How to capture young audiences? This is the daily challenge of TFou, Okoo or Gulli, the DTT youth channels or brands. At a time when France has become the 3rd country in the world (behind the United States and Japan) in volume of animated series ordered, 20 minutes examined how the TF1, France Télévisions and M6 groups conduct their broadcasting policy and organize their programming for young audiences.
International influence
For the past twenty years, animation has become a key sector of audiovisual production in France. Admittedly, this production experienced a drop in 2022, but the ordering of seasons with fewer episodes and the greater weight of short series of less than 8 minutes explain this situation which is only temporary, according to the National Cinema Center (CNC) which publishes an annual study on this prosperous market.
Behind the scenes, French production is carried by France Télévisions (75 of the 200 youth programs offered). And in particular the series for 3-6 year olds. “These series were traditionally less well funded because it was considered that there were fewer movements to produce,” says Pierre Siracusa, director of the group’s programs for young audiences. However, since the beginning of the 2000s, we have wanted the same ambition as for other age groups. And success is there. The French series Simon managed to dethrone the British Peppa Pig “, he congratulates himself.
Except Simonother series like Molang (TF1), Miraculous (TF1) or even Oggy and the Cockroaches (Gulli/Okoo) have also become brands with international influence.
Explosion of supply on demand
This is an observation drawn up by the CNC: “The confinements have accelerated the transformation of media practices among the youngest with a greater place in the delinear”. Thus, the year 2022 saw an explosion in the number of episodes of animated series available on subscription video-on-demand services (VODA) or on the ADN, Benshi, TFouMax or GulliMax platforms. In April 2023, nearly 76,000 animation episodes, the vast majority of which are aimed at children, were available online. A number that has been multiplied by 2.3 since 2018.
DTT channel platforms are no exception to this phenomenon. France Télévisions’ youth platform, Okoo, claims 1.5 million views per day. According to Médiamétrie, it and the M6 group (of which Gulli is a member) largely dominate the coverage of 4-14 year olds. Ahead of TF1 (TFou) which is content to reign on the direct (38% market share).
“Our Okoo platform, with old seasons in stock, is a complementary use of live which still concentrates the bulk of the audience”, specifies, however, Amandine Roussel, program coordinator at France Télévisions. But some signs of this new practice are not misleading. “There is a logic of ritual in toddlers, says Pierre Siracusa. For example, an episode of Peppa pig was seen three more than the others because a red bicycle was seen there. You have to adapt. »
Hence the development of this platform which also offers exclusive seasons, as was the case this summer for the 4th season of the series. Hey, Wow-Wow.
A different positioning of the chains
“We are not claiming the educational aspect,” admits Yann Labasque, head of youth programs at TF1. With the box dedicated to young audiences TFou, the largest private channel in Europe offers programs for 4-10 year olds. “The TFou hero par excellence is the nice brat”, notes Yann Labasque who specifies that the channel works “with a psychologist who watches and follows all the series”.
At M6, we also rely heavily on identification. And this, thanks to very precise specifications on the vocabulary, the absence of violence, the hygiene of life and the protection of the environment. “The food charter and healthy living are also elements that we highlight,” explains Coralie Boitrelle-Laigle, youth director.
As at TF1, the target of Gulli, M6’s youth flagship, is between 4 and 10 years old with big successes like Welcome to the Louds or The Sisters. The next big news from M6 will be the adaptation of comics Mortal Adele, first in podcast since this summer, then in animated series in the coming months (probably for the start of the 2024 school year).
Finally, on France Télévisions, it is rather pluralism that is highlighted. “We try to offer different models of heroes”, slips Pierre Siracusa. The latest to date will be found, from this start of the school year, in the series Billy and the cowboy hamster which transfigures an imaginary Wild West.
The podcast as reinforcement on the application
Gulli got the ball rolling in April with the launch of its mobile application which offers programs by age. In addition to original video content (such as the series Milo) or in replay, the audio has appeared there. And podcasts featuring heroes or well-known figures are increasingly integrating the youth universe. This summer, for example, it was the heroine of comics, Mortelle Adèle, who presented “Le podcast des bizarres” by speaking on subjects such as phobia, school bullying or reading.
Okoo is not to be outdone with the launch, before the holidays, of original audio content on the app, also by age group. A new version of Little Prince, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the release of the book, will soon be available.
“The novelty is that children can find their favorite heroes in audio, it helps parents to negotiate the number of cartoons on TV,” jokes Amandine Roussel at France Télévisions. Thus the adventures of ace of the jungle orEdmund and Lucia, for example, can now listen to themselves before going to sleep.