Challenges for sustaining local audiovisual ecosystems : analysis of financing and production of domestic TV fiction in small media markets

Various trends, both technological and economic in nature, led to a shift in financing and production of serial television fiction (mostly TV drama and episodic comedy), consequently putting pressure on existing financing of TV fiction. This proves especially difficult for small markets, being characterized by restricted markets, a limited number of active players and barriers for export and scale. For media policymakers, these transitions invoke a series of new challenges to sustain existing audiovisual ecosystems. This article takes analyses current financing streams, patterns and dynamics of TV fiction in small media markets. It seeks to reveal the composition of budgets, the relative importance of all actors and funding involved in TV fiction production, and assesses whether current financing models and policy support mechanisms are fit to tackle the challenges invoked by the increasing number of windows and increased fragmentation of TV fiction financing. The article is based on a case study of TV fiction in Flanders, presenting evidence from a financial analysis of 46 TV fiction productions