CME has come a long way since it launched TV Nova, one of the first national commercial TV stations in Central and Eastern Europe, in 1994.
Although now present in six regional markets, the Czech Republic still remains its most lucrative. Besides TV Nova, its portfolio in the country includes the thematic channels Nova Cinema, Nova Sport and a localised version of MTV.
Following this week’s licence application to the country’s media regulator RRTV, these may shortly be joined by a new service targeting male viewers and with the working title Kanal 5.
CME has also steadily built up its portfolio in the five other markets it operates in, with its most recent move, announced only earlier this week, being the launch of a six-channel paid bouquet in Slovenia. Pop Brio, one of those channels, was already up and running, having been known as TV Pika prior to September last year.
Yet it is the company’s activities in the internet sector that are now arguably attracting the most attention. It started off this year by launching on online VOD service in the Czech Republic. Known as Voyo, it has a premium section (Voyo+) and even includes 3D content in its offer.
CME has since launched VOD services in Croatia (July) and Romania (August) and expects to have them also up and running in its three other markets by the end of the year.
CME’s transformation from a broadcaster to what is now a vertically integrated media group has undoubtedly been helped by Time Warner, which secured a 31% stake in the company in 2009. It raised its stake to 34.4% this March, buying out shares previously held by the Czech company Testora – part of the private equity group PPF Investments – for $60.3 million (€41.8 million) and may in due course increase it further.
While CME’s strategy appears to be largely focused largely on content, further acquisitions cannot be ruled out. It is one of several leading media groups currently linked with TVN, which it jointly set up in the mid-1990s, and a move back into the Polish market would be major coup for the company.
