Mr. Gerkens, you have known Nova TV for 4 years, which are a small part of its 30-year history. But you, as CEO of Nova Broadcasting Group, have the opportunity not only to celebrate the anniversary with the team, but also to set the strategy for its future development. What’s next for Nova TV?

I started my TV career at a Luxembourg company, now part of the RTL Group, at the same time as Nova TV was established in Bulgaria. Back then there was certainly a difference between the two companies, but I can assure you that today Nova TV is made and operates according to all global standards. The 30-year road it has travelled is quite impressive.  A small TV station in the difficult first years after the democratic changes here, with broadcasting only in the capital city, became the biggest media player in the country. Nova TV has changed along with the times and has successfully gone through all the stages and transformations that technological change has imposed on us. Moreover, it has dictated the trends on the Bulgarian market and has become a natural leader that today everyone recognizes.  This says a lot about the team – people with innovative ideas, determination and creativity. Working with them is a real pleasure. Based on our experience, we are ready for more innovation and investment in quality content across all our media assets and platforms.

What do 30 years mean for a media? In one’s life, this is the active age when you are aware of what you can do, what you want to achieve and at the same time have the knowledge and strength to do it.

For any business, 30 years means a solid foundation on which you can safely build. And for a media company that must grow in a hyper-dynamic world, that means uncompromising professionalism, forward-thinking management and strong character.  We are delighted to be the owners of Nova Broadcasting Group and look forward to the next 30 years with optimism.

When you first took over as CEO of Nova Broadcasting Group in 2021, you said in an interview for 24 Hours Newspaper that your goal was to continue the group’s fantastic success story. Now that you have been leading Nova TV again for 5 months, are these still your intentions and how are you planning to realize them?

As United Media’s Director of Sales, Production and Advertising Sales, I have never stopped working for the success of Nova Broadcasting Group, whether I was also in the position of CEO. The content that is produced here is good enough to be competitive in the rest of Europe. We are selling Nova’s original content, such as its series, into the international market, we are looking for co-production opportunities and we are exploring different entertainment programs that might be attractive to the other countries where United Media is present.

Summer is a time for vacation, but it does not apply to TV stations, which at this time of year are working hard, preparing and shooting their Fall season program, and even some part of the Spring season. What would be the content that viewers will watch on Nova TV in Fall?

The spirit of the Jubilee will be felt this autumn. We are going to surprise viewers with the scale of the productions we are preparing. The reality format “DESAFIO BULGARIA” will be different – more extreme, with stronger participants and completely new elements. The “Big Brother” legend is back, as it has happened in many other countries around the world. You know very well that this is the first reality format ever in Bulgaria, which Nova introduced 20 years ago.  Famous actor Dimitar Rachkov takes over the entertainment in our third format – “I can see your voice”. Last but not least – Nova’s news and journalism will return in September in its full volume and in its usual schedule. 

A lot of games and entertainment formats are being filmed for the upcoming season, and it seems that they are at the expense of series, which were the absolute TV fashion a while ago. Is it really so? Will there be new Bulgarian series, or new seasons of already produced succesful ones on Nova TV?

Nova keeps supporting Bulgarian film production, acting as a media partner of some of the most popular feature films in Bulgaria as well as TV series producer. We are preparing to begin filming for numerous more film projects; the second season of the series “The Cage” is now under post-production. We rely on gripping and compelling storylines in various genres.

Why are fewer series being made? Is it cheaper for TV stations to make entertainment formats, or is there a change in viewers` behaviour, i.e. audiences are looking for other types of TV content?

Audiences are becoming more demanding of the series they watch and the level has already been raised high. The storylines we are looking for should meet those expectations, that is why we are also more demanding about the quality of the initial projects we are looking at. Developing them to the desired level takes time.

Will there be any summer surprises? How will you attract viewers until September? Understandably, the European Football Championships have caused high ratings, now the Olympics in Paris are coming up. But besides sport, what does the audience prefer?

The European Football Championships showed once again that the Bulgarian audience is looking for and expects the best sports content from us. Research shows that over 20% more viewers watched the final match this year compared to the previous edition of the championship. Now that the efbet League has kicked off, three more major sporting events in Europe will begin in August – the English Premier League, the French Ligue 1 and the German Bundesliga. Our investment in sports content is significant. Two years ago, we bought the exclusive rights for the next European Championships in 2028, as well as the qualifiers for both these and the 2026 World Cup. We also have a contract for the Nations League editions until 2027.

When we talk about viewers’ preferences, they are like anywhere in the world. TV audiences want to be well informed, which requires quality journalism, and to be entertained with first-class programs and major sporting events.

Is there a need for more news and current affairs programs, since political life in the country is like a long political reality show lately? How and to what extent does politics influence television? As a foreigner, how do you perceive Bulgarian political life?

The official peoplmetric data shows that all our public affairs formats and newscasts are consistently the preferred source for the active-age population. In the latest survey by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, the work of our journalists is again highly distinguished. According to it, Nova news is the most preferred source of information in Bulgaria. On the Internet, our website nova.bg is the most preferred source for reliable information.

A month ago, you announced that for the first time Nova TV will offer live streaming of the reality show Big Brother. How will technology change the way we watch?

Nova has long been embedded in the digital everyday life of Bulgarians. We have not only viewers, but over 3 million digital users. They are engaged with our formats across all digital platforms – websites, apps, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and more. Our approach is not just to adapt content, but to expand it according to the interests of these new audiences. Our reality formats have official podcasts, additional series, games and challenges. Streaming for Big Brother is an additional episode specifically developed for NOVA PLAY. The platform will also give votes, podcasts with all the participants and something unique – for the first time the audience will be able to choose one of the participants in the house.

Why has Nova TV decided to bring Big Brother back on screen?

After the last edition of Big Brother, Nova TV continued to pay the format rights, waiting for the perfect time for its comeback. 

What does the Bulgarian TV market look like today? Operators now offer a different way of watching TV – delayed viewing, video on demand. How does it all affect the making of TV?

Nearly 40% of households in the country have the option to watch TV programs delayed, which changes the viewing pattern, but not the way we work. Because of the richer content that viewers can access, in most cases they are also spending longer in front of the TV screen. 

More serious problem for us is the illegal distribution of programs by unscrupulous operators. We are working on introducing clear rules in this area. Piracy in general is a serious issue in Bulgaria and stunts new investment in the country.

What from Nova TV’s experience can be useful for the United Group, which owns the Bulgarian media group?

We appreciate the experience of Bulgarian professionals. Our ambition is to push Bulgaria as a strategic location for filming quality TV content. Many formats can be produced here. In Bulgaria we have already produced Who Wants to Be a Millionaire for the Serbian market. 

It has already become clear that the British group BC Partners has launched a procedure for the sale of the United Group. Will Nova Broadcasting Group be part of the deal? Since Nova is the leader of the media market in the country, do you know how much it is valued at?

I don’t comment shareholders related matters.