MCN Studio71 to launch in France

Multichannel network (MCN) Studio71 is to launch in France in September. The move follows the deal signed in January this year between Studio71’s owner ProSiebenSat.1, leading French broadcaster TF1 and Italy’s Mediaset to collaborate in developing MCNs.

Finder Studios will provide content for Studio71 France

TF1 said the French version of Studio71 would lean heavily on the programming inventory of Finder Studios, the digital content outfit recently acquired by TF1, with ProSiebenSat.1 taking a stake as part of the January deal. Finder, founded three years ago by  Matthieu Viala and Dominik Schmelck, specialises in beauty and lifestyle videos and generates about 300 million views a month across YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook.

The deal between TF1, ProSiebenSat.1 and Mediaset in January saw TF1 and Mediaset take minority stakes in Studio71. At the time ProSiebenSat.1 and Mediaset created a joint venture to roll out the Studio71 business model in Italy.

TF1 said that Studio71 France would be able to delivery powerful synergies for online talent and brands thanks to the strength of the TF1 group in France. It said that the Studio71 brand would also reinforce the position of the group’s advertising arm, TF1 Publicité, as the leading content market place in the country.

The broadcaster said Studio71 France will focus on four main areas – comedy, beauty and lifestyle, gaming and eSport, and food and cooking. The comedy strain will lean on the presence of the Lolywood collective, the YouTube comedy channel created by French performers Ugo Marchand, Manu and Choopa, which has 1.6 million subscribers and counts 226 million monthly views.

“With the launch of Studio71 in France, TF1 Group reinforces its premium digital content offering as a destination for young multiplatform audiences. Studio71 France has considerable assets to establish itself as a leading international digital creation studio and to become an actor of reference for digital talents,” said Olivier Abecassis, TF1 Group director of innovation and digital.