Local content has been a key pillar of Central European Media Enterprises’ (CME’s) strategy since being acquired by PPF Group.
According to data supplied by CME, its programming asset development increased by 88% in the markets it is present in between 2020 and the first half of this year. Furthermore, there was heavy investment in local and both scripted and non-scripted content, with the former increasing by 82% and latter by 110% (scripted) and 72% (non-scripted) respectively.
Digging deeper into the figures on a country-by-country basis, content costs rose by 46% in the Czech Republic, 34% in Slovakia, 37% in Romania, 15% in Slovenia and 32% in Bulgaria between 2020 and the first half of this year. In Croatia, where the company recently acquired RTL’s operation, they increased by 126% between 2022 and the first half of this year. In each market local content costs were significantly higher than international ones.
Equally impressive was the increase in investment in scripted productions on a country-by-country basis: 69% in the Czech Republic, 57% in Slovakia, 75% in Romania, 52% in Slovenia, 57% in Bulgaria and a whopping 145% in Croatia, albeit over a shorter time period.
Since being acquired by PPF Group CME has also significantly increased its sports rights portfolio. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, for instance, it has added such key football competitions as the Champions League, Emirates FA Cup, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1, while in Slovakia and Romania it will offer viewers both Euro 2024 and 2028.
News has for a long time been more popular with CEE audiences than their West European counterparts and CME remains the clear market leader for the main evening bulletin in four of the six regional markets – the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and Romania – it is present in.
Looking to the future and in particular popular formats, CME has indicated that a licensed version of Love Island will appear in Romania later this year. Meanwhile, Big Brother will be revived in the Czech Republic, also later this year, and The Voice shown in Romania and Bulgaria from this autumn.
For more information about Chris Dziadul, please visit https://www.chrisdziadul.com
