branchezvousIn June the Quebec news portal Branchez-Vous (freely translated: connect!) bought 51% of Quebec video site TonClip. Since then it has integrated the video site into its main portal, skinning and branding the page as part of Branchez-Vous.

While Branchez-Vous covers a wide area of news, TonClip's focus since its start in October 2006 had been Quebec video. This does and doesn't work. TonClip carries a lot of the same material other video sites do. The usual viral videos, gags, jokes, car crashes, music clips, etc.

At the same time it does contain more videos which are at least in the French language. Not all of those come from Quebec, by the way.

Branchez-Vous meanwhile is not new to multimedia itself. It runs a technology video blog as well as an entertainment video channel.

It is interesting to see this level of content and property consolidation come in, what is for Quebec, so early on in the game.

As with Mon Avis the question remains not only how large the Quebec market is but how much traction there is for Quebec-only sites. With Branches-Vous' consolidation strategy it seems there is ample faith in the market.

About the Author: Dora Gedeon

Born, raised and living in French speaking Quebec (Canada), I have a unique outlook on the web. Bilingual, I get to enjoy the best of the web, especially North America's part. Native American (Mi'kmaq) too I feel I'm rooted in our countries the way a tree branches out its roots; I'm firmly grounded. From origin I'm a teacher, one who works with children who have learning disabilities and/or behavior problems. Rooted in day-to-day youth culture I get to see and hear what works and what doesn't; which Internet messages made their way all the way down to the young and which didn't. We're a friendly, accessible bunch. With "we" I mean, us French Quebecers. I've you're not from here and have never visited (yet) you may have a mental picture of us which is not really accurate or applicable to us. To get a better idea, simply think of everything negative you have ever heard about the France French. Then take the utter opposite of that and that's us! At Search Engine People I'm the door into the French speaking market. I point out the shades of differences between certain words, certain expressions. Classically schooled in French I make sure the French we use is correct. At the same time I show where and when "we" use other terms and phrases than school French. I also report on Search Engine People on the French speaking web. These posts get translated and posted into English as well, giving everyone a chance to get to know and understand this market too.