Ampere Analysis: Banijay Tops Global Format Commissions

According to a new report from Ampere Analysis, Banijay leads the format field with 824 titles based on its formats between H1 2019 and H1 2023, almost twice as many as any other owner.

Owning a fifth of the top 20 formats globally, the catalog includes many titles previously sold by Endemol Shine, acquired by the company in 2020. These include MasterChef, Big Brother, Robinson (previously Expedition Robinson) and LEGO Masters.

Although Banijay leads in terms of the total number of titles based on formats, most of these do not represent new international versions. Between H1 2019 and H1 2023, 59 percent of all commissions based on Banijay-owned formats were renewals in existing markets.

ITV Studios was second with 464 titles, followed by Warner Bros. International Television Production (421), Fremantle (402), All3Media (267), Paramount (254), NBCUniversal (190) and BBC Studios (179).

Analyzing new international versions, ITV Studios exported more new formats than any other format owner: 49. Banijay was next up with 42, then Fremantle with 41.

New competitors are also emerging, with South Korea’s MBC-owned The Masked Singer commissioned in more markets than any other individual format: 29. MasterChef and The Voice followed with 27 each, followed by Love Island (25), Bake Off (24), Big Brother (21), Dancing with the Stars (20) and Got Talent (20).

While the volume of unscripted titles announced in North America fell by 14 percent between H1 2022 and H1 2023, titles based on formats were less affected, with a decrease of just 6 percent.

Western Europe, and in particular the U.K., still remains the creative engine of formats. Between H1 2019 and H1 2023, 36 percent of all format-based commissions were based on U.K. formats. However, the emergence of global competitors sees English-language titles represent a decreasing proportion of format-based commissions. While English-language format titles represented 59 percent of all format-based commissions in H1 2019, this number had dropped to 36 percent by the same period in 2023.

VOD commissions made up just 15 percent of all format-based commissions announced between H1 2019 and H1 2023, though streamers are increasingly focused on using formats as a way to boost local originals.

International production capabilities also give global streamers a competitive advantage over their linear competitors, according to Ampere. While linear commissioners carry out negotiations to import a format from elsewhere, streamers can easily recreate their own formats in multiple markets. Global streamers discovery+, Netflix and Amazon made up three of the top 15 commissioners of format-based titles between H1 2019 and H1 2023, and VOD commissions represent an increasing proportion of format-based commissions overall.

Olivia Deane, senior analyst at Ampere Analysis, said: “With commissioners facing more stringent spending limits, format-based titles offer an opportunity for companies to reduce risk by recreating shows that have a proven track record. Formats also give global commissioners an advantage, as they can easily replicate successful formats in different operating markets. The future will represent unprecedented competition for Western European format owners as more international and global players increase their focus on format-based titles.”