The writers strike of 2023 is on. Now that the die has been forged, there’s one query on everybody’s lips: Who can journey out the storm?
VIP+ has performed an evaluation of the main U.S. TV and streaming leisure firms to evaluate how reliant they’re on scripted content material, which is most susceptible to being disrupted by a strike. We examined the quantity of scripted comedy and drama the businesses program versus safer unscripted genres, together with documentaries, true crime, actuality, popular culture and life-style.
Ought to a strike go so long as it did in 2007-08 (100 days), there are some components to notice. The primary is that because of the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down productions, leisure firms have latest expertise in having to cobble collectively schedules on the fly. In contrast to 2020, although, they now have a willingness to license their content material after a sure cut-off date, aiding TV schedulers.
Nonetheless, that wouldn’t assist streaming providers of their seek for originals. If the streamers have been sensible, with the foresight of Nostradamus, they’ve already commissioned a bunch of unscripted exhibits or abroad productions to fill the void within the occasion of a writers strike. In the event that they as an alternative opted to gamble, uh-oh.
Be aware the evaluation beneath is primarily based on primetime scripted and unscripted TV content material (as in, doesn’t embrace the affect on networks airing daytime soaps, late-night exhibits or unique films) and excludes youngsters content material.
A+E NETWORKS
Strike Impression: Low
A&E is nearly totally centered on unscripted and can just about skirt any affect from a WGA writers walkout.
AMAZON
Strike Impression: Medium
This firm has a larger stability shift towards scripted than unscripted, however on condition that many Prime Video subscribers have entry through the larger Amazon Prime service, subscription churn needs to be mitigated. The MGM+ cable community averaged a scripted present each 2 months in 2022, so won’t be too impacted if a few months move with out an unique.
AMC NETWORKS
Strike Impression: Medium
The one motive AMC’s affect just isn’t anticipated as excessive is its networks program originals only one night time per week.
APPLE
Strike Impression: Excessive
Streamer Apple TV+ depends closely on scripted content material and thus will probably be smacked exhausting by a strike.
DISNEY
Strike Impression: Excessive
The vast majority of Disney’s holdings will probably be affected by a strike, though it isn’t exhausting to foresee a right away future the place ABC, Freeform and FX license from company siblings Disney+ and Hulu to fill the schedule hole. The one shining mild is the Nationwide Geographic channels acquired from Fox, which rely completely on unscripted and won’t be influenced by a strike.
FOX
Strike Impression: Excessive
The community already has extra unscripted content material than scripted (a sensible transfer) however it’ll nonetheless really feel the rapid swipe of a strike. Long run, a writers walkout is prone to encourage Fox execs to take a position even much less in scripted content material.
LIONSGATE
Strike Impression: Medium
The one motive Lionsgate just isn’t a high-risk firm is it may possibly additionally dwell on a movie library and the truth that its 10 scripted originals in 2022 are amortized over 12 months (lower than one per month).
NBCUNIVERSAL
Strike Impression: Medium
Whereas NBC might really feel the impact of a strike, it may possibly license content material from company sibling Peacock to fill the gaps. Peacock itself will probably be impacted, however the lack of a breakout streaming hit protects it considerably as originals are usually not a powerful subscription driver. For cable, NBCU has transitioned primarily to unscripted so any affect needs to be minimal.
NETFLIX
Strike Impression: Medium
You will need to observe that Netflix’s totals embrace content material produced globally. That provides it a bonus versus others in that it already has processes in place to create content material and as such is healthier positioned to journey out a storm.
PARAMOUNT
Strike Impression: Excessive
CBS can be hit by a manufacturing shutdown, though the corporate can look to Showtime and Paramount+ for high-end content material to indicate. These providers will probably be missing new content material to license and can really feel a strike.
WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY
Strike Impression: Low-Medium
WBD is completely positioned to journey out a content material shutdown. Scripted output from cable networks accounts for simply 7% of whole content material (and half of that’s from HBO), and the corporate is the biggest writer of unscripted content material within the U.S.