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. It has since been delisted.
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), 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. By 2Q 2013, Time Warner had acquired a controlling interest in CME in a series of transactions.
In October 2019, AT&T signed an agreement to sell WarnerMedia's stake to PPF. The transaction valued at $2.1 billion was completed in October 2020.
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.
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.
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. 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.
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
bTV
bTV Cinema
bTV Comedy
bTV Action
bTV Lady
Ring
Croatia
RTL
RTL 2
RTL Kockica
RTL Living
RTL Crime
RTL Passion
RTL Adria
RTL Croatia World
Czech Republic
TV Nova
Nova Cinema
Nova Action
Nova Fun
Nova Gold
Nova Lady
Nova Sport 1
Nova Sport 2
Nova Sport 3
Nova Sport 4
Nova International
Romania and Moldova
Pro TV (also broadcast in the Republic of Moldova as a simulcast feed)
Acasă (also broadcast in the Republic of Moldova as a simulcast feed)
Acasă Gold
Pro Arena
Pro Cinema
Pro TV International
Pro TV Chisinau
Slovakia
Markíza
Markíza Doma
Markíza Dajto
Markíza Krimi
Markíza Klasik
Markíza International
Slovenia
Pop TV
Kanal A
Brio
Oto
Kino
Astra
See also
CME/Lauder v. Czech Republic
References
External links
Companies of Bermuda
Television companies
Companies formerly listed on the Nasdaq
Pan-European media companies
2020 mergers and acquisitions
Mass media companies established in 1991
Former AT&T subsidiaries
Former WarnerMedia subsidiaries
Private equity portfolio companies
PPF Group