Atmedia – media sales house of thematic TV channels – is here with the second part of interviews with leading experts from the television and media market under the brand ‘Expert Talks’. Jamie Cooke, General Manager of Warner Bros. Discovery for CEE, Middle East, and Turkey region, has accepted an invitation to be interviewed by Michaela Suráková, Atmedia’s Managing Director. The current interview series was introduced in response to the launch of Warner Bros. Discovery’s first Free-To-Air TV channel in the Czech Republic. Since its debut on 2nd April, the movie and series channel, Warner TV, has quickly gained traction, reaching an average of almost 800,000 Czech viewers each month.
In the second half of the interview, Jamie Cooke explains how his team brought Warner TV to life in just about six months after receiving the green light to enter the Czech market. The Free-To-Air channel predominantly airs movies and series from Warner Bros. Discovery’s catalogue, with the selection of titles shaped by several factors. ‘A significant and still crucial part of our business is licensing our content to third parties,’ Jamie Cooke explains, while elaborating that the company has to evaluate whether it’s more beneficial to showcase specific titles on their Free-To-Air channel or licence them to another broadcaster. As a result, viewers of Warner TV won’t yet be seeing some of the most popular shows, such as The Big Bang Theory.
At present, Warner TV does not provide its viewers with any local content from HBO’s original productions, which feature critically acclaimed titles like Terapie (In Treatment), Pustina (Wasteland), or Hořící keř (Burning Bush). ‘I don’t think local content is necessarily a guaranteed driver of viewership,’ Jasmie Cooke states, while adding that he prefers not to implement significant programming changes to the new TV channel while viewers are still adjusting to its current schedule, particularly since it has only been on air for a few months during what is known as the ‘super sports year’. ‘A realistic target is to achieve a 1% audience share, which would serve as a solid foundation,’ Jamie Cooke remarks on Warner TV’s viewership, highlighting that the channel will never directly compete with major commercial TV networks, whether in terms of content production or advertising revenue.
You began contemplating the launch of a Free-To-Air TV channel in the Czech Republic roughly ten years ago. Now, let’s discuss the moment you made the final decision to launch Warner TV. How long did the process take from that final decision to the actual launch?
I can’t say for sure if it was a record, but it took just about six months from the final decision to the actual launch of the TV channel. The quick turnaround was driven by business considerations – had we not launched so quickly, we would have had to wait until the following year.
Warner TV primarily features movies and series from the extensive Warner Bros. Discovery content library. What criteria does the channel use to select which titles to broadcast?
There are several layers to this process. Licensing content to third parties remains a crucial aspect of our business. The initial consideration when selecting content is how to strike a balance between what we can air on the TV channel and what do we need to licence out. We evaluated the available content and how to manage revenue streams across various segments of our business. While this posed some limitations, they were necessary ones. Next, research plays a crucial role – we analyse market trends and identify any gaps in demand. We also look at other markets to see which content is performing well. Ultimately, you have to take a leap of faith. You launch the TV channel and observe the results.
What are your thoughts on the current programming schedule? Are you satisfied with how it’s shaping up?
To be honest, I’m not completely certain at this point. I believe we’ll have a much clearer picture in a few months. With summer behind us and the major sports events concluded, people are settling back into their routines. As the weather turns colder and the days grow shorter, it’s likely that people will spending more time inf front of the TV.
I’ve been getting numerous inquiries about when Warner TV will start airing The Big Bang Theory or other similarly popular series. Can we expect to see any of these well-known shows on Warner TV in the future?
We continuously seek the best platform for our content, aiming to reach the widest audience and generate the highest revenue. Every content-related decision we make is grounded in this principle. If we identify a demand for a specific show on a Free-To-Air TV channel, we will consider whether that aligns with our goals. For now, though, our priority is to stabilise viewership and help our audience acclimatise to our content. Only then will we start contemplating potential changes.
The Czech TV audience is distinctive in that they have a strong preference for local content, with around 50% of total viewership coming from local programming. By merging the two companies, you now have access to a wealth of local content from HBO’s productions, which is particularly appealing to Czech viewers. Titles like Terapie, Pustina, or Hořící keř are especially attractive. Will this content be featured on Warner TV?
That’s certainly something we need to consider. Towards the end of last year, we tested the performance of local content on Pay-TV channels, like Discovery Channel, in the Czech Republic and other countries. Based on those results, I don’t think we can simply assert that local content automatically drives viewership – it’s not that simple. It really hinges on the channel’s profile. Honestly, our tests showed that local content didn’t produce outstanding results for Discovery Channel – the audience there is quite different.
Furthermore, we still don’t have a deep enough understanding of Warner TV’s audience to determine whether using local content from HBO would perform better than the films we currently air. We need to consider who our viewers are and build our strategy from that foundation. Only then can we start to evaluate whether a specific type of content will resonate. Additionally, we won’t compete with the major Free-To-Air TV channels in terms of produced content or advertising revenue. From this perspective, it may be best to adopt the stance that we don’t operate in the same way – we’re not targeting your audience, but rather a different segment of viewers.
What characteristics define the ideal Warner TV viewer?
My instinct tells me that we’re on the right track with Warner TV by aiming for a broad adult audience. We can cater to various demographic groups at different times throughout the day. I don’t think there’s a place for a channel that distinctly targets either male or female viewers. Additionally, I’m hesitant about creating a channel specifically for a younger audience, as they can be more challenging to engage. In my opinion, it’s more beneficial to focus on a wider audience, with perhaps a slight emphasis on women and what’s known as ‘shared viewing.’ Pursuing a narrowly focused channel doesn’t seem like the right strategy for the Czech market.
What are your objectives regarding the audience viewership?
I believe a realistic target is to achieve a 1% audience share, which would serve as a solid foundation. If we aim to go beyond this figure, it will require considerably more investment in local production and marketing.
In the coming weeks, Atmedia will publish the final segment of the interview with Jamie Cooke, which centres on the MAX streaming service.
