Banijay CEO Tells European Producers to Push for Better Rights and IP Terms

Marco Bassetti, the CEO of Banijay Entertainment, has urged European producers to stand firm when negotiating trade terms with major U.S. studios and streaming platforms. Speaking at Rome's MIA market during a chat titled "What does it mean today to be a 'European champion' in an increasingly competitive global content market?", he argued that independent producers are the ones who truly invest in creativity.

The Real Battle

Bassetti stated that current debates in Brussels over investment quotas are pointless, referring to rules in Europe's Audiovisual Media Services Directive that require foreign streamers to fund local productions. Instead, he believes the core fight should center on studios and streamers offering rewards for creativity by letting producers keep their intellectual property rights. He contrasted continental Europe with England, where he noted that creators often retain IP ownership and rights revert to them after three years. When streaming services treat production companies only as service providers, it removes the incentive for creators.

Company Growth

Since taking charge of Stéphane Courbit's media company in 2013, Bassetti has guided its growth through major moves, including the 2020 takeover of Endemol Shine and expansion into live entertainment. Two months ago, Banijay Entertainment and RedBird IMI completed a merger involving All3Media, with Jane Turton stepping in as deputy CEO. The combined firm holds over 265,000 hours of content, ranging from unscripted hits like "The Traitors", "Big Brother", and "MasterChef" to scripted shows like "Peaky Blinders", "Black Mirror", and "Hamnet". Speaking at Cannes last week, Bassetti also hinted at plans to expand Banijay's presence in the U.S. scripted space.

Context

Intellectual property rights and ownership models dictate how much long-term financial benefit a production company makes from a successful show or movie. While major Hollywood studios and global streaming services typically demand full ownership of content worldwide, independent European producers have historically pushed for terms that allow them to share in downstream revenues and retain local rights.