Programming and production leads from all United Media markets gathered for the company’s annual content summit—an intensive one-day workshop dedicated to reviewing past performance and shaping the season ahead.

Teams took a deep dive into programming grids, slot-by-slot competition, audience share targets, and format performance across genres. From breakout hits to learning moments, no topic was off the table. Discussions also tackled the balance between in-house production and outsourced models, as well as the adaptation of global entertainment formats to meet local tastes.

What became clear is that United Media is not just holding ground—it’s leading. The group continues to outperform across the region: its channels are the most-watched national broadcasters in Croatia, Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Nova remains Serbia’s top-rated cable channel, commanding strong loyalty across key demographics.

But the summit wasn’t only about numbers—it was also a creative catalyst. Teams previewed upcoming reality and entertainment formats, shared behind-the-scenes glimpses of fiction projects now in development, and explored cross-border synergies with real commercial potential.

“Our strength doesn’t lie in one hit show or a single market—it lies in our system,” said George Makris, Programming Director at United Media. “When we share data, insight and instinct across borders, we don’t just follow trends—we create them. Our content strategy is shaped by the way people actually consume media — not just on their TVs, but across all kinds of platforms and screens. This evolution includes substantial investments in original content productions, especially in fiction and reality, and the expansion of original content on digital”.

Adding a fresh perspective to this year’s gathering were special guests from the Baltics, who presented several cutting-edge formats now in development across Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

The Sofia summit wrapped with a focused roadmap: finalise commissioning timelines, align promo strategies, and accelerate development ahead of a high-stakes September launch. One day, eight markets, dozens of formats—and one united vision for the season to come.