Small is beautiful? The salience of scale and power to three European cultures of TV production

Abstract

As television production becomes increasingly global, television studies must advance its understanding of how the global and the local intersect and impact upon the cultures of production. Drawing on original comparative research of three small European nations – Denmark, Ireland and Wales – this article offers empirical insights into the distinct challenges and opportunities for non-Anglophone producers and public service broadcasters (PSBs). The concept of small nations is employed critically to reveal how distinctions of scale and power make a tangible difference to how television is produced and distributed, and to how smaller, national PSBs are trying to secure a sustainable future.

Portuguese Soap Operas: A Genre at the Crossroads

“…This is only possible due to the size and scale of the market. Scale represents a core factor that explains the emergence of this production culture, a conclusion that goes in line with recent studies focusing on other European markets (McElroy, Nielsen, & Noonan, 2018). The research showed the actors are aware that the small size of the market was a positive factor impelling the emergence of the local production culture, but they are also aware that its future sustainability is highly dependent on its ability to reach new international markets.…”

Portuguese Soap Operas: A case study on the emergence of an original production culture

“…So for the interviewed personnel, ‘evolution’ was synonymous with massification in the sense of doing the same on a much greater scale resorting to ‘industrialised’ processes. The discourse that associates the consolidation of the local culture with issues of scale is in line with recent studies focusing on other European markets (McElroy et al, 2018), where gaining dimensions in terms of volume was also considered crucial for the consolidation of a constant flow of production. If we frame these results with the fact that most of the people interviewed had a positive attitude towards the genre and the production culture it entails, we conclude that the sample depicts high levels of self-awareness, similar to those verified for other creative industries in much larger markets such as the United States (Caldwell, 2008: 34).…”

From Nordic Noir to Belgian Bright?

“…The article primarily focuses on Flemish drama, although broader discussions on canned export of Walloon (French-speaking Belgian) drama are also included in the paper for increased context, but not analysed in-depth, as the two Belgian markets are quite different. As such, this study both fits within a growing case study-based research on small television markets, 9 as well as recent literature strands within media economics focusing primarily on the sustainability of television markets. 10 2 E x p o r t i n g T e l e v i s i o n C o n t e n t i n S m a l l M e d i a M a r k e t s…”