20-03-2011

Slovak TV Cancels Production Contracts

By Dominika Uhríková

    BRATISLAVA: The management of the newly-created Radio and Television of Slovakia (www.rtvs.sk), Slovakia' public broadcaster, has announced it will cancel a number of outsourcing contracts between Slovak Television (www.stv.sk) and private production companies as part of its large-scale restructuring and cost-cutting efforts.

    RTVS head Miloslava Zemková said her proposal envisages that in 2011, only about 30 percent of Slovak TV's €10 million budget will be used for commissioning productions from independent producers, compared to some 90 percent in the past few years. She added that redirecting resources should allow Slovak TV to generate 600 hours of content, which is almost five times more than in 2010.

    The affected programmes are mainly TV series such as The Danube Saga and Hey Taxi produced by JMB Film & TV Production (www.jmbfilm.sk), Old Town Crime Tales by Trigon Production (www.trigon-production.sk), and Rescuers by Artreal.

    Zemková's proposal also involves the purchase of a new outside broadcasting van, which she said is an "absolute necessity." She plans to request an additional €5 million from the government for the van.

    Slovakia's Culture Minister Daniel Krajcer, whose approval is required before the proposal can be implemented, asked RTVS to submit the document for public discussion.