CBS Show ‘NCIS’ Is Europe’s Most Valuable Imported TV Drama, Study Finds

LONDON — CBS distributed Europe’s three most valuable imported drama series in 2012, with NCIS leading the pack by generating $205 million, according to a report published by Digital TV Research.

The U.K.-based company’s report highlights the dominance of U.S. fare on European screens with only one of the top ten titles — Sturm der Liebe — from outside the U.S.

The rankings are based on the value created by each show for the broadcasters.

PHOTOS: Summer TV Preview: 51 New and Returning Series

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation with a total value of $188 million and CSI: Miami with $168.4 million round out the top three, all CBS titles.

Disney breaks up the CBS party with Criminal Minds in the fourth spot and $161.8 million before CBS’ CSI: NY arrives in fifth at $124.6 million.

Michael Cluff, co-author of the report, said: “Although the revenues delivered by imported drama [covering 1,677 titles] fell significantly in 2012 compared to 2011, the revenues of the top 20 titles rose by 7.5 percent to $2.152 billion. With overall revenues to free-to-air channels falling, this suggests that the major dramas have pulled their weight, driving advertising and other revenue to prime slots on the major channels.”

While the top 10 is dominated by U.S. imports, the report suggests that U.S. companies are probably not as dominant as the top rankings suggests.

Looking at the top 100 list by distributor, sixth-placed Global Screen generated $178 million overall, ahead of Sony with $110 million.

PHOTOS: 10 Shows That Changed Global Television

Additionally there are two German companies (Global Screen, and ZDF Enterprises with $76 million) and two British companies (All3Media with $77 million and ITV Studios posting $71 million) in the top 10.

All3Media takes eighth place with only one title, Midsomer Murders.

The “Top 100 Imported Drama Titles in Europe” report covers 119 channels (nearly all of which are free-to-air) across 21 territories.

Research banner Madigan Cluff establishes program value by taking the combined annual net advertising, license and public subsidy revenues for each channel profiled.

These annual revenue figures are then split for each channel by hour and by month following the advertising rate card and other investment patterns established for the channel or similar channels in the same market. Channels that carry no advertising or have advertising break patterns that do not extend across all transmission hours had their value allocated by using the most comparable channel available.