Media Group Ukraine (MGU) has launched a package of four international channels aimed at TV viewers around the world.
According to MGU, the package is unique in several ways. Besides being the first such product – until now, there have only been single projects by some Ukrainian TV rights holders targeting viewers outside the country – it caters for the whole family, namely viewers aged 14 to 50+. It is also a fully-fledged, stand-alone entertainment product, containing the best Ukrainian content created in recent years, as well as Ukrainian premieres.
The four channels contained in the package are Ukraine 1 and Ukraine 2, which will offer a total of 800 hours of content a year, and NLO 1 TV1 and NLO Tv2, offering at least 400 hours a year.
Commenting on the launch, Oleksii Kurakin, business development director, MGU, said: “The package of the international TV channels from MGU is an answer to the interest on the part of foreign broadcasters towards Ukrainian content. We were repeatedly asked to start broadcasting the channels of our group in different countries. And as a result, we have worked out a system solution, i.e. a package of TV channels for the whole family. The product is primarily oriented to the Ukrainian community, but we are at the beginning of a big journey, we will analyse the market, the demand and probably adapt the product to other audiences in the future. At least, the titles can appear in English as well as in other languages in the near future. Our heading to the international markets is conditioned by business objectives: the Ukrainian content has the potential to earn money abroad, and this potential should be used”.
Viktoria Korogod, director, ‘Ukraine’ TV Channel, said: “Ukraine’TV channel has a positive experience of selling TV content abroad: almost all our own production series are sold to different countries and are viewed in Europe as well as in Asia. That is why we have decided to step to the other stage, i.e. to form the package of TV channels with international rights. The multiplicity of genres gives us the opportunity to count on the broadest range of spectators who will be able to access both our library products and premieres. We are also planning to supplement the content with the news programmes and live circuits”.
Ivan Bukreev, director, ‘NLO TV’ channel, continued: “In the course of five years of the existence of our channel, we have gathered a large library which can be interesting for young audience and effectively complement our front runners. Especially if to take into account that NLO TV is increasing its own production rates: in 2017 we are planning to produce about 90 hours of film and serial production, and next year not less than 100 hours. Overall, it is planned not less than 200 yours a year. So the premieres on our international channels will be quite frequent”.
Sales of the package, as one unit, will start this autumn and be undertaken by Digital Screens Ukraine. Rights will be available for all delivery technologies, as well as catch-up, with a la carte also an option.
