In the third quarter of 2011, ATM Group – Poland’s largest independent television and film production company – posted 2,8 million PLN in consolidated net income, up 101.1% on the same period in 2010, and 29.74 million PLN in consolidated revenue. In the first three quarters of 2011 ATM Group’s net income rose 25%, from 2.7 to 3.3 million PLN, with revenue at 81.36 million PLN.
In June the company’s AGM resolved to pay a higher dividend, 0.18 PLN per share, earmarking 15.5 million PLN for dividend payout.
ATM Group’s strong market position is due to its television series. “Father Mathew” and “The Ranch” are among the 10 most-watched series in Poland. “Kiepski’s World” and “First Love” also continue to post good ratings. In addition, ATM Group began a number of new productions including soap “Shopping Arcade” for TVP1 and a thriller series for Polsat.
The TV advertising industry is slowing down, mainly due to the global downturn. To cut costs, advertisers focus on narrowly targeted sales campaigns, which is damaging the revenues of the major channels. At the same time thematic and premium channels are growing in importance. The latter, including HBO Polska and Canal+ Cyfrowy, are more inclined to spend on locally produced series and shows. Being aware of these changes ATM Grupa S.A. is working hard to strengthen its offering, also catering to demanding audiences of thematic channels. In the third quarter the company produced two cooking shows: “Pepper, Chili, Salt” and “Adam w sieci” for Kuchnia.tv (Canal+ Cyfrowy), and is currently preparing to produce a new series for a premium channel.
Another important factor are ATM Group’s increased efforts geared toward international, especially eastern, markets. The company is currently finalizing the sale of a number of shows to Ukrainian, Russian and Asian buyers.
Key for ATM Grupa S.A.’s Q3 2011 results was an increase in services sold to the industry. In summer 2011. ATM System – a division of ATM Group specializing in TV production and technical support for large-scale events – provided technical support for the 2011 women’s European Basketball Championship (as the main radio and television signal provider) and Poland’s largest music events: Heineken Open’er Festival, Selector Festival, Coke Live Music Festival, Eska Music Awards, and Przystanek Woodstock. In addition, the company is also the technical supporter of Extraklasa soccer games.
In September 2011, ATM Group launched a new film and television production complex, ATM Studio. Located in the Warsaw district of Wawer, ATM Studio is the most state-of-the-art film production center not only in Poland but in this part of Europe. The 14,000-square-meter complex includes offices, soundstages, television studios, production and postproduction facilities, a cinema room and catering facilities. The biggest soundstage, spanning 1,500 square meters, is used for big television shows with a live audience (the show currently in production is Rochstar’s “The Voice of Poland” for TVP 2) and major film productions. Four 800-square-meter soundstages will host game shows, films and television series. In addition, the complex includes a 500-square-meter soundstage for commercials and TV theater productions, as well as fully equipped make-up rooms. Auxiliary facilities include storage areas for sets and equipment, and two power supply transformer stations (2 megawatts each). The center’s IT and communications infrastructure enables live HD broadcasts from each soundstage to all television stations. ATM Studio will generate income from long-term leases of studio space, event hosting, film screenings and the production of series, films and commercials.
ATM Group is expanding or contemplating expansion into film production and self-produced TV content – in early 2011 the Group received a license from the National Broadcasting Council to launch a television channel on Poland’s first DTT multiplex. The group has also been engaged in the production of epic historical films: Jerzy Hoffman’s latest feature “Battle of Warsaw 1920” (the movie opened in September 2011), Janusz Zaorski’s “Siberian Exile” (to be premiered in 2012), and Jan Komasa’s “The City”, a movie about the Warsaw Uprising (with filming set to begin in spring 2012).
“The good results in the third quarter of 2011 are due to ATM Group’s production of popular programming, and our efforts in other areas”, sums up Andrzej Muszyński, CEO of ATM Group, “such as services provided to the industry – the lease of space and soundstages, and provision and rental of advanced equipment for major cultural and sporting events. We have also noted a rise in interest in our formats from international buyers. We hope our efforts to meet the needs of thematic and premium channels will be as successful.
