Cathy Payne from Banijay Rights Discusses Changes in the Industry and Finding Balance Between Large and Small Distribution at London TV Screenings

Banijay, a co-founder of the London TV Screenings alongside All3Media, Fremantle, and ITV Studios, has established the event as a significant occasion in the international television landscape.

Big Boutique

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“I’ve always talked about the big and the boutique,” said a Banijay executive. “If you have a business that has 50,000 hours and a business that has over 100,000, there’s not much difference in your overheads. There’s no doubt there are synergies that come with scale. But big doesn’t mean you aren’t boutique in your approach to people or sales. It means you have different infrastructure and personnel working on various types of content.”

The London TV Screenings have evolved into a venue for both major and boutique sales companies. In contrast to larger trade markets like MIPCOM, the event offers a more intimate setting for discussions. “Rather than a trade market, it’s an opportunity to have a more intimate conversation with buyers about what’s coming through and touch on things that may be soon-to-launch,” Payne noted. “We’ll address titles that have already launched and been pre-sold but haven’t yet aired, like A Woman of Substance, Half Man, and Falling, while also discussing brand new titles that haven’t been announced yet.”

Upcoming Channel 4 drama Falling

Industry Trends

Banijay holds stakes in numerous production companies, with its Rights division overseeing international sales of shows produced by these labels. However, a tightening of commissioning across the industry has created challenges. According to Payne, many factual and fact-ent producers in the UK have struggled to secure commissions, particularly with Discovery in the U.S. experiencing instability. “A number of those producers have not had new commissions, and some shows haven’t returned; Discovery is still in a bit of flux, and even more so now that they’re going to be sold,” she added.

In scripted television, the influx of U.S. co-production funding has also diminished. “There are some areas that are opening up and we are looking at who might be coming back in,” Payne remarked. “You’ve got your regulars like PBS Masterpiece, Acorn, AMC, Sundance, and BritBox. Everyone’s waiting to see with Paramount+ and their moves under Cindy Holland, but of course that’s all now tied up in what’s going on over at Warner Brothers Discovery. HBO Max closed down their co-production, Hulu aren’t doing as many now, and FX has only ever done very few. MGM+ still do them at the right price point.”

Securing U.S. sales or funding in this environment raises questions. “The buyer will say: ‘How am I going to sell that to my audience? Who’s the face on the poster?’ We used to take out shows and sell them based on scripts, and we can still do that, but we need to have talent packaged to it,” Payne emphasized.

The New World Of Distribution

As the television production landscape evolves, so does the distribution network. Companies like Banijay Rights are exploring more direct relationships with audiences beyond just selling to executives who procure programs for their channels.

“Even though we might not have as robust a basic cable business, this has been significantly replaced. Whether it’s on a VOD platform such as Tubi, Roku, or Pluto, what we do on Amazon Prime Video Direct has grown into a substantial business for us,” Payne stated.

Payne highlighted a new focus for the year: enhancing ad revenue from publishing platforms. “We can now do our own ad sales on FAST in some territories, whereas before we couldn’t. We can control it more, and we can run our campaigns and manage things,” she noted.

Banijay distributes the Fear Factor format (pictured: Endemol Shine North America’s Fear Factor: House of Fear)

London Rush Hour

With over 40 distributors participating in the London TV Screenings, the competition for buyer attention is intense. Banijay anticipates over 400 buyers at its events, while also prioritizing the overall success of the London TV Screenings.

“We don’t own it; we’ve been clear that our role is to facilitate,” Payne explained. “We’ve worked hard to ensure there’s room for smaller distributors. We have a morning session and a format-specific one in the afternoon, with a focus on making the sessions efficient since everyone has other commitments.”

Despite Banijay’s expanding catalogue, Payne maintains a hands-on approach. “Just because we got bigger doesn’t mean my sales team isn’t meticulously reviewing every deal,” she stated. “I emphasize the importance of knowing our products; that’s what truly defines us.”