World Screen June/July 2009 by World Screen

THE MAGAZINE OF INTERNATIONAL MEDIA • JUNE/JULY 2009

www.worldscreen.com

DISCOP Edition

contents

JUNE-JULY 2009/DISCOP EDITION Publisher Ricardo Seguin Guise

departments WORLD VIEW

Editor Anna Carugati

A note from the editor. UPFRONT

Executive Editor Mansha Daswani

New shows on the market. WORLD’S END

Managing Editor Kristin Brzoznowski

Production and Design Director Lauren M. Uda

In the stars.

Online Director Simon Weaver

Editor, Spanish-Language Publications Elizabeth Bowen-Tombari Executive Editor, Spanish-Language Publications Rafael Blanco

special report

SAVVY SHOPPERS

Art Director Phyllis Q. Busell

one-on-one

CENTRAL EUROPEAN MEDIA ENTERPRISES’ ADRIAN SARBU

Adrian Sarbu, who took over as president and COO of CME earlier this year, discusses the company’s recent deal with Time Warner and his strategy for succeeding in these challenging times. —Anna Carugati

Sales and Marketing Director Tatiana Rozza Sales and Marketing Manager Kelly Quiroz Business Affairs Manager Rae Matthew Senior Editors Peter Caranicas Bill Dunlap Kate Norris George Winslow Contributing Editors Louise Jacob Bin Liu José Miguel López Daniel McCourt Gerry Regan Jay Stuart Contributing Writers Dieter Brockmeyer Elena Mora David del Valle David Wood

These targeted magazines appear both inside World Screen and as separate publications. FLYING HIGH Latin American novela distributors are

Ricardo Seguin Guise, President Anna Carugati, Executive VP and Group Editorial Director Mansha Daswani,VP of Content Strategy

continuing to find brisk business in Central and Eastern Europe 30…INTERVIEWS Bandeirantes’ João Carlos Saad 38…Dori Media’s Nadav Palti 40

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30 46

DEVOTED TO KIDS Canada’s Alliance for Children and Television turns 35 44…THE BUSINESS OF BRANDS Kids’content owners are searching for innovative ways to get

the most out of their brands 46…INTERVIEW Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ Dave Filoni 48

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world view

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR ANNA CARUGATI

The Next Big Thing Next month marks the 40th anniversary of the first landing on the moon. Live television images captivated millions of viewers as the lunar module touched down onto the moon’s surface in the Sea of Tranquility and Neil Armstrong’s voice came through: “Houston,Tranquility Base here.The Eagle has landed.” Nearly 20 minutes after the hatch on the landing craft opened, we saw Armstrong climb down the ladder and pronounce, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” I clearly recall witnessing those historic images. At the time, we were all completely spellbound by what we were seeing—young and old alike. It was a triumph of humanity, much needed following the tumultuous year of 1968, with its assassinations, riots and political unrest in the U.S. and around the world. It was also a triumph of technology. Remember, this was long before the age of the personal computer, and many of us were just amazed that it was computers that were keeping the spaceship on track during its journey. Yes, Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr. and Michael Collins successfully traveled to the and back with the support and planTECHNOLOGY ONLY moon ning of the team back at NASA’s Mission Control in Houston, but they had relied on PROVIDES THE computers to get the job done. For anyone beyond the scientific community, this boggled the mind. PLATFORM; IT’S And today, what is equally mind-boggling, but completely overlooked, is that the mainHUMAN INGENUITY frame computers used to get astronauts to the moon six times had 300 megabytes of storage, while most of us have iPods in our bags or THAT YIELDS THE pockets with 120 gigabytes—that’s nearly 500 times more storage—pretty amazing, huh? I learned this listening to the commenceCONTENT WE WANT ment address Eric Schmidt, the CEO of Google, gave at the graduation ceremony this TO WATCH. past May at the University of Pennsylvania. His speech caught my attention because in March I had seen him interviewed by Charlie Rose on PBS and was enthralled by the vision of the future he was depicting.After months of bad news, it was such a relief to hear a positive outlook. Both the Charlie Rose interview and the commencement address can be found online, and I strongly recommend they be watched, but this is what impressed me. Mobile phones will be offering a whole lot more in the next few years.They won’t only be able to take pictures, as they can now, but will also be equipped with 6

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high-quality video capabilities. Aside from fun home movies, this has serious implications for enhanced citizen journalism, as people on the street will be able to witness events, accidents, even politicians’ off-the-cuff remarks during campaigns or speeches and send them to news organizations. Mobile phones will also have powerful browsers, and Schmidt says that eventually all the important uses of the Internet will be on mobile devices. It will be possible to read books and even watch TV, but it will be smart TV. Are you familiar with Amazon? When you select a book, you get a little message that says, “If you enjoyed that book, you might enjoy this one, too.”Well, smart TV on mobile devices would do the same thing. It would say,“If you liked that episode of that TV show, you might like this episode, too, or you might enjoy this other TV show because the subject matter is similar.” And in the next ten years, it will be possible to have iPods capable of holding 85 years’ worth of video. Of course, technology only provides the hardware or platform or device; it’s human ingenuity and creativity that yields the content we want to watch on this generation of screens, and it will be the same for the future generations. I firmly believe content will remain king. It’s fine to have a cool new gadget in your hand, but if you don’t have the songs, news updates, video clips, TV episodes or movies you want, what’s the point? If content is to remain king it should be a traveling king—in other words, it should be popular in more than one country. One genre that fully fits this description is the telenovela. It is hugely popular in its home territory— Latin America—but has delighted audiences around the world, especially in Central and Eastern Europe. Buyers in the region are also looking for formats, series and movies, but only ones with some sort of proven success. In this economy, in this tight advertising market, broadcasters are risk-averse.We cover all these concerns in this issue, as we hear from buyers and distributors. Let the technology folks take risks; that’s their job. As Schmidt said, you can’t plan innovation or inspiration, but you can be ready for it and when you see it, you can jump on it. Technology must take us to new horizons, sometimes even in seemingly small steps, like Neil Armstrong’s 40 years ago.

upfront

Mediaset Distribution

Beyond Distribution SYDNEY: Sales across Central and Eastern Europe have been steady for Beyond Distribution, which will be presenting an array of programs, spanning categories such as science, drama and lifestyle, for buyers at DISCOP. Cristina Lowe, the VP of sales for the region, says,“We are very pleased about this, as the economic climate is proving more challenging this time round and maintaining our level of sales for this region is a success in itself.” Highlights in Beyond’s lineup include the drama Dirt Game, the science show Science Impossible, the fly-on-the-wall series Combat School and the cookery program Chuck’s Day Off. “Our biggest hit is Mythbusters, but we have a very wideranging catalogue that covers all genres, from children’s to lifestyle, drama to travel, science to wildlife,” explains Lowe. “We find that science, cookery, lifestyle and reality work extremely well in this region.”

MarVista Entertainment LOS ANGELES: MarVista Entertainment’s focus for DISCOP is to expand on its current relationships in the region, as well as continue to establish the MarVista brand. “We have become one of the premier television-movie suppliers to the international marketplace,” explains Fernando Szew, the CEO of MarVista. “So for DISCOP, we’re bringing out five brand-new movies that haven’t been seen at DISCOP before. They include two movies for the Hallmark Channel in the U.S. that did very well for them, Taking a Chance on Love and Before You Say “I Do,” which was a premiere for Valentine’s Day.Then we have two thrillers: Nowhere to Hide and, potentially our most exciting title to go to DISCOP, Stevie, a paranormal thriller. It’s a movie that’s performed very well across the world and we’re just now presenting it at DISCOP. We also have a comedy, Will You Merry Me?, which was a Lifetime premiere.” Outside of movies, MarVista has high hopes, in Eastern Europe especially, for In Real Life.The reality show, produced in Canada for YTV, watches 18 kids take on an array of reallife job challenges.

Call of duty: Beyond’s Combat School gives a flyon-the-wall look at military training.

ROME:With a catalogue of more than 500 ready-made titles, Mediaset Distribution has its eye on Central and Eastern Europe for the sale of scripted formats.“Local producers and broadcasters are beginning to be aware of the potential that some of our productions have for a local adaptation,” says Patricio Teubal, Mediaset’s head of international sales. The Italian distributor will also be looking for sales on The Tunnel to Freedom, a story set in Berlin just after the Wall went up; The Courage of a Princess, set in World War II, about Princess Mafalda from the royal Italian Savoy family, who was killed in a Nazi concentration camp; and the French adaptation of the format RIS: Crime Evidence, presented for the first time at an international market. The new comedy Join the Family, the Italian remake of Los Serrano,is also a highlight,alongside the mini-series 55 Days to Death, which explores the captivity and subsequent murder of Aldo Moro by the Red Brigade in 1978. “I feel the product we have to offer is varied, so there should be something for everybody,” says Teubal. Recounting history: Mediaset’s The Tunnel to Freedom coincides with the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Shy girl: Anna is a new novela from SevenOne International.

SevenOne International MUNICH: SevenOne International’s programming has sold well in Central and Eastern Europe, and the German outfit hopes to keep the momentum going with continued sales at DISCOP. Titles from its catastrophe catalogue have typically been strong performers. Offerings include Cloud Chasers and Crash Point: Berlin, as well as Factor 8, currently in post-production. Series are also top of SevenOne’s roster, with the likes of The Medical Intern and S1NGLE alongside the telenovela Anna. “Our fiction, format and magazine portfolio caters to the needs and interests of viewers of all target and age groups,” says Jens Richter, SevenOne’s managing director. “We offer programs that will make you cry, programs that will make you laugh, and programs that are full of suspense and will have you glued to your seats! Just come and see us at our suite to find out for yourselves!”

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At a crossroads: ALL3MEDIA’s The Hairy Bikers blends food and travel.

upfront

ALL3MEDIA International

Globo TV International SÃO PAULO: Globo TV International has been selling its slate of Brazilian novelas to Central and Eastern European buyers for years. It is continuing to do so this year, with new offerings such as The Favorite and Forbidden Desire at DISCOP. But the company is also keen to showcase its diversified catalogue,including its new formats slate,which includes Laugh-O-Meter,Wreckovery,The Spelling Game, The Video Game and Xtreme Connection.“These are formats that can easily be produced and are appropriate to channels with different characteristics, be they general or niche,” says Raphael Corrêa Netto, Globo’s international sales director. Another highlight, Corrêa says, is Maysa:When the Heart Sings, a mini-series about the famed Brazilian singer, directed by Jayme Monjardim, the son of Maysa. “This fantastic story was entirely filmed in HD, with 98 percent of the production’s scenes filmed in external locations in Brazil and in Venice.”

Cineflix International LONDON: Having recently expanded its sales team, demonstrating its commitment to the CEE territory, Cineflix International will be at DISCOP with a heavy dose of factual and factual-entertainment offerings. “Cineflix can help our clients succeed during these challenging times by being able to provide costeffective volume deals with both new and returning series,” says Paul Underhay, a sales manager for Cineflix International, “and with attractive new lifestyle formats like The Unsellables and For Rent providing viewers with practical advice during the downturn.” Cineflix is looking to land pickups with titles such as Eat Yourself Sexy, Animals at Work, Austin Stevens Adventures and Border Security U.S.A.

Passion ignites: Globo’s Forbidden Desire is among the new Brazilian novela offerings.

Home repair: Cineflix’s The Unsellables is among the new lifestyle properties on offer.

LONDON: Broadcasters’ needs across Central and Eastern Europe vary widely, and ALL3MEDIA International has a broad catalogue to fill the demand. “Diversity is a key strength of the ALL3MEDIA catalogue and we will attend DISCOP with many new formats and finished programming to suit a range of channel needs,” says Stephen Driscoll, the company’s VP of international sales. “We have appropriate programs and formats for broadcasters and production companies in all areas of the region and will target appropriately.” A priority will be to speak with broadcasters in the few remaining territories within the region that are not yet producing Cash Cab, he adds. New finished programs for the market include Undercover Princes, Brand New Homes, The Hairy Bikers and Chopper Squad.A host of formats are also on offer, such as 10 Years Younger: The Challenge and the financial coaching series Money Man.

Mondo TV ROME: Five young angels—Gabi, Urié, Raf, Dolce and Ang-Li— take the spotlight in Mondo TV’s Angel’s Friends.The series, aimed at kids and tweens 5 to 12, follows the girls as they attend a special class at a school to become 100-percent angels. In order to do so, they must go through a “stage” period on Earth and mingle among humans. Their mission consists of following “Earthlings” in their everyday adventures. However, the girls are not alone, as five irresistible 99-percent devils are also on Earth for the same reason. A further offer from Mondo is Monsters & Pirates.The story begins with the crews of the Eldorado and the Aurora involved in a battle to be the first to find the treasure of the Atoll of the Mists and earn the Pirate School diploma. No one knows who’s going to win the challenge, but a dramatic turn of events leads to an ambush. Other Mondo properties include Kim, Sandokan, Jurassic Cubs, Gladiators and Farhat.

MediaPro Distribution BUCHAREST: In the way of prime-time, long-running series, MediaPro Distribution is presenting at DISCOP the successful Romanian shows Regina and Gypsy Heart,followed by the newest Promance International project, Aniela. Gypsy Heart tells the story of a young gypsy who falls in love with a rich and spoiled girl whose father wants her to marry a businessman.Their love seems to be impossible, yet they fight at all times in order to be together. Regina continues the story line of Gypsy Heart with a renewed approach. The series revolves around the star-crossed love between a beautiful blonde gypsy with a mysterious past and an ex-convict who is determined to have his life back. The story in Aniela takes place in Bucharest at the beginning of the 20th century, in a time when women were forced to live according to strict regulations set by a society ruled by men and money.The period drama is currently in preproduction.

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upfront

Flor Latina Entertainment Group

Armoza Formats MEVASSERET ZION:Armoza Formats has a portfolio of programs it believes can fit the budget of numerous broadcasters while delivering maximum results.“Armoza Formats is dedicated to bringing today’s most innovative and affordable formats to the market,” says Avi Armoza, the company’s CEO.“Each of our formats has a realistic production budget that allows it to be adapted to every territory around the world. Our buyers not only receive high-quality TV programming with proven success, but also attractive production and budgeting options that enable them to maximize [their] return on investment.” Highlights include the hit game show Upgrade, which launched with strong results at MIPTV; The Naked Truth, a scripted drama; and The Saddest Sketch Show in the World, one of Armoza’s newest offerings, an irreverent program that gives new meaning to the term “dark comedy.”

Ready to ride: Flor Latina’s Swindlers is about a pair of crooks who have a hard time putting up with each other.

BUENOS AIRES: Series, game shows, fiction formats, teen telenovelas and content for mobile and the Internet are all in the mix from Flor Latina Entertainment Group. Leading off the slate is Swindlers (Farsantes), which had a strong showing at MIPTV. The 26x1-hour series is based on the feature film Nine Queens, set in a world where falsehood prevails and the truth is unrecognizable. Among the comedy formats available from the Argentine distributor are Family Captain (Gerente de familia), about a 21st-century man who takes over daily management for a busy woman; Male’s Club (El club de los macho), centered on four different male friends who get together and talk about their experiences; and The Diez Family (Son de Diez), a 158x1-hour weekly family sitcom. There’s also a number of novelas, including Living on the Edge (El tiempo no para) and Forbidden Love (Los buscas), as well as a handful of titles for teens like High Mountain: Breaking Limits (Alta montaña) and Friends and So (Amigovios). Game shows round out the catalogue, the likes of Fans’ Club (Club de fans), where contestants reveal who knows their idol the best; The Three Wise Monkeys’Temple (El templo de los 3 monos sabios), testing mental quickness and physical skills; and Luck and Truth (Suerte y verdad), in which the goal is to give the right answer and also be lucky.

As broadcasters throughout Central and Eastern Europe tighten their budgets, they are looking for programs with proven track records that can deliver the most bang for the buck. By Kristin Brzoznowski While global advertising spending continues to decline, television seems to be a relative bright spot amid the gray skies. Advertisers have much less money to invest across all media, but TV is often the last medium to be eliminated from their plans, since they are well familiar with its proven power to reach and captivate an audience.TV has become especially valuable, particularly in these difficult economic times, when stay-at-home, inexpensive entertainment has replaced the dinner-and-dancing date night. Broadcasters in Central and Eastern Europe still have some money to

spend, though guardedly. Programmers are not willing to take risks, nor are they inclined to devote much of their budgets to in-house productions.They often prefer imported shows that have a record of success in other countries. This means that at DISCOP, buyers will be in hot pursuit of costeffective programs to fill several open slots, much to the delight of the nearly 500 distributors heading to market. The content these acquisitions executives are looking for varies from territory to territory, station to station, but a few elements remain

key for channels across the region: the buzzwords resoundingly are “affordable,” “established” and, most of all, “entertaining.” PLEASING THE PUBLIC

As a public broadcaster, TVP in Poland faces the tough task of catering to the broadest possible demographic, essentially all viewers over the age of 4. Since it targets such a wide group, the channel’s programming must be quite diverse, with acquisitions that span a number of genres. “We can’t think only of the commercial potential of our acquisitions,” notes Slawomir Cyra, the deputy director of program acquisitions and sales for TVP’s international affairs department, “although in many genres it plays an important or even crucial role. “The biggest portion of our acquisitions is usually films and drama series,” he goes on. “We acquire few

comedies and recently no telenovelas. Kids’ programming and documentaries are also playing an important part of our shopping for programs.” Top performers for TVP are generally its own drama series, soaps and news, followed by foreign feature films and prime-time TV movies. However, Cyra points out that a notable U.S. acquisition has been a slam-dunk success for the pubcaster: the medical drama House. TVP’s suppliers are as diverse as its programming.“The sources are various. We are looking for some American product but also plenty of European productions. We also do deal with Canadians and Australians quite often.” Cyra admits that the slowing economy has taken a harsh toll on the Polish ad market, noting that the funds just aren’t there to allow broadcasters to pay the license fees that they could a year ago.“It means

Savvy Shoppers

The National Gallery in Budapest.

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A touch of love: Romania’s female-skewing Acasa TV has fared well with pickups from Promance International, with titles such as Gypsy Heart.

we can either pay less, or we have to get more for the same fee,” he says. Though the acquisitions market is “tough” right now, Cyra says that there are still opportunities out there to make good deals. Since everyone is feeling the pressure, working together is crucial and flexibility is important. “On one hand, the distributors are desperately trying to meet their targets and get the money they were used to in the past. On the other hand,TV stations [ just can’t afford to spend that much now]. This requires some flexibility from both sides and I think the parties who understand the situation can still secure deals that are good for both sides. Even within these circumstances, win-win situations are possible.” FORMATS THAT FIT

As one of the fastest-growing TV stations in Europe, the Polish commercial broadcaster TVN looks to serve its affluent audience of 16- to 49year-olds with high-quality entertainment programs. “There are no obligatory targetspecific programming blocks [in our

prostu ta´ncz! (You Can Dance) and Taniec z gwiazdami (Strictly Come Dancing)—all of which proved to be top performers. Since many of these formats can be costly to produce, Miszczak explains, TVN has grown increasingly choosy when it comes to deciding which shows make the cut. “We verify in detail the results that the programs achieved in other markets and the audience that they target.Then we decide whether the format fits our audience and our expectations.” He adds that buying from large distribution companies, who often prefer volume deals, limits the possibility of picking individual programs. Limited choice is an issue that Miszczak is struggling with lately when checking his shopping list. He notes,“We are looking for good, quality entertainment programs.” Unfortunately,no formats as successful as Big Brother, Idols or Strictly Come Dancing are currently being offered, he says.“The lack of new ideas for entertainment programming was visible during this year’s Rose d’Or festival.” He also says that since the number of thematic channels is on the rise, the demand for new formats is greater than ever; he points to tal-

ent shows as “the most successful [programming] on the market.” Part of the Central European Media Enterprises (CME) group of stations, Romania’s Pro TV focuses on a programming strategy that includes top international series and Hollywood movies, which complement its very successful locally produced fiction and news.Pro TV targets an urban demo of 18- to 49-year-olds. HURRAY FOR HOLLYWOOD

The channel’s top-rated local productions include entertainment shows, news programs and TV series. Happy Hour, hosted by Catalin Maruta, is an hour-long live entertainment show that gives Romanian viewers the latest news about stars and showbiz. Dancing for You (Dansez pentru tine), hosted by Romanian TV star and singer Stefan Banica, Jr., and Iulia Vantur, an anchorwoman from Pro TV News, combines entertainment and social issues. In the way of U.S. acquisitions, CSI: Miami and Gossip Girl have both been top draws with Romanian viewers. Pro TV also airs Hollywood movies the likes of The Long Kiss Goodnight, Half Past Dead, The Girl Next Door, 3:10 to Yuma, A Knight’s Tale and Blade:Trinity.

schedule],” Edward Miszczak, the programming director and VP of TVN, says of the channel’s breakdown. “In general, the later it is in the day, the more we narrow the target audience of the channel. From 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. we focus on a mass audience; starting from 8 p.m. we broadcast films, series and big entertainment shows. From 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. we target a younger, more demanding audience.” Polish versions of hit entertainment programs have shaped much of TVN’s schedule, starting with the pickup of a hit Endemol reality show that spurred the trend. “The success of TVN was built on the reality show Big Brother,” explains Miszczak. “Big Brother recorded an audience share of more than 51 percent.” This led to the local adaptations of a number of entertainment shows— Mam talent! (Got Talent), Po Forever young: One of the most popular series airing on Polish pubcaster TVP is L for Love. 16

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“The movies perform very well for our channels,” says Sorina Big, the acquisitions manager for Pro TV, “especially those acquired under the studio deals we have, and also some high-profile features acquired from independent distributors.” Looking to fill the 40 percent of the schedule that comes from acquisitions, Big says prime-time buys are a top priority, from either studios or independents. Action and comedy are top picks, but Big also says that drama titles could be in the mix. Pro TV recently secured an exclusive output agreement with Tandem Communications, covering the entire distribution slate of TV movies and series from the Munich-based outfit. Tandem’s newly announced Patricia Cornwell franchise is part of the deal, which covers all new programming to be made or distributed by Tandem over the next three years. Pro TV already picked up Tandem’s eighthour limited series The Pillars of the Earth, based on the bestseller written by Ken Follett.Also from the Tandem catalogue, the mini-series Ring of the Nibelungs and the movie Lost City Raiders have already performed well for the Romanian network. FEMALE FOCUSED

Also under the CME umbrella, Acasa TV, launched some ten years ago as Romania’s first niche channel, has garnered increasingly higher viewing figures—sometimes even surpassing those of the mainstream channels— since adapting its content to suit its target female audience. Because it caters to this demo, particularly the 15-to-49 set, Acasa TV’s programming is not as diverse as that of other channels. Telenovelas account for the bulk of the schedule, along with concert performances and movies, most of which are romantic comedies and dramas. Ines Nastasoiu, the acquisitions manager for Acasa TV, explains that there are other target-specific challenges when buying for the channel. “Our schedule is based on stripping programming. Each slot has its [specific requirements] and is built according to different fac-

Tickling your funny bone: RTL Klub in Hungary has ongoing relationships with a number of U.S. studios, resulting in a heavy slate of American dramas such as Bones, from Twentieth Century Fox.

tors that we evaluate each time we program something. This has been our programming strategy from the very beginning, a strategy that has helped us become, in a very short period of time, [a strong] channel in the market.” Around 70 percent of Acasa TV’s grid is made up of acquired shows, coming from a select number of sources. “Our main programming suppliers are from Latin America (volume deals with Televisa, Telemundo [and] Globo and cherrypicking from Venevision and others) and from Romania through Promance International, a MediaPro Pictures company that produces for us the best local fiction. [Promance] produces smash-hit titles—telenovelas and series that are the most watched programs in the country.” Acasa TV’s highest-rated programs are, in fact, acquisitions from Promance and Televisa. Regina, Promance’s telenovela sequel to last year’s Gypsy Heart, consistently wins its time slot, and was also a strong performer on Acasa’s sister station in Slovakia, TV Markíza. From Televisa, Don’t Mess with an 18

Angel has also been a breakout hit for the Romanian channel. Though Nastasoiu is open to content from foreign suppliers, she admits that the homegrown shows ultimately perform the best. “For the Romanian market in general, and for our TV channel particularly, local content suits us best. Acasa TV achieved a great success with its local productions and stars.” The ProSiebenSat.1 Media– owned TV2 has established itself as Hungary’s second-largest nationwide commercial television station.A considerable amount of the channel’s success is based on broadcasting U.S.produced programs in Hungarian, including Desperate Housewives, House and Heroes. While blockbusters and American series have prominence, formats have also done quite well on the channel. “Series took over the Hungarian viewers, but the best formats are still unbeatable,” says Katalin Jóború, TV2’s head of acquisitions. Hungarian versions of shows like Pop Idol, Celebrity Perfect Dinner and The Next Uri Geller have all been strong performers.

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The station’s grid is rounded out by locally produced programming, such as news, talk shows and current affairs. With a ratio of acquired programs to in-house productions at roughly 60:40, action, comedy, adventure and family fare are the genres that work best and that Jóború typically looks for. Right now, though, she says feature films, mini-series and some light-entertainment programming could make for strong pickups. Jóború is focusing on programs for the 18-to-49 demographic, but she also has to look for more targeted content to fit within the Crime Monday and Female Tuesday programming blocks. As license fees continue to fluctuate in Hungary, with some categories on the rise while others are falling,Jóború says she’s navigating the current market with a bit of extra care. “Due to the recession, we are reconsidering every move we make,” she says. SERIES OVERHAUL

Also in Hungary, RTL Klub has built up a powerful position since its launch, in 1997,establishing itself as the market leader in the 18-to-49 demo. “Since

The big win: BBC Worldwide’s Strictly Come Dancing has sold widely, and the Polish treatment, Taniec z gwiazdami, has been a strong performer for TVN.

we are a general-entertainment terrestrial channel, we concentrate on a balanced acquisition strategy with series and films that fit within this category, especially in access prime and prime time,” states Tibor Fórizs, the head of acquisitions. Fórizs also needs to fill two three-hour children’s blocks for Saturday and Sunday mornings. The channel features a grid stocked with high-quality U.S. dramas such as ER, the CSI franchise, Criminal Minds, Bones and Grey’s Anatomy.Viewers are also treated to shows that debuted quite recently in the U.S., including The Mentalist and Fringe. RTL Klub has ongoing relationships with a number of U.S. studios that help satisfy the channel’s need for programming. Fórizs points to the new Jerry Bruckheimer-produced The Forgotten and Eastwick from Warner Bros. as American fare he’s particularly interested to see for the channel. As for the license fees of these costly programs, Fórizs says sometimes the increases can’t be justified, partly because of the economic recession and partly because of the ongoing fragmentation of the TV market in Hungary. Beyond imported dramas, audience favorites include the daily soap Barátok közt (Between Friends), which celebrated its tenth anniversary last year; Formula 1 motor rac-

ing; and game shows such as Poker Face, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and Take It or Leave It. One of the most successful formats for the channel has been the local version of ITV Global Entertainment’s I’m a Celebrity...Get Me out of Here!, Celeb vagyok...ments ki innen!

look forward to a “possible beginning of the end of the crisis,” according to Thomas Mirow, the president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, who in a recent speech delivered an upbeat review of the region’s economic outlook. “Banks are report-

ing better results than expected and confidence indicators are starting to point upwards again,” he said. As the crisis begins to bottom out, broadcasters, buyers and distributors can soon exhale a collective sigh of relief that recovery lies just ahead.

READY FOR ACTION

Though formats have worked in the past for RTL Klub, they’re not exactly on the top of the channel’s shopping list. Instead, one-hour drama series in the action or crime/thriller genres are needed to fill prime-time slots. The channel also needs more feature films that can deliver top rating points to fill its various movie blocks. However, even the channel’s market-leading position doesn’t make it immune to the economic downturn. It’s still tough times all around. RTL Klub has adjusted its spending accordingly, buying on more of a “need” basis than anything else.“We are also more picky than in the previous years, therefore we concentrate only on a handful of product, especially to fill our prime-time needs,” Fórizs says. Buyers from all across the region echo the sentiment of shopping with caution. But better times could be just around the bend. Central and Eastern Europe should start to 20

Lights, camera, action: Entertainment is important for TV2 in Hungary with studio-based shows such as Mr. és Mrs.

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one on one entral European Media Enterprises (CME) was founded in 1994 by Ronald Lauder and has become the leading broadcast group in Central and Eastern Europe. Today, with stations in seven countries—Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Ukraine—CME reaches some 97 million viewers. The stations began operating after the Berlin Wall came down, which marked the end of Soviet domination in the region, as well as the opening of market economies and the end to the monopoly of state-controlled broadcasters. They introduced viewers to independent news coverage and new, entertaining programs and formats, while at the same time they brought to the region commercial television, with marketing and scheduling tactics that were previously unknown. As a result, many of these stations quickly became market leaders in their countries. More important, the fiscal discipline with which the stations were run allowed them to reach impressive operating margins. Adrian Sarbu was appointed president of CME in January of this year, but he was no stranger to the com-

pany. A seasoned media executive, Sarbu started his career in Romania as a film director. As state secretary for mass media in the first post-Soviet government of Romania, in 1990, he promoted the first Romanian audiovisual law, which laid the foundation for independent privately owned television. He then set up the film and production company MediaPro and founded the station Pro TV. CME became a shareholder in Pro TV in 1995, and Sarbu went on to establish the first multichannel strategy for CME by launching a bouquet of services in Romania. From 2006 he served as regional director for Czech Republic, Slovak Republic and Romania and became the chief operating officer of CME in October 2007. Like all broadcast groups, CME has felt the impact of the economic recession and consequent drop in advertising expenditures. Sarbu strongly believes, however, that the stations’ assets—high audience shares, strong viewer loyalty and fiscal responsibility—will see them through these difficult times. Sarbu is not alone in having confidence in CME; so does media giant Time Warner, which earlier this year acquired a 31-percent stake. Sarbu talks about the deal and his vision for CME.

Adrian Sarbu Central European Media Enterprises

WS: How did the Time Warner invest-

ment in CME come about? SARBU: Since the end of 2007 we had been contemplating a partnership with Time Warner because we both thought it could be mutually beneficial. We would gain a partner in our business that is so strong in content and is not involved in managing broadcasting assets in Europe. And Time Warner would have a partner in CEE [Central and Eastern Europe] which is the leading broadcaster in the region and also has a strong content division—these assets could complement their needs, their stance in the region and also in Europe. So, after a number of attempts in 2008, [we formed the partnership] and announced it in March, which was a difficult moment for both of us, because of the economic recession. But at the same time, it was a good decision because it gave a strong signal to the market—a signal of confidence. The Time Warner investment strengthens our liquidity position, supports our strategic view of channel development and also promises to bring resources to 22

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our content strategy. We see joining efforts [as a way] to develop high-quality local and regional television and cinema content for CEE, which can be sold around the world. WS: What are the major strengths of the

CME stations? SARBU: We are quite confident in our

strengths.We have the best people.We’ve trained our people over the last 15 years since we began operating our stations. Our management teams are local, promoted from the rank and file, and they are young.The average age of our management is 33 years old. And that doesn’t mean they have been working for us only two or three years. Some of them have been working with us for ten years and more. We ended last year with the highest margin among any broadcaster in Europe, and among the highest in the world. And one of our stations, TV Nova in the Czech Republic, ended last year with an EBIDA margin of almost 56 percent, which is unusually high. Our core stations, those that have reached profitability, operate with an average 40-

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one on one

Time to lounge: CME’s Ukrainain station Studio 1+1 programs local series like Marichka’s Cinema.

percent EBIDA margin, on top of having a very strong audience share. We succeeded in achieving marketleading positions, and in four markets we are the undisputed leaders. One of the pillars of our business model has been to develop and produce our own content—and that’s not only news but also local nonfiction and especially local fiction. Our local content sets us apart from the competition because it delivers such good ratings for us. Our newscasts are leaders in the market. Our big entertainment shows, the dancing shows, reality or even smaller shows, are very popular, and our fiction is the key driver of our ratings. In addition, over the last 15 years, we have succeeded in changing the whole perception of commercial television. We also think of the future. We are always preparing something to launch, whether it’s a new channel, a new program or a new business line. We worked on our Internet strategy for a number of years, and we have now executed it and are successful in it. In most of the countries where we have TV stations, our sites are either number one or are among the top three leading websites.And the Internet will be a very

important platform for our content in the future. We have also succeeded in navigating through this very difficult storm and protecting our liquidity and even enhancing it, once Time Warner joins us. So we are quite aware and proud of our strengths, and we will rely on them to get through this downturn.

WS: How are you using these strengths to help you get through this period? SARBU: If we succeed in protecting our assets undamaged—whether they are our people, audience share, market share, or our capability to generate content or financial assets—I’m sure that once the market takes off, we will move fast to restore the high margins we had in previous years. This year we have worked to increase market share in our core markets. We also know that we have to protect our audience. Our audience is not interested if we are in a crisis or not; it’s interested in having the best TV programs. And if we succeed in maintaining our audience share, which is still high, and our relationship with our advertisers, it’s obvious that once the crisis is over and the ad budgets start to grow, we’ll take the biggest market share. WS: In what ways has the financial crisis affected the region? SARBU: It is quite well known that CEE has been the highestgrowth region of Europe for the last five years. The economies of the individual countries grew,

which means that internal consumption grew, but some of the markets also grew, by exporting to Western Europe and to the world. The crisis affects internal consumption. In addition, because the source of the crisis was the collapse of financial institutions, these very fast-moving economies suffer from a lack of financial resources, so they have slowed down. The crisis in the region is real. We feel it, in particular with advertising spending, but we foresee [it hitting a] bottom somewhere in the second half of the year. WS: Have your stations had to cut back on their programming budgets? SARBU: We’ve known since November that we had to deal with costs, and the biggest chunk of costs is programming. We succeeded in adjusting our programming costs, depending on the market, by 10 to 20 percent. We did it, but we protected our prime-time schedule. In addition to our programming costs, there are overhead costs as well as salaries, which were voluntarily reduced. This was an effort that the whole company—all of our management and employees—under-

News you can use: TV Markíza in Slovakia airs a daily newscast from 7 p.m. to 7:50 p.m., covering all the top headlines. 24

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one on one stood and made, in order for us to get through this difficult period. WS: There must be much loyalty to

the company on the part of employees who would agree to reduce their salaries. SARBU: There is something very strong across the CME stations, which is our company culture. Let’s not forget that these are new companies; we created them from scratch.We recruited people, trained them, motivated them, gave them a reason to work in commercial television, an industry which didn’t exist in CEE 15 years ago. So you can imagine that our company culture is very strong.The way we deal with people, the way we communicate with them, enabled us to ask them to make a sacrifice, because on the other hand, when it came to sharing the upside, everybody benefited. We only hire locals who are highly trained and feel part of a strong culture and have an attachment to the brand. WS: In this economic climate, have

you had to put aside plans for launching new services or acquiring new assets? Or do you have plans to do that if the right opportunity came up? SARBU: We were known as very active in development, not so much in making acquisitions in new territories but in developing new channels, new content and Internet services in the countries in which we already operate. This will continue. And once the board approves the new operation model, which will be more diversified, relying not only on advertising revenues but also on subscription, content, Internet and management-services revenues, we’ll execute it according to the expectation of our investors. A media company’s revenues should be balanced. We were driven by the wave of advertising spending, but we knew that we had to get more pillars to sustain our business. Of these pillars, advertising revenues will still be the most

All in the family: The slate at TV Nova, Czech Republic’s biggest commercial broadcaster, which targets viewers aged 15 to 54, includes Comeback.

important. Secondly, we also want to generate revenues from our content. CME is one of the largest television-content providers in Europe. Last year we produced more than 1,000 hours of fiction and more than 500 hours of nonfiction. With so many cable and satellite channels in operation and under development in the region, we are looking to expand our subscription services. We are also actively looking to sell our management services. WS: Romania has many TV channels and content companies, including Pro TV and MediaPro.What led to Romania developing such a healthy media market? SARBU: Romania’s current media market started in the early ’90s, when as a government official in 1990, I promoted a media law. It was the most open media law and 26

allowed commercial television to flourish. At the same time I founded MediaPro and Pro TV, which is now controlled by CME. Romania is a very competitive market. There are more than 40 local channels, free and cable, and there are a number of competing media groups, which is not the case in other countries. In addition, we created in MediaPro a sophisticated entertainment group, similar to a Hollywood studio. And this was extremely helpful for CME because it’s part of the content engine of CME. You cannot have strong TV channels in countries where you don’t have strong cinema and television production and a strong community of talents. The structure such as the one I created in Romania is now to be replicated in other markets in the region under the CME umbrella.

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WS: What has CME been doing

to develop new writers, producers and directors? SARBU: The companies I manage were intended to be a home for young creative people. When he founded CME, Ronald Lauder was also driven by his vision of investing in people and creativity. We share this vision, so CME will always be a company for young and creative people, whether they are working in broadcasting, content, Internet or marketing. WS: What do you enjoy most about

your work? SARBU: The creative sessions. I used

to be a film director and I still have this passion. The company benefits from my personal creativity. Working with young and creative professionals—in fact, all the management is younger than me—is what I enjoy most. And we all like success.

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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 Kiefer Sutherland headbutt me? 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. The editors of WS recognize that

Hayden Panettiere

Kevin Bacon

Kiefer Sutherland

Hayden Panettiere

Global distinction: 24’s Jack Bauer. Sign: Sagittarius (b. December 21, 1966) Significant date: May 6, 2009 Noteworthy activity: While hanging at an NYC

Global distinction: Heroes cheerleader. Sign: Leo (b. August 21, 1989) Significant date: May 22, 2009 Noteworthy activity: The petite blonde gets “Live

nightspot, Sutherland is chatting with actress Brooke Shields when women’s wear designer Jack McCollough interrupts them.The two men exchange words and, in a move worthy of character Jack Bauer, Sutherland allegedly head-butts McCollough. The incident leaves the designer with a broken nose. Horoscope: “A social invitation calls for a new outfit and a revised attitude. Be on your best behavior. The results could be positive for improving your personal and professional life.” (cafeastrology.com)

Without Regrets” tattooed down her side in Italian. But what she winds up with is misspelled. Hayden’s ink says “Vivere senza rimipianti” but that’s one “I” too many. She is spotted showing off the permanently inked error on the beach in Cannes. Horoscope: “Facts, figures, numbers and names just bounce around your head, so it’s not a good day for finalizing deals. Take your time and think things through, because some decisions are irreversible.”(shine.yahoo.com)

Kevin Bacon

these little pearls of random fore-

Shia LaBeouf

sight occasionally prove prophetic.

Global distinction: Transformers star. Sign: Gemini (b. June 11, 1986) Significant date: May 1, 2009 Noteworthy activity: In an interview with Playboy mag-

But rather than poring over charts of the zodiac to predict world events,

icant days, they could have avoided

azine, the young actor makes some unusual comments about his mother. He calls her “an ethereal angel” and says she’s “the sexiest woman I know....Nobody looks like that woman. If I could meet my mother and marry her, I would. I would be with my mother now, if she weren’t my mother, as sick as that sounds.” Horoscope: “Your sexual and aggressive energies are stimulated, and you take the initiative. These feelings aren’t exactly a problem, but the end target might be.” (homepagers.com)

a few surprises.

Robert Pattinson

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 signif-

Mel Gibson

Global distinction: The original Footloose hero. Sign: Cancer (b. July 8, 1958) Significant date: May 24, 2009 Noteworthy activity: The actor’s BlackBerry is nabbed by

a pickpocket in a New York City subway station. Bacon tries to chase the phone-stealer but just can’t keep up and loses him in the busy station. The numbers of his famous friends—and wife, The Closer star Kyra Sedgwick—are left in the hands of the thief. Horoscope: “Your vitality and courage are strong and you are eager to meet challenges. But, you can’t win them all. Sometimes, situations are just out of your hands and you have to accept that no amount of your energy can change what happens.” (homepagers.com)

Mel Gibson Global distinction: Twilight hunk. Sign: Taurus (b. May 13, 1986) Significant date: May 22, 2009 Noteworthy activity: The current “it” boy attends an

AIDS charity event, and pitches in to help raise funds for the cause. Pattinson auctions off a kiss on the cheek for $20,000 per pucker, and winds up with two takers. Horoscope: “There is no escaping the reality around us, but Taurus’s peace-loving personality means that you’re always looking to right the wrongs. Do your part to make the world a better place.You’ve got plenty to contribute.” (horoscopes.aol.com) 54

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Global distinction: Hollywood heavyweight. Sign: Capricorn (b. January 3, 1956) Significant date: May 25, 2009 Noteworthy activity: Just six weeks after his wife files for

divorce, ending their 28-year marriage, Gibson finds out he’s going to be a dad again; this time with his Russian musician girlfriend.A close source tells People magazine that the pregnancy wasn’t the catalyst for the divorce. Horoscope: “Timing is everything now and you know when to make your move to have it all fall into place in your favor. Family affairs need your close attention and some sympathy needs to be shown if you want to come out of it on top.” (rrtearoom.com)

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