Stories at Risk

Stories at Risk: Cultural Diversity, Democracy and Debate on Screen is a European consultation and Think Tank initiative developed by Seriesly Berlin, made possible with the support of the Council of Europe’s Culture on Screen Programme. The project examines how political, economic, platform-driven, editorial, regulatory and reputational pressures shape the development, commissioning, production and circulation of European series. Its central concern is the relationship between creative freedom, cultural diversity, market dynamics and democratic dialogue.

European series are shaped by a convergence of pressures: fragile public funding systems, the growing influence of global platforms, the rise of right-wing forces, and increasing political and corporate intervention in editorial processes. These dynamics encourage risk-averse commissioning, favouring standardised and internationally marketable content over culturally specific, diverse, and critical storytelling — even as the sector is expected to reflect the complexity of European societies and support democratic dialogue. This report asks how creative freedom, cultural diversity, political and market pressure interact in practice and what it would take to safeguard stories at risk.

The report draws on two phases: an anonymous online survey of 105 professionals across 25 countries (17 July–10 August 2026), and four online Think Tank sessions held afterwards (24–28 August 2026) with 13 professionals across 12 countries who had indicated their interest in participating as part of the survey, including invited broadcasters and commissioners.