United Group, the leading media and telecoms company in South East Europe, announced at Web Summit the experimental distribution of Shadows Over the Balkans, one of the most popular drama series in the region.

United Group is making available every episode of the second season before its TV debut on the company’s Nova S channel. The hugely popular show, created by Dragan Bjelogrlić, will be available to the 15 million citizens of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Montenegro and Slovenia, plus the ex-Yugoslav diaspora of over five million people worldwide.

The move will test a new monetisation model for locally-made television when, for the first time, an entire season is offered ahead of its TV debut in a “bingeable” boxset format. Users will have 30 days to watch all 10 episodes from the moment of purchase, for approximately EUR 8.5. Anyone can buy and watch the season through United Group’s EON platform in the region and NETTV platform worldwide. Speaking at Web Summit in Lisbon, Victoriya Boklag, United Group CEO, said:

“We’re delighted to bring boxset streaming of productions made in our region to local viewers for the first time. This is an experiment to provide people with the content they want in the ways that they want it. It is the latest in a series of innovations United Group has brought to the region through a combination of the best local content and world-class technology.

“We have already introduced EON, the region’s first multiscreen platform that serves the full range of mobile devices and smart TV apps, as well as the region’s first smart TV box – and there’s much more to come.

“We recognize that releasing an entire series at once is a risk in a region where piracy remains a challenge. But by working with local law enforcement and international partners, including the Audio-visual Anti-Piracy Alliance, we are combatting copyright infringement for the benefit of our industry, our customers and the local content producers whom United Group supports.”