The world of French television is undergoing a significant shift, and at the forefront of this transformation is Manuel Alduy, the head of cinema and international fiction at France Télévisions. With a tightening budget, Alduy is navigating a delicate balance between maintaining the broadcaster's commitment to domestic and European content and exploring partnerships with streamers to ensure the sustainability of their operations.
The Challenge of Budget Constraints
Alduy's primary challenge is clear: France Télévisions' investment in audiovisual content has decreased by 10% in just two years, impacting their fiction output. This means fewer high-end event miniseries and a greater reliance on cost-effective production methods. Projects like Bille August's "The Count of Monte Cristo" are becoming exceptions rather than the norm, as international co-productions are necessary to keep costs down.
Streamers: Opportunity and Challenge
Streamers, with their deep pockets and global reach, present both an opportunity and a challenge. Alduy acknowledges that these platforms can provide the necessary financial support, but there are concerns about aligning on economic models, rights, and creative control. The disparity in budgets between streamers and France Télévisions is significant, with the former often operating at double or triple the latter's production costs.
Maintaining Editorial Integrity
Despite the budget constraints, France Télévisions remains committed to supporting domestic and European creation over imported U.S. hits. Alduy emphasizes that they no longer acquire American series, and their flagship French series, such as "Alex Hugo," continue to draw impressive viewership. This editorial mandate has not negatively impacted ratings, with recent miniseries like "L'Affaire Laura Stern" achieving solid viewership across linear and digital platforms.
The Future of Funding
However, the future of funding remains uncertain. Alduy warns that if public broadcasting budgets continue to decline, they may have to invest less in French fiction and potentially return to acquiring foreign series, including American ones. This shift in strategy is already being observed in other European public broadcasters, who are facing similar budget constraints.
International Collaborations and Streamers
Alduy is keen to deepen ties with streamers and bring them into the fold, much like France Télévisions has partnered with European neighbors like ZDF and RAI. He emphasizes the need for flexibility on both sides, as streamers' metrics and editorial strategies differ from traditional broadcasters. Successful collaborations with Disney+, Paramount+, HBO Max, and Amazon have originated from France Télévisions, highlighting the importance of maintaining editorial control.
The Alliance and Lighter Programming
The Alliance, a partnership between France Télévisons, RAI, and ZDF, remains active, with a recent call for projects on romcoms. Alduy believes that these lighter, more accessible formats, like "Rallye 82," allow the broadcaster to address important themes without being overly didactic. This strategy fits into their overall message of wanting to work more with platforms while ensuring economic sustainability for all parties involved.
Film Acquisitions and Audience Curiosity
Alduy also oversees film acquisitions, and he notes a positive shift in the performance of movies on France Télévisions. Box office performance is becoming less predictive of a film's success on free-to-air TV, with dramedies featuring familiar casts finding solid audiences. This reflects a greater audience curiosity and an openness to discovering content across platforms.
The Importance of Preview and Replay
In an era where audiences increasingly consume content on-demand, Alduy highlights the importance of preview and replay. For TV fiction, preview has become a strong indicator of success on linear TV, with no evidence of cannibalization between the two. However, for films, the lack of non-linear access before the first broadcast is a challenge, and France Télévisions may need to rethink this model to keep up with changing viewer habits.
The Way Forward
At Series Mania, Alduy's message is clear: France Télévisions needs to collaborate more with streamers, aiming for the kind of joint projects they've achieved with ZDF and RAI. He hopes to replicate the success of shows like "Kabul" and "The Emperor's Stone," where multiple broadcasters took ownership of the project from the writers' room onwards. This level of collaboration is essential to ensure the continued success and sustainability of French television in an ever-changing media landscape.
