RTL and Nova TV without a concession because they offer recycled programming?

Croatia has received its first specialized TV channel, writes Jutarnji list. In the tender for the concession for digital television, Kapital Network, the first business television in the region, was the only one among five TV companies to secure a permit for the experimental broadcasting of its program.

Although the Council for Electronic Media could have awarded two more concessions for digital television, no decision was made on that. Of the five bidders, two TV companies – CMC (Croatian Music Channel) and Independent Television NET from Kutina were disqualified from the tender for failing to submit complete documentation. It was therefore expected that the two concessions could go to Nova TV and RTL Television.

However, the Council did not comment on the offers from these two commercial television stations, even though their offers were valid. Neither Nova TV nor RTL had any information today regarding the decision of the Council for Electronic Media. However, unofficially, we learn that these two television stations failed to gather the majority of votes from the councilors to obtain the concession because they did not offer anything new. Allegedly, in their offers for the specialized channel, they proposed 70 percent of their old, recycled content that they already broadcast in their regular programming.

The Council, we learn, did not like this, so they perceived their offers as unserious, low-quality, and below standard. The only two specialized channels were actually offered by CMC and Kapital Network, but since CMC was disqualified, the concession was awarded only to the business channel.

Dragan Ćuća, director of Kapital Network, says they face a significant business challenge.

– We were pioneers in creating specialized channels. Our business program that we offered in the tender has been in development for three and a half years, says Ćuća, who came up with the idea of launching a specialized TV channel a few years ago spontaneously.

In the experimental phase, Jutarnji list notes, there will be no more tenders for concessions. However, Nova TV and RTL will have a new chance in a few months when a proper tender for the concession award is announced. Sources close to the Council say that this should be a lesson for Nova and RTL to make their offers for the new tender much more quality-oriented, rather than appearing to want another channel just for an additional 12 minutes of advertising per hour. (Jutarnji list)