Distribution in Focus: Newen Connect’s Rodolphe Buet

With buyers flocking to London TV Screenings and Mip London this week, Broadcast International speaks to Newen Connect’s chief distribution officer, Rodolphe Buet, about the new opportunities afforded by windowing and the growing appeal of non English-langauge programming.  

Describe the state of the distribution sector in a few sentences.

For five years now, the distribution sector has been facing many ups and downs with a lot of disruption, 2024 probably being the most challenging year of the decade. The public linear channels budgets are shrinking as are the ad revenues of private linear channels, and streamers are reinventing their model by adjusting their strategy to the ad-tier offers and exploring new genres such as sport and entertainment formats.

At Newen Connect, we have been anticipating this new era, investing into must-have and event programmes, exploring new models and high-end coproductions, and innovating with never-seen-before formats such as the TF1/Netflix new daily show Tout Pour La Lumière.

2) What is the biggest challenge for the global distribution industry in 2025?

One of the major challenges for the distribution industry in 2025 is the aggregation phenomena, visible in pay TV as well as TV channels. More and more streamers such as TF1+ are offering their service as part of a package and others are clearly showing their willingness to become aggregators, concentrating the gateways through which programmes can be sold.

This phenomenon also applies to European channels, which are starting to prioritise their own content over external offers. It represents a unique opportunity for players like Newen Connect or other integrated studios who have the chance to be part of major groups like TF1, RTL, ZDF or ITV, allowing them to access ambitious projects with global reach.

Alongside this new way in which traditional partners function, we have observed a notable rise of AVOD/FAST players with actors like YouTube or Roku getting closer to becoming aggregators; another phenomenon opening new partnerships opportunities.

What is the biggest opportunity for the global distribution industry in 2025?

There are many different opportunities: multi-windowing, coproduction, local opening to the world, ability to combine audiences and strengthening of the value of IP we finance and distribute.

If I had to stress one, I would say the commissioners’ mindset: they are shifting from developing shows exclusively for their subscribers or audiences to partners creating mainstream stories entertaining wider audiences for shared ownership of event programmes.

If I may, I will bring a second major opportunity: the increasing international attractiveness of non-English programs. The world is more open to these productions as they keep breaking records over the globe, [becoming] platforms’ top programes and walking away with multiple prizes at major award ceremonies (e.g. Shōgun, Squid Game, Lupin, HIP). In this context, European distributors like Newen Connect have the chance to access fantastic locally-developed IP. These programs are empowered and enhanced by regional broadcasters such as TF1, with ready-made or format potential in key markets like Germany, Italy or the US, giving us an incredible opportunity to stand out from the crowd.

How have discussions with buyers (both commissioners and acquisitions execs) changed in the last 12 months?

Our discussions with buyers have evolved a great deal in the past few months. The combination of linear broadcasters looking for event series and the shift of streamers towards ad-revenue models pushes them to partner on mainstream programs appealing to the commercial audience. Newen Connect has developed a unique expertise to support such programmes, with the pre-financing of ambitious projects such as Cat’s Eyes or We Come in Peace.

The need for event programs has increased broadcasters’ flexibility with regard to multi-broadcaster partnerships and windowing, making our matchmaker role ever more important. One of our next steps is now to expand this know-how and close tie with streamers and linear channels to AVOD partners, including players like YouTube.

Where is growth going to come for your business in 2025 and beyond?

We strongly believe our future growth will come from three avenues:

1. Our ability to combine and bring together the resources of linear channels, streamers and AVOD players: sharing a big pie, creating long term value, IPs, is better than no pie to share;

2. Shifting our business model from gap deficit to financing engineering, including soft money optimisation, coproduction/prefinancing, and potentially cashflow;

3. B2C marketing strategy.

This approach will enhance our positioning shift from a major local distributor to a recognised production launch facilitator enabling all of the lights to turn green when needed so and will establish us as a reference in the European distribution landscape.

How important are global streamers to scripted coproductions and how do you expect their changing positions regarding rights will affect your pipeline?

Newen Connect has understood the necessity to consider streamers as essential partners. For the past few years, they have been playing a central role in funding scripted programs through coproduction, making it possible for projects like Women at War to emerge (TF1 and Netflix). This partnership marked the beginning of a solid, lasting relation, as our will is now to strengthen our ties with streamers.

To do so, we aim to fortify our know-how in the development of programs based on strong IPs. This strategy was already implemented this year with Cat’s Eyes, which permitted to build the group’s new success. We are also conscious that streamers’ coproduction fundings are increasingly directed towards programmes with local identities. Newen Connect has already secured the upcoming launch of such formats, with shows like Belcanto in Italy or Memento Mori in Spain. Our goal as an international distributor is thus to keep promoting coproductions with local roots while ensuring their global potential, to maintain a privileged connection to streamers.