The second panel of the third day at VS Worldwide, “European Pubcasters: how to be relevant in a highly competitive scenario” highlighted the prominent position the public broadcasters in Europe are gaining in the streaming world. Their strategy is based on coproduction alliances, high budget productions and multi-platform distribution.
Produced in partnership with Conecta FICTION, and moderated by its director Geraldine Gonard, the panel featured Maria Pia Ammirati, Head of Drama, Rai Fiction (Italy), Simone Emmelius, SVP International Fiction – Coproduction & Acquisition, ZDF (Germany), Manuel Alduy, Head of Cinema and International Development, France Télévisions (France), and Amalia Martinez de Velasco, Head of General Content, RTVE (Spain).
Formed in May 2018 during Series Mania, the first three players are part of the European Alliance, a cooperation platform that has generated five high-budget series. The first, Mirage, a USD 3 million per episode intrigue and espionage thriller starring Marie-Josee Croze (Jack Ryan) and Clive Standen (Vikings), produced by Lincoln TV (France) and Connect3 Media (Canada) for France 2 (France), ZDF (Germany), Bell Media and Superchannel (Canada).
Other projects included the adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic adventure novel Around the World in 80 Days (France Televisions, ZDF, Rai, Seven West Media, Slim Film + Television, Federation Entertainment and 247 Films), the mystery series Survivors (RAI Fiction, France Télévisions, ZDF, Rodeo Drive, Cinétévé) and a series about Leonardo da Vinci called Leonardo (Lux Vide, Big Light Productions, Rai, Sony, France Télévisions, RTVE and Alfresco Pictures).
In the case of RTVE, Martinez de Velasco commented that the company has been betting on high-quality fiction for years while increasing its digital strategy, forming and launching new local and international OTTs through alliances with players of all kinds. At the local level, it launched RTVE Play and has Playz for the youngest, but it also joined forces with private companies Atresmedia and Mediaset on LOVEStv.
France TV’s Alduy said: ‘In Europe all public channels have the same objective: we must collaborate more. The Alliance is a response to high competition and although each of us keeps local rights, we seek that production has an impact on the global market ‘, the executive, in addition to highlighting the alliances, spoke about the great bet of presenting the option from a “first look” on The Allince projects to other European channels integrated in the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
Emmelius, from ZDF, added that what the group seeks is to present a first look to EBU members, guaranteeing access to these contents before they are on the market: ‘There have been about five series so far but there are 15-20 projects under development. Around the World in 80 Days, led by France TV and which will air next Christmas, represents the European heritage and our common culture’.
Lastly, she assured that The Alliance is a ‘necessary creative alliance. ‘The most important thing is that in this highly competitive market we pubcasters can contribute our editorial experience. The future must be based on collaboration and we must share aspirations, challenges, projects … it is very important to maintain our identity to be competitive in the global market’, she agreed with Alduy and Ammirati.
