FACTUAL TV


GENRE REPORT


Streamer demand for


factual TV is still on the rise, and the traditional


broadcasters are upping their game too. Pippa Considine reports


FACTUAL TV


steadily commissioning. “Over the last 12 months, unscripted content has


I 24


seen an increased rate of commissioning from the UK’s top linear broadcasters, as well as an increase in demand from global streaming platforms, particularly for sports, nature and true crime documentaries,” says Zuzana Henkova, analyst at Ampere Analysis. “New streaming platforms help increase demand too, with Disney+ and Paramount+ being the latest major SVoDs to start seriously investing in UK-produced original documentaries in 2022.” Big challenges for indies are rising costs and


static budgets; the challenge for the commissioners is winning the best ideas. It’s never been more important for commissioners to sharpen their act. “Certain commissioners have got a fantastic strategy that you want to be part of,” says Sam Anstiss, chief creative officer at Wonderhood Studios. “Commissioners realise that there are a lot of places production companies can go.” Broadcasters and services are not sitting still.


The number of indie briefings from channels has steadily increased. In the last year, the BBC has seen a significant shift in its commissioning structure, bringing factual together with entertainment, under director of unscripted Kate Phillips (see side-bar). At the Edinburgh TV Festival in August,


commissioners from Netflix were talking up unscripted and joined Amazon Prime Video in claiming that they would not cut spending. And at


televisual.com Autumn 2022


n the face of choppy economic waters, the demand for factual is still riding high. Business from global streamers is strong. UK PSBs are adding to their own local streamer slates and maintaining their investment in factual. And Sky is now


Sheffield DocFest in June, ViacomCBS Channel 5 commissioners detailed their brief for Paramount+ factual programming. While the overall picture for streamer investment


has seen a dip in the UK, according to the PACT census, it seems that factual is steaming ahead. “What feels clear is that there is a UK focus to what they’re doing, it’s very much local for global,” says Diene Petterle, the global creative director of non-fiction at Vice-owned Pulse Films. At Outline Productions, managing director Laura


Mansfield observes that while the demand from streamers “was never as high as it was hyped up to be,” business is coming through to a greater number of UK producers. “We’re now talking to a range of streamers. We weren’t doing that a couple of years ago.” Mansfield believes “we will see more realistic budget levels from streamers and an evening up with traditional broadcasters. …I don’t think we’re on peak unscripted for streamers, it remains a growth area. It’s cheaper than drama, it’s faster than drama.” Disney is one to watch. Still in its


infancy, the service is commissioning from the top drawer. At Edinburgh, it unveiled five unscripted titles, majoring on three-parter Wagatha Christie from Lorton Entertainment, in association with Dorothy Street Pictures. North One, Shine TV, (together with Bear Grylls label The Natural Studios), and Lightbox have all landed commissions. The titles are in tune with documentary trends for true crime, fashion, sport and music.


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