CEE TV industry news stories

Chris Dziadul, September 12, 2024

 

 

Xavier Niel completes Ukrainian transaction

Xavier Niel’s NJJ Holding has officially become the owner of Datagroup-Volia and lifecell in Ukraine. Datagroup-Volia is a leading provider of fixed line and pay-TV services, while lifecell is the third largest and fastest growing mobile operator in the country. NJJ Consortium, Horizon Capital, a US private investment company, led by Elena Kosharnaya, together with Mykhailo Shelemba, CEO of Datagroup-Volia, will now combine Datagroup-Volia and lifecell to create a converged telecommunications platform. The next important step for the joint platform is the signing of documents and the provision of a joint financial package of $435 million (€394 million) provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

 

Anti-piracy breakthrough in Czech Republic

The Czech Republic’s Association of Commercial Television (AKTV) has reached a significant settlement with the operators of eDisk and Sledujeto. eDisk and Fine Horizon Holdings Corp Limited have agreed to prevent the sharing of copyrighted works after negotiations between AKTV and its members TV Nova and FTV Prima. The eDisk operators will now ensure that protected works of commercial broadcasters are not available on their platforms, putting in place tighter controls against illegal sharing. In exchange, the broadcasters will end all legal and enforcement proceedings against the operators. The agreement follows a recent settlement agreement with the operators of the Fastshare.cloud storage service.

 

United Media addresses Constitutional Court

United Media has addressed the Constitutional Court of Serbia regarding the attempt by the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) Council to challenge legal provisions for its dissolution. In a statement, it says the new Law on Electronic Media mandates the dissolution of the REM Council by November 4, 2024, as part of efforts to improve the media landscape. “However, months after the adoption of this law, and following the parliamentary and local elections, REM submitted an initiative to the Constitutional Court to review the constitutionality of the law in an effort to contest the legally mandated removal of its officials.”

 

TVP denies external production claims

The Polish public broadcaster TVP has denied that changes it is introducing will result in higher costs of external productions. In a statement it said: “in response to the insinuations and comments appearing in the public sphere, we firmly deny that the changes in the ‘TVP S.A. cooperation instructions in liquidation with external producers’ will result in an uncontrolled outflow of funds from the company and an increase in the approved external production costs.”

 

Netflix hires Alicja Grawon-Jaksik

Alicja Grawon-Jaksik has been appointed to the newly created position of head of production for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) at Netflix. Alicja Grawon-Jaksik is a film producer and has been involved in the audiovisual industry for over 15 years. Most recently, she was VP of MTL Maxfilm, one of the largest and oldest production companies in Poland. In her new role she and her team will oversee the production processes of Netflix original films and series in Poland.

 

Gazprom-Media launches ad platform

Russia’s RUTUBE, which is owned by Gazprom-Media, has unveiled an advertising platform. Known as RUTUBE Media, it is a response to Western services leaving the country and its online video advertising format will allow advertisers to reach the 85% of Russians who access the internet.  RUTUBE Media is already being tested by Gazprom-Media’s internal customers and is now being introduced to external advertisers.

 

Albanian pubcaster head resigns

Alfred Peza has resigned from his position of general director of the Albanian public broadcaster RTSH. He was in post for only 15 months, during which he implemented a number of cutbacks. Although Peza did not give any reasons for resigning, he said his decision was “irrevocable”.

 

New HQ for RTL Hungary

RTL Hungary has moved into new headquarters in downtown Budapest. Located in the Liget Centre, it marks, according to the media company, another important step in its digital transformation. RTL Hungary will nevertheless continue to use its former base. It will be known as RTL Studiok and host RTL shows in the future.

 

 

 

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© Chris Dziadul, 2024