Prva Srpska Televizija

Prva Srpska Televizija, commonly known as Prva, is a Serbian commercial television network with national coverage. It began broadcasting on 31 December 2006 under the name Fox Televizija, following News Corporation's successful bid for one of Serbia's national commercial broadcasting licences. The network was created during a period when international media groups were seeking entry into Serbia's newly developing commercial television market. Its original identity connected it to the Fox-branded television operations that News Corporation controlled in several European markets. Fox Televizija conducted test transmissions during September 2006 before gradually introducing documentaries, films, imported series, entertainment programming, news and sports. Its first full launch took place on New Year's Eve 2006, with a live programme and the Fox Danas news operation. News Corporation appointed television executive Dan Bates as the first chief executive. In its early years the station relied heavily on acquired American and international programming while building a domestic production slate. Local formats included news bulletins, talk shows, quiz programmes, lifestyle programming, dating entertainment and sports coverage. The network also cooperated with News Corporation-linked broadcasters in neighbouring countries, including bTV in Bulgaria and Fox Turkey, on selected production and programming projects. The channel established a presence in the Serbian market relatively quickly, but its first operating period was financially difficult. It reported losses in both 2007 and 2008, and the global financial crisis contributed to substantial cost-cutting in 2009. That restructuring particularly affected the news division, with approximately 60 percent of its staff reportedly dismissed and the morning programme Fox 900 sekundi cancelled. Speculation that News Corporation might sell several Eastern European stations intensified in 2008, although reported negotiations with potential buyers did not produce an immediate transaction. In December 2009, News Corporation sold the Serbian operation to Greece-based Antenna Group. A transition period followed, during which Bates remained chief executive before Dejan Jocić took over in March 2010. The Fox identity was retained temporarily, but the network was renamed Prva srpska televizija, usually shortened to Prva, at the beginning of the 2010–11 television season. The new name positioned the channel as a Serbian general-entertainment broadcaster rather than as a direct extension of the international Fox brand. Under Antenna Group, Prva expanded its locally produced entertainment, factual and reality output. Its programming portfolio has included news, scripted series, talk shows, quizzes, lifestyle programmes, talent and celebrity formats, sports, films and imported drama. Notable formats associated with the network include Ludi kamen, Survivor Srbija, Fajront Republika, Tvoje lice zvuči poznato, Veče sa Ivanom Ivanovićem, Domaćine, oženi se and various local adaptations of internationally distributed formats. The network also acquired rights to selected sports properties, including Spanish football and the Adriatic Basketball League during its Fox period. Jocić also oversaw the development of a Montenegrin sister channel, Prva TV Crna Gora, launched in August 2012. In April 2013, editor-in-chief Dragan Nenadović was promoted to chief executive. Prva later broadened its portfolio with the launch of the cable channel Prva Plus in January 2014. The main network continued to refresh its visual identity, news studio and programme schedule while maintaining a broad, mass-market positioning. The available reference material confirms Antenna Group ownership through December 2018, but does not establish a later owner or the network's current corporate structure. Prva remains an active Serbian television brand in the supplied material.

Prva's history began with News Corporation's entry into Serbia's commercial broadcasting market. In April 2006, News Corporation won a national broadcasting licence in a Serbian public tender, defeating competition that included RTL Group. Dan Bates was appointed to lead the new operation. Test transmissions began on 6 September 2006 with a Fox logo, followed by limited programming from 9 September, including a nature documentary, telenovelas, films, music videos and a ULEB Cup basketball broadcast. The station's sports footage from a basketball-fan disturbance in Belgrade in December 2006 received international attention. The first news output appeared on 22 December 2006. The network then made its formal debut on 31 December with a live launch programme, Fox stiže, incorporated into Fox Danas. During its first season, the schedule was built around relatively inexpensive acquired American and international series, films, soaps and locally produced news. In 2007, Fox added entertainment projects such as the Marko Živić Show, Katarina, Fox i prijatelji and the quiz Da li ste pametniji od đaka petaka? Some programmes were short-lived, while Ludi kamen became a durable part of the schedule. The station also experimented with wrestling, celebrity reality, talk programming and Croatian co-productions. Fox strengthened its sports offering by obtaining rights to Spanish Primera División football and the Adriatic Basketball League. In 2008 it participated with sister networks in a local Fort Boyard production and introduced additional daytime and factual programming. The 2008–09 season brought a revised identity, scheduling changes to Fox Vesti, the launch of Fox 900 sekundi, the Serbian version of Survivor and the youth-oriented talk show Fajront Republika. Survivor Srbija's first-season finale in February 2009 delivered the network's largest audience share to that point. The same period exposed the financial pressure facing the operation. Although viewership improved over time, the broadcaster recorded losses in 2007 and 2008. In August 2009, management began a large restructuring, citing the effects of the economic crisis. The news department was particularly affected, with around 60 percent of its employees dismissed, including news head Tanja Vidojević; several contractors were also released. News Corporation's wider financial difficulties and the global crisis prompted reports that its Eastern European television assets might be sold. The Serbian station was sold to Antenna Group in December 2009. Bates remained during the handover, while Dejan Jocić became chief executive in March 2010. The Fox name continued during a transition, but the network adopted the Prva srpska televizija identity on 20 September 2010. The rebrand marked a shift toward a locally positioned Serbian network while retaining a commercially oriented, internationally informed programming strategy. During the Antenna period, Prva expanded its regional and digital television footprint. Jocić oversaw the launch of sister station Prva TV Crna Gora in August 2012. In April 2013, editor-in-chief Dragan Nenadović became chief executive. The network's 2013–14 season introduced or continued numerous locally produced and adapted programmes, including Tvoje lice zvuči poznato, Ples sa Zvezdama, Sinđelići, Domaćine, oženi se and other entertainment, factual and scripted series. Prva Plus was launched as a cable channel in January 2014. The supplied references document Antenna Group ownership through December 2018 but do not provide reliable later ownership or management information.

1. 2014Prva Plus launched

   The broadcaster introduced a cable television channel under the Prva Plus name.

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2. 2013CEO transition

   Editor-in-chief Dragan Nenadović was promoted to chief executive.

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3. 2012Launch of Prva TV Crna Gora

   The network expanded into Montenegro with a sister channel.

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4. 2010Rebrand to Prva

   Fox Televizija became Prva srpska televizija, commonly branded Prva.

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5. 2009News division restructuring

   The broadcaster undertook major cost-cutting and reduced its news workforce.

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6. 2009Sale to Antenna Group

   Antenna Group acquired the Serbian Fox operation from News Corporation in December.

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7. 2006National licence awarded

   News Corporation won a Serbian national commercial broadcasting licence in a public tender.

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8. 2006Test transmissions begin

   Fox Televizija began test transmissions in September before expanding its programme output.

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9. 2006Official launch as Fox Televizija

   The network formally launched on 31 December with a live New Year's Eve broadcast.

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A broad-reach Serbian general-entertainment broadcaster combining national news, locally produced formats, imported series, factual programming, sports and reality television.

• PrvaNational television network2006

  The main Serbian free-to-air commercial channel, offering national news, entertainment, reality formats, locally produced series, imported drama, factual programmes, films and selected sports coverage.

• Prva PlusCable television channel2014

  A cable television service launched by Prva in 2014, extending the group's programming portfolio beyond the primary national network.

• Prva TV Crna GoraMontenegrin television channel2012

  A sister channel established in Montenegro as part of Prva's regional expansion during the Antenna Group period.

• 2010Uključi se!

  Serbia

  A refreshed visual identity and the slogan Uključi se! accompanied the transition from the Fox-branded service to the Prva identity.

  Outcome. The rebrand established Prva as a locally named Serbian general-entertainment network.

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• 2009Cost-cutting and news restructuringStrategy

  The network faced operating losses and the effects of the global economic crisis while News Corporation was restructuring assets internationally.

  What changed. Management dismissed approximately 60 percent of news-division staff, cancelled Fox 900 sekundi and reduced contractor numbers.

  Aftermath. The restructuring reduced the news operation shortly before the station was sold to Antenna Group.

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• 2009Sale from News Corporation to Antenna GroupM&A

  News Corporation had reportedly considered selling several Eastern European television assets amid financial pressure and market uncertainty.

  What changed. The Serbian broadcaster was sold to Greece-based Antenna Group in December 2009.

  Aftermath. The Fox brand was retained during a transition, followed by the Prva rebrand in 2010 and a period of regional expansion.

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• 2014Prva launches Prva Plus

  Prva expanded its channel portfolio with the launch of the cable television service Prva Plus.

  Product launch
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• 2010Fox Televizija is rebranded as Prva

  The network adopted the Prva srpska televizija name and the shorter Prva brand at the start of the new television season.

  Other
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• 2009News division restructuring and layoffs

  Fox Televizija implemented major cost reductions, including the dismissal of a reported 60 percent of news-division staff and the cancellation of Fox 900 sekundi.

  Leadership change
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• 2008Fox Televizija reports the arrest of Radovan Karadžić

  The network interrupted scheduled programming on 21 July 2008 to provide live coverage after first reporting the arrest late at night.

  Other
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• 2006Fox Televizija begins official broadcasting

  The Serbian network officially launched on 31 December 2006 after a period of test transmissions and limited programming.

  Product launch
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1. Prva Srpska Televizija