Writer: Sirma Penkova / Photo credit: Nadejda Chipeva
Gospodin Yovchev has held the situation of Main Working Officer of BTV Media Group considering that the commencing of May perhaps 2021. He is immediately liable for the areas related to company relations, lawful troubles, content distribution and a variety of other business functions of strategic worth to the media group. Yovchev joined the company in April 2014 as director of the Authorized Division, grew to become a member of the board of administrators and executive director in 2017. He is also a supervisor of Radio Business CJ, a subsidiary of BTV Media Group.
Gospodin Yovchev has a master’s degree in Business Administration from the College of Nationwide and Entire world Financial state and a Master’s diploma in Law from the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”.
The Firm
The portfolio of the media team consists of the channels bTV, bTV Cinema, bTV Action, bTV Girl, bTV Comedy and RING. Amid the electronic belongings of the enterprise are eight sites as properly as the electronic system VOYO.BG. Radio Company CJ is a subsidiary of BTV Media Group, which includes Z-Rock, bTV Radio, N Joy, Jazz FM and Basic FM.
At the close of 2020, BTV Media Team was bought in a deal offer by the Czech holding PPF, which obtained for $ 2.1 billion the then proprietor of the Central European Media Enterprises (CME) team with televisions in 4 far more nations – Romania and the Czech Republic. Slovakia and Slovenia. The television companies have been headed by Didier Stoessel, the previous CEO of Nova Broadcasting Team, but bTV did not appear below his manage. Only the media group was divided into a different corporation – CME Bulgaria, which is led by the Czech manager Lubos Jetmar. At the close of 2020, bTV CEO Florian Skala was replaced. His position was taken by the Czech Martin Svehlak with around 25 decades of practical experience in the media current market in the Czech Republic. In Bulgaria, PPF also owns the telecom Yettel Bulgaria (right until lately Telenor Bulgaria).
The revenues of BTV Media Team for 2020 are BGN 132.3 million or 9.3% a lot less in comparison to the earlier 12 months. The financial gain is BGN 23.8 million. At this time, the media group has a complete of 514 workforce and the radio team a full of 29 men and women.
The revenues of the team of “BTV Media Team” for 2020 reduced by 9.3%, which is close to the very same as the drop in the complete marketplace of Television set advertising for the 12 months. What was the group’s technique for overcoming the crisis?
The emphasis was on safeguarding the health and fitness of our staff members. The world-wide pandemic has pressured us to improve the organization of function and rethink the way we shoot productions. We launched program adjustments in buy to provide security for persons, but also to meet the audience’s desire, which shifted mostly to information content. And, of class, with the plan of sustainability of our business operations in the long operate. The mixture of these aspects and the drop in the advertising industry led to a drop in revenue, but steadiness in our current market existence. I am proud that we did not lay off persons. Regardless of what the strategy, it can’t be realized with no a sturdy and enthusiastic staff. The workers of bTV are gifted and devoted industry experts. Our journalists were at the forefront to present well timed, exact and aim info to the community. The crew is at the coronary heart of all the things that distinguishes bTV in the media sector. For us, persons are cash, not a useful resource.
What have you altered in terms of programming?
Some of our entertainment productions were stopped, others were being postponed owing to breaking news, special studios, greater emphasis on pandemic news. The adhering to year, our concentration then shifted to making a lot more leisure information, which was viewed as a require by viewers following the first 12 months of the COVID crisis and pressured social exclusion.
How did you conclusion the financial year 2021 and what are your forecasts for this 12 months?
The monetary yr ends at the close of March. Our facts show that we have obtained the targets for 2021. This is thanks to the a lot quicker than anticipated restoration of all financial sectors, even though we have amplified investment decision in content material to offer a acceptable context for brand names. The progress of the e-commerce and direct-to-buyer sectors, as perfectly as the improved marketing investments of small and medium-sized businesses, have led to an maximize in our revenues.
Our anticipations for this calendar year are to continue on the trend of progress in advertising revenue in each tv and digital advertising.
The business product of the media to be financed largely by advertising revenues can make them vulnerable to crises when providers reduce their marketing budgets. Do you consider that the funding model can change and in what path?
In reality, businesses that did not wholly end advertising and did not eliminate contact with their buyers went by way of the disaster with a lot less turmoil. For conventional media, advertising will stay 1 of the most important resources of revenue, and for advertisers – 1 of the most preferred methods to talk with individuals.
Worldwide trends these kinds of as featuring individualized advertising to the goal viewers inside a linear Tv provider will come faster or later in our market place. At this phase, even so, it is as well early to discuss about it, but it is one thing that will allow for even closer make contact with with the viewer.
Distribution profits also occupies a considerable put, which is specifically linked to our expenditure in good quality written content.
To what extent do ratings and revenues ascertain the articles of television and to what extent are consciousness and creating tradition and taste in people driving business strategy?
The popular phrase that “Content material is king” means to me that the audience is king. The written content is designed, generated and available so as to satisfy the anticipations and needs of the viewer.
The pandemic has designed new client attitudes. Men and women are hunting for more electronic encounters and more amusement. Our tv strategy is dependent on the ideal equilibrium amongst leisure and really serious information. When we converse about professional tv, this is the effective components. For community media it is diverse, they have legal and software specifications and a function that indicates additional instructional and social content.
Considering that last 12 months, we have enhanced expenditure in leisure articles, and our approach is based on reaching the appropriate combine concerning custom and renewal. Examples of these types of goods are “Who Wishes to Be a Millionaire” and “Survivor”. “The Bachelor” is a new reality structure and in a quite brief period of time of time it has develop into a recognizable product or service. In the key time we launched a new Bulgarian sequence – “I’ll Be Fine”, which carries on the tradition of bTV to commit in regional material. We are also actively building the radio stations that are part of the group.
Exactly where is the place for present-day affairs journalism with so a lot entertainment?
High quality journalism and existing affairs programming carries on to be the major aim of the bTV Media Team. We are very pleased that all through a pandemic, throughout a war and for a different calendar year a complicated political condition in the nation, bTV news and present affairs go on to be a favored resource of info for our culture.
If advertisers are looking for more leisure information, does that necessarily mean considerably less profits from journalistic articles?
We do not make this kind of a separation. We see tele
vision as a full item, as a generator of content material aimed at viewers. Their desires decide the articles. When we say that the editorial coverage of tv is independent, we in fact signify that it is dependent on the viewers. The right equilibrium of written content need to satisfy equally the require for data, criticism and know-how, and the will need for leisure.
What are your programs for your media portfolio? It lacks print media, have you thought in that route?
Our concentration and technique for the long run is on substantial excellent movie content material. We commit in digital presence and growth of on the web platforms. Our strategies incorporate generating two new internet sites. One will be with business, economic information and qualified feedback in the field of finance, lending, inventory and commodity exchanges. The other will be a athletics articles web-site. Video clip podcasts are a structure that attracts the audience and delivers outstanding effects. We invest in solutions that bring a person knowledge these types of as electronic episodes, 360 ° studios and augmented reality (AR) integration.
From the commencing of April, the group adds to its advertising portfolio two new thematic channels – Wness Tv and Salt & Pepper. We are investing a major useful resource in the technological renewal of the VOYO system. In the subsequent two years, the matches of the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Tremendous Cup and Conference League will be broadcast on bTV Motion, RING and VOYO.BG.
Author: Sirma Penkova / Photo credit history: Nadejda Chipeva
At the finish of 2020, bTV Media Group became aspect of the PPF team. At the managerial stage, what were the problems in creating synergies with the new operator?
From a purely managerial issue of look at, my concept to persons is that any modify is a prospective possibility. The improved expense of the team in information and the introduction of new formats is proof of this chance.
Belief is at the main, and this is a procedure that does not start when the alter normally takes area, but in the preliminary section of creating the crew. The staff, trusting both equally its chief and each individual other, finds its inspiration and the suitable way to adapt to change and turn it into an asset.
Not very long immediately after the new owner came, there was a managerial transform at the best stage. Ladislav Bartonicek took over the administration of the PPF holding enterprise right after the tragic death of the owner Petr Kellner. Was there an impact on the management product of bTV Media Group?
PPF is a steady group with an recognized composition and existence in 25 markets and regardless of the terrific disappointment the group managed to adapt quite immediately so as not to have an affect on the continuation of normal business functions. It is a extensive method of operate, of creating buildings, of forming leaders who are capable to address a gap at any minute, if a single arises.
On what theory does the bTV group function with the media from other marketplaces owned by PPF? Do you have prevalent tasks, do you share content, journalists?
There is an exchange of knowledge, ideas, concepts and techniques. The audiences are diverse, in some of the territories the entertainment content material is top, and listed here the news written content is in excellent demand from customers. In some cases we experiment with successful versions in other international locations.
We exchange news content. For example, we now have a long-lasting correspondent in Brussels for the forthcoming Czech Presidency of the European Union, and groups in all marketplaces can rely on a subject source. A bTV News workforce was in Kyiv in the early days of the war and furnished details to all media in the team.
What type of supervisor would you opt for, do you believe more in horizontal or vertical crew administration?
My method is individuals-oriented. Regardless of what the approach of an business, it are not able to be realized without having a powerful team. The media environment is particular and not anyone can expand very well in these types of dynamics. For me as a manager, the team is often at the heart of anything. I accept myself as a member of the workforce regardless of the function I perform in it.
What is the problem you have confronted in your occupation and have defeat?
The largest obstacle in my job was the conclusion to move from the telecom business to the media field. I experienced to challenge myself professionally, get experience, up grade in a new discipline and improve some of my ways and understandings of the business ecosystem. It was an remarkable procedure that taught me a lot of classes.
Has training assisted you in your profession, or is functional practical experience the finest teacher?
Education, mixed with a ton of hard work and expertise, is the precise blend that has assisted me establish. One particular is not attainable with no the other. Each individual vocation is a lifelong mastering process. In numerous positions, I have appear throughout numerous managers who have desired to develop me, invest in me and educate me.
Q&A
Should really organizations take positions on socially essential or political troubles?
Businesses are placed in the context of their time. You can not different and differentiate yourself from what is going on all-around you. From the place of see of the media, as effectively as for any other business, the client is the one who sets the agenda. It is difficult for any firm to differentiate itself from the agenda of the shoppers for whom it creates its merchandise or services.
Do you have an example that you abide by at the managerial degree?
There are a lot of people I admire and have given me know-how. A lot of of them are not entire world-popular administrators, but they are these who have provided me worthwhile lessons – qualified and individual. I want to be equipped to discover, to just take the greatest from these men and women and mix it with what I signify as a person so that I can have my individuality.
How do you relax exterior of perform? Do you have hobbies?
I have a tricky time getting a equilibrium in between do the job and leisure. With the mobile phone upcoming to me, it is really practically extremely hard to get away from do the job, but what I do offers me pleasure. However, I consider to discover time for personal functions and time for my loved ones. I attempt to participate in sports, which can help not only physical but also mental health. I also adore to journey.
What was the past guide you go through?
I am looking through Dune now. I not too long ago reread Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Workforce.
The initial report is released in Funds.bg