In a recent Dispatch Media interview with Bruno Patiño, CEO of ARTE, the exec expressed feeling ‘determining’ regarding the future of the programmatic strategy, describing it as ‘precise’: ‘There will be no changes in direction, no reorganization, nor a complete review of the programs’.
Patiño was emphatic in the interview with the referee that the 2023 season will continue to have the 3 programmatic axes of the Franco-German channel: ‘platform, Europeanization, and eclecticism’. He contextualized that the signal has a ‘very close’ relationship with the audience and that they seek to be ‘identifiable’.
What the channel did have were new directives for its programming units, as it recently announced the appointments of Mathilde Michel and Agnès Olier, who took over as heads of the Arts and Entertainment and Fiction units, respectively. ‘Both will be responsible for defining the editorial strategy of their unit, activity management and team management’, commented Boris Razon, editorial director, who had also been assuming the leadership of these two areas, together with Ingrid Libercier, production director and acquisitions.
As for new programs on the channel, the signal would focus on dramas and series. Razon stressed that European creations will continue to rule the programmatic guide, as they offer something ‘unique compared to conventional platforms’.
Polar Park, Borgen: Power and Glory and the critically acclaimed Under Control, starring Léa Drucker, which was crowned the best French series at the Séries Mania festival in 2023, are among the series premiering on the signal.
Likewise, the film and art offer will have thematic cycles dedicated to icons such as Catherine Deneuve, Agnès Varda and Martin Scorsese. At this point, Patiño added that the channel’s investment in web series, non-linear content and video games will be its focus, without leaving the films: ‘We are an eclectic channel, that is why we are open to different formats, but with the spirit of ARTE‘.
In the field of documentaries, the themes of nature, science, social issues and geopolitics will govern the channel’s purchasing intentions. Meanwhile, upcoming releases include Eiffel: The War of the Towers, Mesopotamia: The Birth of Cities and Guardians of the Forest. ‘The objective is to provide revealing and unique content that allows viewers to analyze the world and promotes a European perspective’, they stated from ARTE.
Programming in key audience blocks
One of the novelties of this season is the one commented by Razon regarding the new slot-time programs 7 to 9 p.m., which began in the spring of this year and is presented by Jean-Mathieu Pernin, and where the magazines shows will be located, to provide timely news and information.
The block begins with Arte Regards at 6:55 pm, followed by a series of shows, ending with Dessous des Cartes at 8:50 pm, presented by Emilie Aubry. Even if the ratings do not meet expectations, Bruno Patiño stated: ‘Ratings are not the goal… and that is the luxury we give ourselves.’
‘Today we are in a solid position. The budgets for 2023 and 2024 are considerably higher than those of the previous four years, which allows us to make more important investments in production, especially in programs, series and digital video games’, Patiño concluded.
