Banijay Entertainment is setting its sights on an expanded footprint in the United States scripted television market following its high-profile merger with All3Media. Speaking at the MIA Market in Rome, Banijay Entertainment Chief Business Officer Frédéric Balmary detailed how the world's largest independent studio intends to capitalize on evolving streamer strategies, particularly Netflix's renewed search for domestic American hits, while fiercely protecting ownership of its creative assets.
Capitalizing on Streamer Demand and U.S. Ambitions
During discussions about the company's global positioning, Balmary pointed to recent corporate signals from major streaming platforms as an opening for growth. In particular, Netflix's latest earnings call signaled an aggressive pursuit of U.S. hits amid changes to its content leadership. That strategic shift aligns with Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti's vision to increase the company's activity in the American scripted sector.
While Banijay has previously participated in high-profile projects such as the series "Ripley," Balmary clarified that the company's earlier involvement in the U.S. was focused primarily on packaging rather than functioning as a full-fledged studio. Going forward, the company wants to be more active directly in that space to match industry momentum.
The Role of the U.K. and Creative Roster Expansion
The merger with All3Media has significantly expanded Banijay's creative resources, specifically in English-language scripted programming. Balmary noted that Banijay had already initiated growth across the British television sector through previous acquisitions such as The Forge Entertainment. However, the combination with All3Media brought access to established industry figures, including writer and creator George Kay and director Sam Mendes.
Balmary highlighted the United Kingdom as a crucial bridge between Hollywood studios and European production. With American studios and streaming services facing mounting financial pressures, U.K. production models offer an effective balance of creative quality and fiscal sustainability. Banijay's recent English-language footprint includes "House of Guinness," which has been renewed for a second season, "War" on HBO, and the upcoming Apple project "The Wanted Man," developed alongside Kay.
The Fight for Intellectual Property Retention
A central focus of Banijay's long-term business strategy involves the retention of intellectual property rights when negotiating with global distribution platforms. Balmary underscored that retaining IP stands as "one of our big fights at the moment," echoing sentiments recently shared by Bassetti during a keynote address at the MIA Market.
According to Balmary, maintaining ownership rights—exemplified by standard U.K. practices where independent producers frequently retain a 50 percent stake in their IP—is essential to funding future development. Bassetti previously noted that Banijay invested one billion euros over the last four years into creative development. Balmary maintained that these investments are only sustainable when studios hold substantial stakes in the properties they create.
Balancing Local European Output with Global Reach
Despite the push into English-language productions, Banijay is maintaining its commitment to non-English, localized European content. Balmary highlighted that global viewing figures for non-English programming remain strong across the industry. Within Banijay's network, Italian production house Groenlandia and Spanish company Pokeepsie have demonstrated that local productions can find broad audiences, with Pokeepsie's "Drawn Together" reaching number one worldwide on Amazon.
As major corporate reshuffling continues across the media landscape, Banijay plans to maintain a diversified approach. The company will navigate industry-wide financial pressures by balancing European drama production with high-end English-language television targeted at American buyers.
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Source: Variety
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