04. 09. 2012

TV AVALA BECOMES NARODNA TV

Belgrade, September 4, 2012 (Press) - Negotiations for the take-over of TV Avala have entered their final stage and it is just a matter of days when this TV station will end up in hands of the first man of the "Grand Production" Sasa Popovic.

The new TV station will be named "Narodna TV". According to Press' unofficial information, Popovic will make certain changes to the current program scheme, which include airing of "Grand parada", Grand's entertainment program that used to be aired exclusively on TV Pink. Popovic also mentioned employing almost 200 new members of staff.

Zeljko Mitrovic would remain one of Narodna TV owners, but as far as the program is concerned, the Head of Grand Production Sasa Popovic will be in charge.

The remaining two Grand's program will however continue to air on Pink (Grand Show and Grand Stars) for at least one more season, while new Narodna TV will produce a number of its own music programs that would be the base of program concept. According to the sources, Popovic's program scheme will keep films and series aired on TV Avala, but will include news bulletins. The source also said that Popovic would not fire staff willing to work on this TV channel from Autum.

According to sources, one of the key reasons for Popovic buying TV Avala was allegedly the desire of Pink owner Zeljko Mitrovic to put emphasis to rock and pop music in TV Pink's program scheme, which means reduction in programs coming out of the Grand Production. Sasa Popovic purchased a large TV studio this summer, additional lighting and other TV equipment and rented a satellite and cable channel, to be used for presenting new programs of his company.

It is highly likely that bringing Popovic's Grand Production to TV Avala, with its highly commercial programs, would soon result in a jump in the number of viewers, which would enable the station to get back the national frequency at the frequency allocation competition next year. The experts believe that the value of the new TV Avala, in the moment of license extention next year, could rise up to 15 million Euros. Such a redesigned and refreshed TV Avala could easily find its foreign investor/buyer.