Italian TV production surges 70% for youth content in 2023, report finds

The Italian audiovisual industry reached €12 billion in 2023, with TV remaining the dominant medium at €8.2 billion (71% of the market), according to the VIRapporto sulla Produzione Audiovisiva Nazionale by APA. Production for young audiences soared 70% in Fiction Kids & Early Teens hours. Warner Bros. Discovery leads Kids TV diversification with 42% of titles, while Rai remains the top original producer. Among OTT platforms, Netflix and Paramount+ grew most in titles and hours. Overall production volumes rose 16% on Video on Demand, 8% on TV, and 21% in cinema. Industry employment increased 3.5%, and audiovisual value has doubled by over €2 billion since 2017. APA President Chiara Sbarigia emphasized quality and international appeal. Rai Fiction Director Maria Pia Ammirati credited Rai Play for attracting younger audiences. Netflix VP Eleonora Andreatta noted that Italian content boosts tourism, citing Ripley for the Amalfi Coast and Lidia Poët tours in Turin. Mediaset Fiction Director Daniele Cesarano argued that OTTs are now the true generalists. Warner Bros. Discovery's Alessandro Araimo highlighted the growing importance of urgency in content and marketing. The report was presented at MIA.