Hot Topic - Central European Media Enterprises (CME)
As the Soviet bloc crumbled in Eastern Europe great opportunity opened. Western investors, many with broadcasting and publishing experience, seized the chance as old state structures vanished. They brought money and talent. Success was at hand. Things changed. In the last decade or so, many of these investors walked away. Some ran. Most, now, are gone. The tales are illuminating.
Companies move through stages, entirely predictable. Financial investors also have their phases. Circumstances, certainly, dictate much of the flow but, like the sun rises and sets, investors move on to newer opportunities. Companies either evolve or fade away.
It’s the season for change agents. Helicoptered in from the home office, turn-around specialists are single-minded and short on patience. They prefer core businesses, preferably with fewer employees. Competitors, though, are happy to see them.
Challenging times call for decisive action. Some media operators choose to stay the course, albeit with fewer resources. Others take the opportunity to cut and run. Shareholders like that if buyers can be found. The other option is to wait and maybe that ship will come in.
The pain has moved to the television business. Between second screens and diminished ad revenues, big TV companies are cutting costs further, shedding assets and generally restructuring. Publishers went through this exercise and several emerged with only light haircuts. When ad and subscription revenues held on broadcasters thought they would avoid the barber: maybe not.
The great financial crisis has caused considerable pain in the media sector. And, too, there’s been the hysteria as new media takes more and more attention space. Buy the rumor, sell the facts, say the traders.
Positive, even stunning, year-end financial results continue to roll in from television broadcasters. Yes, ad revenues are recovering. Cost control and restructuring have their benefits but does this create a dangerous blind-spot?
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