2023-11-23 07:35:07
Published on Nov. 23, 2023 at 8:29 a.m.
Banijay returns to acquisitions in France. After the mid-2022 IPO of its parent company, FL Entertainment, the world leader in audiovisual production had mainly pursued a strategy of expansion abroad. For the first external growth operation in France since that of EndemolShine’s activities announced at the end of 2019, its French branch has set its sights on Authentic Prod, the company behind successful series like “Sam” and “I promise you” as well as singles and documentaries (on Carlos Ghosn in particular).
Less than three months following taking office at the head of Banijay France, Alexia Laroche-Joubert signs her first move.
Booster la fiction
The objective? Accelerate the fiction. Indeed, on a global level, Banijay’s portfolio is quite balanced, with around fifty labels active mainly in fiction, out of around 130 in total. But, in France, fiction only represents 20% of revenues while the group is historically strong in so-called flow shows (“Koh Lanta”, “Star Academy”, etc.).
If Authentic is not in the top of the “Ecran Total” ranking of fiction producers (for season 22-23), the company stands out for “recurring fiction” (like “Sam” on TF1) and its ability to make adaptations, like “I promise you” also on the front page (from “This is us”), welcomes Alexia Laroche-Joubert. Aline Panel, the founder and producer of the small production company, “knows how to identify what will work or not in France,” continues the director of Banijay France.
The newcomer will be able to draw from Banijay’s impressive catalog to make adaptations and attempt international co-productions.
International stage
In detail, the world number 1 in production (excluding studios) takes around two thirds of the capital of Authentic Prod and has concluded agreements so that Aline Panel, who remains in the company, will still sell shares in the future . Financial details of the operation have not been disclosed. According to several market sources, Authentic is an “interesting” company, although small: it generates around ten million turnover and is profitable.
Authentic had been approached by other players in the sector. “To move on to the next step, more international in particular, I needed to be supported,” explains Aline Panel. She currently has four fiction shoots planned in 2023-2024 (mainly for traditional small screen actors), including a single for France Télévisions “Le Livreur de Noël” and has around fifteen projects in development.
“Not a logic of accumulation”
This acquisition might be the start of a series for Alexia Laroche-Joubert, well known in the world of production, who intends to increase her income from both fiction and “flow” (entertainment, games). “We are always on the lookout but not in a logic of accumulation like Mediawan is, for example,” explains the producer. We are looking for companies that seem complementary to us to support them in the long term and encourage co-production between companies in the group.”
In any case, at a time when a major upheaval is looming in the world of television, with 15 DTT frequencies at stake in 2024, and therefore potentially new entrants, Banijay, who had expressed an interest in M6, wants to stay in its historical profession, “production”.
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