Netflix and Amazon dominate original streaming content, Ampere study finds

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Netflix and Amazon “ordered the majority of their titles outside the United States” in the last quarter and are ahead of their rivals in the race for global orders, according to a study by Ampere Analysis.

Ampere predicted that international spending by these platforms will continue to rise after finding that they green-lighted more than half (53%) of global streaming commissions in the first three months of 2024.

According to Ampere, Netflix ordered more than 200 series and films in the first quarter, followed by Amazon with about 140, marking Netflix’s best quarter in three years and a record for Prime Video. Streamers such as Disney+, Paramount+ and Apple TV+ are far behind.

Growth is “driven by increased investment in international territories,” Ampere said, noting that both streamers now order “the majority of their titles outside of the United States.”

As competitors fought back, the first quarter of this year was characterized by dramatic announcements from Netflix in the U.K., Germany and Poland, and Ampere said Netflix orders in Western Europe were “nearly hitting the mark.” parity” with North American securities for the first time during the quarter. Recent months have seen international breakthroughs like that of Netflix Baby reindeer and Amazon Maxton Hall – The World Between Us

At the same time, both streamers have made a splash in key territories like India and Korea. Amazon’s orders in Asia Pacific were dominated by Indian productions with a record 37 titles, more than the previous six quarters combined, according to Ampere. Crime and thriller content has been a focus in India, which is expected to become Netflix’s biggest subscriber hub in the region as it seeks to compete more closely with Amazon.

On the film side, Ampere said Netflix reduced orders for domestic original films but increased orders for international films in territories like the Nordics, Asia Pacific and sub-Saharan Africa.

Mariana Enriquez Denton Bustinza, principal researcher at Ampere, said that “market saturation in North America, rising production costs and the ongoing impact of strikes in Hollywood have pushed Netflix and Amazon to increase their investments in international productions to drive subscriber growth.”

“While several studio-backed VOD companies have cut back on international spending, both streaming giants are doubling down on their global localization strategies,” she added. “For Netflix, that means catering to a broad subscriber base while tapping into markets with the greatest potential for cross-over appeal. At the same time, Amazon’s approach remains more sharply focused on key markets like India, while leveraging its global position to expand further into the theatrical market to drive downstream revenue from its platforms.”