Quebec Invests $289M to Boost Audiovisual Industry, Shift Focus to Youth
Télé-Québec will prioritize content for teens over general audiences as government backs struggling TV sector.
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Quebec will inject $289 million into its audiovisual industry by 2031 as the government launches a strategy to shore up a sector facing unprecedented challenges. For next year alone, the province is allocating $30 million more than previously budgeted.
Télé-Québec, the provincial broadcaster, will shift its main audience focus from adults to teenagers aged 9-17, followed by young children. The public broadcaster plans to meet these audiences on social media with short-form content designed for platforms like TikTok, not traditional television.
The changes stem from recommendations made by the Groupe de travail sur l'avenir de l'audiovisuel au Québec, which submitted its report last September. Young audiences have largely abandoned traditional TV in favour of streaming and social platforms, making content creation in these spaces a priority.
Télé-Québec already tested this approach in April with La mascotte du chaos, a short-form series created specifically for TikTok. A pending federal bill that could ban social media for under-16s may force the broadcaster to reconsider its strategy, but the government said it will not abandon the youth-focused priority.
The shift means the budget for general-audience programming will shrink, though by how much remains unclear. Premier Christine Fréchette and Culture Minister Mathieu Lacombe are unveiling the full strategy Monday morning.