CEETV: Miss Matei, FremantleMedia is one of the global leaders in terms of creating, producing and distributing formats. What are your latest hits in the CEE region?

DM: I have to say I am very happy about how My Mom is Better Than Yours has been flying off the shelf across the region. We have only two markets which are still in negotiation. Everything else is sold, is in production, has started airing or is about to start airing immediately after the summer.

Then I am very happy to say that our talent shows are still doing very well, they are constantly being renewed. The latest one announced is in Bulgaria, another season of The X Factor, there is the Adriatic version of X Factor in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Macedonia, Montenegro. Got Talent in Bulgaria just finished an amazing season. We are in production in the Czech Republic, in Slovakia with Idols there, X Factor in Romania, Got Talent there had an amazing run, this space is doing really well.

Then I see gameshows coming back with a vengeance which we are very happy about because we have Family Feud which is an amazing family show, we have The Price is Right and many others. You will see some of them announced soon.

CEETV: What are FremantleMedia’s latest additions to its catalogue that have sparkled interest in CEE and you are expecting to bode well here?

DM: From the new ones is Beat the Brain which had an amazing run on the BBC and we’ve had very good response to it because it is so addictive, like all brain games, and there is a whole wave on second screen apps, games people can play. The show is quite fresh and never seen before. Ten Questions You Shouldn’t Ask on a First Date which is very cute, easy to produce, financially affordable on location sort of dating/comedy.

I am very excited about the new show from Syco (our partners on Got Talent and X Factor) called La Banda. We have rights to distribute and produce this show in two of our markets in this region - Poland and Croatia. The show is definitely one to look out for, not least because a second season has already been commissioned for the US Hispanic market even before season one has gone on air..

CEETV: We have recently started reporting the Albanian TV market and you recently sold My Mom to Top Channel in the country. How would you describe the Albanian TV market and do you see great opportunities for business in Albania?

DM: Yes, that is a very good addition, thank you, we are happy about that. We have been active in that market for five years now, we’ve had a season of Got Talent, four seasons of X Factor and now we have My Mom Cooks Better Than Yours and I think there is going to be more happening on that market. It is a good one for us - competitive and dynamic; definitely it is a place that has potential for growth, if the economy is stable and everything goes well I can see that market growing because the broadcasters are certainly having a fair competition.