Audiovisual industries' global production networks through a statistical looking glass: the Bulgarian case

Abstract

This article examines how the global production networks (GPNs) of the audiovisual industries—film, television and radio, and video games—are represented in Eurostat and Bulgarian national statistical systems. Situated within the EU funded CICERONE project and applying Coe and Yeung’s GPN framework, the study integrates Eurostat structural business statistics (EU 27), longitudinal mapping data for Bulgaria (2008–2019), and international datasets provided by the European Audiovisual Observatory. The analysis identifies structural misalignments between existing statistical taxonomies and the organisational dynamics of increasingly digitized and globally integrated audiovisual markets. Major limitations include missing codes for creation, archiving, and digital distribution; overlapping or aggregated NACE categories that obscure subsector distinctions; the absence of foreign direct investment (FDI) indicators; and insufficient regional granularity for place based cultural policy. Drawing on the Bulgarian case, the article demonstrates both strong sectoral growth, the specific of labour in the sectors, and the importance of national mapping methodologies in compensating for incomplete European datasets. However, persistent market failures—such as distribution oligopolies and confidentiality related data gaps—constrain evidence based policymaking. The article argues for comprehensive statistical reform, including more granular classifications for digital services, integration of FDI and regional data, and harmonised national taxonomies. Such modernization is essential for enabling effective cultural governance and for capturing the evolving value chains that underpin Europe’s audiovisual production networks.