CEE


Unpacking the serious intent behind CEE drama’s global push

Central and Eastern Europe’s scripted industry has faced a turbulent 12 months, with HBO Max cutting commissioning and SkyShowtime entering the region. Richard Middleton finds out what’s next When news broke earlier this year that SkyShowtime was preparing to launch its first Polish original in June, producers may well have raised an eyebrow or two. […]

BBC First to launch in Croatia, Slovenia and Macedonia

BBC Studios’ premium drama channel, BBC First, is due to launch in Croatia, Slovenia, and Macedonia for the first time from April 1, 2019. BBC First will be available via A1 Telekom Austria Group’s subsidiaries A1 Croatia, A1 Slovenia and one.VIP in Macedonia. Viewers can tune-in through A1’s pay TV and Xplore TV over-the-top services […]

Azteca moves for Ukrainian paranormal format

Mexican US Hispanic broadcaster Azteca America has greenlit a local version of Mystical Tales, the paranormal docudrama from Ukraine’s Film.UA. The series recreates events that allegedly have paranormal elements, before a panel of experts – ranging from psychologist and doctors to witches and ESP specialists – review the evidence and state their conclusion. In the […]

Endemol Shine’s Brain sells

Several broadcasters in the CEE region have ordered local version of Endemol Shine gameshow The Brain. In Poland, Polsat will run the show, with Endemol Shine Poland producing. A pan-Balkan version will also be made and go out on the free-TV RTL and PRVA channels. The studio format showcases the extraordinary mental abilities of ordinary […]

Mixed prospects for CEE pay TV

Almost a third the big pay TV operators in Central and Eastern Europe will shed subscribers in the next five years with a wider economic slowdown in the region hampering their prospects. The forecast comes from Digital TV Research, which noted low subs fees and consumers switching from pay TV to DTT will impact many […]

Analysts predict CEE consolidation

A combination of high pay TV penetration and industry fragmentation mean that the central and eastern European operator market is ripe for further consolidation, according to a report by SNL Kagan. According to SNL Kagan’s analysis, Bulgaria was the hottest market for mergers and acquisitions in 2015, thanks to Telekom Austria’s acquisition of Blizoo and […]

New role for Lisa Higginson at Shine

Shine is looking for a new UK-based sales director following the news that Lisa Higginson is relocating from the UK to Australia. As senior sales manager, Higginson is responsible for selling Shine content to the CEE and CIS regions as well as Israel, Turkey and Greece. She is relocating to Sydney where she will take […]