Play Media bets on the future of vertical storytelling as Play Shorts gains traction at home and abroad

Vilvoorde, Belgium - August 2026

Broadcasters worldwide are experimenting with short-form content strategies, but few have built a dedicated, owned-and-operated destination for vertical storytelling within their own streaming environment. With Play Shorts, Play becomes the first Flemish broadcaster and one of Europe's earliest movers to do exactly that.

The vertical video offering from Play Media has found its audience, and not just in Flanders. International interest is picking up, Play Media has signed Belgian content distributor Primitives to handle distribution rights for 20 original microdrama series. The catalogue will be presented at upcoming international markets.

A new content category built for mobile
​Launched in June ‘26, Play Shorts brings together a growing catalogue of vertical scripted and unscripted content built specifically for mobile viewing. With series typically consisting of 50 episodes running around 90 seconds per episode, Play is responding to the rapid growth of vertical video consumption and the shifting habits of younger audiences, within a local, premium environment.

At the heart of the offering are Flanders' first-ever microdramas. The format has been a cultural phenomenon across Asia for some time and is gaining real momentum in the United States. Play Shorts brings it to Flemish audiences for the first time, through a platform that is broadcaster-owned and locally produced.

Beyond microdrama, Play sees significant potential for vertical storytelling across non-fiction and is actively developing a new generation of reality, entertainment and lifestyle formats designed specifically for mobile audiences. Play has, for example, successfully launched a new vertical dating format, which proved particularly popular among women aged 25–34.

The Play Shorts catalogue will keep expanding in the months ahead with new formats, genres and titles with a new series launching every week from this fall onwards.

Impressive numbers after two months
​The early figures are telling. Average viewing time per session is 23 minutes, notably high for a shortform format. Engagement numbers are just as striking: from a first encounter with Play Shorts to completing an entire microdrama typically happens within a single day. Around 50% of viewers finish a microdrama in one sitting, 75% do so in just two visits. For local microdramas specifically, up to 60% of viewers who start a series watch it all the way through. Less than two months after launch, Play Shorts has already clocked over seven million views, in a region of just 6.8 million people.

Lieve Vyverman, Content Director at Play Media: "Play Shorts started as an experiment, and less than two months in, we can call it a very successful one. The fact that Flemish audiences found their way to Play Shorts so quickly is genuinely gratifying. We take creative risks, we give new talent and new formats room to grow, and it's working. The advertising market is watching with real enthusiasm too, with several advertisers already showing interest. That only makes us more eager to keep pushing this new way of watching. Since the June launch, the catalogue in the Play app has grown considerably, and more new titles are on the way."

She adds: "This is about more than launching a new content category. We are building a new storytelling environment for mobile audiences and creating opportunities for local creators within a format that is currently largely dominated by international platforms. As one of the first broadcasters in Europe to invest structurally in vertical-native content, we see Play Shorts as an important step in the future of premium video."

The launch also opens up new possibilities for advertisers and brand partners. Play Shorts gives brands ways to connect with audiences within a trusted, premium environment through local storytelling, co-creation and integrated brand narratives.

Play Shorts is exclusively available through the mobile Play app at play.tv.

International interest
​The strong numbers have not gone unnoticed beyond Flanders. Play Media is in discussions with international parties, and a first concrete partnership will be announced soon.

Lieve Vyverman: "We're receiving a lot of international attention. The launch of Play Shorts in Flanders and its early success are clearly being followed closely from abroad. The fact that our local creative talent will soon be visible in other countries shows that strong stories from here can travel well beyond Flanders. That's something Play Media is particularly proud of."

Play Media has entrusted the international distribution rights for an initial slate of 20 original microdrama series to Primitives. The catalogue spans romance, fantasy and drama, and is among the first large-scale European microdrama catalogues to be made available to the global market.

Simone de Pruyssenaere de la Woestyne, Managing Director at Primitives: “Microdrama is developing at remarkable speed, and Play Media has created an ambitious slate that combines strong European storytelling with a truly mobile-first approach. The early audience results show the potential, and we believe these 20 original series offer international buyers an exciting opportunity to enter this rapidly growing space."

The catalogue is being presented to buyers at international markets now. Additional titles will be added as Play Media's investment in short-form scripted content continues to grow.

About Play Media: Play Media is one of Belgium's leading media companies, active in television, streaming and digital platforms and producing original content for audiences in Flanders and beyond.

About Primitives: Primitives is a leading Belgian content distributor known for bold, original television formats with international impact. With a strong focus on reality and entertainment, Primitives represents a dynamic slate of shows created by some of Europe’s most inventive production companies. For more information, visit primitives.tv.