Alex Ruzek, programming director TV Nova

Alex Ruzek, programming director TV Nova (Czech Republic)

Which channels are you buying for?

The TV Nova Group today consists of 4 TV stations (Nova, Nova Cinema, Nova Sport and MTV) and the SVOD service VOYO, which means the range of our content is quite broad. For VOYO, we look at more niche and exclusive content, whereas the main channels look for more mainstream shows with the ability to attract large audiences.

Can you briefly describe the profile of the channels.

Our flagship station is TV Nova, which is a full-format free-to-air channel, which is targeted to a general audience 15-54 years old and has achieve an average primetime share in 2011 of 36.5 %. Our second free-to-air channel, Nova Cinema, focuses on bringing viewers the best Hollywood blockbuster films and the best independent world cinema, and achieved an average prime time share in 2011 of 5.90 %. Our broadcast portfolio is rounded out by pay-TV channels Nova Sport, which owns licenses for the key sporting events in the country and the local version of the music and youth lifestyle station MTV under a programming and trademark agreement with MTV Networks International.

We have plans to launch additional channels in the near future when the market allows. We also operate a subscription-based online video service VOYO.cz, which provides users the ability to stream thousands of hours of local and foreign content, and we are looking to grow exponentially the amount of content we offer users on this service through partnerships with worldwide content owners over the next year.

How much of the programming on the channel is acquired and how much is original?

Fewer and fewer acquired titles currently achieve the viewership that we would expect on a channel like Nova. Our focus is, therefore, on creating strong local content for our main channel. Foreign programming is still a cost-effective solution to filling non-key slots, and can be quite effective on smaller niche channels. CME’s portfolio includes the production company Media Pro Productions, which nowadays produces almost 40% of the primetime content for the TV Nova channel. We will continue to grow the amount of local content we use in the future. We produce all genres of content, from drama series, to crime series, sitcoms, reality and entertainment.

How important a market is NATPE Budapest?

NATPE is becoming increasingly important, as its timing following the LA Screenings, its convenient Eastern European location, and its less-hectic pace than other markets like MIPTV really allow us to concentrate on the content being presented and making some real deals.

What programmes have you acquired recently – what (acquired) shows work well on your channel?

In the past, we have acquired big formats like Idols, The X-Factor and most recently The Voice. We also acquired reality formats, such as Wife Swap and most recently The Farm. Additionally, we are in the market for scripts of fiction products for adaptation, which we did with the original format of Roseanne.