Blockbuster and passion

Music, Entertainment, Urban Culture, and Society are the main topics of CHTV. BY BETTINA BÜSSEREIt's booming in the German-speaking Swiss TV scene: Three stations have been new on the market since 2012, and two more will join them in 2014. In the second quarter of this year, for example TV24 launch, the new station of the AZ Media: "It appeals to both female and male audiences in the 35 to 59 age segment. The programming concept includes news, in-house productions, sports and licensed programs. TV24 is complementary to TeleZüri, Tele M1 and TeleBärn and optimally complements the existing portfolio," is how Roger Elsener, Managing Director of the AZ Medien TV station family, defines the station. TV24 will benefit from synergies within the AZ Medien TV station family in the areas of marketing, programming, technology and distribution.TV24 will stand for news expertise, show Swiss in-house productions, documentaries as well as series and feature films, and offer local and national news from politics, culture, business and sports, as Elsener continues. The station is not licensed and, according to Elsener, "largely financed by advertising": "TV24 offers all forms of advertising commonly used in TV, such as commercials, sponsoring and special advertising formats."5+ with "exciting and emotional" documentariesAlso about to launch is 5+, the third channel from Dominik Kaiser, CEO of the 3 Plus TV Network AG. According to Kaiser, 5+ is to broadcast its programming for the first time "in the first half" of this year, "focusing initially on exciting and emotional documentaries and series." The target groups addressed, Kaiser says, are "the classic advertising target groups, 15-49, the householders and 15-39." On financing the channel, Kaiser says, "3+ has been profitable for several years, the channel is in good health, we can finance the launch of 5+ from our own funds. Revenues are generated primarily through advertising." In this regard, the offers for advertising and sponsoring customers are the same at all of the Group's stations: "In addition to the classic spots, there are a variety of special forms of advertising, such as the Station Tip for our customers."4+ has established itselfOn the air since October 2012, Kaiser's station 4+. According to Kaiser, reactions to the offering have been "very positive": "4+ has managed to improve by 3 positions over its commercial competitors since the start of broadcasting. On December 24, 2013, the station achieved its best market shares to date in various target groups, and after SRF1 in second place, ahead of SRF2, RTL Switzerland and Pro7 Switzerland." In terms of programming, the focus is on blockbusters, especially in prime time: "The scope and compilation of films is special. No other station shows as many blockbuster films as 4+. As with 5+, the launch of 4+ was financed from the group's own funds, according to Kaiser - and the operation is also to be financed from advertising money: "We generate absolutely the largest share of our revenues from advertising; we don't receive any fees. That's why our main target group for 4+ is also the 15 to 49-year-olds who are relevant to advertising. The so-called household viewers and young viewers between 15 and 34 are also becoming important."S1 with political arena and target group 35+Also new in the lineup since October 2013 is S1, the station of the S1TV INC.. According to Managing Director Hardy Lussi, reactions to the offer have been "consistently positive, especially those from the advertising market". According to Lussi, it is still too early to talk about audience figures, but S1 has recorded continuous ratings growth since the official measurement. "S1 focuses on high-quality programs from German-speaking countries. We set additional accents with Swiss productions, documentaries and feature films, plus thrillers, cooking shows and cartoons. The Swiss Feature Film and the Swiss Documentary Film of the Month are already established program items on S1. With Politarena with Filippo Leutenegger and the weekly film magazine Kinowetter, two Swiss productions have already been realized. Further Swiss productions in the areas of lifestyle, cooking and entertainment are planned," says Lussi, defining S1's offering.The station focuses "at its core" on the 35+ target group and thus appeals mainly to people "who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s. People who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life in the evening and slow down." According to Lussi, S1 is 100 percent privately financed by the founders - Mike Gut and Andreas Auerbach in addition to himself - and by other investors: "We have a serious business plan." In the area of advertising, advertisers and agencies are "close to the station with us and our marketer Publicitas AG," and attractive special forms of advertising and sponsorship offers such as environment-specific singles spots, trailer sponsorships, editorially accompanied product placements or branded entertainment concepts are offered quickly and easily.Transmitter with "passionFinally, on the air since June 2013 is CHTV - a somewhat special station. "CHTV is a platform that shows the passion of Switzerland. Music, Entertainment, Urban Culture & Society are our main axes and we are constantly scouting for new and interesting content to expand the scope of the content", says Philippe Aenishaenslin, Managing Director of CH Television GmbH about his channel. And: "Building a new company in an existing market requires ambition and above all passion. The positive energy we draw from passion is what we want to give back to everyone and grow together with the interest of our viewers." CHTV, adds Aenishaenslin, is not an esoteric station and has the clear principle of not wanting to be another station that, for reasons of revenue, commits itself to including "dodgy erotic formats or even ShivaTV in its programming."Trust is importantAccording to Aenishaenslin, there is a financing concept to guide them, but, "More important is the trust we get from our employees, advertising partners, content partners and from our viewers. They all help us implement the concept and hang together in a system." In terms of advertising, CHTV can't reinvent the wheel, he said, but prices are very low, CHTV is very flexible and appeals to viewers who "don't watch the other TV channels." These are three important factors that are essential from a marketing perspective, he said: "CHTV is a perfect partner for the complementary measures in the advertising industry." Asked about CHTV's target groups, Aenishaenslin emphasizes that CHTV does not address groups but the "passion of people": "In my opinion, segmentations on one level of target groups limit people and only define a momentary affiliation. According to Aenishaenslin, the response to the new station has been "really very good" and has motivated the team to continue on its path: "In addition to our successful in-house formats such as KultSchweiz, Atelier, XtremSports, Animation Power and CHTV Music, we are expanding our programming to include four additional formats. But I can't say anything more specific about that yet."