to Ampere Analytics. “From 2024 on, Viaplay is focusing on major sports rights as well as increased focus on unscripted originals and acquired content, and Viaplay is still positioned as one of the significant players in Nordic content,” Ingram said.

From a pure subscription point of view, the Nordics remains a vibrant market. Three out of four Nordic households have at least one streaming service. Streaming infatuation peaks in Norway and Denmark, where as many as 80% of households have at least one subscription.

30% of Nordic streaming subscriptions are for regional and national services, including Viaplay. 70% is for US services, of which almost 1/4 are Netflix subscriptions. ”Netflix recently initiated its global account-sharing crackdown, enabling it to expand its footprint,” senior analyst Maria Dunleavey said.

The Nordic audiences love streaming, but with a penetration of around 70% among all households, it is fair to assume that the potential for premium subscriptions is approaching its peak.

Nevertheless, Ampere estimates steady growth, up to 30 million subscriptions in the Nordics by 2026. Ampere Analysis also estimates that the "stacking" of streaming services is nearing a maximum, whereby the average household will maintain an average of three services.