The organizers of New Europe Market (NEM), one of the leading TV and media industry events in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), have announced the dates for their upcoming editions.

NEM Zagreb 2026 will take place on December 7-8, 2026, at the Esplanade Zagreb Hotel, while NEM Dubrovnik 2027 will be held from June 7-10, 2027, at the Hotel Dubrovnik Palace, the event’s traditional venue.

“Every edition of NEM continues to raise the bar, and NEM Dubrovnik 2026 marked our biggest edition yet, bringing together more industry leaders, companies, and participants than ever before. This success is a great motivation to keep evolving both of our events and creating platforms that respond to the needs of the industry,” said Sanja Božić-Ljubičić, founder of NEM Dubrovnik and NEM Zagreb.

“With NEM Zagreb continuing to grow as a place where creativity, innovation, and new generations of video creators come together, and NEM Dubrovnik strengthening its position as the leading TV industry gathering in the CEE region, we are excited about everything ahead,” she added.

Held under the slogan “Inspiring Video Creators in CEE,” NEM Zagreb brings together the entire content creation ecosystem, including TV and film professionals, creators, producers, brands, agencies, platforms, and technology companies. The event explores the future of video across creativity, production, marketing, and artificial intelligence, while fostering knowledge sharing, collaboration, and networking opportunities. Organizers also announced that Early Bird registration packages are available until September 30.

Meanwhile, NEM Dubrovnik 2027 will once again welcome the world’s leading studios, broadcasters, streaming platforms, telecommunications companies, content distributors, and technology providers. Over four days, the event will feature high-level networking, business meetings, and discussions focused on the future of the global media industry. Registration package details will be announced soon.

Organized by the Croatian agency Mediavision, New Europe Market (NEM) encompasses a series of industry events. NEM Dubrovnik has established itself as one of the leading TV markets in Central and Eastern Europe, while NEM Zagreb, launched in 2019, focuses on creativity and innovation across the audiovisual industry.

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In a departure from the atmosphere of other industry events, NEM Dubrovnik 2026 exudes positive energy, a product of its dreamlike location and significant year-on-year growth.

By Luis Cabrera, from Dubrovnik, Croatia

The third day of NEM Dubrovnik 2026 -effectively the final full day of the event, which officially closes its doors this Thursday- was a pure celebration, with Queen’s songs taking center stage, especially “Don’t Stop Me Now,” which could have served as the event’s anthem.

“I feel alive” and “there is no stopping me” are part of the lyrics written by Freddie Mercury, and it’s certainly something the audiovisual content industry, so battered by multiple blows, some external and others self-inflicted, is eager to sing at the top of its lungs once again. And in Dubrovnik, for at least four days, it was a resounding success.

The constant growth of NEM as an event took an even greater leap in 2026, with more spaces and a record number of participants, the result of a combination of factors, some external, undoubtedly, but also the exceptional work done by the organizers.

The distributors present in the different areas, including the new spaces created for this edition, have nothing but praise for the organizers’ consistent presence, dedication to service, and speed of response.

The questions about what comes next and how NEM Dubrovnik will face the inevitable challenges of growth -can the event continue to grow at this pace without losing what makes it so valuable to all its participants?- will have to wait until 2027, or, as the organizers say, until next week, when they will begin working on the next edition.

Now it’s time to celebrate what has been achieved and, as Queen would say, “have a good time.”

The Micro-Drama Debate

NEM reserved some of the event’s most engaging panels for Wednesday, even fostering dialogue between them, as happened with the closing panel, “The Trend You Think Is Overhyped,” sponsored by Backscreen and provocatively moderated by its CCO, Jan Frelek. The first of the two topics discussed was micro-dramas, and Frelek took advantage of the presence in the audience of Maria Rua Aguete from Omdia and Timothy Oh from COL Group International to bring them in as a counterpoint, given that both had been featured in the previous panel, “Micro-drama in CEE: Safe Bet or Risky Business?”.

Today, micro-dramas are dividing the industry, a modern (and more condensed, but with points of contact) version of Umberto Eco’s apocalyptic and integrated dramas: Are vertical dramatic content the great new opportunity for growth in the audiovisual universe, replicating in our regions what has been achieved in Asia, or are they a dangerous mirage that will ultimately work against the interests of content owners and creators? Aguete and Oh believe that producing vertical content is a key path that must be taken: the risk of not taking advantage of it is high. Other voices, such as Vanda Rapti, EVP & Chief Commercial Officer for North America and Viaplay Select at Viaplay Group, downplay its potential in regions like the Central and Eastern Europe, while Branko Čakarmiš, Director of Content Strategy at Pop TV, considers micro-dramas “fast food,” compared to the “grandma’s cooking” that is still served on TV and streaming services.

Gourmet Dishes

Both options were on the menus of several companies, such as Atresmedia Sales, which conducted its vertical testing, but always prioritizing its flagship content, such as 33 Days and A Dream of Freedom.

Atresmedia was part of the Audiovisual From Spain umbrella, which participated for the first time as such in Dubrovnik. This morning, ICEX hosted the event’s breakfast on the terrace of the Adriatic Market Area.

Within the Audiovisual From Spain umbrella, buyers could find companies such as RTVE, Secuoya Studios, and Movistar Plus.

Also present was the Mediterranean pavilion, with highly appealing titles such as the feel-good family story Olivia; and the documentary distributor Ártico, which arrived with titles such as Live is Live and The Last Footprints of the Neanderthal.

Another Spanish company, but participating outside the umbrella, was Onza Distribution, which has found great success in the EEC with Portuguese content, such as the Portuguese remake of The doy la vida, and the Slovakian series Neuer.

And speaking of international content that’s a hit in the region -and of large delegations at NEM Dubrovnik- Turkish dramas occupy one of the top spots, if not the top spot. ATV Distribution, for example, showcased titles like A.B.I: A Broken Inheritance, while Calinos Entertainment is also enjoying great success thanks to Ugly. Both distributors announced important new releases for the upcoming season.

The event concluded its third day in Lazareti, in Dubrovnik’s Old City, with a Queen tribute band. Tomorrow will be the fourth and final day of the 2026 edition of NEM in the Croatian city.

La entrada The Industry Dares Sing “Don’t Stop Me Now” in Dubrovnik se publicó primero en TTV News.

According to new forecasts presented by Maria Rua Aguete , Omdia global Head of M&E at NEM Dubrovnik, the platform is set to continue leading the global OTT landscape.

Netflix is set to strengthen its position as the world’s leading subscription streaming service over the next five years, despite a new wave of industry consolidation that is reshaping the competitive landscape, according to new forecasts presented by Maria Rua Aguete , Omdia global Head of M&E at NEM Dubrovnik.

Omdia projects Netflix will grow to nearly 400 million subscribers by 2031, extending its lead over every major streaming competitor and reinforcing its position as the dominant force in the global subscription video market.

At the same time, consolidation among media companies is creating a new generation of streaming challengers. Omdia estimates that a combined HBO Max–Paramount+ platform could reach approximately 175 million subscribers globally by 2031, making it one of the world’s largest streaming services and securing a place among the global top five.

“The streaming industry is entering a new era where scale, profitability and audience reach matter more than ever,” said Maria Rua Aguete.

“Consolidation will create stronger competitors, but Netflix remains uniquely positioned to capitalize on global growth opportunities.”

The proposed combination would create significant synergies between the two platforms. Omdia’s consumer research indicates that 40% of Paramount+ subscribers would also subscribe to HBO Max, while 26% of HBO Max subscribers already take Paramount+, highlighting the complementary nature of the two services and the potential benefits of a combined offering.

While Netflix continues to dominate subscription streaming, the broader video landscape tells a more complex story.

According to Omdia forecasts, Netflix’s global monthly audience will exceed 1 billion viewers by 2027, a milestone few media companies have ever achieved. Yet YouTube’s audience is expected to remain substantially larger, reaching approximately 3 billion monthly active users in 2027.

The contrast illustrates how the competitive landscape is evolving.

“The industry’s biggest battle is no longer simply streamer versus streamer,” said Rua Aguete. “Netflix is winning the subscription streaming war, but YouTube is becoming one of the most powerful forces in television adding more premium content to the platform.”

Omdia expects the next phase of the market to be driven by consolidation, advertising growth, bundling strategies, and increasing competition for consumer attention across both subscription and ad-supported platforms.

As the industry enters this new chapter, Netflix appears well positioned to remain the benchmark for global streaming, even as new competitors emerge and the definition of television continues to evolve.

Key Forecasts:

* Netflix to approach 400 million subscribers by 2031

* Netflix global audience to surpass 1 billion viewers by 2027

* Combined HBO Max–Paramount+ platform to reach 175 million subscribers by 2031

* 40% of Paramount+ subscribers would also take HBO Max

* 26% of HBO Max subscribers already subscribe to Paramount+

* YouTube projected to reach approximately 2.7 billion monthly active users BY 2026

La entrada Omdia forecasts Netflix approaching 400 million subscribers by 2031 se publicó primero en TTV News.

The Turkish drama leads the distributor’s catalog at NEM Dubrovnik, where it’s attracting buyers’ attention and is poised to expand its growing list of deals in the international market.

Produced by Luis Cabrera, from Croatia

Back in April, Turkish distributor Calinos Entertainment presented its new drama, Ugly (Çirkin), to the international market.

Produced by 25 Film, the drama premiered on Star TV in Turkey at the end of March to excellent results, with the first episode achieving a 4.70 rating, rising to a 5.14 rating in the second episode, and reaching 5.89 by the third episode, reflecting its growing popularity and strong viewer engagement.

The first episode has also surpassed 14 million views on YouTube.

And in its final episode, the drama registered an impressive 6.28 total rating and a 19.72% share.

Directed by Burcu Alptekin and Merve Çolak, the series brings together Derya Pınar Ak and Çağlar Ertuğrul in the lead roles, alongside a strong cast including Başak Gümülcinelioğlu, Olgun Toker, Baran Bölükbaşı, Nur Sürer, and Çetin Tekindor.

Ugly (Çirkin) follows Meryem Tunalı, a young woman shaped by loss and hardship. What starts in a rough neighborhood gradually unfolds into a powerful story of transformation. After losing her family at a young age, Meryem grows up holding on to one constant feeling, her deep love for Kadir. Years later, when their paths cross again, their story becomes more than just a love story, evolving into a dramatic journey shaped by power, ambition, and long-buried secrets rising to the surface.

“Although it’s been presented not too long ago, we’ve already closed several deals for this series”, said Aslı Serim, Head of Content at Calinos Entertainment, who spoke to ttvnews at the current edition of NEM Dubrovnik in Croatia.

“We’ve signed deals with major territories and players in the MENA region, Romania, and a couple more countries,” she revealed. “And we are about to close further agreements with Bulgaria, Bosnia, and Albania”.

Set to come back with a second season in September, Ugly made waves at the event in Croatia, where it received interest from key territories such as Hungary. “So within a very short period of time, we think that we can make a couple more announcements.”

La entrada Calinos’ Drama Ugly Starts a Beautiful International Journey se publicó primero en TTV News.

Armed with a portfolio of highly successful local and international series, the Spanish group made its presence felt at NEM Dubrovnik to continue building relationships with players throughout the region.

With production by Luis Cabrera, from Croatia

With series featuring captivating stories and impressive production values, Atresmedia has made its mark in every corner of the international market. The CEE region is no exception, where the group has managed to cross borders and win over audiences in several territories.

From a new edition of NEM Dubrovnik in Croatia, Ismael Ramiro, Sales Manager of Atresmedia Sales, shares with ttvnews some of the latest success stories from the Spanish giant’s catalog in the market, and the new offerings they are presenting to buyers in Croatia.

Which countries in the CEE region are setting trends?

Romania is a prime example. Due to the Romanian-Spanish diaspora, both countries are closely linked. Over the years, we’ve been successful in Romania, and more recently, our series have been even more successful there, resulting in some sales. We currently have active negotiations with some of the major players in Romania. And with that, there is indeed a domino effect. When content has a strong presence in Romania, it can boost sales in other countries, such as Bulgaria, the Balkan countries, or Greece, which also draw inspiration from that when evaluating content.

In the case of Bulgaria, it’s a region where our presence is even stronger than in Romania. Many of our series, for example, classic Atresmedia series like Física o Química or Aquí no hay quien viva, have been huge hits in the region. And that’s something that can drive sales in other countries.

As for the Balkans, we have a presence in both large countries like Croatia and Serbia, as well as in smaller ones. Recently, we’ve added more titles with players like Croatia’s public broadcaster, HRT, where titles such as Entre Tierras, the hugely successful Atresmedia series that’s also available on Netflix worldwide, have been announced. It’s a smash hit, a global success thanks to us and thanks to Netflix. This also opens the door here in other territories, with a view to potential second-window distribution, allowing us to exploit these kinds of series.

And Croatia is one of the examples where you can see our series, even second-window distribution, first-run series that we can’t yet confirm, as they’re already hits in Croatia.

Could there be other territories that, in addition to selling finished programs, are more open to new formats?

I think there’s a stronger push for scripted series. But it depends on the region. For example, there are series that have recently been released, like 33 Days. It’s a true crime series that premiered last Sunday on our atresplayer platform. And it’s a highly anticipated series. It’s based on a true story that took place in Catalonia in 2001. Carles Porta, a renowned journalist and one of the leading experts on true crime in southern Spain and Europe, created this series, and we’re very pleased that this is his first scripted true crime series, and that he’s doing it with us. He’s created other true crime projects, but more in the documentary field, like the docuseries Tor, which is also part of our sales catalog.

There’s a story of friendship in 33 Days. While they are criminals, there’s a very interesting story of friendship. They are friends who need each other, and their personalities are very different. One is a very violent person, while the other is a petty criminal, a loser. They complement each other. One is weaker than the other, but the other has his own personality. It’s a very character-driven series, very focused on the characters, not only on them, of course, but also on the police investigation behind it. We’re going to see how it develops, how that investigation begins, and how different members of the security forces take charge of this case. This is a very important case for the police force because it becomes a high-profile case. It’s in the public eye.

Another big hit they’re presenting is Dreams of Freedom…

With Dreams of Freedom, we’re now at almost 600 episodes. The first season has 270, the second 208, and now we’re presenting the third season, which is currently airing, with 250 episodes. It’s a long-running series that’s here to build on its success.

How open is this market for this type of series?

Long-running series, telenovelas, have always been in high demand in this region. In the past, we’ve had great international successes, especially with the telenovela El secreto de Puente Viejo, a very long series that was a huge international hit. And in this region as well, of course. Dreams of Freedom is here to pick up where that left off. The competition from other types of content is fierce, especially with Turkish series, but thanks to feedback and international sales in other territories, both in Europe and Latin America, we can see how competitive this series is against Turkish productions.

La entrada Atresmedia Sales Strengthens its Presence in the CEE Region se publicó primero en TTV News.

The Turkish distributor is present in Croatia for NEM Dubrovnik with a vast catalog of dramas with proven success, and is already preparing brand new titles for the new season.

With production by Luis Cabrera, from Croatia

In one of the toughest TV markets in the world, dramas in Turkey must fight for their spot against fierce competition, something ATV knows first-hand and has been able to conquer this past season with some of the highest-rated shows on air.

“It was a very busy season for us,” began in conversation with ttvnews Muge Akar, Sales Director at ATV, from the current edition of NEM Dubrovnik. “We had A.B.I., A Broken Inheritance, which started in January this year. And it was a quite successful title. It ranked as the leader across all ratings demographics. It was number one since the beginning.”

The series just concluded its first season and in September it’s coming back with its second one, the executive revealed. “That’s very good news,” she noted, also highlighting the excellent performance of The Ottoman, which is now on season seven.

Historical dramas such as The Ottoman work very well in the CEE region, she explained. “Of course, we’ve closed more deals over on this side of Europe,” she explained. “Especially in CEE, they are quite high performing. Compared to Latam, for instance, historical titles are working much more in this part of the world.”

However, titles such as The Nightfall have been sold successfully across the Latam region, where it is yet to make its debut due to the World Cup. And having that first premiere in another country outside of Turkey is always helpful, as buyers see good results and are more inclined to reach out.

“It’s the same here in Europe,” she said. “They also wait for the others to go on air. There are some key territories that they follow. For example, in Latam it’s Chile. And here in Europe, you could say it’s Romania, or Spain.”

As for the upcoming months, ATV is already preparing a summer title, as well as new ones for the fall season.

“We have one summer title coming up in June,” she said. “And we are working on new projects for September, which will be the next season. We have three titles coming up.”

La entrada ATV Announces New Titles for the Upcoming Season se publicó primero en TTV News.

In an interview with ttvnews from NEM Dubrovnik, Rocío Cachero, International Sales Executive for Mediterráneo Mediaset España, highlighted the strategic importance of the CEE region for the company, and presented titles such as Olivia, Pura Sangre, and Punto Nemo, which lead its diverse offering of productions for the international market.

Produced by Luis Cabrera, from Croatia

Mediterráneo Mediaset España’s content has successfully carved out a niche for itself and reached multiple international destinations, thanks to its captivating stories and high production quality. Central and Eastern Europe is no exception, where the group has successfully secured agreements for both the distribution of finished content and the adaptation of formats.

The group was present this week at NEM Dubrovnik to further strengthen its relationships in this region, showcasing a vast catalog of new programs with the potential to conquer new screens.

In an interview with ttvnews from the event in Croatia, Rocío Cachero, International Sales Executive at Mediterráneo Mediaset España, analyzes consumption trends in the CEE region, reviews the main titles the company is presenting in Dubrovnik, and previews the new additions to its catalog in the coming months.

How important is the CEE region to Mediterráneo’s strategy?

For us, Eastern Europe has always been a key region. We are fortunate to have very strong and long-lasting relationships with many clients in different territories, and also with a wide variety of clients in very diverse territories. We have closed deals in Poland, Romania, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Serbia… really throughout the region.

What type of content is most in demand in the region?

Free TV has been very dominant in Eastern Europe. Therefore, we work a lot with free-to-air channels. But also with platforms, increasingly so now. In fact, we just closed a deal with a platform in the region. Then the content depends somewhat on the needs of each channel and each region. It’s true that some are more open to Spanish content than others.

Is the sale of formats something that’s becoming increasingly common these days? How do you see it today compared to previous years?

I think it’s following a similar evolution. Aside from selling syndicated content, we’ve also done a lot of work in the region thanks to formats. We’ve optioned some, and others have actually been produced. In Hungary, for example, where selling syndicated content is perhaps more complicated, we produced a version of Chiringuito de Pepe. That same series is currently optioned by RTL in Croatia, and we also had a version in Greece.

Our catalog allows us to work both ways. There are territories where syndicated content has more potential, and in others where we have the opportunity to explore options thanks to formats.

What content are you presenting at this NEM Dubrovnik market?

At this market, we’re presenting a series called Olivia. It’s a Disney+ series, produced in Spain. It’s produced by Womack Studios and Studio60, and Mediterráneo handles international distribution, both of the finished content and the format. We see that the format has a lot of potential because it’s a series with universal values. It’s about family, about reconciliation. And it’s for a very broad audience. It’s designed to connect with a family audience. Plus, it’s set in a magical environment, so it has this element that’s very characteristic of the series, which makes it stand out from any other family drama. It’s the literal description of feel-good content; it’s a series that makes you feel good, that you watch and it fills your soul.

It’s six 40-minute episodes, so it’s very easy to watch. And I think it’s going to be very popular. It’s very different from other titles we have in our catalog, but it’s a genre with a large audience and high demand. Right now there are tons of thriller and crime series, and so on, but it’s difficult to find a family series that hits all the right notes, that can be appreciated by different audiences. And then the production values of the series as a finished product are wonderful. It has a fantastic cast. So we have a lot of confidence in both the final product and the format.

What other content are you presenting?

We continue with Pura Sangre, which we did indeed present at Series Mania. This is a family drama, but more in the style of a saga. It blends inter-family relationships with a crime and investigation element, which makes it very appealing to audiences because it creates that element of mystery that hooks you. It begins with a poisoned horse belonging to a super-wealthy aristocratic family that breeds Thoroughbred horses. From there, an investigation begins that ultimately uncovers many family secrets that have been hidden for years. It has that element of mystery that really captivates the audience.

We have closed several deals that we can’t announce yet. We believe it has potential. In fact, we’ve received interest from several buyers in this market in the region, so we expect to confirm even more deals.

We are also offering Punto Nemo, which is a Prime Video series with two seasons. The second season premiered a couple of months ago, continuing the first season to bring the series to a close. It has finished airing. It’s performed very well on the platform, and we’ve also closed several deals, one already in the territory, another in the Middle East. We believe it rounds out our offering for this year because it’s a pure platform series, or a very premium Pay TV series, with a lot of action, a bit more masculine, even a bit more for a younger audience. It has a very well-known cast and brilliant creatives behind the series. And it makes our catalog and our offerings appealing to all audiences, as we like to say, giving us different options for different clients and their needs.

What does Mediterráneo have in store for the rest of the year?

We have several series that will premiere soon. Among them is Ella, maldita alma, a drama series starring Max Iglesias and Martiño Rivas. We think it will do well. It will premiere soon on Telecinco.

We also have a series produced by Unicorn Content called Marusía: Vientos de honor. It’s a series set at the naval academy, which appeals to a broad audience because it follows the new students, the cadets who enter the school. It’s a drama with a touch of investigation. When these cadets arrive, a suicide had occurred the previous year, so the entire investigation revolves around what happened. There’s a very youthful perspective on military values and honor. This series will likely premiere next year.

What will be your next international destination?

The next market will be Iberseries in Madrid. Then we’ll go to MIPCOM in Cannes, and to Asia for ATF.

La entrada Mediterráneo Makes Its Mark in Croatia se publicó primero en TTV News.

The Spanish media group arrived in Croatia with a diverse offering, encompassing successful dramas, innovative unscripted formats, and new projects such as vertical series.

Produced by Luis Cabrera, from Croatia

With one of the most renowned catalogs in Spain, as well as in Europe and Latin America, RTVE continues to drive the international success of its productions, this time with a special focus on the EEC region at the latest edition of NEM Dubrovnik.

The Spanish group traveled to Croatia to continue building bridges with its clients and partners in Central and Eastern Europe, a market that “is very important to our strategy, as there is a strong identified demand for both fiction and factual titles,” Rosalia Alcubilla Alonso, Head of Global Content, Worldwide Distribution & Protection at RTVE, told ttvnews at the event.

Among the new series RTVE is presenting at NEM are titles such as La Frontera, Barrio Esperanza, and Sin Gluten, which have great potential for international distribution.

“We are presenting Barrio Esperanza, in partnership with our fiction partner, Mediapro, for these territories; and Sin Gluten, two contemporary stories of overcoming adversity and second chances that, with a comedic tone, bring visibility to universal issues such as alcoholism in Sin Gluten and bullying in Barrio Esperanza,” the executive highlighted. “Both series are easily adaptable for international markets.”

“On the other hand, we are bringing a thriller with a historical backdrop: La Frontera (selected for the 2026 Berlinale Series Market), in which the viewer will be immersed in a police action story and try to stop the violent plans of a small faction of the terrorist group ETA, determined to plant a bomb in Paris,” she added.

As a complement to its classic dramas, the group is investing in new formats such as Estúpido Cupido, its first vertical micro-drama.

“There is a great demand for this genre, which has become a global trend, and the RTVE programming team is already working on the production not only of Estúpido Cupido, but also of others that will follow and which we will share very soon,” revealed the executive. “From a distribution standpoint, this type of product has interesting monetization opportunities that we are exploring.”

And regarding unscripted content, RTVE continues to invest in major entertainment formats, such as the recently announced ¡Cuánta guerra!, a format that connects family stories with historical memory.

“This type of content, like ¡Cuánta guerra!, occupies a strategic place and completes our offering by providing authentic stories with a strong local identity but with universal themes such as family, legacy, historical memory, and the search for our own roots,” she said. “Furthermore, this type of content highlights the value of our historical archives, without which it could not have been produced.”

This content also presents great potential in the current market, where the demand for variety and quality continues to rise. “We have observed strong demand for true crime, as well as, in general, all kinds of stories about strong personalities and/or celebrities/athletes, taking advantage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” explained the executive, adding: “Content about nature, science, gastronomy, and travel remains strong, along with game shows and reality programs, which have become an essential part of the programming.”

La entrada RTVE Unveils a Varied Catalog at NEM Dubrovnik se publicó primero en TTV News.