Transnational European Television Drama

This book deals with the role of television drama in Europe as enabler of transnational, cultural encounters for audiences and the creative community. It demonstrates that the diversity of national cultures is a challenge for European TV drama but also a potential richness and source of creative variation. Based on data on the production, distribution and reception of recent TV drama from several European countries, the book presents a new picture of the transnational European television culture. The authors analyse main tendencies in television policy and challenges for national broadcasters coming from new global streaming services. Comparing cases of historical, contemporary and crime drama from several countries, this study shows the importance of creative co-production and transnational mediated cultural encounters between national cultures of Europe.

1. Introduction: Transnational European TV Studies.- 2.  A Theory of Mediated Cultural Encounters.- 3.  The Perfect Storm: European Television Policy and the Emergence of Streaming Services.- 4. Networks and Patterns of European TV-drama Co-production.- 5.  Creative Work in a Transnational Context: Creative Encounters Behind the Scenes.- 6.  National Patterns of TV-drama Consumption in Europe.- 7.  Meeting the Others on TV: How Europeans View European TV-drama.- 8.  Facing Everyday Life and the Societies We Live In: Contemporary Drama.- 9.  The Darker Sides of Society: Crime Drama.- 10.   History, Heritage and Memory: Historical Drama.- 11.  Conclusion: European Television - Diversity with very little unity?.