World Screen NATPE Budapest 2012

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THE MAGAZINE OF INTERNATIONAL MEDIA • JUNE/JULY 2012

www.worldscreen.com

NATPE Budapest Edition

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contents

JUNE-JULY 2012/NATPE BUDAPEST EDITION Publisher Ricardo Seguin Guise

departments WORLD VIEW

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Editor Anna Carugati

A note from the editor.

UPFRONT

Executive Editor Mansha Daswani

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New shows on the market.

MILESTONES

TV 2 Norway’s John Ranelagh.

WORLD’S END

Managing Editor Kristin Brzoznowski

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In the stars.

Contributing Editor Elizabeth Guider

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22

Special Projects Editor Jay Stuart Editor, Spanish-Language Publications Elizabeth Bowen-Tombari

special report

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EYES ON EASTERN EUROPE While linear channels across Central and Eastern Europe remain guarded about acquisitions, new business opportunities are opening up for distributors on digital and VOD platforms.

—Kristin Brzoznowski

MODERN TIMES GROUP’S HANS-HOLGER ALBRECHT

Online Director Simon Weaver

Art Director Phyllis Q. Busell

As president and CEO, Albrecht has steered the group through turbulent economic times in some territories, while always looking ahead to new technologies and opportunities.

—Anna Carugati

Sales & Marketing Director Cesar Suero Business Affairs Manager Terry Acunzo Sales & Marketing Assistant Vanessa Brand Senior Editors Bill Dunlap Kate Norris

on the record

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Editorial Assistant, Spanish-Language Publications Jessica Rodriguez

Production Director Meredith Miller

one-on-one

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Executive Editor, Spanish-Language Publications Rafael Blanco

TV NOVA’S JAN ANDRUSKO

The CEO talks about the programming mix of blockbuster movies, hit TV series from the West and local news that has made TV Nova, which launched in 1994, a leader in the Czech TV market.

Contributing Writers Chris Forrester Juliana Koranteng Mihir Shah David Wood

—Anna Carugati

These targeted magazines appear both inside World Screen and as separate publications.

RED HOT! Central and Eastern European countries have become avid buyers of formats from the international market 46

46 LICENSE TO THRILL Preschool and boys’ action remain the most lucrative, and competitive, arenas for toys and other consumer products based on TV shows 64…INTERVIEW

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AG Properties’ Jeffrey Conrad 72

THE MOST TRUSTED NAME IN INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

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Ricardo Seguin Guise, President Anna Carugati, Executive VP & Group Editorial Director Mansha Daswani, Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development

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world view

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR ANNA CARUGATI

European Family Drama Have you heard of the joke that goes: Heaven in Europe is where the mechanics are German, the cooks are French, the cops are British, the lovers are Italian and the Swiss organize everything, while hell in Europe is where the mechanics are French, the cooks are British, the cops are German, the lovers are Swiss and the Italians organize everything.

Yes, it’s full of unfair generalizations, but if you got a chuckle out of it then the stereotypes still ring true. And if that is the case, it is also true that the decades-long efforts to unite Europe have not only been fraught with political, financial and ideological challenges, but have also been underpinned by the reality that Europe is made up of people with significantly different customs and cultures.

Just think of bringing together your extended families for holidays or celebrations. Do those gathering always go smoothly? There is the stern aunt preaching to the younger family members the importance of acting responsibly, saving money and not giving in to impulsive behavior (think Angela Merkel).Then there are the happygo-lucky, live-for-the-moment cousins; typically handsome, with an enviable air of being TELEVISION AND POP so cool (think Greece, Spain, Italy). But when you, the younger ordinary cousin (think European taxpayer), scratch the surface, you discover CULTURE CONTINUE that they can’t hold a job, have no savings and are living way beyond their means, knowing in the end, their dear old aunt and other TO PROVIDE that family elders (think European Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the COMMON THREADS European Commission) will eventually bail them out. And what will that leave you, younger cousin? Will you still have the inheriTHAT CONNECT tance and the future you were promised?

Yeah, family dynamics are always tough. Just as it’s RECESSION-WEARY hard for individuals to change, so is it difficult for countries to shrug off mind-sets that have been ingrained for decades. Not only is VIEWERS IN EUROPE. what the European countries are going through now painful and difficult, but the “European family drama” has extremely serious implications for countries outside the embattled Eurozone.

Far be it from me to try to comment on the whether or not Greece should be let out of the euro, or if François Hollande’s calls for stimulating growth are better than Angela Merkel’s recipe for austerity. I have trouble enough balancing my checkbook. But I do know that what is happening in Europe is pretty scary and that a lot of people are experiencing extreme hardships because of high unemployment and dismal prospects for improvements.

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I grew up with one foot on each side of the Atlantic, in the U.S. and in Italy, where I lived for 20 years and traveled pretty extensively around Europe. I revered European countries. As an adolescent, to me, Europe was synonymous with decorum, formality. I felt the weight of history as I walked on the stones of the Forum in Rome or down boulevards in Paris or past Buckingham Palace in London. I was enraptured by the art, the architecture and the richness of the culture. Life and language were more formal in Europe; so was attire.We never ventured into downtown Milan or into a restaurant without dressing properly. It was expected. In America, by contrast, jeans and T-shirts were universally accepted. Europe, to my young eyes, was wise, authoritative, tradition-bound. In short, Europe deserved respect.

Perhaps that is why I am so saddened when I read the news coming from Europe now. Rome wasn’t built in a day, they say. It is worth remembering that the concept of a unified Europe has been at least 60 years in the making, starting in the post-World War II years, taking a giant leap with the Treaty of Maastricht in 1992 and beyond.Witnessing all the work that has been done to build a kind of United States of Europe, with its own currency, to better compete in the global economy, history sort of chuckles, reminding us that the member states of the European Union have centuries of their own ingrained thinking, lifestyles and culture.These don’t vanish just to comply with a treaty.

I recall traveling through Europe and meeting contemporaries from many countries. We compared school and work experiences and interests.As different as we were, there were common threads among us: music, movies and TV shows that traveled from country to country: from the U.S. Dallas and Dynasty, from Germany Derrick, from Britain Inspector Morse, from France Navarro, from Italy La Piovra.

Television and pop culture continue to provide common threads that connect recession-weary viewers in Europe. In this issue we look at finished programs and formats that successfully cross borders. We talk to MTG’s Hans-Holger Albrecht,TV Nova’s Jan Andrusko and TV 2 Norway’s John Ranelagh. The recession is on the minds of all of them, but so is offering top-quality programming.

Generalizations about certain European traits still ring true. So does the fact that, particularly in tough times, people want to be entertained, and TV programming fits the bill.

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upfronts A+E Networks www.aetninternational.com Dance Moms

• 7 Days of Sex • Dance Moms • Ice Road Truckers

Flagship titles from the HISTORY catalogue, including Ice Road Truckers and Pawn Stars, have been popular for A+E Networks in Central and Eastern Europe.

More recently, titles from A+E’s Lifetime catalogue have been garnering buyers’ attention, reports Jo Lovell, the company’s director of content sales for Europe. The portfolio includes Dance Moms, 7 Days of Sex and The Conversation with Amanda de Cadenet. Also from Lifetime, A+E is highlighting the 2012 catalogue of TV movies, including Liz & Dick, starring Lindsay Lohan.

“There is a strong demand for our high-quality content in the CEE

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region, and as a result, our business has seen year-on-year growth.

—Jo Lovell

ALL3MEDIA International www.all3mediainternational.com • Are You Normal?

• The Pitch • Berlin: Day & Night

ALL3MEDIA International’s format business in CEE has shown “strong growth this year,” while finished program sales have “remained constant with last year.” Stephen Driscoll, the company’s senior VP of sales, says both genres will be a priority in Budapest.There are constructed-reality formats, including Berlin: Day & Night, and quiz shows such as Are you Normal? As for finished programming, the slate include the political thriller The Coup and the Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries detective series.The reality programming Undercover Boss and The Pitch lead the factual slate.

“Overall business in the CEE region has been above expectations.

”

—Stephen Driscoll

Are You Normal?

Armoza Formats www.armozaformats.com

“Since Armoza Formats was founded, we’ve had strong relationships with broadcasters in the CEE region.”

—Avi Armoza

• We Believe in You • House Call • Exposed

There are many cultural similarities between Israel and CEE, says Avi Armoza, the CEO of the Tel Aviv–based Armoza Formats. “Not only is the content compatible, but Israeli TV production budgets are also similar to CEE budgets in that the production value is quite high, while the costs are quite low.” We Believe inYou watches as a group of friends get the chance to realize a lifelong dream. House Call helps families assess the negative effects of stress, poor diet and bad habits in their lives. Exposed is a daily drama about married co-anchors of the nation’s must-watch nightly news.

Exposed

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Azteca www.comarex.tv

• The Bride Behind the Veil • Love Me

Latin productions continue to be “a must” for many channels in Central and Eastern Europe, says Adela Velasco, who handles sales for Europe and Africa at Comarex.

She admits, though, that interest for the product comes in waves. “Some territories will continuously screen telenovelas, whilst others, after screening an overwhelming number of telenovelas, will hold back for a short period and will then start over again.”

Velasco calls telenovelas Comarex’s “star product,” and says that the company has been starting to offer shorterform series, of around 20 hours of programming. “These are doing extremely well, too,” she adds. Velasco highlights Daniela, Morena and Love Me Again as recent bestsellers, but hopes to close new sales in the region for The Bride Behind the Veil and Love Me at NATPE Budapest. “Our telenovelas are innovative, offer great story lines, are full of suspense, romance, drama and of course true love—a winning combination that appeals to buyers and engages audiences.”

“Telenovelas are still

very popular and a prime need for some TV channels in Central and Eastern Europe.

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—Adela Velasco

The Bride Behind the Veil

Beyond Distribution www.beyond.com.au • World’s Weirdest Restaurants • Obsessions • Dark Minds

Allowing viewers to experience the world from its obsessive side, Obsessions is a travel documentary series that looks at certain behaviors of Chinese, Japanese, Indians, Koreans and Filipinos. Part travel show, part food series, World’s Weirdest Restaurants showcases some of the most unusual, high-concept eating establishments from around the globe. These titles top the list of highlights from Beyond Distribution, alongside Dark Minds, which brings fresh eyes to unsolved serial-killer investigations.

“The needs of channels across CEE are fluid,” says Karen Connell, the VP of sales for Scandinavia, Benelux, Central and Eastern Europe, Israel and South Africa at Beyond. “At the moment, children’s programming and male-skewed factual are most popular, but demand could easily lean toward female-skewed lifestyle and science documentary programming next year, in which case we will see a different set of clients acquiring.”

“The general feeling in the marketplace is that

business has slowed in CEE. However, we are beginning to see improvements since MIPTV.

”

—Karen Connell Obsessions

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Breakthrough Entertainment www.breakthroughentertainment.com

“Our factual and lifestyle programs already

• David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway • Summerhood • Edge of War

After being absent from last year’s market in Budapest, Breakthrough Entertainment is gearing up to introduce several new titles for its Eastern and Central European clients across all genres. “David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway, the next installment of the ever-popular David Rocco franchise, is one of our latest lifestyle series that we are bringing to NATPE Budapest,” says Kate Blank, the company’s director of international distribution.

“Breakthrough Entertainment’s movie division will be presenting our latest film titles, including the coming-ofage feature Summerhood, narrated by John Cusack. Our factual and documentary programming has grown significantly and will appeal to our history, social, science and current-affairs buyers.” She points to the recently released Edge of War, which she describes as a “fast-paced documentary series that details the critical actions of world leaders—from Margaret Thatcher to Fidel Castro— and the complex political and strategic reasons they were compelled to declare war.”

have a successful track record of performing strongly for our broadcasters in Central and Eastern Europe.

”

—Kate Blank

David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway

Cineflix Rights www.cineflixrights.com

“Our experience is that buyers in the Central

• I Human • Food Factory • Massive Moves

European territories are looking for new content, new ways of storytelling and high production standards.

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The trio of titles that Cineflix Rights is touting for NATPE Budapest offers co-viewing experiences for men and women, says Chris Bonney, the CEO of rights at Cineflix Media. He adds that they appeal to a wide target audience, “rather than niche viewers, which the buyers tell us is more important than ever.”

All three titles are “fresh, innovative and deal with topics in a new and engaging way,” Bonney continues. “For example, I Human is a blue-chip science documentary which includes material that has never been seen before such as groundbreaking medical procedures. It’s filmed in 3D but also available in 2D to give buyers the option to take either version. Similarly, Food Factory goes beyond a normal food show, by using clever engineering to demonstrate to viewers in an engaging and informative way how some of the most well known foods they eat are actually produced. Something they may not have thought about before! Massive Moves is a spin-off of our bestselling show Huge Moves, which has sold worldwide.”

Massive Moves

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—Chris Bonney

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Dori Media Group www.dorimediadistribution.com • New York • Galis • The Money Pump

The prime-time game show The Money Pump, part of the Dori Media Distribution catalogue, puts contestants headto-head in front of a money pump, where they race against the clock to answer trivia questions.The studio-based show recently launched on Channel 2 in Israel “with amazing ratings,” according to Elena Antonini, the VP of sales for Dori Media Distribution. “We believe our entertainment formats will be appealing for our European buyers, especially since they are mostly based in low production budgets and are cost-effective, generating good ratings at a reasonable [price].”

Dori is also presenting New York and Galis. The daily crime drama NewYork was produced by Dori Media Darset for Israel’s YES. It follows the son of the head of a notorious crime family who comes to New York to escape his past. Galis is a teen series that centers on foster kids who come together at an élite summer camp after a mysterious donation is received.The show was originally produced by Dori Media Darset for Noga Communications.

New York

“We are presenting very universal

stories which can be easily adapted, dubbed or subtitled and work in all cultures and territories.

”

—Elena Antonini

Fox Telecolombia www.foxtelecolombia.com • Lynch • Kdabra • Tabú Latin America

Making its first trip to NATPE Budapest, Fox Telecolombia is bringing with it a slate of telenovelas, series, documentaries, reality and variety shows. Among these offerings is Lynch, a series produced for Moviecity, which operates a bouquet of premium cable networks in Latin America. Kdabra, currently in its third season, has been a success in Latin America, says Ana María Barreto, the commercial director for Fox Telecolombia, who hopes to bring the show into territories across Central and Eastern Europe.

Tabú Latin America is a documentary that explores the practices of different cultures across the continent.

“We are looking forward to learning about this emerging and important market,” Barreto says of her goals for NATPE Budapest. “For the last year we have contacted clients in this part of the world that we haven’t met personally and we are glad that we will have the opportunity to do so. And, of course, we are excited that we will have the chance to show our company and its products to new potential clients.”

Lynch

“Our industry is

now, more than ever, looking for the best content…. We at Fox Telecolombia offer this.

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—Ana María Barreto

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Mediaset Distribution www.mediasetdistribution.com • Tuscan Passion • Gourmet Wars • The Chosen

“We hope that we can continue to strengthen our business relationships in territories in Central and Eastern Europe.

”

A key focus for Mediaset Distribution at NATPE Budapest is to introduce buyers to its unscripted formats. “This is a new area for us and we are offering some great entertainment and docu-formats which are new to the Central and Eastern European market,” says Clare McArdle, the international sales manager at Mediaset.

“We believe in these properties and we strongly recommend that TV producers check them out.”

Among the series Mediaset will have on offer for buyers is Tuscan Passion, a new show that has been performing well on its flagship channel Canale 5. “It is a passionate story set in breathtaking Tuscany,” says McArdle.“It has all of the necessary elements: love, rivalry, intrigue.” There’s also the new comedy Gourmet Wars, which tells of two rival restaurants across the street from one another.

One serves fine cuisine, the other more simple, wholesome food. “We are also in the second season of our wonderfully successful paranormal drama The Chosen,” McArdle adds.

—Clare McArdle

Tuscan Passion

Multicom Entertainment Group • Swamp Patrol • Forbidden Jungle • Documentary collections

The new HD series Swamp Patrol, currently in development, is part of the action-adventure slate at Multicom Entertainment Group. The 22x1-hour show is a police procedural about a group of “Gladesmen” in the Everglades swamp and their personal and professional lives.

Multicom has another HD series in development, Forbidden Jungle. Billed as an action-adventure show for the family, the series takes place a century into the future.The series centers on astronaut Joe “Wrong Way” Murphy, whose trip home from the moons of Jupiter is explosively sabotaged, landing him in the Forbidden Jungle. The show is from writer/producer/director Bob Engels, who most recently wrote the movie Killwinning Hotel, which he will also direct.

Engels was the executive producer of Andromeda. His other credits include Twin Peaks, Wise Guy and On the Air. Multicom also has a catalogue of documentaries to offer its clients in Central and Eastern Europe. The collections showcase Hollywood’s rich and diverse history of music, biographies, documentaries and multiple-episode series.

Swamp Patrol

Forbidden Jungle

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Novavision-MEG www.novavision.fr • Fast, Mad & Explosive • Bubble Comedy Show • Pop Corn TV

Novavision-MEG has diversified its activities to include formats and brand-new HD programs.This diversification helps the company “assert its ambition to be the one-stop shop for short, funny, non-dialogue programs for the whole family,” says Lucy Le Gruiec, Novavision’s sales executive in charge of Eastern Europe, among other territories.“Moreover, everyone needs to laugh: a recent study explained that for every minute of laughter, you produce somewhere around $10,000 worth of healthy body chemistry. If you had to go out and purchase these refined chemical compounds from labs, you would have to pay at least $10,000 for the very same chemistry that your brain is producing free of charge when you engage in laughter. And guess what? You’re sure to have a great laugh when watching our programs!”

The company is offering its flagship Pop Corn TV, enhanced with new programs in HD and refreshed graphics. Novavision is also offering Fast, Mad & Explosive and Bubble Comedy Show.

“Our catalogue has

variety, for every channel that wants their audience to stay in front of the TV to laugh.

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—Lucy Le Gruiec

SevenOne International www.sevenoneinternational.com

“ CEE is a strategically important region

• Betty White’s Off Their Rockers • The Last Cop • What If?

for SevenOne International and we want to continue helping our clients to build successful brands with products from our portfolio.

”

SevenOne International reports that business in Central and Eastern has been positive. “It is a very dynamic region, especially now that we see most markets recovering after the economic crisis,” says Axel Böhm, SevenOne’s regional sales director.“There is a steady demand for fresh content.”

At NATPE Budapest, the company will deliver “a very diverse and high-quality fiction lineup with a proven track record,” says Böhm. “Lilyhammer, with Steven van Zandt, is one of our series highlights. Betty White’s Off Their Rockers scored record ratings for NBC and a second season has just been confirmed. Our detective series The Last Cop and dramedy Danni Lowinski both outperformed Sat.1’s channel average and have just been commissioned for a fourth season…. As you can see, our series do have a great run at the moment.” Böhm adds, “Reality and comedy formats are in high demand. We will use the momentum to present the latest shows from the creator of Benidorm Bastards: the hilarious sketch comedy What If? and The Heroes of the Internet.”

—Axel Böhm

Betty White’s Off Their Rockers

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Sony Pictures Television www.sonypicturestelevision.com/landings/spt/intlformats • 80’s • Cover Me • Breakaway

Formats such as Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Everybody Loves Raymond and The King of Queens have all been sold into Central and Eastern Europe, thanks to Sony Pictures Television (SPT)’s international-distribution division. For NATPE Budapest, SPT has a new crop of shows it’s hoping will get picked up locally.

“We’re very excited to launch a brand-new scriptedcomedy format for CEE called 80’s,” says Ed Louwerse, the senior VP of formats at SPT’s international-distribution unit. “The original was developed by SPT Productions Russia and is a drama following a group of college students living through the dramatic changes of the 1986 Soviet Union. It has become Russian broadcaster CTC’s most successful series premiere for the past three years.” Secondly, SPT is bringing out Cover Me.The entertainment show has already been a success in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and Portugal, Louwerse notes. “Finally we have a quiz format—Breakaway.... BBC has just commissioned a second series following the success of its launch series.”

“CEE is a very

important format sales region for SPT. There is a lot of demand for our properties and they are performing well.

”

—Ed Louwerse

80’s

Telefe International www.telefeinternational.com.ar Candy Love

• Candy Love • Graduates • The Man of Your Dreams

The romantic comedy Graduates features the reunion of two high-school groups 20 years later: the popular kids and the others. Love stories are revived and feelings of the past reappear in this series, a lead offering from Telefe International. “Graduates has already had a strong appeal in several countries,” says Michelle Wasserman, the head of international business, programming, formats and production services at Telefe International. She adds, “Candy Love has been very welcome too, and the ready-made is being negotiated in several countries. It is considered a classic but very appealing telenovela.”

“The Man of Your Dreams has already been optioned as a format in several countries in Europe such as France, Italy and Spain, and it is currently under negotiations in Russia, Greece and Turkey,” Wasserman points out. The series tells the story of Hugo, who is unemployed and feeling the pressure of money problems. Hugo takes a job at a matchmaking agency, where he must play the role of the ideal man for every woman who calls for services.

“Telefe has returned to its origins, producing

”

content that appeals to the family and emotions.

—Michelle Wasserman

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A+E Networks’ The Conversation with Amanda de Cadenet.

Eyes On Eastern Europe While linear channels across Central and Eastern Europe remain guarded about acquisitions, new business opportunities are opening up for distributors on digital and VOD platforms. By Kristin Brzoznowski 22

urope’s economic problems persist, leaving a lack of ad dollars to flow across stations in Central and Eastern Europe and putting a squeeze on the acquisitions spending of many networks.

However, this is nothing new for those doing business in the region. Having dealt with such challenges over the past two years, distributors have become increasingly savvy in the ways they go about shopping their wares. Sellers have been taking a

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territory-by-territory approach to push their most cost-effective, high-quality programming that fits local market needs.

“The economic situation has impacted the different territories in several [ways],” says Elena Antonini, the VP of sales at Dori Media Distribution. “While some of them are suffering a [major] recession, which started in 2010, other territories have grown stronger. Both scenarios are reflected in their content-acquisition behavior. On one hand, some terri-

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quality in terms of what sells. “The local economy can present challenges at times, but there is a strong demand for our high-quality content in the CEE region and, as a result, our business has seen year-on-year growth,” says Jo Lovell, A+E Networks’ director of content sales for Europe.

BBC Worldwide has felt an impact in certain parts of CEE with its sales and distribution business, according to Heike Renner, the territory manager Loaded ammunition: SevenOne believes the detective for Eastern and Central series The Last Cop will be a draw for buyers.

Europe and CIS. “But, tories are taking more time to make thankfully, we can continue to offer decisions or are more conservative high-end programs and established when selecting a title. On the other brands that help broadcasters hand, some other territories signifiachieve strong ratings,” she says. cantly increased their investments in Renner lists Russia and Poland as local productions, opening up alterBBC Worldwide’s biggest markets in natives for new platforms and other the region. “Russia in particular is genres that are being demanded by experiencing continued growth the local audience, such as non- across TV and digital platforms. In scripted entertainment formats.” other territories—for example, For this reason, says Antonini, it Hungary and Ukraine—the cable is important to be aware of the and satellite market is getting more conditions in each territory to and more competitive, which opens “be able to offer them what is in new opportunities for distributors.” accordance with their present Russia and Poland have also been economic situation.” key for SevenOne International, Karen Connell, who handles sales according to regional sales director for CEE at Beyond Distribution, has Axel Böhm.The Czech Republic is also noticed that buyers have been another lead area, he notes. “In the taking a more conservative approach last couple of years Serbia and Croatia to acquisitions. “Current trends see have developed a strong appetite for buyers acquiring less often and only new content as well.The same applies as they need content,” she says. to Ukraine: it is usually one of the first “There is also a preference to buy in countries—not only in CEE but also bulk, as part of volume deals, in an worldwide—to adapt new formats.” effort to keep prices down.”

He continues, “Hungary went Others in the industry, such as A+E through a rough time, but seems Networks, have noticed a flight to to be recovering lately. We also

noticed a slight decline in the Romanian market. Still, we are confident both markets will regain their old strength soon.”

THE BIG GUNS

Economically, Poland and Russia have both stood out for a number of years, says Stephen Driscoll, the senior VP of international sales at ALL3MEDIA International. “Czech Republic, Ukraine and Hungary have also been very active this year,” he adds. “The Balkans generally are not as active [now] as in previous years and we shall focus our

efforts this NATPE Budapest to introduce new shows to buyers from those countries.”

Drama remains the key genre for ALL3MEDIA, Driscoll says, noting that Midsomer Murders, George Gently, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and Skins have all been performing well across the region. “In format sales, our reconstructed-reality programming—Cases of Doubt, Families at the Crossroads, X-Diaries—and our quiz-show format Cash Cab have been stand-out sellers across CEE,” Driscoll adds.

Dori Media Distribution has also been successful in the region with

Feeling the heat: Comarex has licensed numerous Azteca novelas into CEE, including Morena.

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its formats, including the titles The Money Pump, Wrong Numbers, First Love and Simon, among others.

Dori will be at NATPE Budapest with another slate of formats to push for local adaptation.

“We believe our entertainment formats will be appealing for our European buyers, especially since they are mostly based on low production budgets and are cost effective, generating good ratings at a reasonable [price],” says Antonini.

“Regarding the scripted series, we are presenting very universal stories which can be easily adapted, dubbed or subtitled and work in all cultures and territories.”

Hungry for more: Russia and Poland have been key territories for Beyond, which has sold titles such as Chuck’s Day Off throughout Europe.

A ROMANTIC APPROACH

Lush landscapes: Dori is presenting a number of scripted series at NATPE Budapest, looking to draw buyers’ attention with shows such as Galis.

Latin productions are still “a must” in CEE, according to AdelaVelasco, who manages sales for Europe and Africa at Comarex. “Telenovelas continue to be our star product. Our new production trend is to offer good short series of around 20 hours of programming. These are doing extremely well, too.”

Velasco says that Comarex’s recent best sellers are Daniela, Morena, Love Me Again, Fierce Angel, Empress and Under a Red Sky. “With a steady presence in this region, our telenovelas continue to be huge hits— audiences love the themes such as revenge, romance, intrigue, family values and suspense,” she adds.

Action-adventure and disaster movies have been a winning mix for Power in the CEE region.

“They offer the spectacle and escapism that can set a channel’s schedule apart,” says Steve Turney, the VP of sales and acquisitions at the London-based outfit. “A prime

example is Power’s own production Flood, which still commands a lot of buyer interest five years on.”

Family-skewed content is also a best-seller, Turney says. “It’s easy to place in a schedule…. Crime thrillers are a regular staple as well.

For instance, our recent recordbreaking deal licensing 170 movies to HRT [in Croatia] was very heavy in both genres, including family titles such as the fantasy-adventure epic Adventures in Dinotopia and Charles Dickens’s seminal story A Christmas Carol and crime thrillers such as Sherlock Holmes’ The Hound of the Baskervilles and a number of films from the Murder 101 series.”

At BBC Worldwide, it’s the maleskewing entertainment titles that have been selling the best in CEE. “In Croatia, HRT 2 is broadcasting Top Gear for the first time and Prima TV has picked up Top Gear USA season two,” Renner cites as examples. “As ever, high-quality dramas such as literary adaptations are very popular. Sherlock season two, for instance, has gone to MTV Hungary and Fox International Channels in Russia, Ukraine and CIS. “We continue to sell our more traditional programming such as bluechip natural history like Frozen Planet, Earthflight and Natural World to freeto-air public broadcasters as well as niche cable channels. Newer, younger-skewing dramas like Misfits, Bedlam and Sinbad have helped us break into commercial free-to-air channels, and the pay cable and satellite channels are still buying across all genres.”

The majority of sales for SevenOne have been with the larger, free-TV channels in the

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Don’t shoot!: Power has been delivering a broad mix of British drama productions to CEE buyers, including the BBC mini-series Archangel, starring Daniel Craig.

region. “However, the pay-TV sector is growing,” says Böhm, “and due to digitization more and more thematic-oriented digital TV channels with a high demand for content impact the market.”

SevenOne’s “sciencetainment” magazine Galileo has been on the air in Russia on CTC and in Poland on TV4 for many years. The show has also been a hit on Serbia’s Prva and RTL Croatia. New local versions recently launched successfully in Estonia on Kanal 2, in Bulgaria on TV7 and on BTV in Lithuania.

Böhm adds, “On the fiction side, event movies, especially disaster, and family movies as well as romantic comedies are very popular with broadcasters in CEE.” At A+E Networks, primary interest for its programs has been from the pay-TV arena, “where a lot of our titles fit perfectly with thematic channels,” Lovell says. “However, as the content from A+E Networks

continues to diversify, we are able to meet the needs of all types of channels. One point to note is that freeTV channels are increasingly moving towards more character-driven programs: HRT Croatia, for example, is successfully broadcasting Pawn Stars in prime time.”

Flagship HISTORY titles like Pawn Stars and Ice Road Truckers have traditionally been very popular in the CEE region, Lovell says. “More recently, our Lifetime catalogue, which includes Dance Moms, 7 Days of Sex andThe Conversation with Amanda de Cadenet, has attracted the attention of several buyers.And of course, our collection of original Lifetime movies is always successful with our partners.”

In addition to television licenses, there are great opportunities popping up for SVOD [subscription video on demand] deals, notes Beyond’s Connell. “As VOD becomes more widespread in CEE we anticipate opportunities for ad-VOD as well.”

SevenOne’s Böhm has also noticed this trend. “Alternative content distribution, especially VOD, has gained significance in recent years, and we are thrilled to be working with independent as well as broadcasterassociated VOD platforms,” he says.

ALL3MEDIA signed its first VOD deals in Russia, Poland and Bulgaria this year, across a range of dramas and factual series.

Power recently entered a sharedrevenue deal with the Central European Media Enterprises– owned SVOD platform Voyo, “from which we have already seen a financial return,” says Turney.

A+E Networks has made a concentrated effort to target multiple digital platforms in the region, according to Lovell. Current partnerships include ivi.ru Media (formerly Digital Access) in Russia, Grupa Onet in Poland and On Demand Group, which spans multiple markets in the region. “We are

actively in discussion with a number of key digital partners across the region to further leverage our content in the digital space,” says Lovell.

DIGITAL DAYS

Dori Media Distribution, too, has found many new business opportunities on digital platforms. Dori has sold Amanda O, which was produced entirely for the Internet and mobile platforms, in more than 20 countries within Europe. First Love, a docudrama reality show for the Internet, mobile and linear television, has sold to more than 20 territories, including Bulgaria, France, Russia and Ukraine.

“The overall business in Central and Eastern Europe has gone through several changes in the last two years,” Antonini says. “Not only with the economic situation, but also with the new technologies that are becoming more relevant in the business, opening up new opportunities and new players in the industry.”

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MTG’s Hans-Holger

Albrecht WS: 2011 was a tough year with the Eurozone financial cri-

ith operations that span four continents and include free TV, pay TV, radio and production businesses, Modern Times Group (MTG) is an international broadcast group whose business segments include Viasat Broadcasting’s free-TV Scandinavia, pay-TV Nordic, free-TV emerging markets, pay-TV emerging markets and CTC Media, which is Russia’s leading independent TV broadcaster.

Embracing the potential of the Internet, MTG has successfully launched the online streaming service Viaplay.

This over-the-top service was the first of its kind in Scandinavia, and provides Internet access to thousands of hours of movies, sports coverage, TV series, and catchup services of favorite free-TV channels.

President and CEO Hans-Holger Albrecht has been successfully building up MTG’s growth areas, steering the group through turbulent economic times in some territories, while always looking ahead to new technologies and opportunities.

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sis. Did you have to make adjustments in your company’s structure in order to find new business opportunities?

ALBRECHT: MTG has always had an effective operating structure, which has enabled us to retain tight cost control whilst continuing the development of our businesses.

When the global financial crisis hit in 2008 we went through each of our businesses in order to streamline them even further, but continued to invest selectively in content and technology across most markets. The changes in the competitive environment and our own evolution over the last few years have also made it necessary to adjust our management and operating structures. Last fall, we adopted a new operating structure, which enables MTG to become more nimble, and facilitates even more efficient information sharing and idea transfer across the group. We have simplified our reporting lines, made country management 31

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one on one structures more effective and adopted regional management roles and responsibilities.

WS: What business areas do you expect to perform well

this year?

ALBRECHT: We expect to continue to grow as a group

Ladies’ night: Kättemaksukontor is one of the most popular shows on TV3 in Estonia and on its catch-up service, TV3 Play.

in 2012, but are also investing in our operations in order to drive their development.

All three Scandinavian advertising markets are expected to continue to grow this year, albeit at lower rates than in 2011, and we have been investing in our programming schedules in all three Scandinavian countries.

In the Eastern European TV advertising markets recovery is still lagging, but the MTG media house of multiple channels is well established in all of our Eastern European countries, and we are set to capitalize on bundled advertising sales to differentiated audience groups when the recovery takes place.

Our Nordic and emerging markets’ pay-TV platforms and channel businesses continue to grow and our Nordic free-TV and pay-TV businesses have high margins by industry standards. At the same time, our emerging markets’ freeTV and pay-TV businesses are profitable again, despite the investments we have been making in their development.

Our investments moving forward in 2012 and beyond are focused on three key areas: technology, content and territories. In Scandinavia in particular we have invested heavily in our spring free-TV schedules in 2012. On the technology side we have invested in our satellite platforms in Ukraine and Russia, the development of our online payTV service Viaplay and in additional HD and 3D TV services, as well as the re-branding of our premium pay-TV channel offering. Our Viaplay online pay-TV service is evolving and becoming more popular, and we recently launched it in Russia, following its initial rollout and expansion in the Nordic region.

WS: What are the challenges in the emerging markets?

ALBRECHT: The recovery in Eastern Europe has lagged

that in Western Europe, with low or no growth in TV advertising spending and the incumbents maintaining pricing pressure. We did take viewing and audience shares across almost all markets during 2011 and ended the year in a stronger position than we started it, with more channels, higher sales and a return to full-year profitability for both the free-TV and pay-TV businesses in the emerging markets.

Overall, we are well positioned in these territories, with media-house portfolios that offer incremental reach and complementary audience profiles in each of the countries. Our businesses have high incremental margins, and we are convinced that these businesses will deliver high growth and profitability levels once we see a recovery in the markets. The timing of this is difficult to predict, but it’s a case of “when” rather than “if.”

WS: What are the opportunities in the Russian market?

ALBRECHT: Russia is the biggest market in Europe and it

is growing. More than 50 million Russians, over 40 percent of the population, already use the Internet, and TV content is one of the biggest drivers of Internet usage. In April this year we launched the Viaplay online pay-TV service in Russia, and can now offer unlimited on-demand access to streamed TV series and movies. Russia has been one of the big drivers in the strong performance of our pay-TV emerging market operations, which delivered 13 percent year-on-year sales growth in 2011. An important proportion of this growth comes from our Russian mini pay-channel business, which still has good growth opportunities going forward in terms of penetration and financial performance. In the meantime, we continue to develop our joint-venture Raduga satellite platform, which is still in a loss-making development phase, but which is continuously improving its profitability.

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CELEBRATING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF LEADING MEDIA COMPANIES BY ANNA CARUGATI

TV 2 Norway’s John Ranelagh TV 2 Norway celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. As the head of acquisitions, John Ranelagh has played a key role in making TV 2 the country’s leading commercial broadcaster. He acquires programming for the entire TV 2 Group, which consists of the terrestrial TV 2 as well as a bouquet of niche channels.

Ranelagh talks to World Screen about reaching out to viewers of all ages on all platforms available.

screen is homogenous and does not jump around between television cultures and production values. At present we have a deal with CBS Studios International and we share a deal with our competitor TVNorge for Warner Bros. programming, which we sublicense from TV4 Sweden. We have lesser contracts with all the other studios.

WS: How are U.S. series performing?

RANELAGH: Not well! Older, established series still per-

form reasonably well, as has Homeland (but that is an exception). Newer, excellent series—The Good Wife, Blue Bloods— do not seem able to capture the TV audience that they should. There is growing evidence that these shows are being viewed OTT [on over-the-top services] and DisneyABC has allowed its series to stream onYouTube with more and more people finding them there every week.

WS: What factors have contributed to RANELAGH: News has been a loco-

WS: How does TV 2 attract the young demographics?

RANELAGH: Norway has a population of less than 5 mil-

motive for the channel. We have a different news agenda from others in Norway: we look for stories out of the mainstream about individuals, places, events, organizations away from Oslo and around the country. Building viewing habits has been another major factor and has meant that we stay with programs in the schedule for longer than many others in order to give both the programs and the audience a good opportunity to find each other. Hotel Caesar, our daily soap, has been a schedule mainstay for more than 10 years. We have always invested heavily in prime time with major sports events and we have developed successful formats: Idols, The Farm, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Farmer Wants a Wife, Shall We Dance?, The Voice, The Amazing Race.

lion with about 600,000 people in any 10-year range. We now have more than 115 channels competing in Norway, with more to come this autumn. In peak prime time, about 50 percent of the potential audience watches television.

Boiled down, this means that any channel that secures 30,000 viewers in a young demographic is doing very well, but that is not enough to generate the revenue any of us need. So we aim to attract younger people to our secondary channels and simultaneously to find programming that attracts everyone. Hotel Caesar, for example, has had a strong younger demographic within its overall audience.

We also have developed websites and our TV2.no operation to complement programming. Our TV 2 Sumo service provides a popular catch-up opportunity and a library.

WS: What do viewers expect from TV 2?

RANELAGH: News, sport and entertainment. Surveys

WS: What have you learned about the types of shows

TV 2’s success?

show that TV 2 is the national “series master” with a consistent schedule of popular scripted drama. Our news is viewed equally by men and women and skews younger than the competition.We have many of the top-rated soccer events, national and international, as well as the Tour de France, basketball, skiing and winter sports.

WS: What role do acquisitions play in TV 2’s schedule

and in the schedules of its sister channels?

RANELAGH: Acquisitions, excluding sport, account for about 45 percent of TV 2’s schedule and more than 75 percent of our secondary channels.

WS: What has been TV 2’s relationship with the Holly-

wood studios?

RANELAGH: We have concentrated our buying in Holly-

wood in order to: (a) be of some significance as a client and therefore, hopefully, do better deals, and (b) so that our 34

World Screen

viewers want to watch on linear channels and what they want to watch online?

RANELAGH: The same programming is popular on both linear channels and online. That is why piracy, OTT, YouTube et al., are real threats.Young people utilize online for animation and for more violent programming than regulations allow broadcasters to show before 9 p.m.

WS: What do linear channels have to do to remain relevant?

RANELAGH: Broadcasters unquestionably need to con-

centrate more on live events of all types and to commission and broadcast much more local programming.They need to stop acquiring as much as they have and put the budgets released into production not simply of prime-time fare, but of daytime and late night, too. Programs that have a long shelf life are needed so that repeats are available and budgets can thus be controlled better. Live current affairs, breakfast shows and a good deal of talk shows do not conform to this requirement.

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on the record hen TV Nova launched in the Czech Republic in 1994 it was nothing short of revolutionary. Just a few years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of Communism in the region, TV Nova brought television programming the likes of which Czech viewers had never seen before: blockbuster movies and hit TV series from the West and newscasts that were

TV Nova’s

WS: How did TV Nova change the TV landscape in the Czech Republic? It brought huge change, didn’t it?

ANDRUSKO: It was really huge. First of all, you have to take into account that TV Nova was the very first commercial TV [channel] in the Czech Republic. Since the very beginning it was a national and full-format channel, so you can imagine the change TV Nova brought to the TV landscape. Right from the very beginning, and this would be the big story to discuss, it brought a very different style, for instance, in TV news, regarding not

Jan Andrusko independent of political-party influence.

TV Nova quickly became the market leader, a position it still holds today, despite the fact that the Czech TV market has become much more crowded and competitive.

TV Nova was acquired by Central European Media Enterprises (CME) in 2005. CME was founded in 1994, by Ronald Lauder, and today operates 31 commercial and subscription channels in Central and Eastern Europe. TV Nova has always been the flagship station, and currently, with its mix of locally produced fiction and nonfiction productions, entertainment shows, acquisitions and must-watch newscasts, it is able to attract blue-chip advertisers such as Procter & Gamble, T-Mobile, Nestlé, Henkel and Garnier. TV Nova also operates a successful online videoon-demand service, Voyo, which offers catch-up TV, access to sports and music events, live streaming and advanced previews of TV broadcasts.

CEO Jan Andrusko talks to World Screen about the strategies that have made TV Nova such a successful broadcaster.

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only the content but also how the news was designed. There were two anchors presenting the news, that was a big change that had never happened here before, and we had stand up reporters— it was simply a different format [for a newscast], something that people hadn’t seen before.

Over the years, TV Nova has been bringing new genres and programs to its viewers. It started, for instance, the daily series genre.We have long-running series in access prime time but also in prime time. We have introduced the big reality shows to the Czech market: Big Brother, Pop Idol, The Voice, Wife Swap, etcetera.

We have also brought locally produced sitcoms, which were also very new in the Czech Republic. From the beginning of the ’90s in Central and Eastern Europe, people were interested in seeing the big international movies and series, and that is what TV Nova brought. People saw Titanic, Indiana Jones, M*A*S*H, 24, Prison Break, House, CSI, etcetera, on TV Nova. To cut a long story short, it was a big, big change.

WS: In a way it was like opening up the windows and letting the sunshine in— finally there was a much broader view of the world.

ANDRUSKO: Definitely, and I think people were waiting for this, and as far as I can remember (I wasn’t with TV Nova at the time)...it was hardly imaginable for people what that change would bring. It was also very difficult to imagine for the people who were running TV Nova; they thought it would be very successful and [it] has been ever since.

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on the record

G

GIVEN ITS STRONG MARKET POSITION, TV NOVA HAS BEEN THE MOST EFFECTIVE PROVIDER OF MEDIA REACH IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC FOR THE PAST 18 YEARS.

White-hot drama: One of TV Nova’s longest-running shows, Rose Garden Medical Clinic, is still among its bestperforming series, with an average audience share of around 45 percent in the 15-to-54 age group.

WS: What are the programming

ANDRUSKO: Definitely, our news-

strategies that are helping TV Nova maintain its leadership position?

ANDRUSKO: We have a programming strategy these days that is focusing on local production—this is what the viewers in the Czech Republic are expecting from us.

We produce series, local shows, sitcoms and movies. At this point, we have two free-to-air channels, Nova and Nova Cinema, and also two pay channels, Nova Sport and we [operate] the regional [version] of MTV. Our strategy is to maintain the audience share in prime time on all our channels above 40 percent in the 15-to-54 target group, and we are pursuing the strategy we call, in general, One Content, Multiple Distribution. So as the leader of the market we are trying to be everywhere; we are trying to reach our viewers wherever they are.

casts are the strongest news programs in the Czech Republic. We have four newscasts, but the main one that starts at 7:30 p.m. had an audience share last year that exceeded 55 percent in the 15-to54 target group, and it was close to 60 percent among individuals 15plus. So you can see it is popular among people and it is very strong.

We are trying to keep our base in the market, despite the competition, which is growing, and we are trying to bring the most exclusive, freshest stories to our viewers, in a format that is entertaining and interesting.

WS: Does TV Nova’s news still

have a very strong connection with its viewers?

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1.7 percent, and as far as what the government is officially [forecasting] these days, they are expecting some kind of flat zero growth for the year 2012. There is a lot of uncertainty in Europe, especially in the Eurozone, so we will see what happens. For sure, TV Nova is big, and in 2011 its advertising market share was 68 percent. We can say that advertising is definitely closely linked to the macroeconomics, and this is what drives people to spend here and also drives clients to spend, so being as big as we are we have to look at the macro figures—it’s very clear.

WS: What is the outlook for the

Czech economy this year, and in particular, what is its impact on the advertising market?

ANDRUSKO: As you know, we are a publicly traded company, so it’s difficult for us to provide any forecasts like that outside the scope of what we publicly release to our investors. I can say that in 2011 the Czech GDP increased by

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WS: However, your leadership position and strong schedule must be of help right now.

ANDRUSKO: Oh, definitely, but as you can also see in all the main segments in different industries, it is difficult for the big players to maintain their positions, but we have our strategy and we believe we can continue to be a success.

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on the record WS: Are you working with certain advertisers, taking into account that these are tough times for everyone?

ANDRUSKO: Given its strong market position, TV Nova has been the most effective provider of media reach in the Czech Republic for the past 18 years. Given that position, we are trying to help our clients reach their sales goals. We are trying to design the best packages and best products for them—that’s a daily job.

WS: Viewers are increasingly watch-

ing movies and TV shows on their computers or iPads or other portable devices. How is TV Nova satisfying that demand?

ANDRUSKO: TV Nova is also pursuing its programming strategies in

the online world and in VOD offerings. As I mentioned, we have the strategy we call One Content, Multiple Distribution. We are trying to view the trend you describe from a positive angle and we are trying to catch our viewers wherever they are.

We have introduced our Voyo service, which is our VOD product— subscription VOD [without advertising]—that includes international and locally produced movies and series. We’re trying to push this content to whatever platforms we can. We have it available on Panasonic Smart TVs, for instance. It will soon be on iPads and on Samsung Smart TVs. This is the project we are pushing each day.

WS: At this point, is the majority

of the viewing still going to TV Nova’s linear channels?

ANDRUSKO: For sure, the major ity is still with the linear channels.

WS: Are you still acquiring from the U.S. and from other countries?

ANDRUSKO: Yes we are, but we see the tastes of our viewers; they are looking for local content, so we are trying to provide an interesting program mix for them.We have acquisitions, definitely.

WS: TV Nova is involved in a number of charitable projects.

ANDRUSKO: TV Nova established its Nova Foundation in the year 2000, and via the Foundation we are engaging in dozens of charitable projects both on an ad-hoc and a regular basis. If I can name one, which is perhaps the biggest of our projects, it is the charitable project called We Want to Live withYou. It is a big concert in which the most popular stars, including our TV Nova stars, play and sing for handicapped people, who we invite from all over the country.This year we had the 17th edition of this concert and we played for 7,000 kids and adults. But we also are engaging in regular CSR [corporate social responsibility] campaigns. Every year we pick one important project. We support it through a strong media campaign in which we also engage our TV screen. In 2011, we ran a charitable project in support of the national registry for bone marrow donors.

In six weeks of our campaign, in which our stars and I myself were involved, we have attracted almost 6,000 new registered donors, which is normally the number the registry attracts in three years.

WS: This must provide you with a

great feeling of satisfaction.

ANDRUSKO: Definitely, and you

The right tune: The Voice of CzechoSlovakia, adapted from the Talpa format, was one of the network’s big launches this year.

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can see how a strong media player like TV Nova can push these things by the incredible viewership power that we have.

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WS: As you look ahead 12 to 24 months, what opportunities and challenges do you see?

ANDRUSKO: The opportunities are the challenges for us. These two categories overlap in many instances. We will for sure proceed with the implementation of our One Content, Multiple Distribution strategy, which is trimulti, as I call it: a multichannel, multimedia and multidistribution strategy. We would like to launch additional channels, whether as free accessible channels or pay channels. We want to launch at least two in the free zone and a handful of others in pay as long as market conditions allow. And we also want to focus on our online activities, mainly on Voyo, extending the archive and extending the ways we distribute it to our clients.

WS: Did you always want to be

involved in the media business or did you happen into it by chance?

ANDRUSKO: I worked as a lawyer for CME starting in 1999.

I went through all the good and bad with the company. I was the lawyer for CME in the region when we acquired TV Nova, back in 2004. I’ve worked with TV Nova ever since on every major project, including its restructuring, various production projects, digitization, etcetera. A year and a half ago I was given the opportunity by the CME management to be the CEO, which is a slightly different position than I had before, but it’s very similar. I’ve been with this company and this station for a long time.

WS: As your responsibilities have increased, what do you enjoy most?

ANDRUSKO: Media is a very fast, challenging, changing area. It’s very exciting and especially when my team and I are running the market leader in the Czech Republic and one of the most successful TV stations in Europe.

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world’s end

IN THE STARS

Almost every national constitution forbids the establishment of an official state religion. But this secular bent doesn’t stop people from looking to the heavens for answers to life’s most troublesome questions: Will I succeed? Will I find love? Will Mark Zuckerberg get divorced and marry me instead?

Every day, papers and magazines worldwide print horoscopes—projections for people born in a specific month, based on the positions of the stars and planets. While many people rely on these daily, weekly or monthly messages for guidance in their lives, some readers skip over them entirely.

Mark Zuckerberg

Sean Penn

Madonna

Gwyneth Paltrow

Will Smith

Madonna

Global distinction: The Fresh Prince.

Sign: Libra (b. September 25, 1968) Significant date: May 18, 2012 Noteworthy activity: At the Moscow premiere of Men

Global distinction: Controversial pop icon.

Sign: Leo (b. August 16, 1958) Significant date: June 1, 2012 Noteworthy activity: During her concert in Tel Aviv,

in Black 3, a Ukrainian reporter approaches Smith and tries to plant one right on his lips. The actor reacts by pushing him away and backhanding him across the face.

Smith continues down the red carpet to do interviews and sign autographs. The event is captured on camera.

Horoscope: “You’ll have some trouble with a coworker or business associate. Try to keep it in perspective and whatever you do, don’t overreact.” (gotohoroscope.com)

the singer displays a photograph of Marine Le Pen, the president of the right-wing French political party National Front, with a swastika on her forehead. Le Pen, whose father has notoriously been deemed a racist and anti-Semite, is threatening legal action over the defamatory stage stunt.

Horoscope: “Try to avoid controversy today. There are some arguments that you just can’t win. This could be one of those times.” (gotohoroscope.com)

Mark Zuckerberg

Gwyneth Paltrow

Global distinction: Facebook billionaire.

Sign: Taurus (b. May 14, 1984) Significant date: May 19, 2012 Noteworthy activity: The Facebook CEO marries his

Global distinction: Leading Hollywood lady.

Sign: Libra (b. September 27, 1972) Significant date: June 1, 2012 Noteworthy activity: After attending a concert in

college sweetheart, Priscilla Chan. The ceremony takes place just one day after the firm went public in a $104 billion IPO, which made Zuckerberg a billionaire 19 times over.The timing couldn’t be better for the mogul, as the one-day delay means that his money is protected from California’s communal property law.

Horoscope: “There are two significant areas of your life: money and love. How much they intersect is up to you.” (astrology.com.au)

Paris, the blonde actress posts a photo of the event on her Twitter page with a caption about the evening. The photo is of Paltrow on stage with rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West in Paris for their Watch the Throne tour.

The caption reads: “Ni**as in Paris for real.” The Tweet ignites racial controversy, though it is actually part of a song title from the rappers’ album.

Horoscope: “This is a time to watch what you say. Not everybody understands where you’re coming from with your comments.” (gotohoroscope.com)

The editors of WS recognize that these little pearls of random foresight occasionally prove prophetic.

But rather than poring over charts of the zodiac to predict world events, our staff prefers to use past horoscopes in an attempt to legitimate the science.

As you can see here, had some of these media figures remembered to consult their horoscopes on significant days, they could have avoided a few surprises.

Sean Penn Global distinction: Outspoken actor/activist.

Sign: Leo (b. August 17, 1960) Significant date: May 18, 2012 Noteworthy activity: Speaking at a press conference

at the Cannes Film Festival, Penn takes aim at the media outlets in attendance about the situation in Haiti. “It’s not only celebrities who went for a day….

It’s the whole f***ng world. It’s all of you.” He continued on an expletive-filled rant at his Haiti: Carnival in Cannes fund-raiser, which wound up generating around $2 million.

Horoscope: “Stand up for what you believe in and don’t be afraid to rock the boat. Making waves can be a good thing.” (mydailymoment.com) 78

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Matthew Fox Global distinction: Lost alumn.

Sign: Cancer (b. July 14, 1966) Significant date: May 30, 2012 Noteworthy activity: A Twitter fan asks Dominic

Monaghan to persuade his Lost costar Matthew Fox to sign up for the social networking site. The Lord of the Rings actor replies with, “He beats women. No thanks.” The comment stems from an incident in 2011, when Fox was accused of punching a female bus driver.

Horoscope: “Cancer has a reputation for being a moody sign with a sharp temper at times. This is not really the case; rather people constantly underestimate just how sensitive this sign is.” (cornerstone-astrology.com)

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