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"Sports + Blockbusters + Formats + Telenovelas are still the general "recipe" which prevails all over Central and Eastern Europe " (Patrick Jucaud, DISCOP General Manager)
As to the report of FRAPA and Screen Digest "Global Trade in Television Formats", "Big Brother" was launched in the late 90s and had a great influence on how the television content landscape looks in many countries today. From then on, a globally discussed reality television phenomenon moved into prime time slots. A new wave of television formatting programming created a universal appeal and reshaped programming schedulers.
Eastern Europe has become part of this general trend.
"Big Brother", "Who wants to become a Millionaire", "The Weakest Link", "Idols", were adapted for local audiences in almost all Eastern European countries. In 2005, "Big Brother" and "Who wants to Become a Millionaire" entered in Top 10 in Croatia on HTV1 and RTL, while the Ukraine experienced an important presence of high quality domestic formats and clones of Western shows in prime time slots where "The Nanny", "Don't Be Born Beautiful" aired on 1+1 TV channel appeared to be among the top rated programming.
TV Fiction is very popular in prime time slots in Eastern Europe. It includes Hollywood movies, Western European TV movies and long-running series, and a very large amount of local TV Fiction. While the production of TV Fiction is developing in Eastern European countries, domestic criminal dramas, romantic series and contemporary novellas are moving to prime time slots. In 2005, domestic fiction dominated in prime time programming in Russia, the Ukraine, Poland, and Hungary. Based on Bulgakov's classics "Master and Margarita" TV series became an absolute leader in Russia (aired on Channel One) and in the Ukraine (aired on TV Channel Inter), and brought an interest of audience of all ages. Among foreign productions, "Harry Potter and Philosopher's Stone" entered into the Top 10 in the Ukraine (aired on 1+1 TV Channel); "Between Friends" (produced by FremantleMedia and aired on RTL Klub) was among the top rated programming in Hungary. In the first quarter of 2006, "Lord of The Rings - Fellowship of the Ring" resulted in Top 10 in Croatia; "Terminator 3: War of Machines" (aired on TV Channel "Russia") received high ratings during the same period. Among other toppers were domestic productions, including "Turkish Gambit", the leader of the domestic box office in 2005.
Telenovelas inspired TV stations all over Eastern Europe and influenced prime time slots. This passionate Latin American genre that is originally broadcast in prime time in Latin American countries brought a record number of viewers in Central and Eastern Europe. "Terra Nostra", "El Clon", "Esmeralda", "Romantica Obsession", and many other titles arrived in Poland, Czech Republic, Russia, the Ukraine, Croatia, and Hungary. However, domestic long-running series entered in the Top 10. Among them: "Karmelita", a romantic domestic Telenovela, in the Ukraine (airing on TV Channel Inter), "Always and Forever", a criminal long-running series, in Russia (airing on TV Channel "Russia ").
Sport is popular in Central and Eastern European countries. In 2005, "World Cup 2006 Qualifications", "UEFA Cup League", "European Championship" entered in Top 10 in Serbia ; football and handball competitions were among top rated programming in Croatia. In the first quarter of 2006, the broadcasting of competitions from the Torino Winter Olympic Games received the highest ratings in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. For then days, millions of viewers across Central and Eastern Europe watched examples of courage, integrity and hope that touched the heart of the entire world, celebrated the success of the Olympic Winter Games and the athletes' victories ! With World Cup is coming, audience will be passionate about football and sport programming will hit Central and Eastern European prime time slots again.
What is the formula for prime time programming in Central and Eastern Europe ? What genres are dominating the marketplace?
"It's amazing how fast the TV market in Central and Eastern Europe is developing and how much program variety there is.", says Jens Richter, Managing Director, SevenOne International, whose programs are shown in almost all Central and Eastern European countries", - "There are obviously different trends and viewing habits in each individual country - for instance, German fiction is very popular in Hungary, Slovakia and in the Czech Republic while Russia prefers to an increasing degree to adapt and reproduce formats locally. However, outstanding events like "The Crows" or "Six Weeks of Fear" capture audiences all over the globe."
To follow up the trends in prime time programming in Central and Eastern Europe, Miracle Screenings published the Top 10 performing programs for the first quarter of 2006 in Poland, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Romania, Hungary, Russia, the Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Croatia. It also published the Top 50 series in Russia and the Ukraine. |
24 / Twentieth Century Fox
Terra Nostra / Globo TV |
