02-06-2009

CME to launch new Slovak channel

By Jana Kadlecova
    Central European Media Enterprises (CME) is poised to launch a new channel in Slovakia, TV Doma, joining its flagship Slovak station Markiza TV.

    Markiza (www.markiza.sk) received a license for the new channel in December, 2008. TV Doma is expected to focus on female audiences.

    The Slovak newspaper SME reported that CME (www.cetv-net.com) has prepared two versions for its program structure: the first would follow the example of CME's Romanian station TV Acasa, producing own programs of news, magazines and talk shows for women; the second would recycle programming shown on CME's popular Czech station, Nova TV.

    Markiza did not confirm when TV Doma (which translates as TV At Home, as does the Romanian channel TV Acasa) officially starts broadcasting; however, one possibility is that the launch will accompany the 13th anniversary of Markiza TV in August.

    Currently, CME has four channels in Slovak-Czech territory: Nova, Nova Cinema, Markiza and Nova Sport. TV Doma would be the fifth. CME stopped its planned project of Czech-Slovak channel Music Television because of the financial crisis. Competing private TV station Joj (www.joj.sk) started broadcasting its sister retro channel Joj Plus on October 5, 2008.