“25 years ago we did not think this channel would be possible. It started with 3 hours per day, that crazy vision became a reality,” explains Saragosse, who returned to the company as CEO mid-2008. She had been appointed Deputy CEO back in 2005, having served eight years as General Manager since 1997. Despite ample reason for celebration on the occasion of TV5MONDE’s 25th birthday, she says there is little room for complacency when facing the next quarter-century ahead. “The market has changed a lot in three main ways, namely the digital revolution; increased competition and convergence. Not only are there more channels competing for audience attention, there are multiple screens and platforms upon which to consume that content.” It is these three changes that have forced the channel to change and adapt, as she explains. “The spirit of the channel is still the same after 25 years: promoting the French language and French culture – not just from France, but cross-cultural from across the French-speaking world. It’s our responsibility to give many points of view.” She also says that as the channel needs more investment, it has to generate its own revenues rather than relying solely on government funding. “Content and technical pressures need more investment so we have to self-generate funding. Being public funded, it’s tax-payers’ money and isn’t infinite, 100 million EUROS per year worldwide, with capacity on 33 satellites, on 3,000 cable systems; there has to be return on investment for our shareholders.” While worldwide growth is running at 10 percent, growth in Asia is running above the curve at 15 percent. Explains Saragosse, “We have nine different channels around the world, in Asia we now have two channels. From the TV5 Monde broadcast center we are subtitling into 10 different languages – in Asia we added Japanese subtitles from mid-November 2009, then one or two other languages in 2010.” And late 2009 saw the addition of TV5MONDE Pacifique both via operator and on-line. Available live 24/7 on the channel’s Pacific website, the subscription-based service relies upon a dedicated P2P technology developed by SoftBank in Japan. It fills the gaps in distribution in those territories covered by the Pacific signal (Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and acts as a catch-up offer in selected markets (Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan) thanks to a 3-hour timeshift between Asia and Pacific signals. It also marks an entry into Malaysia, marking the first time that Malaysian residents will have access to TV5MONDE’s linear content. Having experienced this system in Japan for a couple of years, and it having worked well in terms of revenue, the decision was taken to extend the service to all Pacific territories – a decision aided by the P2P technology. “In Asia, TV5MONDE has been perceived as an ethnic channel,” admits Saragosse, “but perceptions are changing.” “Having been in Asia for 13 years, distribution was up 15 percent year on year 2008-2009. We are gaining audiences in India, according to TAM data, an 89 percent increase in viewership from ½ million to one million in India. In Hong Kong, churn is less than 0.5 percent for the channel,” she says. “The operators aren’t doing us a favour, channels need to make money for the operator. In the US we’re a premium channel, as in Singapore or Hong Kong for instance; we’re the only French channel in China. We’re measuring in Hong Kong and India now, adding Vietnam and Singapore.” Their aim, she says, is to promote language and culture, acquiring programs, producing shows. “Revenues in Asia are from subscriptions, but money from the government will not increase hence we’re in VOD, catch-up TV, mobile, on-plane. There’s much talk of convergence, we’re really going for it – not forgetting IPTV and the internet.” “Last June, TV5MONDE launched a new web TV for kids on-line, because children aren’t just watching TV any more, some aren’t watching TV at all any more. This service is totally free and the content is secured for rights owners – and for parents. It’s not tied to a schedule,” continues Saragosse. “(Our mission) is for TV5MONDE to be everywhere. Next Summer we will launch a new SVOD French movies service on the TV5MONDE website. TV5MONDE SVOD will offers a wide variety of titles every. (We are) helping these content providers take their content direct to the viewer via TV5MONDE. For operators these will be subtitled in English for instance. On the website we already provide documentaries and theatrical performances, as well as some catch up, but this new Movie section will increase our offer to the public .” Now with 100 percent penetration in Vietnam, TV5MONDE executives say it’s all about accessibility of the content, to encourage use of the French language. “We have four to six hours of English-language subtitles, moving to 10 hours per day. We are subtitling mainly access primetime and early evening. Now (English-language news channel France 24 joins the bouquet, tapping into TV5MONDE’s expertise.” While France 24 and TV5MONDE are very different channels, Saragosse says it makes sense to exploit the synergies between the two channels, especially in terms of distribution. “(And) new media may be growing slowly, but we still need to be in that space – wherever our viewers can come in contact with our channel.”