It’s no secret that every TV outlet, digital or otherwise, is looking for the next big drama. And audience demand for engaging, quality scripted programming has never been so high. Unique drama is a key selling point for online delivery brands as these platforms consolidate their positions in the market. But while digital platforms are hungry for great stories, there’s a desire for quality drama among the pay-TV channels and large free-to-air broadcasters as well, as nothing strengthens a TV brand, digital or otherwise, better than high-quality, compelling drama. A few years ago, Kevin Spacey-led series, House of Cards was hailed the game-changer, establishing a new route of distribution with an all-you-can-eat offering direct through Netflix. Honestly, there is a lot more demand out there for unique content, unique stories and unique dramas. Traditionally it was the business of big free-TV channels to commission drama. Now you have a lot more players in the market with digital streaming taking the lead. All OTT platforms – Netflix, HOOQ, iflix, Viu, Amazon, Hulu and more are also looking for original content as well. Where there use to be a few potential partners once, there are many more now, and in order to give their platform the right USP they need content that stands out and they need shows that are extraordinary. While there’s a lot of competition and demand for unique shows, there’s also a concern about funding. Operating in a fragmented market means that individual players cannot spend big league cash. That’s where co-production kicks in. To share your properties is important. AMC‘s worldwide hit Breaking Bad is a prime example of a series that has embraced traditional and emerging platforms, with Netflix making the final episodes available in many regions within hours of their original airing. After success on pay-TV and VOD, the drama headed for new international audiences with production under way of Metastasis, an adaptation aimed at Latin America and the US-Hispanic market. Already sold to Univision’s UniMas in the U.S., SPT and Teleset soon produced the full 62 episodes, adapted to run on Spanish speaking free-TV channels. Today, several OTT services are also airing dramas hours after its release in U.S., Korea or from any Asian country. The recent invasion of OTT in Asia has propelled the production of dramas to serve bridge-watching audience and stay ahead in competition. Dramas are a key component of OTT to keep the viewers within its space and entice them with more upcoming series.
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