ACTIVITY REPORT 2014-2015 Television
Community lies at the heart of everything we do as an organization. It is integral to our mission and is the guiding principle for how we work. Special thanks therefore go to our Members, our suppliers and our partners for working with us to create and sustain a genuine spirit of solidarity and community. ACTIVITY REPORT 2014-2015 / TELEVISION 2
EUROVISION Connect 2014, Vienna (Austria) EBU introduction Our TV team aims to bring fresh, compelling content and networking opportunities to international programmemakers. This includes our themed initiatives, including in this past year the WWI Centenary and the EUROVISION Film Week, and the EUROVISION Song Contest, one of the biggest nights in television around the world. Additionally, through forums and creative events leading to coproductions and quality programming at significant cost savings, we work to support Members with the knowledge, contacts and impetus to turn ideas into programming reality. Full service, broad scope The TV team provides a broad range of services to Members under the guidance of the TV Committee regarding our overall activities and strategy. We support the public service mission by enabling networking, various EUROVISION events, programme exchanges and rights acquisitions, and providing strategic advice regarding the future role of TV in the fast changing media environment. Activities and projects are carried out at the request of Members and in close cooperation, and all the projects and initiatives are steered and supported by the various experts groups and individual steering committees. Our team comprises experienced media professionals and works to support the overall EBU mission, meaning our mission role is to provide unique networking opportunities and bring Members together to cooperate, co-create and coproduce. Our TV services cover all relevant genres in the media sector with a flexible approach to meet Members needs and represent their interests internationally. Our main areas of operation are currently the genres Science & Knowledge, Music & Dance, Documentary, Fiction, Children & Youth, Intercultural Diversity, Formats and Entertainment/Live Events. We work closely with other EBU units to provide Members with a full service and we aim for crossdepartmental cooperation in the content and technology sectors. ACTIVITY REPORT 2014-2015 / TELEVISION 3
KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY Our key areas of responsibility are divided into six distinct areas. Each is listed below, along with some highlights from past year. Music and Dance Music & Dance activities are important parts of the TV activities. The elected Members of the bureau represent broadcasters from within EBU membership. The group is involved in coproductions, including the major international biennial talent contests EUROVISION Young Musicians and EUROVISION Young Dancers, as well as adhoc series and live events. The group oversees and promotes the distribution of high-end classical concerts among EBU Members, such as the France Télévisions Concert de Paris and RTVE s Concert for Human Rights, and provides networking opportunities for EBU broadcasters to address industry issues such as classical music audiences, new developments in the sector, and copyright issues. The bureau furthermore oversees the EBU s framework agreement with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, which brings three concerts annually including the prestigious New Year s Concert to millions of viewers across Europe. Experts groups Experts (commissioning editors, heads of programmes, editors) in Science & Knowledge, Music & Dance, Children & Youth, Intercultural Diversity, Branding, Documentary, Fiction and Formats, meet regularly throughout the year to exchange information and knowledge, foster collaboration, pool financial resources or commission companies to develop and produce TV programmes. They also meet in working sessions on a variety of topics/themes (case studies, sessions, screenings, and best practices). The focus of the meetings can change according to Members needs; so, for example, one of the main topics for the Science meeting is contemporary history; the main topic of the European co-production "The Team" Network Movie, Lunanime, Nordisk Film, Superfilm in association with C-Films Fiction meeting is European co-productions; and one of the main goals of the EUROVISION Intercultural & Diversity Group is to exchange items for programmes and magazines for and about the minorities living in their countries. Branded networking events Over the last few years, the TV service has developed two well-established events, EUROVISION Connect and the EUROVISION Creative Forum, both fully managed and operated by the TV team. Connect is an annual conference that brings together roughly 130 professionals from public service broadcasting organizations for a two-day schedule highlighting the innovation, creativity and excellence of multiplatform broadcasters. Connect topics typically include branding, marketing, promotions, continuity and presentation, design, media planning and the use of social media. The event also features the annual EUROVISION Connect Awards. The aim is to provide a highly appreciated and strong service for Members for an extremely low fee, nurture the exchange of expertise among EBU Members, encourage networking among professionals working in the same sector at European level, showcase the best PSM case studies and continue strengthening a well-established brand and awards session and ceremony. The Creative Forum is a format exchange platform and event. For a more detailed discussion, see below. EUROVISION Television events Our team runs several EUROVISION TV events, such as the ESC, the JESC and the biannual events EYM and the EYD. The EUROVISION Song Contest (ESC) has been Europe s favourite TV show since 1956. Viewers in participating countries vote for their favourite songs by means of pan-european televoting, and professional juries have a 50% stake in the outcome. Since 2013 viewers have been able to vote using the official app. The winning broadcaster hosts the next year s Contest. The production is transmitted live over the EUROVISION and EURORADIO networks. The Junior ESC is a live entertainment event launched in 2003 as the little sister to the ESC and it follows the same principles and format elements. EUROVISION Young Dancers is a cultural TV event for young audiences and was re-launched in 2011, after a six-year hiatus. EUROVISION Young Musicians has been running biennially since 1982. It is an international classical music event aimed at offering the widest possible stage to talented young classical musicians to help them embark on international careers. All these events are unique and can only be realized thanks to the EBU Members network. Special projects and initiatives The TV team also handles various initiatives and programmes decided upon by the Executive Board (ExBo) or top management, e.g. the Solidarity package, an initiative launched several years ago. The aim is to collect good content from Members to be used free of charge by other Members who are unable to afford to produce such programmes. The project encourages solidarity between Members and helps those in difficult financial circumstances. The EBU s role was to define the package (legal framework, period, ACTIVITY REPORT 2014-2015 / TELEVISION 4
delivery of material), to encourage Members to commit to delivering programmes free, to gather rightsfree programmes for distribution and to prepare and deliver the package, as well as to collect information about the viewing figures/pr. Another project is the funding database that was established at the request of EBU management, which provides Members with information about funding from European institutions, international or national foundations, as well as any other potential sources. The website is organized by genre/area of interest (e.g. documentaries, social issues, health, environment, children, etc.) and includes information on eligibility criteria, upcoming deadlines, contact details, etc. TV Assembly The TV team runs the TV Assembly (TVA) with the aim of bringing together Members senior television managers to share the interests of the membership regarding the overall strategy and policies to be pursued by the EBU in respect to TV matters. The TVA provides a forum for exchanging information and sharing experiences among Assembly delegates along with professional discussions on topics of relevance to the TV sector. The TV Assembly is kept informed of the work carried out by the TV Committee and its experts and project groups, and is overseen by the TV Committee. The TV Committee is the key body bringing together senior television representatives from the EBU membership, with a remit covering: Member coproductions in all genres; overseeing major EUROVISION TV events; overseeing themed programming initiatives; proposing programme exchanges and cooperation between Members; assuming ultimate supervisory responsibility for the EUROVISION Song Contest, the Junior EUROVISION Song Contest and other EUROVISION TV events, as well as policies developed within the various TV experts groups. EUROVISION Song Contest 2014 Grand Final, Copenhagen (Denmark) Andreas Putting (EBU) In 2014, we reached recordbreaking audiences for the Eurovision Song Contest, one of the world s most watched non-sport TV programmes. ACTIVITY REPORT 2014-2015 / TELEVISION 5
The concert in Sarajevo was a unique and highly visible moment in the commemorations of WWI, and was a showcase for the indispensable nature of PSM,, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Sarajevo concert (WWI commemorations) EBU ACTIVITY REPORT 2014-2015 / TELEVISION 6
TOP ACHIEVEMENTS THIS YEAR The last year (2014 to 2015) has been both busy and successful. We are proud of our team s achievements and provide some of the highlights in this next section. EUROVISION Song Contest 2014 The 2014 Contest was successfully hosted in Copenhagen by Danish EBU Member DR, as well as 36 other public broadcasters. The venue, an old shipyard, imposed major challenges that had to be met before a state-of-the-art television production could be held. DR worked closely with the City of Copenhagen to assure all facilities were in place. The 2014 Contest had a reach of 195 million people and saw an increase in audience engagement through televoting. The EUROVISION Song Contest is a truly pan-european cultural event and thereby plays an important role in strengthening a sense of unity while providing a platform to showcase the diversity in Europe's rich pop culture. The Contest is unique and the event can only be held in its current form if a sufficient number of public broadcasters come together under the auspices of the EBU and with the unconditional support from the host broadcaster. In April 2015, the official EUROVISION Song Contest YouTube channel reached its 1 billion video view. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (VPO): third concert in Sarajevo A Europe-wide broadcast by 24 PSM in 22 countries aired this concert live, while PSM in nine other countries aired it by deferred relay. The programme gained a high level of audience, with a total reach of 7.3 million viewers in the main 15 markets. The greatest market share was achieved on ORF2 in Austria (9.9%), followed by SVT2 in Sweden (6.8%, i.e. 11.1% of the population) and on Slovenia 1 (6.4%). In France the 3.2 million reached are 5.4% of the population. This is a very large audience for a classical music concert (besides the annual New Year s Concert which reaches roughly 50 million viewers in nearly 100 countries). The Sarajevo concert was a successful coproduction by three very different Members: BHRT (on-site logistics, coordination with the public authorities), France Télévisions (technical team), and ZDF (TV director and financing). We faced various difficulties in terms of coordination; financing and logistics (the symbolic concert venue had just been completely renovated) that were solved without tensions between the partners. It was a major European public event. Four countries that were enemies during WWI joined forces to celebrate peace and Europe 100 years later: Austria through VPO, as well as Bosnia-Herzegovina, France, Germany through their respective national PSMs. Five Heads of State and almost the entire EBU Executive Board attended the concert live. Two international press conferences were held, one in Brussels and the other in Sarajevo, helping to achieve broad media coverage in many countries. Roughly 20 news teams from various EBU Members used the on-site EUROVISION position for live news coverage and it was also a success in terms of internal EBU cooperation: TV (overall coordination, rights, information for Members), Radio, Sports & Business Department (transmissions), Communication and Strategic Events worked hand in hand in a simple and efficient way. It was a unique and highly visible moment in the commemorations of WWI on the exact centenary of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and was a EUROVISION Creative Forum 2014, Berlin (Germany) 2014 Cellence showcase for the indispensable nature of public service media. The project was only possible thanks to the package deal we negotiated with the VPO eight years ago. The project and the package of established concerts as a whole benefited from the higher viewing figures, which will help during the negotiations for a new package agreement with the Orchestra. EUROVISION Creative Forum The first annual event for screening programme formats with only public service content from Europe and beyond was set up in 2005. The event in 2014 was supplemented by a number of meetings (including the ESC workshops and the Access Services meeting) and was joined by over 270 delegates from Active and Associated Members. The main aim of the event, which is run by EUROVISION TV, is to provide a platform for EBU Members to showcase their recently produced and broadcast formats, nurture the exchange of expertise among EBU Members, encourage networking of professionals of the same sector at European level, showcase the best PSM formats and continue strengthening a well established brand and Awards Ceremony. The audience at the Forum has the opportunity to see 20 of Europe's most recent, innovative, enthralling and touching television programmes in all genres that can hardly be seen anywhere else. At the end of the event, TV professionals from all over the world are invited to select the award-winning formats. The event is unique: no similar offer exists on the market for PSM only. The event is a highly appreciated and strong service for Members and the number of participants has increased constantly over the years. The 2015 Forum will also feature a new entertainment industry day. ACTIVITY REPORT 2014-2015 / TELEVISION 7
MEETING TV S CHALLENGES In addition to many successful projects and initiatives, much of our time in the TV Unit is spent working with Members on difficult issues and challenges. We outline below three such challenges and the solutions we implemented from the past year. Co-productions Despite the success of the oneoff coproduction Europe Sings! in May 2014, coproductions remain difficult to launch, and a subsequent documentary coproduction (Grand Piano Journey from YLE) had to be cancelled owing to low participation. The fundamental problem is that coproductions occupy an uneasy middle ground between broadcasters own productions and acquisitions. A co-production costs much less per minute than producing one s own series (particularly using the collection model, in which each broadcaster contributes one episode and receives broadcast rights for a whole series) yet they are substantially more expensive than acquisitions, which typically sell to a medium-sized Member for around EUR 2,000 per hour. The challenge is to find ways to give Members the same advantages when they coproduce as with their own productions. The re-structuring of the Media Department and the changes in the TV Unit s staff has given rise to uncertainty and delays to several projects. In addition, some Members goodwill and trust in the EBU Permanent Services was lost as they did not feel adequately consulted during the overall Vision2020 process. Junior EUROVISION Song Contest participation The Junior EUROVISION Song Contest was held in November with 16 countries taking part, the highest number since 2007. PBS Malta hosted the event and put on an excellent production in keeping with the Steering Group's request to refocus the target audience on 12 16 year-old 'teenagers', rather than younger children. During the dress rehearsal, there was a power blackout that delayed the rehearsal for approximately an hour. A new televoting partner was appointed for the contest. The biggest challenge remains convincing countries that had previously taken part to re-join the contest many of which withdrew almost 10 years ago. So far, these conversations have only been possible via e-mail and electronic presentations, whereas last year s success was achieved by visiting broadcasters in person. Europe Sings! 2014 Wiener Festwochen / Mike Ranz Improving the app despite significant budget limitations In 2013, the EBU launched the official app for the EUROVISION Song Contest together with its voting partner Digame Mobile. In late 2014, the team realized that overhauling the app to include a new design, new functions and a more flexible content management system was crucial to its success. However, no budget was available for this. Broad commitment from all parties involved resulted in a sponsorship deal with Microsoft in order to finance the further development of the app. This allowed the team to proceed with its aim to launch a completely revamped app for ios, Android and Windows Phone users, and reach a broader audience of potential fans and voters. ACTIVITY REPORT 2014-2015 / TELEVISION 8
PBS Malta hosted the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2014 and put on an excellent production!,, Junior EUROVISION Song Contest 2014 Final, Malta Elena Volotova & Maria Mifsud (EBU) ACTIVITY REPORT 2014-2015 / TELEVISION 9
This year, we will work with Members to consider new Pan-European live entertainment programming. Junior EUROVISION Song Contest 2014 winner, Malta Elena Volotova & Maria Mifsud (EBU) LOOKING AHEAD! Looking ahead to this year, there are three important challenges we are certain to face as the TV team. Re-vamping the children sector The children s sector was evaluated four years ago and, with the help and support of Members, the children s experts in the TV team defined a new strategy and successfully re-vamped former brands and models of collaboration. The TV team continued to support the Erfurt exchanges, an event that has been run for the past 30 years, since 2005 hosted by KIKA in Germany. Producers of magazines for preschool audiences meet to enrich programmes with input, ideas and savoir-faire from other countries and other cultures. New projects are in the pipeline and will brought to fruition in the near future. The newly created Young Audience Unit will develop an innovative strategy along with new objectives and projects in the sector. Keeping events alive The Eurovision contests, above all the Eurovision Song Contest but also events such as the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, are an important part of our TV activities. These events are unique both in their format and in the production model and they attract a broad viewership and public attention. It is our aim to keep the events alive even in times of shrinking budgets. A pan-european live entertainment offering Through the TV Committee, Members asked the EBU to coordinate the development of an original format for a new pan-european live entertainment programme. The mandate is therefore to find something unique, modern, attractive and entertaining with public service value. We intend to have three pitches ready for the TVC in December 2015. An Entertainment Development Team, a small group of delegates from ZDF, ORF, VRT, SVT and BBC was set up three years ago with the aim of developing a new format and the group has been discussing the requirements. We are also working with a number of Members and their in-house development teams. ACTIVITY REPORT 2014-2015 / TELEVISION 10
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is the world s foremost alliance of public service media (PSM). We serve 73 Active Members in 56 countries that run 913 TV services and 854 radio services and broadcast in 96 languages to a potential audience of 1.02 billion people. An additional 21 Associate Members operate in Asia, Africa and the Americas. Our mission is to support and strengthen PSM across Europe and beyond. The EBU operates EUROVISION and EURORADIO. EUROVISION is the media industry s premier distributor and producer of top-quality live news, sport, entertainment, culture and music content. EURORADIO enhances public service radio with music and news exchanges, professional networking, and by promoting digital and hybrid radio. The EBU is also a centre of learning and sharing for our Members. We have offices in Brussels, Rome, Moscow New York, Washington DC, Singapore, and Beijing. Our headquarters are in Geneva.
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