Atmedia – media sales house of thematic TV channels – is set to launch a new series 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 over 800,000 Czech viewers each month.
In the first part of the interview, Jamie Cooke reveals that the initial discussions about launching a Free-To-Air TV channel on the Czech market began nearly a decade ago, recognizing the strong presence of free terrestrial broadcasting, which still does remain a staple for many Czech households. However, the true turning point for the Free-To-Air channel’s launch came with the merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery, which vastly broadened the content library available to Warner Bros. Discovery. ‘A Free-To-Air TV channel relying solely on Discovery content would never have garnered a large enough audience,’ declares Jamie Cooke.
Jamie Cooke sees the new Warner TV film and series channel as an integral part of Warner Bros. Discovery’s broader ecosystem, designed to fully capitalise on the potential of every single title within their portfolio. ‘Content that has been on streaming services for a while and may seem past its prime can gain a fresh audience on a Free-To-Air TV channel,’ proclaims Jamie Cooke. He further explains that a single title can follow a trajectory from cinemas to streaming platforms and Pay-TV channels, eventually making its way to Free-To-Air TV channels. ‘In summary, we can now maximise the value of a single piece of content far more effectively.’ Additionally, Warner TV acts as a valuable marketing tool to promote other platforms within the Warner Bros. Discovery portfolio, with the current priority being to boost subscriber numbers for their MAX streaming service.
This year on the Czech market seems to have been particularly noteworthy for you, especially due to two major milestones. The first being the launch of the Free-To-Air Warner TV channel, and the second, the introduction of the MAX streaming service to the Czech audience. Let’s begin with Warner TV. Why opt for a Free-To-Air channel, and why in the Czech Republic?
We first started discussing the idea of launching a Free-To-Air TV channel in the Czech Republic around ten years ago, so it’s been quite a long process. I believe there are several factors that explain why a Free-To-Air channel, why the Czech Republic, and why now. Let’s take it one step at a time.
It’s no secret, nor a particularly groundbreaking idea, that free terrestrial broadcasting holds a dominant position in the Czech Republic. Since 2007 or 2008, we’ve had a strategy for Free-To-Air channels across Europe, and during that time, we’ve been evaluating various European markets, considering where we could launch such channels. The recurring question was always: why aren’t we operating in this segment in the Czech market yet? It was never about whether we should have a Free-To-Air channel here. Given the strong presence of free terrestrial broadcasting, the Czech market is clearly very relevant.
The more significant question is why we chose to do it now, rather than, say, ten years ago. In my view, the answer lies in the merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery. Discovery had excellent content, but it was difficult to utilise effectively for a Free-To-Air channel. On its own, Discovery’s content would never have attracted a large enough audience or supported a sustainable business model. Simply put, a Free-To-Air channel based solely on Discovery content wouldn’t have drawn sufficient viewers. It was the Warner Bros. and Discovery merger that brought this idea back to life. Suddenly, we had the opportunity to combine the strengths of both content libraries.
Your presence in the Free-To-Air TV space isn’t limited to the Czech market. You also operate similar channels in other countries, such as TVN in Poland, TLC in Germany, and DMAX in Austria, to name just a few. Compared to other global companies, Warner Bros. Discovery stands out with the number of Free-To-Air TV channels it runs. In fact, I can’t think of any other global company that places as much emphasis on free terrestrial broadcasting. What’s your strategy behind this approach?
First and foremost, free terrestrial broadcasting is a distinctly European phenomenon, and it doesn’t hold the same prominence in other parts of the world. Many European markets can be characterised as free-to-air regions, with a significant portion of viewers depending on it. Moreover, following the Warner Bros. and Discovery merger, the strategy behind free terrestrial broadcasting has become even more logical and relevant than it was prior to the merger.
What do I mean by that? I’m referring to the content ecosystem. Essentially, it’s about where viewers choose to consume your content. In the European context, this means Free-To-Air TV channels, Pay-TV, streaming services, or AVOD platforms. The shift in viewing habits across these platforms over the past ten to fifteen years is a natural evolution, and audiences no longer limit themselves to consuming content in just one place.
Since the merger of the two companies, we now have content that resonates with a wide range of audience groups. In fact, the same content can appeal to these different groups across platforms. Content that has been available on streaming services for some time and may seem outdated can be revitalised through Free-To-Air TV channels, giving it a fresh audience. We’re now able to produce content that works seamlessly on both Free-To-Air TV channels and streaming platforms, not just in one market, but across multiple regions. A film that once premiered in cinemas can move to streaming services, then to Pay-TV channels, and finally to Free-To-Air channels. In essence, we’re able to extract much more value from a single piece of content. It’s all about the ecosystem, and the Free-To-Air TV channel is just another key piece in that puzzle.
You have 18 Pay-TV channels on the Czech market, three of which are measured and commercially represented by our company. Alongside these, you do also have the Free-To-Air channel – Warner TV, and the streaming platform – MAX. Could Warner TV also serve as a marketing tool to promote your broader portfolio? Was that part of the plan from the start?
Yes, absolutely. It all ties back to the ecosystem I mentioned earlier. You have to meet your audience where they are, and in the Czech Republic, a significant number of viewers rely on free terrestrial broadcasting. Until now, we haven’t had a way to engage with this segment of the market, and for the first time, these viewers can access our content. However, this also brings up an important question – how do we encourage these new viewers to explore more of our content on other platforms? That’s where cross-promotion and the marketing efforts you referred to come into play, supporting this broader strategy.
What’s the primary goal of your cross-promotion activities? Are you focused on supporting MAX, building a loyal audience for Warner TV, promoting Pay-TV, or is it a combination of all these efforts to strengthen the overall ecosystem?
It’s definitely about the entire ecosystem, but our priorities shift depending on the timing. At the moment, our main focus is the global expansion of the streaming service MAX and boosting subscriber numbers. In the Czech Republic, we can leverage the Free-To-Air TV channel to support this objective.
It may be a bit early to ask, but you never know – are there any plans to launch additional Free-To-Air TV channels in the future?
Not at the moment (laughs). Right now, our priority is to understand how Warner TV viewers behave and to get a clear picture of who our audience is. While we’re targeting a broad adult audience, we might eventually consider reaching specific groups, potentially by introducing new products to the market. But for now, there are no such plans. Our current focus is on the performance and development of the new channel we just launched.
And how about Pay-TV?
Pay-TV remains a healthy business, and I believe that’s largely due to one key factor – Pay- TV operators in Central Europe have done an outstanding job of providing their customers with truly compelling service packages. I don’t think we have plans to add more Pay-TV channels. What’s more important to me is whether we have the right mix of channels. Now that the two companies have merged, we’re gradually learning how our content performs on these channels. We may consider replacing channels that generate less interest from viewers or business partners. So, it’s not about increasing the number of channels, but rather optimising our existing portfolio.
