Banijay has joined forces with YouTube to establish an Entertainment Creators Lab in France, aiming to explore the rapidly growing creator economy through a new channel, Banijay Creators Studio.
Announced by Banijay Entertainment’s CEO Marco Bassetti at Mipcom , where he was honored with Variety’s Vanguard Award, this initiative aims to connect creators with industry professionals by inviting the dynamic community of YouTubers in France.
While the project will initially launch in France, Banijay plans to extend it to other key markets soon.
“This initiative allows us to experiment, launch, and possibly scale some of our dormant IP, as we have a vast catalog of formats waiting to be revitalized or perhaps even to create a brand-new show,” Bassetti shared during a conversation with Variety at the Grand Auditorium at Mipcom.
Designed as a creative research and development space, the Entertainment Creators Lab will invite five YouTube content creators—each with at least two videos achieving 100k views—to reimagine some iconic entertainment formats from the company tailored for a digital-native audience. Each participant will receive up to €50,000 to assist in their development and the creation of a pilot episode.
During this process, Banijay France’s creative teams and producers will offer mentorship, technical support, and guidance, alongside assistance from YouTube’s local team. Once complete, the pilot episodes will be uploaded to the participating creators’ channels as well as to the new Banijay Creators Studio channel.
The formats chosen for the lab by Banijay France include: “Minute to Win It” from Banijay Production Media; “1ère compagnie” from Endemol France; “Got to Dance” from DMLS TV; “Dilemme” from BProd; and “La tête et les jambes” from ALP.
Justine Ryst, YouTube’s managing director, commented, “This partnership showcases the synergy between YouTube and leading producers like Banijay France.”
“Our mission is to support all creators and facilitate discussions that lead to new opportunities. By merging expertise and leveraging YouTube’s creative community, we are paving new paths for shared growth—an approach that is innovative and perfectly suited to today’s viewing habits,” Ryst added.
Alexia Laroche Joubert, head of Banijay France, expressed, “I am thrilled that Banijay France is the first to engage in this groundbreaking partnership with YouTube.”
“This transformative initiative will allow creators to reinvent our iconic brands within their own digital environments,” Laroche Joubert continued. She stated that she has been searching for an effective way to unite their worlds for several years, and “through this collaboration, we can achieve just that.”
“By aligning with our aspiration to lead in innovation, we are opening our brands to new avenues of expression and creativity, fostering a more open and creative ecosystem,” Laroche Joubert concluded.
Damein Viel, Banijay’s Chief Digital and Innovation Officer, remarked, “An innovative, entrepreneurial spirit has always been at the heart of our business—reflecting a significant commonality with YouTube’s creators.”
“Despite our shared philosophies, we’ve acknowledged the necessity of effectively bridging the gap between us to uncover new opportunities and alternative economic models for content,” Viel further stated.
This announcement coincides with YouTube’s celebration of its 20-year anniversary and its debut at Mipcom. Earlier, YouTube’s EMEA head Pedro Pina participated in an on-stage discussion with BBC Studios’ digital SVP Jasmine Dawson to delve into their collaborative efforts.
