Generic mediation of film content on video-on-demand platforms

Based on an analysis of the interfaces of a sample of French-language video-on-demand platforms and interviews with broadcasting professionals, this article examines the influence of the digital transition on the generic mediation of film content. The first part identifies the socio-economic players in the French video-on-demand market and highlights their heterogeneity. The second part analyses the presentation of the film offer on the platforms, using a coding framework for the catalogue access menus. The third part focuses on two areas of tension in a market that appears polarized: the use of descriptive metadata, and the algorithmic management of recommendation.