New satellite TV channel, Tele5, sets itself tough goals

Italian TV and media company Fincast and Polish Pekpol, formerly a meat producer, are launching a new satellite TV channel called Tele5 today, with a very ambitious target of winning 5% of the TV satellite viewing public in three years. Eurocast Media Holding, which broadcasts Tele5, will spend $40 million over three years to achieve this goal, which will be a particular challenge considering that Tele5 will only be available via satellite and cable. Some experts point to the example of RTL7, which entered the Polish market a few years ago when competition was less fierce, invested a lot more than $40 million and failed to turn a profit for many years. Finally it was sold to ITI, which renamed it TVN7. "In order to attract advertisers, a 5% target is the absolute minimum. However, achieving that target will be very difficult," says Jakub Bierzynski, head of media house OMD Poland. (Puls Biznesu, p. 5) T.J.