In this episode of Inside Content, I had the pleasure of welcoming Simon Cox, EVP of Content Acquisitions at Banijay Rights. As part of the world’s largest international production and distribution group, Simon’s insights provided a fascinating look into how global content distribution is evolving in the face of market shifts, changing viewer behaviour, and increased demand for storytelling in all its forms.
Simon shared how Banijay Rights’ catalogue—boasting over 200,000 hours of content across 130 labels in 21+ territories—allows them to offer an incredibly diverse slate to buyers worldwide. “It’s about having a diverse catalogue with something for every buyer,” he said. Whether it's crime dramas, entertainment formats, or non-English language originals, Banijay Rights’ strength lies in its global footprint and adaptability.
One major theme was the importance of balancing creative and commercial priorities. “Distribution is all about taking risk… we're taking a risk based on a pitch or a script,” Simon explained, underscoring the shared creative intuition between distributors and commissioners. Despite budget pressures and industry-wide shifts—like the slowdown of streamers and the “end of peak TV”—Simon is optimistic. “There is an insatiable consumer demand… just how those consumers are demanding it has changed.”
We also dived into the renaissance of windowing and the rise of secondary rights revenues, which grew 36% in 2024. “We have always tried to maximise windowing,” Simon noted, emphasising how AVOD, BVOD, and FAST platforms now play a significant role in extending content lifespans and revenue streams.
Simon’s nuanced take on English vs. non-English content also stood out. He stressed the importance of thinking locally—“foreign to who?” he asked rhetorically—highlighting how French or Spanish-language programming can be highly valuable in adjacent markets. “There’s always been a travel ability of good storytelling.”
We wrapped up our conversation with a preview of Banijay Rights’ exciting slate for MIPCOM 2025.
As Simon put it, “The market is coming back alive after a bit of a tough time. Hopefully some good new stories from everyone—because we need a good, strong, healthy market.”
Key Topics:
- Banijay Rights’ global catalogue and acquisitions strategy
- Balancing creative risk and commercial opportunity
- Trends in genre demand (crime drama, formats, non-scripted)
- Impact of content austerity and evolving streamer behavior
- Rise in secondary rights revenues and windowing innovation
- AVOD, BVOD, and FAST as growth areas
- International content travel ability (English vs. non-English)
- Preview of scripted and non-scripted slate for MIPCOM
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