Who ranks for “how do series make money”

Series make money through a variety of methods, including licensing to streaming services, advertising and subscriptions on traditional TV, product placement, and merchandise sales. The specific revenue streams vary depending on whether the series is on a commercial network, a streaming platform, or is being sold for international distribution.

This video explains how the economics of streaming services like HBO work: 47s CuriousReason YouTube • May 25, 2019

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Direct to consumer

Streaming subscriptions: A portion of the subscription fees from services like Netflix, Amazon, and HBO is allocated to the content they provide. DVD/Blu-ray sales: While this is declining, many popular shows still sell physical copies of seasons. Merchandise: This is a huge revenue stream, especially for popular series, and includes everything from clothing and toys to jewelry and video games.

Advertising: Traditional networks sell ad space during commercial breaks, with higher viewership leading to more expensive ad slots. Product placement: Brands may pay to have their products featured within the show's setting. International licensing: Series are licensed to other countries' television stations and streaming services, which pay a fee to air them.

Government and private investment: Many productions receive funding from government agencies or private investors to cover production costs. Presales: Deals can be made with international distributors before a series is even produced, securing some of the initial funding. Syndication: After a show has been on the air for a while, it can be sold to other networks or services for reruns.