Hard-up stations hit reality
Decision based on low ad revs
The four-year economic slump has cut into retail sales and ad spend is down 13.4% on 2000. Advertisers are waiting for signs of a recovery before they up investment again, says Santiago Gallichio, an economist at Consultora Exante.
Formats like "Gran Hermano" (Big Brother) and the "Survivor"-like "Expedicion Robinson" have garnered high ratings in their first and second series.
"Gran Hermano" wrapped its second series on leading broadcaster Telefe Dec. 1 with an average audience share of 57.3% that night. The series was produced locally by P&P Endemol.
No. 3 net Azul TV aired the last installment of the "Temptation Island"-style "Confianza Ciega" (Blind Faith) Dec. 5, averaging 33% market share.
Cash squeeze
But even reality shows will feel the pinch. "The drop in the advertising market is putting pressure on us to reduce production costs," says Damian Kirzner, artistic manager at production company Ideas del Sur Producciones.
Ideas del Sur is co-producing "Odisea Patagonia" (Patagonia Odyssey), which will pit contestants against each other in extreme sports. The show is due to bow on Admira-owned Telefe in January.
No. 2 broadcaster Artear-Canal 13 will launch "Super M 2002," a talent search for supermodels.
Cuatro Cabezas is producing "Super M 2002" for Artear, a subsid of media group Clarin. Cuatro Cabezas adapted "The Bar" format for America TV, the No. 4 broadcaster.
Azul plans to reteam early next year with producer RGB Entertainment on a second installment of "Popstars," in which a boy band rather than a girl band will be created.
It also will bow "Pasa Palabra," the local version of U.K. quiz show "Catchphrase," in January. Ideas del Sur licensed the format from the U.K.'s Action Time and will produce it for Azul.
