Banijay Rights CEO Cathy Payne on Surviving Disruption and How to Improve DEI
Australia-born, London-based Payne has come a long way from her first industry job as the assistant for international distribution for Hanna-Barbera Australia. She now oversees Banijay Rights, the distribution arm of the world’s largest indie production conglomerate, selling everything from Survivor, Big Brother and MasterChef to Black Mirror and Peaky Blinders worldwide.
Navigating a contracting market dominated by “streamer correction and general industry consolidation” has been a challenge this past year, says Payne, one complicated by executive shuffling across broadcast and platform groups which has “delayed decision making” and led to gaps in the market, like the sharp decline in commissioning for mid-budget factual entertainment series.
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“It would be good to see when [these] big industry groups [Paramount, Warner Bros. Discovery] will settle and [there] future programming strategy become clearer,” she notes. The child of a working-class family, Payne has always been focused on improving representation across socioeconomic backgrounds, often a blind spot within the entertainment industry. “I believe grassroots programs that grow change can shift long-term attitudes,” she says. “Talent can come from anywhere.”
What was your first job in the business?
My first role was as Assistant to the chief executive, international distribution for Hanna-Barbera Australia, which saw me handle distribution for the Hanna-Barbera catalogue across Asia, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. It was just the chief dxecutive and I, so I was responsible for contracting, content delivery, marketing and finance, among other areas.
What was the biggest professional challenge you faced this past year?
Navigating the results of streamer correction and general industry consolidation along with economic recovery. All of which has resulted in delayed decision-making and has intensified further with executive moves.
What do you see as your biggest achievement of the past year?
Maintaining consistency within the Banijay Rights team and ensuring we pivoted to meet the market challenges. Our catalogue is a vast asset that helps us achieve this.
What needs to be done to improve equality and diversity within the industry?
In my experience, different territories are at very different levels when meeting these challenges. Personally, I have always been very focused on improving representation across socio-economic backgrounds, which largely stems from my own experience. I believe grassroots programs that grow change can shift long-term attitudes. Talent can come from anywhere.
What is or has been the greatest challenge in being a woman in this (still very male-dominated) industry?
The biggest challenge has been how I reflect on my own successes and failures. I have learned to be more thick-skinned in moving on from matters while never discounting the importance of reflection and review.
What current industry trend do you hope to soon see the back of?
Executive movement across broadcast and platform groups and a return of the mid-budget level factual entertainment series; the market is worse for the loss of commissioning in this area. It would be good to see conclusions of where these big industry groups [Paramount, Warner Bros. Discovery] will settle, and as they do, their future programming strategy will become clearer.
What advice would you give young women just entering the industry?
Make use of all opportunities that come your way and remember that hard work can never be underestimated. Reach out to mentors and ask for their advice, and you will be surprised how open senior executives will be. Be ambitious and have a balance with realism about what you can achieve at different steps in your career. When it’s your time, give back to others.
What show, currently on air, would you love to have made?
There are too many to name, but if I focus on Banijay Entertainment’s format expertise, I would like to be representing The Traitors and The 1% Club. Both are excellent formats that can be scaled and customized for individual markets. The Golden Bachelor spin-off has also been a huge success globally, and in general, dating & romance has endless appeal as a genre.
What do you watch for pleasure?
I am a big fan of the Apple TV slate — I find it smart, varied, and very entertaining. I particularly enjoy the character development you see in series like Ted Lasso and The Morning Show.
What do you do to unwind?
Lots of hiking and yoga — I have always been very active, and spending time with my huge extended family. Since living in the UK, I have become a very keen gardener and find it rewarding to create seasonal gardens; it shapes the year. I was late to having a dog, but I could not imagine life without one now. She’s part of the family.
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