Markíza’s Peter Chalupa Shares Shopping List

Peter Chalupa, the head of acquisitions for Markíza in Slovakia, has formats on his buying wish list, “since locally produced content is achieving the highest ratings.”

As the country’s leading commercial broadcaster, Markíza generally buys programming that is “appealing to broad audiences,” Chalupa tells World Screen Newsflash. “Our main channel, Markíza, is capable of reaching 40 percent of Slovak viewers in [the target group of] 12 to 54”—citing as an example Dear Daddies, a daily series, based on a Telefe format, that aired this spring in an access-prime slot. “So, we look for strong titles that have the potential to maintain and strengthen our leading position in the market. Traditionally, we look for genres such as action, thriller, crime, romance and comedy.”

He adds that for the secondary channels Doma and Dajto, “we acquire Turkish series and long-running U.S. procedurals and sitcoms.” These should skew more female for Doma and more male for Dajto.

On the flagship Markíza, the majority of the slots in prime time—from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.—are filled with local content, “which is a mix of news, reality programming and fiction. We develop our own content [for prime time] but are also open to license successful formats and adapt them into Slovak versions,” says Chalupa. Formats that have been adapted for the channel include Idols, Wife Swap, The Biggest Loser and 10 Years Younger, with more coming in the fall.

“The production of fiction series is on the rise in Slovakia,” he adds. “This spring, we broadcasted six fiction series. The daily access Oteckovia (Dear Daddies), comedy Kuchyňa (Kitchen), drama Milenky (Mistresses) and crime series Detektív Dušo (Detective Duso) were new series, while Horná Dolná (In the Middle of Nowhere) has returned with season seven and the sitcom Susedia (Neighbors) was brought back to life after ten years. In this area, we not only acquire but also sell. For example, the format rights for our comedy series Horná Dolná sold in Hungary, and its second season is a success there. Now we’re discussing other territories in our region so the series will [be made] into another version. Our romantic series Búrlivé víno was sold into several counties as a ready-made as well as a format (in Slovenia, Mexico, Nigeria, Hungary and Estonia).”

The secondary channels don’t produce their own programming, but instead, feature acquired shows from the U.S. and Europe.

“We cooperate with all key distributors and long-term partners in licensing, including the U.S. studios,” says Chalupa. “For sure we will also find something during NATPE.”