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Eastern insights, pt1
June 12, 2009, C21
EASTERN EUROPEAN HITMAKERS: As sellers and buyers prepare for Discop East next week, C21 introduces its new themed season with the first instalment of a three-part article on the international programming making waves in Central and Eastern Europe. Martin Buxton and Gün Akyuz report.
Economic growth, rising incomes, increased advertising expenditure and a rapidly growing pay-TV industry are all ingredients that have made Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) a land of opportunity for international content sellers over the past 10 to 15 years.
And although CEE operators have been slow to embrace digital television services, the situation is now changing across the region, notably thanks to a growing range of niche and specialist channels and the inevitable audience fragmentation that the rest of the developed world is already experiencing.
The buzzwords for those public and commercial broadcasters in CEE looking for further gains, or indeed dominance, are 'local production.' Alongside indigenous fare, many of the top channels routinely rely on well-known adapted international formats among their schedule drivers, across entertainment, reality and, increasingly, factual entertainment and scripted. Many more channels are also seeking out tried and tested programming and shows that offer value for money in an effort to minimise risk and exposure in the current economic climate.
But if all of this makes for good sales growth potential for companies looking to sell content into the region, it is clear from the pan-regional commercial broadcasters, such as SBS, Central European Media Enterprises (CME), RTL and Viasat, which have all set up shop across CEE in the past few years, that the route to market is a complex one, and has yielded some surprises along the way.
Like many broadcaster in this part of the world, David Stogel (left), director of programming at CME-owned Czech channel TV Nova, cautions that companies looking to sell into the region should not come with a one-size-fits-all mentality. TV Nova has enjoyed success with the acquired US CSI franchise, which has performed consistently well since its launch in 2005. In 2006, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation pulled in a 49.1% share average while CSI: Miami attracted 48.1%.
But, says Stogel: "Things are different in each country. If you take Ukraine, for example, US productions don't work well there, but Russian productions work very well. Meanwhile, Romania and Bulgaria are more focused on long-running telenovelas from South America, which in turn don't perform well in the Czech Republic or Slovakia. So you have to be selective when it comes to targeting channels in different regions."
Then there's the case of Big Brother. As CME's executive VP for broadcasting Petr Dvorak notes, the reality show has been a big hit in Slovenia on Kanal A over the past two years, gaining an average 29% share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic during its three-month run. But Big Brother fared less well on its sister CME channels in the Czech Republic (TV Nova) and Slovakia (TV Markiza) when it premiered in 2005, and has not been seen in those territories since.
Another more recent example is Hole In The Wall in the Baltic states. Despite its success in Scandinavia, the format failed to deliver for Modern Times Goup's TV3 in Estonia.
Tap the right format though, and the rewards are high.
Poland's TVN created a long-running ratings engine over eight seasons (so far) with its local version of Strictly Come Dancing (Taniec Z Gwiazdami) in primetime on Sundays at 20.00. Meanwhile, Estonia's local version of Dancing With the Stars (Tantsud Tähtedega) was the top show on leading commercial channel Kanal 2 for the third year running in 2008, generating a 24.8% rating and 49.2% share among viewers aged four-plus.
Keen to maintain its reputation among viewers for innovation, in fall 2007 TVN became the first channel to air two locally adapted dance talent formats in a single season. Alongside Strictly Come Dancing (left) season eight, it launched the younger-skewing So You Think You Can Dance? (Po Prostu Tancz!) on Wednesdays at 21.30.
TVN generated further headlines with its big new launch of the fall 2008 season in the form of Poland's Got Talent (Mam Talent!). The show rapidly became the channel's number one series of the season, with an average 38% market share among 16-49s, peaking on a 43% share for the final in November.
Slovakia's take on Got Talent was one of the most successful entertainment formats of 2008 for leading commercial network TV Markiza, pulling in an average share of 26.6% and 59.6% of the 12-plus demo. In the Czech Republic, Pop Idol achieved a 61.9% share for TV Nova.
Swedish format The Farm, from Strix, has also struck a chord with many viewers across the region. It generated a 38.6% share for Croatia's Nova TV and a 45% share of the commercial 18-49 demo for Slovenia's Pop TV.
Estonia's Kanal 2 has remained the top channel over the past few years on the back of locally adapted formats. In 2008, formats helped the channel to clinch 19 of the top 30 shows in 2008 - and two of the top three overall. Formats also earned the channel its best spring 2009 season performance ever, despite the country's precarious economy.
A surprise new hit for Kanal 2 in fall 2008 was its local version of Psychic Challenge (Selgeltnägijate Tuleproov, left). Launched on Thursdays at 20.30, the show became Estonia's third most popular programme of the year, generating a 17.2% rating and 36.3% share, and beating rival TV3's top show, Estonian Idol.
Kanal 2 chalked up yet another success with the launch of a second new format, also in fall 2008: the local version of Moment of Truth (Tõehetk, below). The show became the channel's fourth-highest-rated show of 2008, ranking eighth overall in the market, with a 16.3% rating and 33.8% share. Following its strong autumn launch, Moment of Truth continued its performance into the spring 2009 season to hold its Sunday evening slot with a 32.5% share of viewers in February.
Kanal 2 chose to significantly modify the Estonian version of Moment of Truth. Its version runs for longer than the average 10-episode season that prevails in most other countries where the format has been adapted. "We're running 30 per season," says programming director Olle Mirme, noting that while it posed a risk, the channel was sure of its success and its longer run has made it more cost-effective.
For additional information, please contact:
Romana Wyllie
Vice President of Corporate Communications
Central European Media Enterprises
Krizeneckeho nam. 1078/5
152 00 Praha 5
Czech Republic
+420 242 465 525
romana.wyllie@cme-net.com
