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About two years after announcing “There is simply too much television,” FX Networks CEO John Landgraf made good on his forecast about glut of programming in 2017. This recently wrapped year, 487 scripted series ran original episodes – a 7% increase over 2016, Landgraf noted Friday morning in his latest TCA State of the Industry address.
In his too-much-TV prediction made in summer TCA 2015, Landgraf forecast decline, to begin after 2016. In ’16 he acknowledged he got it wrong, and prophesized the number of original scripted series would climb to, or exceed, 500 in 2017. Landgraf virtually nailed it: data released Friday puts the tally at 487 for the last calendar year.
SVOD continues to see most growth – up 30%. As recently as 2010, online services accounted for just 4 of that year’s 216 series. In ’17, it accounted for 117 original scripted series.
That puts SVOD closer to spitting distance from broadcasters, who accounted for 153 original scripted series last year – the largest number broadcast ever has supported, Landgraf noted.
Pay cable is up 11% to 42 programs.
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Meanwhile, basic cable series, which grew by leaps and bounds in the early 2010’s, declined 4% in ’17 compared to ’16, to a number that’s flat with 2014. But basic cable remains the largest single source of scripted series, Landgraf reminded reporters.
When he forecast 500 original scripted series in ’17, Landgraf also foretold the end of peak TV would come in 2019. Stay tuned….