Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti Talks Company Strategy at Mipcom

Banijay will continue to be innovative and sustainable, CEO Marco Bassetti said at Mipcom. 

When asked about the company’s future growth, and a recent SPAC deal, he added: 

“It’s helping us not to lose all the opportunities the market can give us. We have all that we need in order to grow, definitely.” 

“But our growth should follow a certain strategy. We don’t want to lose our DNA. So far, it has worked.” 

Last year, the company produced more than 90 pilots. In October, Banijay confirmed the proposed acquisition of Beyond International Limited. Bassetti also commented on Banijay’s takeover of Endemol Shine.

“Part of this integration was done by Zoom, but it went very well. If I look at the company now, we are trying to merge two cultures and trying to maintain their best sides. I think we are there now.”

“Scale is important,” he added. “To have scale means to have leverage. It means to have opportunities. You can give people what they need to produce a new pilot, to retain talent, you can invest and retain IP. Today, we need to invest more. But in order to do that, you need a company that’s backing you.” 

According to Bassetti, it might be the “golden age of content,” but not of revenue sharing.

“I believe that if you want to continue to create value, you would be smart to leave a part of value creation to the talent and the producer. Like in the music business, publishing business. It’s not fair to just tell them: ‘Give me everything’.”

It’s also important to speak the same language as the people you are working with, he said.

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“We are all producers. We know how difficult it is to pitch, to convince others to buy a show. It’s pretty unique and we are happy about it.”

“We want to leave our talent to be free [to explore] what they believe can create value, for them and for us. We are agnostic. We are not owned by a big media company. It gives them the freedom. And [this approach] is paying off more and more.” 

“It would be good for everybody if we could stick more to the European model and defend our IP,” he said. 

“Each year, we sell more ‘Big Brother,’ more ‘MasterChef,’ more ‘Temptation Island.’ The format is the same, but the look and feel is different. Retaining IPs allows us to adapt from country to country, audience to audience. To monetize what we retain.” 

Mentioning “MasterChef,” which became successful only after its first season, as an example that platforms should give more opportunities to test out shows.

Another issue people are facing is that when working with a traditional channel, they used to know the data. 

“[The streamers] are so jealous about their data. But I think it will change, because they understand it’s important for creative people to understand what kind of audience or subscribers they can attract.”

Maintaining flexibility and creating a place where people “love to be” will be among the company’s goals, he assured. 

Bassetti also reflected on his past, for example at Mediaset.

“Being on the other side of the fence helped me a lot. I had a chance to work with Steve Carlin [also behind ‘The $64,000 Question’]. Once, he said to me: ‘I have to give you the Bible.’ I have never heard this word before! I understood there was a different way of producing a show, of creating a show. Then I left and created my own company.”