Comply with the cash and observe the viewers and its wants within the streaming age. That was one level that tv business leaders agreed on in Central and Jap Europe at this week’s NATPE Budapest, even when their particular methods could differ.
“We’re following folks wherever they watch — whether or not it’s linear, paid streaming or free streaming,” Levente Málnay, the Hungary-based managing director and government vp, AMC Networks Worldwide, Central and Northern Europe, shared throughout a panel dialogue with prime business gamers entitled “View from the highest: The place can we go from right here?” “And we observe the cash, as a result of it’s key to figuring out the right income mannequin.”
Monetization, although, has been one key problem, he highlighted. “The output of this business has by no means been this good and this wealthy. So if we simply take a look at the quantity of fiction programming, I don’t learn about you guys, however even when I’m up till 4 a.m., I nonetheless can not watch every part I actually wish to watch,” he shared. “However the issue is: all of us have challenges of monetization, so the viewers is in some way not but paying for all of it. So I suppose our main problem is to determine how one can fulfill, on the identical time, our nice viewers and likewise our shareholders.”
Málnay believes that content material remains to be king. “The secret’s our improbable content material. Finally, good content material makes its option to viewers — wherever they’re,” he instructed The Hollywood Reporter. “And we do produce lots: superb fiction by our guardian firm within the U.S. I’m extremely happy with simulcasting such widespread unique productions as The Strolling Lifeless: Lifeless Metropolis season two in most Central and Jap European nations. And domestically we now have prime sports activities, documentaries and cooking [shows] produced or commissioned by AMC in a number of languages with expertise from everywhere in the area.”
Stella Litou, CEO of the Central European Media Enterprises (CME)-owned RTL Croatia and Professional Plus Slovenia, on the identical panel emphasised that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all method to draw audiences. Lauding the launch of the Voyo streaming service in Croatia in August 2023, she mentioned: “What’s vital on the finish of the day is to have the ability to hold our viewer in entrance of the large display screen for so long as potential, whether or not we do that on the linear channel with our information and our reside content material and our occasions, or whether or not we do it by catch-up on previews … or through originals.”
Whereas Netflix is a competitor for a lot of, producer Magdalena Szwedkowicz, whose MAG Leisure has rapidly developed a popularity for its high-quality productions, such because the Netflix hit movie Forgotten Love (Znachor), lauded the corporate and its friends. “I’m so grateful for streamers on this world, as a result of if I had been ready for broadcasters to make selections… nicely, it appears they make slower selections than streamers,” she mentioned throughout the panel. These “very a lot want to deal with and goal the native viewers, as a result of they’re world,” she defined. “They’ve sufficient world content material. So they should attain native audiences.”
How does she look to succeed in audiences? “By no means, ever underestimate the viewers,” she mentioned. “Audiences at this time are so sharp and clever. They know while you’re attempting to be low cost, while you’re attempting to be hole. And they’re going to cease watching. However they observe an emotional, deeply grounded story, and that’s what I’m attempting to ship. … It’s in regards to the reference to the viewers. That’s what’s most vital.”
One of many greatest challenges for the business and producers like her is balancing high quality with sustainability. “Audiences count on excessive manufacturing worth, and we’re dedicated to delivering that,” Szwedkowicz additionally instructed THR. “However the price of producing high quality content material retains rising, whereas networks and platforms are underneath rising stress to monetize. This makes it tougher for them to spend money on unique content material on their very own. On the identical time, this problem creates a chance. It pushes the business towards extra strategic partnerships — between producers, platforms and even throughout borders. Co-productions, versatile rights fashions and shared danger have gotten important. For our firm, meaning being agile, constructing trust-based relationships and staying targeted on tales that journey and resonate.”
In the meantime, George Levendis, managing director, ANT1 TV, Mak TV and Antenna Studios, shared perception into the TV and streaming market in Greece throughout the panel dialogue. “The free-to-air market in Greece tends to be moderately stronger than different markets as a result of it’s extremely aggressive, with 5 to eight channels,” he defined. “And because of this, the transition to different platforms has been barely slower, or definitely, free-to-air has a base that’s nonetheless moderately robust, and that’s largely as a result of very robust content material.”
He expressed confidence in Antenna’s technique regardless that world streamers, significantly Netflix, made inroads, helped by the COVID pandemic. “The market is altering. It’s altering rapidly,” he mentioned. “We’re attempting to adapt to it, however we’re the chief when it comes to that SVOD technique.” Certainly, Levendis highlighted, “we appear to be the one channel for the time being to have an SVOD play [with ANT1+]. A lot of the channels nonetheless are typically operating both promoting [streaming] or just catch-up [services].”
Daniel Grunt, CEO of CME’s Nova Group in Czechia, instructed THR that the battle for viewers’ time and engagement is a core component of at this time’s business — and that AI may have a big affect on the underside line. “Audiences at this time face an amazing quantity of content material however restricted time and a spotlight. That’s the most important problem,” he argued. “And it’s a problem that’s solely going to develop with the rise of generative AI. We’re coming into a brand new section the place higher-than-average high quality video content material generated by AI instruments may be produced quicker, cheaper and in a lot bigger volumes. Boundaries to entry are dropping dramatically, and AI brokers will probably take over roles historically held by content material curators and distributors, together with aggregators and even TV operators.”
Szwedkowicz additionally talked about AI in receiving one of many inaugural NATPE Honors Europe: “Right now, as AI begins reshaping so many facets of our business, it’s straightforward to get distracted,” she mentioned. “However I believe all of us love that on the coronary heart of it, this enterprise is all about folks. It’s about creativity, it’s about storytelling, it’s about empathy. And because of this, the problem and alternative for us is to nurture the [technological] innovation and attempt to keep grounded within the enterprise actuality.”
Levendis additionally highlighted AI as a key theme. “AI is in all places in our business conversations proper now, and for good purpose,” he instructed THR. “We’re already seeing sensible functions in how we develop content material, perceive our audiences, and run our enterprise extra effectively.”
How is Antenna wanting to make use of the rising know-how? “We’re taking a measured method, utilizing AI the place it really solves actual issues our groups face. It’s serving to us spot viewers traits we’d have missed, making our content material simpler to search out throughout totally different platforms, and giving us higher insights into what viewers need,” he defined. “The secret’s making our folks simpler at what they already do nicely, not attempting to automate inventive selections. At ANT1 TV, we’ve began utilizing AI for issues like enhancing our worldwide content material localization and making our advertising extra focused. We’re additionally testing whether or not it might probably present helpful suggestions throughout script improvement, to not make inventive decisions, however to provide our improvement groups further information factors once they’re evaluating tasks.”
Levendis summed up Antenna’s use instances for AI this fashion: “What we’re studying is that AI is excellent at processing massive quantities of data rapidly, however it might probably’t change the inventive instincts that drive good storytelling. It really works greatest when it handles the analytical work so our inventive folks can concentrate on the elements of their jobs that truly require human judgment. Its worth relies upon completely on how thoughtfully you utilize it.”