• by Wayne Friedman , April 1, 2019

New, original global digital TV series continue to soar -- with Netflix taking a commanding dominant position.

In 2018, there were 319 new original digital series launched worldwide, according to Parrot Analytics -- more than double the total of 139 in 2017.

Netflix had a big piece of new digital original programs, starting 130 new series in 2018 and taking a 71% share. Netflix currently spends approximately $8 billion to $9 billion in original programming production, according to analysts.

After Netflix, Amazon comes in second with an 11% share, while Hulu has 9%, CBS All Access takes 4%, and DC Universe has 1%.

When it comes to total content investments (original and acquired previously viewed content), Parrot estimates that Netflix could spend $15 billion in 2019 -- up from $12 billion in 2018.  Amazon Prime Video was at $5 billion in 2018, with Hulu at $2.5 billion.

Netflix has around 140 million worldwide subscribers (57.4 million U.S. subscribers and 72.7 million international subscribers).

Amazon Prime, which includes a broader range of ecommerce product consumers, said it has 100 million global subscribers. Hulu says it has around 25 million U.S. subscribers from all its services.

Parrot counts Facebook Watch has having 41 new titles in 2018.

Using a measurement that Parrot called “demand expressions” defined as “total audience demand being expressed for a title, within a country, on any platform,” the biggest digital original TV show is Netflix’s “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” with an average daily demand expression (DeX) of 31.9 million in 2018.

After this comes as DC Universe’s “Titans” at 30.1 million, followed by Netflix’s “Strange Things” at 27.6 million; CBS All Access’s “Star Trek: Discovery” with 23.7 million and Netflix’s “Orange is The New Black” which saw 21.3 million.