France Télévisions shakes up quotas, rights deals

France Télévisions has agreed new production quotas and secondary rights agreements with industry groups representing the country’s content producers.

The French pubcaster inked a deal with the SATEV the SPFA, SPI and USPA industry associations yesterday that governs how much it will plough into indie production and how much will be in-house, as well as setting out guidelines on who retains what rights with shows commissioned for France Télévisions’ channels.

France Télévisions said the deal “reaffirms its commitment to the independent production”.

The proportion of in-house programming has been lifted from 5% to 25% bringing it into line with the levels for commercial channels. This proportion of the broadcaster’s programming can come from the internal production unit or can take the form of coproduction with indies.

Specifically, France Télévisions production unit MFP will coproduce with third parties. It will not, as previously, stated work with Newen on new projects as the production and distribution group finalises a deal that sees its ownership transferred to France Télévisions’ chief free-TV rival, TF1.

The French Ministry of Culture and Communication initiated the conversation between France Télévisions and the industry groups, and all parties reached agreement yesterday.

The new deal, France Télévisions said, “ensures a clear and sustainable framework” for France’s indies.

In the wake of the TF1-Newen deal France Télévisions has been aggressively pushing for greater control of the programming on its air and the secondary rights.

Former Newen exec Laetitia Recayte is now working on rights exploitation at France Télévisions, while the pubcaster’s new chief, Delphine Ernotte (pictured), has been lobbying for the changes to quotas and production rules.