Central European Media Enterprises

Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. (CME) is a media and entertainment company that operates television channels in six geographic areas: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Romania and Moldova, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Until its acquisition by PPF Group N.V. in October 2020, the company was listed on NASDAQ and Prague Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol CETV.[1] It has since been delisted.[2]

Central European Media Enterprises Ltd.
TypePublic (until 2020), Subsidiary (since 2020)
IndustryMedia
Founded1991
HeadquartersPrague, Czech Republic
Key people
Didier Stoessel, CEO, Responsible for Czech Republic & Romania and Moldova
Dušan Šválek, Deputy CEO, Responsible for Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovakia, and Slovenia
ProductsTelevision broadcasting
Television production
Video on demand service provider
ParentPPF Group N.V.
Websitewww.cetv-net.com

History

Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. was co-founded in 1991 by Americans Ronald Lauder and Mark Palmer in Germany as CEDC GmbH (Central European Development Corporation),[3] and later changed its name and reincorporated in the Netherlands as Central European Media Enterprises (CME). It started broadcasting its first channel in the Czech Republic in 1994.

On 23 March 2009, Time Warner (now Warner Bros. Discovery) announced it would invest $241.5 million in CME for a 31% stake.[4] By 2Q 2013, Time Warner had acquired a controlling interest in CME in a series of transactions.[5]

In October 2019, AT&T signed an agreement to sell WarnerMedia's stake to PPF.[6][7] The transaction valued at $2.1 billion was completed in October 2020.[8]

On 14 February 2022, Central European Media Enterprises announced buying RTL Hrvatska from RTL Group for €50 million. The transaction was closed on 1 June 2022.[9][10][11]

Operations

CME is the broadcast market leader in most countries where it has television stations. CME currently operates 43 television channels broadcasting to approximately 49 million people across 6 geographic segments. CME develops and produces content for its television channels, and its content is also consumed through subscription and advertising VOD.[12] It also operates the Voyo streaming platform that provides on demand local content in all of CME’s geographic regions

In 2023, CME launched its ESG strategy branded CME Cares.[13] This initiative was created to communicate CME’s efforts to leave a lasting positive impact on its environment, communities, and societies. CME Cares aims to offer socially responsible content, implement sustainable production practices, aid underprivileged communities, and follow transparent business practices.

CME Content Academy

In 2022 Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. launched CME Content Academy. The two-year course is designed to provide participants with a foundation across various film-making disciplines, enabling students to become TV professionals.[14]

The practice is divided according to the production scheme of TV Nova, POP TV, PRO TV, bTV, RTL and TV Markíza and takes place in Brno, Prague, Zagreb, Ljubljana, Bucharest, Sofia and Bratislava.

Television channels

Bulgaria

Croatia

Czech Republic

Romania and Moldova

Slovakia

Slovenia

See also

References
  1. "CME Form 10-K filed February 9, 2016" (PDF).
  2. "PPF Group buys CME, puts Stoessel in charge". Broadband TV News. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  3. "History of Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. – FundingUniverse". www.fundinguniverse.com. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  4. "Time Warner Inc. Completes US$241.5 Million Investment for 31% Interest in Central European Media Enterprises Ltd., A Leading Central & Eastern European Media Company".
  5. Chamonikolas, Krystof. "CME Rallies as Time Warner Buying Shares Shows 'Confidence'". Bloomberg. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  6. Littleton, Cynthia (28 October 2019). "AT&T Chief on HBO Max, DirecTV Sale Prospects and John Stankey's Future". Variety. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  7. "PPF Signs Agreement to Acquire CME". www.ppf.eu. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  8. "PPF Group buys CME, puts Stoessel in charge". Broadband TV News. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  9. "Prodan RTL Hrvatska" [RTL Croatia is sold]. vijesti.hrt.hr (in Croatian). HRT. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  10. "RTL Grupa prodaje RTL Hrvatska CME-u" [RTL Group sell RTL Croatia to CME]. www.rtl.hr (in Croatian). RTL Hrvatska. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  11. "CME Acquires RTL Croatia". Central European Media Enterprises. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  12. "CME website". CME website.
  13. "CME makes ESG strategy appointments". Broadband TV News. 1 June 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  14. "CME Content Academy". CME Content Academy. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
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