How Mediawan is taking French formats global
On the eve of the company’s presentation at this week’s Paris Unscripted Showcase, C21 spoke to Mediawan’s Valérie Vleeschhouwer and Justine Planchon about the shifting landscape of unscripted content and the appetite for French formats in a changing global environment.
As the international market for unscripted formats adjusts to the realities of a post-peak TV era, broadcasters and platforms are becoming increasingly risk-averse, according to the Mediawan execs who will be leading the French company’s unscripted formats presentation at the Paris Unscripted Showcase this afternoon.
“Broadcasters and platforms are adopting a more cautious approach, favouring tried-and-tested hit formats or low-risk legacy formats,” says Valérie Vleeschhouwer, MD of Mediawan Rights. However, she also notes there is a noticeable upswing in appetite for inventive factual formats. “At the same time, we’re seeing growing momentum for smartly crafted factual and factual entertainment formats, like our titles The Bully Glasses and The Big Salary Ranking, which meet the need for broad audience appeal through accessible, engaging storytelling.”
Economic pressures are compounding these shifts, with budgets tightening across many territories. Vleeschhouwer observes: “Budget constraints have resulted in fewer original commissions, prompting a shift toward known IPs and internationally proven formats. Broadcasters are increasingly favouring concepts that are simple, cost-effective and easy to localise.”
Against this backdrop, Mediawan is recalibrating its own strategy to stay ahead of the curve. Justine Planchon, president of production subsidiary Mediawan Prod, describes a more nimble and talent-driven editorial approach for 2025 and beyond. “We are evolving our editorial approach to become more agile, with formats driven by strong talent and distinctive writing. The goal is to launch projects that quickly stand out and adapt to changing usage habits,” she says.
The Heirs of Monte Cristo follows Mediawan’s highly successful film
This strategic pivot includes reimagining scripted IPs for the unscripted space. “We are adapting some of our scripted IPs into unscripted formats, such as The Heirs of Monte Cristo, following a cross-narrative strategy. We’re also exploring hybrid formats that combine fiction and factual content, and we’re strengthening our family entertainment offering around unifying themes.”
She cites That’s My Chair (Les Chaises Musicales Infernales) as an example of a new large-scale entertainment show being coproduced with French prodco Dreamspark for public broadcaster France Télévisions, a title intended to showcase Mediawan’s ambition to develop playful and highly distributable formats.
Digital platforms, particularly YouTube, have become increasingly influential in the company’s unscripted strategy. “YouTube is a central creative hub for us,” says Planchon. “We build formats around a universe rather than a specific platform, but YouTube enables organic content circulation.”
She highlights the runaway success of celebrity interview format Hot Ones (StoryNation Productions), which originated on YouTube, amassing over 80 million cumulative views for full episodes and topping YouTube’s trending chart with 17 of its 27 episodes within 48 hours of release. “The format also benefits from a co-broadcast on Canal+, which is a true asset for the brand,” she adds. Other YouTube-driven successes include It Begins Today and Up to You, both demonstrating Mediawan’s growing presence on the platform.
Vleeschhouwer further emphasises the strategic importance of the Google-owned video sharing platform. “YouTube serves as a valuable testing ground for format ideas and a key space for scouting emerging talent,” she says. Some of the platform’s most successful ideas are already inspiring Mediawan’s TV and cross-platform adaptations, such as the French version of Hot Ones and the forthcoming local adaptation of The Shop, created by SpringHill and developed by Black Dynamite Production. “Mediawan Rights also actively monitors high-performing content on the platform to identify digital formats with strong international distribution potential, whether for linear broadcasters or digital platforms,” she adds.
Brand partnerships are also creating new opportunities for financing and creative development. “Brands open up new pathways for financing content – whether by fully funding a project or through partial participation,” says Vleeschhouwer. “This flexibility creates multiple funding models, which are especially valuable in today’s market. It also allows for greater agility and creativity, making branded partnerships a strategic opportunity for both format development and international roll-out.”
When asked about another hot topic in the content business, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the creative process, Planchon makes it clear that Mediawan sees AI as a tool to enhance, not replace, human creativity. “At Mediawan, we see artificial intelligence as a tool that serves creativity, never a substitute. It can enrich development and streamline early-stage processes.”
Mediawan recently appointed Max Wiedemann as head of AI to leverage these possibilities. “For example, we created the trailer for The Heirs of Monte Cristo, the unscripted adaptation of Monte Cristo, entirely using AI to explore its editorial potential from day one,” Planchon says.
Entertainment formats The Bully Glasses
At the Paris Unscripted Showcase this week, Mediawan is unveiling several projects designed to capitalise on the group’s cross-platform IP strategy. “We’re unveiling a new project, The Heirs of Monte Cristo – an original creation by Mediawan Unscripted France inspired by the universe of The Count of Monte Cristo, recently reimagined in Mediawan’s highly successful film,” says Vleeschhouwer. She also points to the launch of That’s My Chair, describing it as “a bold and playful new comedy game format” that reinvents the classic musical chairs game into an immersive competition featuring celebrities.
Vleeschhouwer observes that the significance of the Paris Unscripted Showcase itself is growing. “Positioned between the London TV Screenings and Mipcom, the Paris Unscripted Showcase is becoming a strategic new stop for international buyers focused on unscripted formats – particularly those originating from France and Europe more specifically,” she says.
Interest in French-language unscripted formats is on the rise, Vleeschhouwer adds, as shown by the success of Hit the Mic! A New Voice for Sports, a new talent format that has already been optioned in more than 12 territories since its launch last autumn. Other recent Mediawan deals also reflect this momentum.
“We’ve recently closed new adaptation deals that reflect the growing demand for factual formats,” says Vleeschhouwer. For example: The Bully Glasses, originally produced by Mediawan Skyhigh, was adapted by Belgium’s VRT last autumn, and further announcements are expected. Meanwhile, a local version of The Big Salary Ranking, initially produced by i&u TV in Germany, is also in the works in another European territory.
Looking ahead, the challenges facing the unscripted market are substantial. Planchon believes the biggest hurdle is the need to continually innovate. “The main challenge remains the ability to constantly renew in a saturated market by delivering original formats that capture attention and surprise audiences. We also need to bring together a broad, multigenerational audience despite fragmented habits.” In France specifically, sustaining funding for creativity and innovation remains critical.
Vleeschhouwer echoes these concerns. “Budgets are tightening across the industry. As Justine points out, the real challenge lies in striking the right balance between creativity, cost-efficiency and editorial relevance. That balance is essential to meet the evolving expectations of both broadcasters and audiences.”
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