Česká televize’s Jitka Bodlakova Talks Acquisitions Wish List

Jitka Bodlakova, an acquisitions exec at Czech pubcaster Česká televize, is on the lookout for “new, quality series” as the team is buying for four of the six channels in the bouquet.

For the main CT1 channel, the acquisitions department is eyeing “classic French, British, Italian and American films produced in the ’60s and ’80s, which follow the library line, are high quality and show great stars of classic cinema,” Bodlakova tells World Screen Newsflash.

CT2, meanwhile, has more current titles and first-run series, again with an eye to quality and featuring blockbuster stars. “We do not have an ambition to be the first ones to introduce a title in the territory,” she says. “We prefer iconic titles of the genre to B-grade films and remakes; we do not buy TV movies.”

Česká televize also purchases a fair amount of documentary programs, according to Bodlakova, primarily for one-hour slots and in the areas of history, technology and art “covered in a popular and objective way. Very popular are travel documentaries, profiles of artists and concerts of stars; these are purchased for the ČT art channel along with art movies and cult series.”

Also, a “considerable quantity” of animated programs and fiction series are being purchased for the kids’ channel ČT Déčko (CT:D).

The percentage of acquired versus commissioned content differs significantly across the portfolio. On CT1, acquired programs make up about 25 percent of the broadcast time, while on CT2 it is almost half.

“We work on purchases well in advance; therefore, we are focusing now on 2019 and 2020,” Bodlakova says.

In particular, “We are interested in some of the new, quality series. We will mention our wishes to the distributors present at NATPE so that we do not miss the chance.”