Impact Of The COVID-19 Pandemic On Television

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial impact on the television industry, mirroring its impacts across all arts sectors, shutting down or delaying production of television programs in many countries with consequent negative impacts on revenues (through rights and advertising sales) and employment.

Such measures and changes have been done to appeal to mandates for social distancing and stay-at-home orders, as well as commitments by production companies and broadcasters to maintain the safety of all involved in production.

Ampere Analysis projected that the pandemic had delayed at least 60% of scripted television programming worldwide, including at least half of the programming originally scheduled to air in the second half of 2020. There had been a noticeable increase in non-scripted productions—including smaller-scale series capable of being produced remotely—that can be used to fill schedules until scripted programs resume production (noting that audiences may eventually become tired out by pandemic-themed programming).

The animation industry remained largely unaffected, due to the ease of remote work by animators.

Production by region

Asia-Pacific

Australia

On Network 10, '' The Project'', the seventeenth season of '' Dancing with the Stars Australia'', ''Studio 10'', and the eighth season of ''Have You Been Paying Attention?'' suspended their in-studio audiences. ''Have You Been Paying Attention?'' was recorded with only Tom Gleisner and a handful of production crew filming the show from the South Yarra studio, with all of the contestants remote working and using videotelephony to enforce social distancing.

The '' Australian Survivor: All Stars'' reunion episode filmed without an audience and was hosted by Osher Günsberg, rather than the series' regular host Jonathan LaPaglia, due to travel restrictions. The eighth season of ''Australian Survivor'', set to start filming in Fiji in April, was postponed following the federal government's decision to establish a Level 4 travel restrictions, heavily discouraging international travel (this was later upgraded to an outright ban of international travel). Network 10 also changed the race route for the fifth season of ''The Amazing Race Australia'' so that it would film only in Australia instead of internationally, but was later postponed due to interstate travel restrictions.

The eighth season of '' The Bachelor'' suspended filming midway into the season. ''Neighbours'' suspended filming for two days after a crew member came into contact with someone who had tested positive for coronavirus. Upon resuming production, ''Neighbours'' implemented new guidelines, including splitting its crews and avoiding intimate scenes between cast members.

On the ABC, '' Q&A'', ''Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell'', and ''The Weekly with Charlie Pickering'' suspended their studio audiences.

The Nine Network's ''Australian Ninja Warrior'' excluded audiences from attending tapings, with exception of the contestants' family members. ''The Voice Australia'' postponed production due to international talent facing a two-week quarantine after arriving in Australia.

The eleventh season of ''Gogglebox Australia'' filmed as normal prior to the beginning of the pandemic, with changes made to the show once the pandemic reached Australia. On April 10, following the beginning of the pandemic in Australia, cast members Mick and Di announced that they would be self-isolating for the remainder of the season; whilst further changes to the show included Jad using video conferencing software on his laptop, allowing him to continue participating in the program with his best friend Matty and Sarah Marie (Matty's wife); and 91-year old Emily (of the Silbery family) self-isolating, whilst her daughter Kerry and granddaughter Isabelle remained in weekly episodes for the remainder of the season.

Filming on the Seven Network's ''Home and Away'' was suspended as of March 22. The network also removed the show from its schedule for three weeks and replaced it for the first two weeks with the news show ''The Latest'', and for the third week with the first week of the 8th season of ''House Rules''. Production resumed on May 25.

''Australia's Got Talent'' postponed production due to international talent facing a fourteen-day quarantine after arriving in Australia.

The annual Channel Seven Perth Telethon, traditionally aired as a marathon 26 hour live broadcast, was instead reduced to two, 3 hour live primetime specials that aired on 24 and 25 October 2020. The specials had a greater focus on Western Australia-based performers and personalities due to interstate travel restrictions.

Indonesia

As the government appeal Indonesians to "work, study, and pray at home", the Ministry of Education and Culture partners with TVRI to broadcast educational programming on a dedicated block ''Belajar dari Rumah'' on the network starting 13 April 2020. The block consists of kids program for preschools, instructional programming for elementary and high school students, and a parenting program on weekdays; as well as national movies at several weeknights and children, talkshow, and documentary programs at weekends. The block is aired every day at 08.00 to 11.00 WIB and 21.30 to 23.30 WIB on several weeknights, and also broadcast on TV Edukasi.

Japan

A handful of anime studios have encouraged their employees to work from home although the employment of freelance animators in some studios has limited work disruption. Anime productions including '' A3! Season Spring & Summer'', '' A Certain Scientific Railgun T'', ''Infinite Dendrogram'', ''Asteroid in Love'', '' The Millionaire Detective Balance: Unlimited'' were delayed apparently due to the pandemic. Productions which heavily rely on outsourcing in-between and coloring work to studios in China were the most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to international travel restrictions making it impossible to physically deliver works across national boundary in person.

On March 31, media outlets reported that Toei Company closed its Tokyo studio for disinfection after the lead actor of ''Mashin Sentai Kiramager'', the 44th season of the long-time running ''Super Sentai'' series, Rio Komiya (Jūru Atsuta) tested positive for COVID-19 the previous day and halted production of the series. However, on April 3, Toei released a statement that the studio was not closed despite what news and media outlets reported, citing the news as misinformation. As of April 5, Komiya's health condition was improving, and four days later, Komiya was discharged from the hospital and self-quarantined for two weeks. On May 10, both ''Kiramager'' and ''Kamen Rider Zero-One'', the 30th season of the long-time running ''Kamen Rider'' series was announced to be going on hiatus. In place of the standard weekly episodes, ''Kiramager'' will broadcast Episode ZERO, a prequel episode detailing events before the series, as well as the Director's Cut versions of the first two episodes, ''Kira Talk!'', and the ''Jamental Institute''. ''Kamen Rider Zero-One'' will be releasing five special episodes that recount the events of the episodes covered in the 35 episodes released before hiatus, with two of those episodes dubbed "President Special" that are from the perspective of Aruto Hiden and his secretary, Is, while the third episode dubbed "Shooting Special" will be from the perspective of Isamu Fuwa and Yua Yaiba. On May 27, it was reported that ''Kamen Rider Zero-One'' would resume filming on June 1 following Japan lifting its state-of-emergency declaration two days prior, albeit with new guidelines to be used while shooting the remaining episodes. On June 7, TV Asahi announced that ''Kiramager'' and ''Zero-One'' would return to their regular weekly episodes starting on June 21.

Not only anime series but also drama series suspended production to curb the spread of infection, and most broadcast stations transmitted works from their archives. In Nippon TV, the airing schedule of ''Haken no Hinkaku 2'', starring Ryoko Shinohara and Yo Oizumi, has been postponed, as well as the airing schedule of ''Miman Keisatsu'', starring Kento Nakajima and Sho Hirano, has been postponed. In Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, the airing schedule of ''MIU404'', starring Gen Hoshino and Gou Ayano, has been postponed, as well as the airing schedule of '' Hanzawa Naoki 2'', starring Masato Sakai and Mitsuhiro Oikawa, has been postponed. In Fuji TV, the airing schedule of ''Unsung Cinderella'', starring Satomi Ishihara and Nanase Nishino, has been postponed, as well as the airing schedule of '' Suits Season 2'', starring Yuto Nakajima and Yuko Araki, has been suspended. Meanwhile, NHK announced that the schedule for three drama series would be postponed as a result of the pandemic. "The broadcast date will be announced on the program guide and website as soon as it is decided," said the station.

On April 19, 2020, TV Tokyo, MediaNet & ShoPro announced that the ''Pokémon'' anime series would be going on hiatus, with production temporarily suspended. Reruns of old episodes began airing from April 26 to May 31, 2020; production staff later announced that new episodes would resume airing on June 7, 2020. In addition, production for many Toei anime shows was suspended due to the pandemic, including ''Healin' Good Pretty Cure'' (at Episode 12) and '' Digimon Adventure:'' (at Episode 3). As of 19 April 2020, Fuji TV, Toei Animation confirmed that the ''One Piece'' anime series would be going on recess, with production temporarily postponing new episodes and reruns of older episodes taking their place. On April 26, 2020, Nippon Animation announced that broadcasting of new episodes of the ''Chibi Maruko-chan'' anime had been suspended indefinitely as a result of the virus first reaching Tokyo. As a side note, as of April 26, 2020, there were a number of anime series with production pauses due to difficulties in supply and production, including some series like ''Black Clover'', '' Boruto: Naruto Next Generations'', '' Duel Masters King'', ''Kingdom'' (Season 3), '' Major 2nd Season 2''.

As of 9 May 2020, it was reported that nine anime series had completed production during the public health crisis.

Malaysia

Malaysia suspended all active filming in March. On 19 May, the government has given the green light for the filming industry to resume its activities after Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

Philippines

Television talk, reality, variety and game shows in the Philippines temporarily filmed without a live audience. TAPE Inc. announced on March 9 that it would stop admitting live audiences for their variety show ''Eat Bulaga!'', which airs on GMA Network; ABS-CBN followed suit, announcing on March 10 that they would do the same for their television shows including '' It's Showtime'', ''Banana Sundae'', ''Magandang Buhay'', the second season of the Philippine version of ''I Can See Your Voice'' and '' ASAP''. GMA Network then followed suit again with ''Wowowin'' (including its Saturday primetime edition), ''All-Out Sundays'', '' Centerstage'', ''The Boobay and Tekla Show'', '' Mars Pa More'' and GMA News TV's '' Idol sa Kusina'' and ''Tonight with Arnold Clavio''.

On March 14, 2020, ABS-CBN and GMA Network both announced that they will suspend production on their respective drama and live entertainment shows effective March 15 (the same day a quarantine declared by President Rodrigo Duterte was enacted in Metro Manila and Cainta, Rizal). Hence, ABS-CBN would air its previously aired shows temporarily in place for primetime viewing: '' 100 Days to Heaven'', '' May Bukas Pa'' and '' On the Wings of Love''. Additionally, the network gave its iWant TV series ''I Am U'' on its television debut. The following week, '' Walang Hanggan'', ''The Legal Wife'' and ''Got to Believe'' were re-aired on the afternoon programming block, additionally, ''Wildflower'', ''Tubig at Langis'' and the 2018 remake of the Chinese version of ''Meteor Garden'' on the primetime block. GMA Network followed suit with ''Ika-6 na Utos'', ''Encantadia'', ''Kambal, Karibal'', ''My Husband's Lover'', ''Alyas Robin Hood'' and ''Onanay''.

On March 18, 2020, GMA News TV and CNN Philippines announced that they will temporarily go off-air beginning March 19, with the latter going off as the Worldwide Corporate Center in Mandaluyong, where their newsroom and studios are based, is being disinfected after a confirmed case in the offices of one of the building's tenants. The two networks eventually returned on March 20 and 23 respectively, with GMA News TV making way for a temporary full-time video simulcast of DZBB-AM and its studio programming.

In an unrelated matter, ABS-CBN's broadcast licence was not renewed by its expiry date by Congress, and the company's free television and radio stations were hence forced off the air by the National Telecommunications Commission on May 5, 2020, to much domestic controversy and further worldwide attention when the European Parliament released a resolution that could lead to the revocation of GSP certifications of Filipino Products if the cases of journalist Maria Ressa were not dropped alongside the denial of the Philippine congress to grant ABS-CBN a fresh 25-year broadcasting franchise. The license revocation is believed to involve the network's critical news coverage of President Duterte's administration, along with overall inaction from the Congress of the Philippines to renew their broadcast license since the matter came up in 2016. Although the reason for the closure is not directly due to COVID-19, some figures have expressed concern about its impact on public efforts to contain the pandemic. In a statement, ABS-CBN management said that "Millions of Filipinos will lose their source of news and entertainment when ABS-CBN is ordered to go off-air on TV and radio tonight (5 May 2020) when people need crucial and timely information as the nation deals with the COVID-19 pandemic".

Furthermore, Albay's "Home" as a tribute to commemorate the efforts of frontline and migrant workers during the outbreak. On June 1 at 7:30pm (SGT), a second video short titled ''Stronger As One'' was broadcast on all Mediacorp channels, paying tribute to the current events and featured the sing-along segment of Stephanie Sun's "We Will Get There".

Both pay televisions by StarHub and SingTel (and along with their respective apps StarHub GO and CAST) also announced free preview screening during the lockdown from March 20 to June 1, and from April 1 to June 30, respectively. On June 2, after the lockdown was eased in Singapore, StarHub further extended the free preview until June 30.

South Korea

Many shows continued as planned, however traveling or outside shows such as SBS' '' Running Man'', KBS 2TV's ''2 Days & 1 Night'', and MBC's ''Real Man 300'' were suspended. Many shows accepted fewer spectators, to allow for social distancing, such as KBS 2TV's ''Immortal Songs'', ''You Hee-yeol's Sketchbook'', and MBC's ''King of Mask Singer''. Mnet's competition series such as ''Road to Kingdom'' (a sequel to '' Queendom'') and ''Good Girl'' changed completely, using one set instead of two, and have no live shows. They also changed the process of voting on the shows, so only competitors may vote.

In music shows such as SBS MTV's '' The Show'', MBC M's ''Show Champion'', Mnet's ''M Countdown'', KBS 2TV's ''Music Bank'', MBC's ''Show! Music Core'', and SBS's ''Inkigayo'', there are also no spectators. Instead, they used pre-recorded screaming and clapping.

Latin America

Argentina

Since the start of the national lockdown in Argentina, broadcast television in the country saw a 30% increase of viewership during the week between 17 and 22 March. The networks increased the airtime of talk shows and news programming, while reality shows were still in production.

A fundraising special show aimed to the Red Cross for supplying hospitals and health centers aired throughout all six broadcast networks on 5 April. The show, called ''"United for Argentina"'', included celebrities and famous people from the Argentine media. Donations reached a total of $87,938,624.

The only telenovela that was airing on broadcast television before the beginning of the pandemic, ''Separadas'' (from El Trece), was removed from the schedule after its 19 March airing and production was suspended temporarily. Two months later, producing company Pol-Ka definitely cancelled the show due to "economic reasons", leaving Argentine television without any scripted programming.

The first cases of COVID-19 reached Argentine television in June. Producers from Telefe's game show '' El Precio Justo'' were diagnosed, making the show to enter on hiatus and schedule reruns to air instead. ''El Precio Justos hostess Lizy Tagliani later reported that she was diagnosed positive for COVID-19. Telefe also announced that talk show '' Cortá por Lozano'' would be broadcast with the hostess and panelists from their homes as a preventive measure. News channel C5N had to implement a protocol to prevent new infections after one of their journalists tested positive for COVID-19.

Brazil

TV Globo shifted their programming schedule by expanding their regular news programming and cutting entertainment programming. This included the suspension of the filming of the network's telenovelas for the safety of cast and crew. Because of this, the currently-running 9pm telenovela ''Amor de Mãe'' was replaced by the 2011 series ''Fina Estampa'', the 7:30pm current series ''Salve-se Quem Puder'' was replaced with the 2015 series ''Totalmente Demais'' and debut of the upcoming 6pm series ''Nos Tempos do Imperador'' was postponed, with the 2017 series ''Novo Mundo'' airing on its place. Journalists for the network over the age of sixty were told to telework.

Mexico

In Mexico, as the health crisis expands, it seems that there will be inevitable changes to the broadcasting schedule. Unfortunately, as the health crisis has expanded in Spain and Brazil, it is difficult to broadcast overseas sports leagues, and it is expected that there will be some influence on the production of telenovelas. In addition, since the number of diagnostic tests of per population is relatively small, it is unlikely that there will be a small number of Mexican broadcasters among the suspected patient or potentially infected population, as it is difficult to say that the situation inside Mexico is better than other developing countries. However, it is believed that the minimum number of broadcasting personnel is contributing to the operation of broadcasting companies, as all broadcasting stations seek to slow dawn and minimize and spread infection.

Anglo-America

Canada

As in other regions, the pandemic has forced the modification of television production in Canada, including programs being reformatted to not use studio audiences or be produced remotely, and the suspension of filming for international scripted productions taking place in the country — such as Vancouver-based productions of The CW's ''Batwoman'', ''The Flash,'' '' Riverdale'', and ''Supernatural'', as well as ''Snowpiercer'' and ''See''. On March 24, 2020, production of the eighth season of '' Big Brother Canada'' ended, and a season finale aired on April 1 with no winner declared.

Both the Juno Awards and the Canadian Screen Awards, which were scheduled to be televised in March, were cancelled. The Canadian Screen Awards ultimately announced their winners via livestreaming in the week of May 25 to 28, while the Junos were presented in an online event on June 29. The 22nd Quebec Cinema Awards were also cancelled, with organizers announcing winners via livestreaming on June 10.

Due to the suspension of the National Hockey League (NHL), CBC Television replaced its weekly ''Hockey Night in Canada'' broadcast with '' Movie Night in Canada'', a double bill of Canadian films. With virtually all live sports cancelled, TSN and Sportsnet both opted to rerun various past sports broadcasts, including the entire 2019 championship playoff run of the Toronto Raptors. In addition to ''Movie Night in Canada'', CBC Television also launched a number of other special short-run series during the pandemic, including '' What're You At?'', a remotely-produced Sunday-evening talk show with Tom Power, and '' Hot Docs at Home'', a Thursday night series which broadcast several feature documentary films which had been slated to premiere at the cancelled Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.

To widen their availability, the CBC and Bell Media made their news channels, CBC News Network, CP24, CTV News Channel, and Ici RDI available as free previews on pay television providers, and freely available for streaming online without TV Everywhere authentication. Due to resource constraints, the CBC temporarily replaced its local evening newscasts with a simulcast from CBC News Network combining content from local and national journalists from across the country, a decision that was criticized by the Premier of Prince Edward Island Dennis King ('' CBC News: Compass'' is the province's only local daily television news program). By the end of March, however, local news service began to be restored in most markets.

The benefit event '' Stronger Together, Tous Ensemble'' aired across most major Canadian broadcasters on April 26; with around 11.5 million viewers, it was the most-watched non-sports telecast in Canadian history. On May 22, CTV aired the special ''Unsinkable Youth,'' hosted by Silken Laumann and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan in partnership with Kids Help Phone to promote awareness of youth mental health in the wake of the pandemic. and ''WE Celebrate: Class of 2020'' on June 6, hosted by Lilly Singh.

In mid-August 2020, it was reported that local unions had resolved an impasse with U.S. studios over safety and testing protocols for their Vancouver-based productions.

United States

The COVID-19 pandemic has been the most impactful event to U.S. television production since the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike, which disrupted nearly all scripted television production. Upon the beginning of restrictions and stay-at-home orders that resulted in an industry-wide shutdown of nearly all television production, networks were dependent on their remaining inventory of completed programs that had not yet aired (resulting in some completed programs being delayed to air as contingencies in place of other programs), the remaining completed episodes of series whose production was interrupted, programs designed for or capable of being adapted for remote production — including talk shows, unscripted programs, one-off entertainment specials (such as the multi-network simulcast '' One World: Together at Home'') and esports events as alternatives to cancelled or delayed professional sports.'

On May 22, Georgia became the first U.S. state to release guidelines for safety protocols during film and television production. California began to authorize the resumption of film and television production on June 12; the Big Three networks' soap operas were among the first to resume production (with ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' resuming first-run episodes in July). Tyler Perry completed production on the next seasons of his BET dramas '' Sistas'' and ''The Oval'' in July and August respectively at his Atlanta-based Tyler Perry Studios complex using a "bubble" strategy, with ''Sistas'' being the first U.S. scripted primetime series to complete a season of production under COVID-19 safety protocols.

Some late-night talk shows began to migrate from home-based formats in July, returning to new or re-configured studios with no studio audience, and continued use of remote interviews for guests. Other reality series that were suspended or delayed due to the pandemic, such as ''America's Got Talent'', '' Big Brother'', and '' Love Island'', also began the process of returning to air with additional safety measures in place (and in the case of ''AGT'' and ''Love Island'', being filmed from different locations than they usually are).

The fall schedules of the major broadcast networks have been impacted by production delays and other contingencies, relying more on acquisitions and imports new to U.S. broadcast TV, deferred and/or postponed summer series, and other non-scripted output (which have a faster turnaround time) to fill timeslots until scripted series can return to air.

Europe

On 18 March 2020, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announced that the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 would be cancelled; it was scheduled to take place in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on 12, 14 and 16 May. Rotterdam remained host of the 2021 contest on 18, 20, and 22 May 2021, and countries were required to submit new entries; many countries announced plans to retain their selected artists for 2020 with new songs for 2021. The EBU announced that it would air a non-competitive special on 16 May (the original date of the 2020 final), '' Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light,'' featuring the artists that were set to participate.

The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Warsaw, Poland went ahead in a remote format, with most acts performing from studios in their home country. In September 2020, the EBU announced that the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 would have contingency plans allowing for such a format as a last resort, but with other options available, including a less-crowded production with a limited audience, and the option for countries to perform remotely if their act cannot travel to the Netherlands.

Belgium

A lockdown in Belgium influenced local studio Woestijnvis (of '' The Mole'' fame) to produce ''The Container Cup'', a sports competition series where equipment is delivered to contestants' homes in camera-equipped shipping containers. Proving popular, the series has been optioned and sold internationally in markets such as Italy, Spain, and the United States.

France

Germany

As the public health crisis expanded significantly in Germany, there were cases where scheduled broadcasts were postponed or suspended and proceeded without the audience.

Netherlands

Dutch reality series ''Wie is de Mol?'', which films its finale episode in front of a crowd in Vondelpark, decided to film without an audience for its twentieth season. Starting on March 15, satirical television programme ''Zondag met Lubach'' began filming without an audience. Production of the daily soap ''Goede tijden, slechte tijden'' suspended with the show's channel deciding to broadcast four episodes per week from March 23 instead of five.

Spain

Since the second week of March all programs are filmed without audiences. The 11th season of music competition show ''Operación Triunfo'' went on hiatus as a precautionary measure over the ongoing pandemic. Comedy programs ''Late Motiv'', ''El intermedio'' and ''El Hormiguero'' have decided to make low cost programs involving fewer people and with heavy use of videoconferences to avoid contagions.

Also, TV game shows like the Spanish adaptation of '' The Chase'' (''El Cazador'') were suspended or are using archived episodes like '' Saber y ganar'', ''Ahora caigo'', ''¡Boom!'' and ''La ruleta de la suerte''.

As well, TV series are suspended and/or in hiatus, like the recordings of the final season of ''La que se avecina'' or the 2nd season of ''Señoras del (h)ampa''. '' Veneno'', biographical series about the life and death of Cristina Ortiz, ''La Veneno'', will only premiere in Atresplayer Premium with 1 of the 8 episodes on 29 March 2020, leaving the rest of episodes unaired until further notice.

United Kingdom

The BBC
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