Reality TV apocalypse as production plummets across Los Angeles
New York Post • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Reality TV production in the greater Los Angeles area has sharply declined, with only 463 shoot days recorded from January to March, marking a 33.7% drop from the previous quarter and a 52.5% decrease compared to the same period last year.
- Despite the downturn, some reality shows like Bravo’s "The Real Housewives of Orange County," CBS’s "Let’s Make a Deal," and Lifetime’s "Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out" continue filming locally.
- Industry-wide, unscripted series premieres in the US have fallen by about 33% since 2022, reflecting a broader slowdown in reality television production.
- Hudson Pacific Properties is winding down most of its Quixote soundstage operations in Los Angeles and exiting markets in Georgia and New Mexico, resulting in job cuts for approximately 70 employees and signaling ongoing financial pressures in the production sector.
- FilmLA’s CEO Denise Gutches remains cautiously optimistic about a potential rebound in production activity but acknowledges significant challenges remain to restore filming levels and employment in the region.
