Andrea Basilio, Head of the Children and Youth Department at RTP (Portugal), shared insights with Prensario regarding the unit’s strategy for content in their Zig Zag children’s TV slot. She also emphasized the ongoing efforts to enhance their streaming platform RTP Play with tailored content for this audience segment.
‘In the current landscape, European public broadcasters must unite to stay relevant in the market, given the tremendous competition’, stated Basilio during an interview with Prensario at the Quirino Awards for Ibero-American Animation.
Basilio emphasized that she, along with several European public broadcasters, are collectively positioning themselves to remain pertinent in the face of global streaming platforms. ‘I’m referring broadly to all European public channels. Our current strategy is to elevate quality and offer content that resonates with our audience, content they can identify with, while aligning with their consumption habits’.
She noted that the market is ‘more vibrant than ever’, providing significant opportunities for public broadcasters. They have become sought-after partners for producers and creators to drive their projects forward. ‘There is a plethora of production companies and creators generating diverse content, particularly in animation. We believe public channels continue to be a significant outlet of interest for such productions, as public TV is more flexible in terms of themes and animation techniques’, she explained.
In addition to curating their children’s programming, Basilio keeps an eye out for disruptive content for the network’s streaming platform, RTP Play. While she didn’t provide specific viewership figures, she highlighted that the available content on the platform complements their linear offerings.
Regarding co-productions, Basilio underscored the current strategy of the network, emphasizing their involvement in new projects and intellectual properties. While finished products still hold great appeal, they now prefer to be engaged in projects that air on their screens. ‘For many years, our focus was on finished products, but now we’re keen on projects and IPs in the development stage. This is where we can collaborate, potentially involving other European public broadcasters in co-development, essentially ensuring that the property remains within public TV rather than reaching a worldwide platform’.
Basilio also explained that the intention behind involving multiple public channels is to preserve the essence of the program and prevent it from adopting a ‘generic’ profile common in animated titles on streaming platforms. ‘We grant creators the freedom, which is why we tend to succeed in finding products for co-development’, she added.
The Zigzag block, aimed at a preschool audience, showcases expertise in adventure and historical shows. Currently, the network is airing a new season of A Minha Cena, a program where kids share their lives and present their “favorite scenes» every week. Additionally, A Grande Viagem de Magalhães, an audio series recounting the story of El Cano and the Magellans, produced in collaboration with Foco Lunar, is on air. Also featured is duARTe: Uma Peça de Arte, where each episode delves into the discussion and explanation of a work of art.
‘For the remainder of the year and in the coming months, our goal will be to reduce the level of acquired products and start filling our screen with proprietary series’.
