Thematic channels to broaden offering
The era of TV programming targeting the masses is coming to an end as digital platforms and thematic channels continue their dynamic move into the market, media executives said.
"The market is getting diversified and theme channels, such as sports or children's channels, are the future," said Phil Roter, managing director of HBO Polska. The number of Polish-language thematic channels, now approaching 50, will only increase, he said.
"Given the current development of the Polish market, it is difficult to make specific forecasts," he said. "Economic development stimulates an increase in the purchasing capacity of Polish society."
Not long ago Poles didn't know what digital broadcasting or multi-channel television actually meant. Not 2-years-old on the Polish market, digital platforms today attract 510,000 subscribers
Since their launch in 1998, the two competing digital platforms, Wizja TV, owned by United Pan-Europe Communications (UPC), and Cyfra+, affiliated with Canal+Polska, in large part have built their programming and subscriptions based on thematic channels. And the promise is for more.
According to Tomasz Kazmierowski, deputy director general of Canal+Polska, this year the company will be thinking less about a possible consolidation of digital platforms, rather focusing on the development of the station. Cyfra+ is now approaching 270,000 subscribers.
"In the first half of 2000 we plan to finish the first stage of introducing thematic channels in Poland," he said.
"There is still more room on the market for profiled thematic television addressed to a clearly targeted audience," Kazmierowski argued.
Since 1998 the number of thematic channels available on Cyfra+ has grown from eight (Planete, Eurosport, CNN, Music, MCM, Multimusic, Minimax, Ale Kino!) to the current 11, when Cyfra+ introduced new thematic channels, Marcopolo, Cyfra+Gry and Moteurs, in late 1999.
During the first quarter of this year, Cyfra+ will gain yet another channel, Seasons, targeting nature lovers and hobbyists, said Paulina Krasinska, public relations specialist at Canal+Polska. Later this year, Cyfra+ will add an interactive weather channel to its lineup.
Wizja TV has also been working on building its offering of thematic channels. In September 1998, when Wizja TV was officially launched, it offered 18 thematic channels, of which 16 were in Polish. The lineup included National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Travel, QuesTV and Animal Planet, and movie channels HBO, Hallmark, Romantica and TCM. Last September, Wizja TV launched its first Polish sports channel, Wizja Sport.
"No wonder Polish viewers are interested in thematic channels, it's a world trend, besides, profiled papers are also catching on," Dorota Zawadzka, UPC's spokeswoman said. "The future will show who will be our partner to produce thematic channels."
So far, Wizja TV has cooperated with Zone Vision, which produced thematic channels such as Romantica and Le Cinema. "We might use programs produced by UPCtv, a company owned by UPC."
UPCtv is a brand under which eight new pan-European channels are being developed for the cable television market.
Polish productions, notably documentaries and features, will account for 10% of the programming of the new thematic channel, The History Channel, promoted by HBO, which is to be launched in April this year.
In most cases, however, costs of thematic channels are too high to be handled by one station. When Wizja Sport was launched, Ross Newens, WizjaTV's managing director, said a similar channel may cost $28 million-$30 million.
"In some areas, partners are necessary to handle production of a thematic channel," Canal+Polska's Kazmierowski said. "It would be hard to create a channel of Planete's profile on your own."
Canal+ and public broadcaster Telewizja Polska (TVP), which last year agreed to join the Cyfra+ digital platform, were to become partners producing two thematic channels on information and culture. Their plans, however, were stalled by the Treasury Ministry, official owner of TVP.
"We are now waiting for the court's verdict as we appealed against those decisions," said Piotr Szukalski of TVP's press office. Channel costs projected at $4 million a year are to be handled by Cyfra+, with TVP providing personnel and equipment. "Creating a thematic channel is a way of attracting new viewers, everybody does it," Szukalski said. "We wouldn't create the information channel from scratch. We could only use our potential."
