Markets

Over 1,000 participants, 260 production companies, and 150 buyers converged at NEM Dubrovnik (Croatia, June 10-13, 2024), an audiovisual market affectionately known as “the market with a view” for its stunning setting at the Palace Hotel, the venue of the event. The four-day gathering was a hotbed of panels and showcases discussing a range of topics including the pivotal role of artificial intelligence in production, as noted by Maria Rua Aguete, a researcher at the British firm Omdia who asserts that its use is now indispensable in audiovisual production.

A deep dive into the regions of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) was made possible by a panel featuring Nataša Rapaic, the incoming CEO of Croatian Telecom starting July, and the indefatigable NEM organizer, Sanja Božic-Ljubicic, also CEO of Pickbox, Mediatranslations, and Mediavision. The panel explored the future of the telecommunications industry—originally NEM's primary focus—and stressed the need for a closer dialogue between technology and audiovisual content sectors. "Television is obviously content-driven, and content is crucial for defining the editorial stance of a player, but it's not just about content; building an emotional connection is also fundamental," they highlighted.

Focusing on content, IDTV (an All3Media group company) showcased the phenomenon format The Traitors and the long-standing game show Lingo, as well as the recent addition, The Unknown, following the mystery reality trend. Moreover, numerous training sessions included presentations by Omdia, Ampere Analysis, PlumResearch, and Maria Valenzuela on the role of AI in media, highlighting its impact on content creation, audience engagement, and international distribution.

The panel "Linear TV Still Matters in CEE" concluded that linear TV is far from dead in these regions, driven by sports and news leading the programming, while "premium" content is offered by still affordably priced platforms like Pickbox and SkyShowtime.