Image: Doctor Who, BBC
US demand for British series as a share of all international series has fallen over the last several years as American audiences have become more open to other international content. British content’s share of demand for international shows in the US dropped from about a third at the start of 2020 to a low point of less than 25% at the end of 2022. While British content may not regain the dominant position it once enjoyed with Americans, who now have a smorgasbord of international shows to choose from, these audiences started returning to British content in 2023. The share of demand for British content steadily rebounded in 2023 (from 24% to 27%) indicating this is more than just a blip.
International English language content is still an important part of the mix for US audiences. And while we have seen other English speaking markets make inroads with US audiences, content from the BBC has been notably successful at capturing the attention of Americans. 2.7% of demand for all shows in the US in Q1 2024 was for a BBC original. This trails the share of demand in the US for Netflix originals as well as major channels like HBO and NBC, but it is a larger share of demand than any other international channel or platform.
This year, ITV sold its 50% stake in BritBox International to BBC Studios. As the British channel with the most demand internationally for its content, the BBC has a strong interest in making sure its content continues to be popular around the world and BritBox gives the company a platform to directly monetize the attention of international fans of British programming. This looks especially valuable when considering the growing demand for British content over the last year.
On BritBox, Doctor Who is by far the most in-demand show with US audiences, with over 33 times the average series demand in Q1 2024. This is more than twice the demand of any other show on the platform. Among the top shows on the platform are several series which have long since ended, including Mr. Bean and Downton Abbey.
If BritBox succeeds as a specialist platform targeting fans of a particular country’s content we may see more platforms like this. For example, KOCOWA is a platform focused on Korean content which was launched as a joint venture between the three major Korean broadcasters. In a positive sign for the prospects of platforms like these, this month KOCOWA is launching in Europe and Oceania.
