Channel Profile: NRJ 12

Part of media group NRJ, which is involved in TV and radio, NRJ 12 was launched three years ago with the advent of DTT. Now the channel, whose audience share rose to 2.3 % last December, plans to become a full general entertainment offering. TBIvision talks to head of programming Gérald-Brice Viret and head of acquisitions Julien Figue.

TBI: What is the channels’ positioning?
Though it began more with music and series, NRJ 12 is now a full entertainment programming channel that is currently strengthening its production and acquisition activity. Last September, we renewed 80% of our schedule. Our core target is the 15-to-34 demo, but 59 % of our audience is constituted by 25-to-49s.

TBI: What is your programming strategy?
Our ambition is to position NRJ12 one of the leading general entertainment DTT channels and become a reference point for this market. Our editorial line-up is getting stronger with programming ranging from talk shows, reality TV and events, to gameshows, magazines programmes, series and films.

Upcoming programs include local versions of Japanese gameshow format Banzaï produced by Coyote and Telemundo’s dating gameshow Twelve Corazones from Little Big Productions. In terms of acquisitions, we’re also looking for more exclusive programming.

TBI: How much programming do you import?
Acquisitions represent 80% of our schedules. That applies across all genres from films, to fill our theme evenings, but also reality TV, series and events.

We have acquired season two of Warner’s reality TV show The Search for the Next Pussy Cat Doll and exclusive series such as Canadian production Whistler (CTV), German series Turkish for Beginners (RTL) and comedy series Le Cœur a ses raisons, from French-speaking Canadian channel TVA. We have also secured rights for the American Music Awards and the Screen Awards.

To strengthen our entertainment line-up, we have signed an agreement with E ! Entertainment to get exclusive series and shows.

TBI: NRJ Group will launch NRJ Paris next March, will the programming line-up be coordinated with NRL12?
NRJ Paris will work with a team of 15 news reporters and we do not exclude enriching NRJ12 schedules with news formats and magazines from the sister channel.