CME CEO: TN live is the answer to how young people consume news

You came to the Central European media business from a similar environment in the Middle East. In your view, what is the most significant difference between how television works here and there?

The big difference is in demographics. In the Middle East, most of the population is under 25, which means media trends move much faster there. What we refer to as digital transformation happened very quickly in that region. I'm talking about shifts in TV viewing habits and the expansion of digital broadcasting.

From what we hear from their management, the shift to digital platforms is a core priority for CME, including Markíza. To what extent was this shift a part of your role at MBC? (Editor's note: MBC Group is the most-watched private media company in the Middle East and North Africa.)

It was my precisely my role. We launched our own version of Voyo, called Shahid, which means “watch” in Arabic. It launched in 2008 and has grown well. Initially, it was an AVOD service (Editor's note: advertising-based video on demand, i.e., video on demand financed by advertising), a free platform. By 2020, we had 30 million monthly users. We later shifted to SVOD—subscription content—and gained six million paying subscribers across the region. Shahidbecame the largest streaming platform in the Middle East, ahead of Netflix. So yes, I was already in the same game I'm playing now, here in Central Europe.

Is linear television starting to take a back seat?

No, traditional television continues and remains very relevant. Digital transformation doesn't mean abandoning traditional broadcasting. In fact, I believe linear TV will continue to grow. Even in in dollar or euro terms, I’m convinced. It’ will become more important year-on-year. That said, digital will grow even faster, so you need to be active in digital as well.

Will digital platforms reach a tipping point in the near future and surpass linear television?

Digital platforms might attract more viewers overall, but certain formats will remain rooted in traditional television—live entertainment, big shows, sports...  and as we've seen in the Middle East, daily soap operas, for example. People continue to watch them on television; people still go to the living room at 5:30 p.m., turn on the TV, and watch.

Let's go back to your current position. CME is present in seven European markets. What makes the Slovak television market distinct from others where the group operates?

Slovakia's television market is doing very well this year. The important factor is sufficient local content. Markíza is investing in this and delivering value to both television broadcasting and Voyo, which has hundreds of thousands of subscribers. This confirms that the digital transition is progressing well in Slovakia.

Markíza's portfolio includes six linear TV stations. Could some be shut down in the near future? Or could new ones be added?

Slovaks still watch an average of four hours of television a day. So, we're still doing very well. There isn't any problem with "classic" TV in Slovakia. The question is whether we stay passive or prepare for what's next. Digital platforms are more cost-effective costs and offer clearer insights into customer preferences. This opens the door to the creation of new stations that can target customer groups better and more effectively.

Do you see potential for synergy within CME Group—for example, shared content between Markíza and Nova? Aren't there reserves, given that you operate in several other countries?

Definitely. The more content synergies we achieve between countries, the more we can invest. We saw this with the series Matematika zločinu (Mathematics of Crime), which was a joint production between Nova and Markíza. Another successful series from Voyo Original was Studňa (The Well), a Czech-Slovak project. But to compete with Netflix, Disney or HBO Max, local content will win us the day.

So, local content is your weapon in competing with Netflix and others?

In the long run, yes. Plus, our presence in seven different markets gives us economies of scale. They aren't as large as those of Netflix, but they make us more competitive than some local players. Operating both television and digital platforms give us strength, because we can amortise content across both, and that means we can make bigger investments in content.

Turning to Markíza—the last year and a half have brought developments and changes under the new ownership, including personnel moves, departures and turbulent events. Were you aware of these developments in the newsroom before taking the job?

I'd been in discussions with CME for about a year, so yes, I was aware.

How did you see the situation back then, as a manager not yet officially on the inside?

Media professionals are smart, creative and passionate, which naturally leads to differing views and debate. It's normal. The company I worked for previously covered events like the Gulf War and the Arab Spring civil conflicts with a team consisting of 65 different nationalities, representing all religions and denominations. The possibility of tensions was always there, both in the company and the newsroom, but clearly defined processes and frameworks made collaboration possible. Markíza's news coverage is balanced and impartial, as confirmed by independent expert reviews. The diversity in its content is reflected in the growth of the prime-time evening news program Televízne noviny's market share, now at a five-year high.

But there is still communication chaos at Markíza. Shouldn't that be stopped?

I wouldn't call it chaos. It's true that media brands matter to people because they're in people's living rooms: they make people laugh, cry, and inform them. That's why so many are interested in what happens at Markíza. The Markíza brand will still be here in five years, committed to entertaining and earning viewers' respect. That's what matters.

You're launching a major online news project called TN live. Why is CME backing this model?

Because we see that viewer habits also influence how people consume news, just like all other genres. Young people now get most of their news from different formats, not by sitting down and watching the news at 7 p.m. News also must evolve and succeed across different channels.

What did it cost to launch TN Live in Slovakia?

Television is always expensive, but synergies within Markíza and its multi-format newsroom allowed us to keep the initial costs of TN Live low. I think it's a good investment, because, in the long run, it will pay off through online advertising, which will appeal to a viewer segment different from traditional television. It will also pay off as an investment in human capital.

So, what was the specific amount?

In the hundreds of thousands of euros.

How will TN Live affect your advertising revenue?

We were asked a similar question when we launched Voyo. And what happened? TV viewership remained stable, TV advertising revenues remained strong, and we unlocked a new revenue stream. We expect the same in this case. We're certainly not launching TN Live to lose viewers; we're launching it to expand our reach.

One more question on Markíza and advertising. Markíza has decided to block ad-skipping for cable TV archive content. What kind of reaction do you expect from viewers and advertisers?

We've been operating television stations for 35 years. Our investment in high-quality, mainly local content depends on sustainable advertising revenue. We see this as a fair compromise: safeguarding our advertising revenue while keeping our content informative and entertaining. The big question for today's media is whether local brands can survive against international players with much larger budgets and economies of scale. If they don't, media stops being a local business. Markíza's goal is to maintain local business models so that we can compete with international players, and supporting local advertising is central to that.

About Sam Barnett

On May 1, 2025, Sam Barnett became CEO of Central European Media Enterprises (CME). He brings decades of experience in television broadcasting and streaming. He previously served as Executive Director of MBC Group in Saudi Arabia. His career includes roles in the United Kingdom, Kenya, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates, and time at consulting firms PwC and Arthur Andersen. He studied economics at Cambridge University and holds an MBA from INSEAD.