Programming Profile

Vanda Rapti, exec VP of Viaplay Select & Content Distribution at Viaplay Group, discusses how the Nordic company is adapting to the changing industry landscape, how its VoD business is shifting and the new titles it is taking to Mipcom.

Considering the economic pressures affecting the media industry globally, how are you adapting your content licensing strategy to navigate these challenges and continue delivering value to your audiences?

We are happy to see so many partners around the world promoting Viaplay Select, a service within a service, as a flagship part of their offering and seeing the value in using our support smartly for our growth. We are also pleased to see our content capturing additional eyeballs and growing fast on Amazon Prime, where we launched in the US in April and in the UK in July. Following the success of our channels, we are going to continue to grow our SVoD distribution on Amazon and launch in more markets.

We’ve had some shows that have been included in deals and schedules of broadcasters and platforms around the world even before launching in its home market. For example, for our drama End of Summer we have secured distribution in 40 markets prior to its launch in Sweden in December, with similar success seen for Jana – Marked for Life, Call Me Dad and many other stand-out titles.

Viaplay has SVoD channels in the US, Canada and the UK. How has this business come about and are you planning to expand?

We launched a TV and film product in the US, UK, and Canada in 2022, showcasing the best of high-quality Nordic and European storytelling as part of our expansion plans. After reviewing our direct-to-consumer strategy in these markets and considering partnership opportunities, we adopted a partner-first approach, focusing on growing our SVoD presence within platforms like Amazon Prime and Roku, rather than direct-to-consumer.

By the end of 2025, aiming to maximise the value of our inventory and high-value first-run slate, we plan to expand into more markets by collaborating with Prime Video and local telcos that recognise the value of bundling our offerings into their premium packages. Having a stable international SVoD business not only enhances our reach but also provides us with the flexibility to support content rights for the rest of the world. This creates synergies that enable us to secure the best content in the genres we represent, ultimately strengthening our content sales strategy.

Regarding your Mipcom slate, what is the international appeal of a period true crime drama like The Hunt?

The international appeal of The Hunt lies in its ability to tap into globally relevant themes like xenophobia, racism, fake news and the rural/urban divide, which resonate with contemporary societal issues. In a time when conspiracy theories are widespread, The Hunt stands out as a thought-provoking drama that reflects these timely conversations.

Set in 1999, the series follows the true story of a 16-year-old girl’s murder, which shook the Dutch nation. The show chronicles the decade-long search for the perpetrator, culminating in a breakthrough DNA investigation led by two determined detectives. Beyond its gripping crime story, The Hunt offers a deeply human exploration of the lasting impact on ordinary lives, making it a powerful title with significant international appeal. This is a series that gets under the skin and does not let go of the viewer.

How is global demand for dark Dogma-style Danish drama changing?

Global demand for dark Dogma-style Danish drama has evolved as Scandinavian storytelling has gained international recognition. Over the last five years, Danish creators have shifted focus from experimenting with various genres for the global market back to more localised, character-driven narratives that resonate on a human level.

Our new series in the space is Secrets, featuring Pilou Asbæk (Game of Thrones, Borgen), Iben Hjejle (High Fidelity) and Evin Ahmad (Who’s Erin Carter?). It delves into the tumultuous lives of adult siblings navigating complex family dynamics, abuse and co-dependency, and embodies the trend of offering a compelling look at the intricacies of family relationships and the darker sides of human nature.

What are the challenges when producing celebrity biogs such as Like Tears in Rain and Cody Gakpo?

Producing celebrity biographies such as Like Tears in Rain and Cody Gakpo presents several challenges. Securing access to essential archives, exclusive footage and personal materials such as diaries and home videos can be time-consuming and costly, especially when rights are owned by third parties. In Like Tears in Rain, we tapped into private, never-before-seen footage of Rutger Hauer, allowing us to uncover his intimate world. Collaborating with his goddaughter and interviewing his Hollywood colleagues added depth and authenticity to the narrative, revealing the person behind the iconic roles.

For Cody Gakpo, we followed the footballer during a pivotal career period, capturing both on-pitch performance and off-pitch experiences. Gaining access to exclusive material related to his transfer to Liverpool FC involved navigating high expectations and personal choices, which added layers of complexity to the storytelling. Balancing professional achievements with the subject’s human side, including family values and personal beliefs, is crucial for a compelling portrayal.

What new other content will you be showcasing at Mipcom? 

We’re bringing an exceptional slate of high-quality Nordic and European dramas, documentaries and films, boasting 25 nominations and five wins. Leading titles include:

•Mafia (6×45’) – Set against the stark transformation of 1990s Sweden, Mafia follows the rise of Jakov from rags to criminal riches, and Gunn, the lone cop who recognises the mafia threat lurking behind cigarette smuggling. Written by one of Sweden’s most prominent screenwriters, Stefan Thunberg, who also has a personal connection to the true story.

•Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter S2 (6×45’) – Following the success of season one on Netflix, S2 continues the beloved family action-adventure story. Ronja must navigate loyalty, survival, and family betrayal in her thrilling journey.

•Meaning of Life S2 (8×30’) – This new season of the thought-provoking comedy-drama explores family life, social pressures and the gap between our deepest dreams and daily realities.

•Little Did I Know (1×90’) – Petra’s world unravels after her husband’s infidelity, leading her on a journey of self-discovery across two pivotal ages. A Monte-Carlo winner, this is a 90-minute exploration of love, resilience and growth.

•Listen Up! (1×82’) – Award-winning, unique and heartwarming, this LGBT+ drama shows how teenager Mahmoud’s summer plans are upended when his Uncle Ji arrives from Pakistan and his brother Ali’s secret changes everything.

•This is Not a Christmas Movie (1×115’) – A dark comedy that reflects modern life’s complexities through a chaotic Christmas dinner, revealing misunderstandings and tensions in a world where everyone has answers but no one listens.

Additionally, our titles launched from 2023 onwards have garnered a total of 85 nominations and 26 wins, further highlighting their critical acclaim and success.

In today’s highly competitive and challenging SVoD landscape, what gives you confidence that a niche service focused on Nordic content can succeed?

A new report by research firm Antenna Analytics reveals that consumers are increasingly gravitating towards specialised streaming services. According to Antenna’s data, 30.8 million (56%) of Amazon Prime Video subscribers who have used Prime Video Channels have at some point subscribed to a specialty SVoD – and this has increased drastically year on year.

“As the largest premium streamers focus on profitability, they are deploying ‘fewer/bigger’ programming strategies that focus on shows that appeal to the masses,” wrote Antenna’s co-founder, Jonathan Carson. This leaves an opening for specialty players who have a tight focus on a specific genre or audience. We see this also in the discussion with major local streamers that find value in claiming the position of also representing the best of Nordic and European premieres for their audience and with telcos and pay TV operators valuing the inclusion of Viaplay in their premium bundles. This indicates to their customers that high-calibre content is further increasing the value of their product offering and consequently the discounted value of the bundle.

More specifically on why audiences enjoy watching our content, it is worth sharing some trends that we see at Viaplay, starting with the growth of escapism. Even though shortform content on TikTok and Instagram is growing very fast, at the same time, Gen Z (and even Gen A, or those now entering teenagerhood) is consuming a lot of high-quality longform, complex drama series for escapism and peer discussions.

Beautiful scenery is also highly valued by today’s audiences, as we see from chats and reviews. This is one of the reasons that content filmed in stunning scenery in the Nordic countries is increasing in popularity and talked about internationally. At Viaplay, we have produced amazing shows with extraordinary scenery that is very attractive to audiences, such as Furia, Trom and The Most Remote Restaurant in the World.

Another big trend is fluid relationships. Younger generations have a fascination for fluid relationships or love triangles and we have a few shows that deal with this topic, such as drama One of the Boys, which was recently nominated for an International Emmy.

Lastly, intricate and complex families and relationships is another strong trend at the moment. We have premiered All & Eva, which became number one in the Nordic market, along with popular titles Limbo, Meaning of Life and Thunder in My Heart.

Can you share examples of series that have performed particularly well on your SVoD channels and explain why these series resonate with your audience?

We can see different trends. One of them, which I am very proud of, is that our audience loves our crime drama series with strong women as lead characters. For example:

•Murderesses ranks in our top five, captivating viewers with a fresh take on sexism and resilience. The series follows a determined police officer on a mission to uncover the truth about her father, skilfully blending intense drama with dark humour.

•Furia represents Nordic noir at its finest, exploring the global implications of extreme right-wing terrorism. After a shocking murder in a tranquil Norwegian town, a police investigator partners with an undercover cop, who infiltrates a nationalist group in this dark, high-stakes thriller.

•End of Summer is a gripping psychological thriller based on the award-winning crime novels by former police officer Anders de la Motte. It follows a grief counsellor as she unravels the mystery surrounding the disappearance of her younger brother.

What sort of data are you able to get about the content on your SVoD channels, and can this help inform content buyers and help them make more strategic decisions?

We can gather immediate consumption data and viewing numbers from our SVoD channels, which provides valuable insights into audience engagement. This real-time data allows us to inform content buyers on the performance of specific titles, helping them make more strategic decisions.

Additionally, with a well-planned windowing strategy, we can offer short windows for new shows on our SVoD platform. Based on the viewing data, we help content buyers assess the potential value of content for a second window or for distribution on other platforms like linear TV. This approach delivers better value and minimises risk for content buyers.

Given the growth of regional streamers and changes at the global ones, how has your coproduction strategy changed?

Coproductions remain a key part of our strategy and they’ve become significant for our content distribution division as we are involved in the original financing of new projects and help get them off the ground.