• by Wayne Friedman , May 23, 2018

By the end of this year, Netflix will grow to be the fourth-biggest U.S TV/film company in terms of overall production/program spending -- with NBCUniversal in the top spot.

Netflix is forecast to spend $7.9 billion in TV and film production/programming in 2018 ($7.1 billion on TV; $800 million on film), according to MoffettNathanson Research analysis and company reports.

NBCUniversal will take the top spot with $11.4 billion -- including $7.8 billion for TV content and $3.6 billion for film production. Walt Disney will be in second place at $9.4 billion ($5.8 billion for TV, $3.6 billion for film).

Roughly tied for third place are Time Warner and 21st Century Fox, with $8.7 billion and $8.6 billion, respectively. Time Warner is still undergoing the federal approval process and a Justice Department lawsuit. Fox has a proposed $52.4 billion deal to sell half its businesses -- including its TV/film production unit -- to Walt Disney.

Time Warner will spend $5.5 billion on TV and $3.2 billion on film. Fox will spend $6.1 billion and $2.6 billion, respectively.

After Netflix in fourth place will come Viacom, at $5.5 billion in total film/TV production ($3.9 billion on TV, $1.6 billion on film); Amazon, $4.5 billion; Discovery, $3.9 billion; CBS, $2.5 billion; Hulu, $2.5 billion; AMC Networks, $1.0 billion; and Apple, $1 billion.