Traditional television companies in Central and Eastern Europe need to move quickly to protect their audiences from global digital platforms such as Netflix and YouTube, according to Central European Media Enterprises CEO Sam Barnett. Speaking at NEM in Dubrovnik, Croatia, Barnett said local broadcasters are now competing not just with regional rivals, but with American streaming giants that are increasingly shaping viewing habits and advertising markets across the world.
Barnett argued that local media remains vital because the region’s mix of smaller countries, multiple languages, and diverse cultural preferences creates a natural barrier to entry for large international streamers. He said these differences, which can make consolidation difficult for companies like CME, also give domestic players a stronger chance to defend their position and build audiences through locally tailored content. In his view, the very fragmentation of Central and Eastern Europe is not only a challenge, but also a strategic advantage.
He noted that the region has historically been slower than much of Western Europe in shifting from traditional television to digital consumption. Combined with relatively strong pay-TV retention and smaller advertising and entertainment markets, that has so far limited the scale of investment from companies like Netflix and Prime Video in original local programming. However, Barnett warned that this situation is changing, and that established broadcasters cannot rely on the slowdown forever.
CME’s strategy, he said, is built on four priorities: premium content, defending linear television, accelerating digital growth, and strengthening local brands. Barnett stressed that the digital transition is essential for survival. If broadcasters fail to develop their digital businesses, he said, they risk becoming irrelevant within just a few years.
When asked how companies in the region can compete with the financial power of global streamers, Barnett pointed out that those companies are not spending billions on Central and Eastern Europe at the same level they do in larger markets. He suggested that this gives local broadcasters time to invest in premium local production, improve their digital capabilities, and use tools such as artificial intelligence to raise efficiency and quality.
Barnett described the competition as a long-term battle of resistance. He said international streamers will continue expanding market by market, moving from major countries such as Germany and France toward Poland, Asia, and beyond. In his view, local media companies should use the current window of opportunity to strengthen their position before those services fully arrive and dominate the region.
He said audiences will likely continue to want both global streaming subscriptions and local content, which gives regional broadcasters a chance to remain relevant if they can supply the programming viewers still want. Barnett also renewed his call for traditional media companies in Central and Eastern Europe to cooperate more closely on digital strategy, saying that linear television will remain important for news, live events, sports, and major shows, but that broadcasters must not abandon the digital space to global platforms.
