Maria Rua Aguete, head of M&E, media and entertainment, at research group Omdia used her MIPCOM presentation to underline the scale of the emerging microdrama opportunity.
She told delegates that microdramas will generate $11 billion in revenues in 2025 – almost double the size of FAST ($5.8bn), which has been a key focal point for the global content business in the last three years. The microdrama sector, which first found traction in China, has seen rapid growth in the US this year.
Explaining the audience appeal, Rua Aguete said: “These short-form scripted series (2-3 minutes per episode) are mobile-first, emotional, and addictive. The first few episodes usually are free then viewers pay to keep watching. They combine the immediacy of social media with the emotional depth of television drama.”
According to Omdia figures, 60%+ of revenues come from subscriptions or transactions, with ARPU (average revenue per user) up to an impressive $80 a month. China accounts for 83% of global revenues, while the US leads internationally. The US accounts for 50% of all international revenues followed by Japan, South Korea, the UK and Thailand.
There has been a flurry of microdrama activity in recent months. Just last week, Fox Entertainment took an equity investment in Ukrainian tech start up Holywater, with a view to targeting the US. As part of the deal, FES will make 200 microdramas over the next two years, starting with Billionaire Blackmail and Bound by Obsession.
Further insights into microdramas can be found in the first edition of The Drop magazine.
