Prima expects ad boost

Czech broadcaster Prima, which is owned by Modern Times Group, expects to see an advertising boost of up to 10% this year.

The company announced that its first quarter advertising sales were up by 14% over the year, although this is expected to slow down slightly. The broadcaster has seen growth across its portfolio of channels including digital networks Prima Love, the female skewing network it launched in March, and Prima Cool, the youth skewing channel that it launched two years ago.

“We expect sales on the Czech market to grow 4% annually this year and Prima will grow faster,” chief executive Marek Singer told investors. 
This advertising boost is also expected to increase next year as public broadcaster Czech Television faces a ban on advertising from January 2012.

Much of the country’s US$500 million (€350 million) advertising revenue is expected to be shared amongst the commercial broadcasters including Prima and Central European Media Enterprises-owned Nova.