November 2021
Story of the Month
THE SHIFT TO STREAMING ACCELERATES
The rush from linear to streaming accelerates. Netflix reaches saturation in North America and is targeting global growth (See chart above). Its U.S. rivals are mostly left far behind in both subscribers and in spend on original programs.

Streaming competitors have emerged in Europe and elsewhere. The good news is that the platforms need documentaries from diverse markets... and are spending on commissions.

Read more in this month's News Roundup.
Streaming Wars: Winners & Strugglers
Hulu, Peacock, Paramount+ and Discovery+ Black Friday Deals boost sluggish Subscriber Growth / THR
Netflix Projected to Remain Largest SVOD Till 2027 // Worldscreen
Netflix to maintain top dog thanks to its pivot to original content // The Motley Fool (flashback)
Streaming Wars are just beginning as giants target Europe // Irish Times
Discovery’s David Zaslav Talks up Discovery-WarnerMedia Merger // Worldscreen
[FR] Netflix confidential: itinéraire d'un producteur français au pays du géant... // Les Echos
Exclusive content drives streaming subs as FAST (free advertiser-supported streaming) becomes mainstream // Rapid TV
Asia’s surging wave of streaming // Rapid TV
Meanwhile, UK broadcaster ITV's revenues are up 28% // Televisual
Billions for Programming
Netflix and rivals target Reality TV after bingeing on dramas: Netflix is the world’s biggest buyer of unscripted programming. Its competitors are following suit. // Variety
ViacomCBS Looking to Spend $5 Billion on Streaming Content by 2024 // Media Play
Disney ups content spend to $33bn for 2022, including 60 unscripted series // Realscreen
Netflix's Content Budget Is Bigger Than It Seems // Matthew Ball newsletter (flashback)
Streaming players will be free for certain consumers // VideoNuze
DIVERSITY, INCLUSION & NEW TALENT
More International Voters Could Broaden the Oscar Documentary Field // Variety
Are the gatekeepers of the global feature doc sector brave and inclusive enough? // Screen Daily
Emerging Documentary Producers Present Their Projects at Ji.hlava Film Festival // Variety
IDA+XRM Media Incubator unveils grant recipients // Realscreen
National Geographic Unveils the First Field Ready Class // Business Wire
CHART OF THE MONTH
Europeans shift together to streaming
Viewers in the EU5 (Germany, France, GB, Spain & Italy) are marching more or less in lock step away from Linear TV viewing (top) towards Streaming (below). Total TV Hours Viewed are up, yet streaming has overtaken linear.
Source: The Emerging Viewership Landscape (Samsung)
PROGRAMS & PRODUCTION
Wild Pacific Media reveals a microscopic world of fantastical creatures on the Great Barrier Reef // TV Meg News (Watch the Netflix Trailer)
Prince Charles forces BBC to dump ‘Megxit’ title // The Age
Magic Johnson heads to Apple TV+ // Realscreen
Children caught in notorious military detention system / Mondoweiss
Translators: a severe shortage follows the global streaming boom // Rest of World
Why US SVOD saturation matters for global production // TBI
Off the Fence strikes deals with Canadian prodcos // Realscreen
PBS Nature series celebrates 40 Years on Air // Worldscreen
VIDEO OF THE MONTH
Why Disney's streaming strategy is not working against rival Netflix. Analysis by leading Wall Streeter // MSNBC
CLIMATE CHANGE & ENVIRONMENT
Bosses of UK and international media giants make climate pledge at COP26 // C21
Burning’ links Australian bushfires & climate change, an Amazon Studios production // Realscreen
Sustainability in the media industry: 10 ways pubcasters are reducing their environmental impact // EBU
Galapagos X teaches kids about climate change // C21Media
PODCASTS OF THE MONTH
Executive Producers: What do they do?? A pod-versation with Love Nature's James Manfull // Documentary Business
ASTONAUT FEVER
In the 1960s, astronaut fever turned a tiny Florida beach town into a Cold War-era tourist trap. A lounge act called the We Three Trio capitalized on this trend, earning their fifteen minutes of fame with a song about the Mercury Seven astronauts. // The Artifactual podcast series about the archive is produced by Tom Jennings' 1895 Films in a partnership with Sunny Side of the Doc and Doc Business.
PEOPLE, FESTIVALS & MARKETS
'A Different Ballgame': Streamers Shake Up the Oscar Documentary Race // Variety
Oscar’s Best Documentary Feature category: 138 films submitted. 100 Fewer Than Last Year // The Wrap
DOCNYC winners led by Once Upon A Time In Uganda // DocNYC
World Congress program previewed by Paul Lewis // Realscreen
Swedish Film Institute appoints Anette Novak as new CEO // Screen Daily
ESPN Bolsters Documentary Efforts by Hiring Marsha Cooke // Variety
Fremantle taps Movistar+ unscripted chief to lead new Spanish factual prodco // TBI
BossaNova’s Paul Heaney on curating a boutique slate // Worldscreen
IDFA’s Bertha Fund to increase support for doc features (exclusive)
WELL WORTH READING
‘Documentary’: Is it time to retire the term? // Little White Lies
TikTok Tourettes: The rise of social media-induced illness // Eureka Street
[FR] SEVAD: les plateformes françaises de vidéo à la demande élisent leur nouveau président // Media Plus
Cinema attendance suffers: 49% of pre-pandemic moviegoers stay away // Cinedope
Peter Hamilton's Documentary Business and Sunny Side of the Doc are publishing partners, providing our colleagues throughout the year with valuable industry analysis and context. Thanks for your feedback, and for sending us stories with links that you feel our readers will appreciate... at news@sunnysideofthedoc.com.
Editorial Assistant: Niko Frost