TV Nova not to shut down- Television announces new concept as of September

After a number of attempts, TV Nova did not get national frequency from RRA which resulted that 200 people and freelancers left without income.

As MONDO finds out, GM at TV Nova, Dejan Jocic, organized a meeting and informed the staff that there was no need for them to come to work. Fully employed received their salaries while freelancers should be paid for May.

Jocic informed the staff that the main investor withdrew from the project and that the state still has not paid planned VAT return so that he would broadcast program until September. Since these funds was paid to the account of TV Nova, Jocic said goodbye to the people saying that it was not finished yet and that it is possible the project will revive.

However, as GM of TV Nova, Dejan Jocic, said that the station will not stop working as it was previously announced but that it is adapting to the situation after being refused for the frequency and is getting ready for the new program concept as of September. Jocic announced numerous surprises at this TV station as of this fall.

- It is not true that the Nova television will stop working but we are forced to adapt to the market situation after getting the frequency and to get ready for new program scheme which will start broadcasting in September – Jocic said.

He said that stories about closing of this TV station are running the image of this media company and that they are not communicated with good intention.

However, TV Nova did not succeed in getting the national frequency but, apart from that, it was announcing attractive TV program, it was hiring people and organized official television opening attended by former Prime Minister, Ivica Dacic.

According to the information published in media in Belgrade, Germans invested EUR 6 mil in this project and investments totaling EUR 18 mil were planned. Business plan included 450 people.

TV Nova is only one of TV stations which went bust in Serbia and whose staff were left jobless over the night.

Before this TV station, after a number of months of agony, some 300-400 people left without job at TV Avala for whose frequency TV Nova fought with Kopernikus TV. Shut down of BK TV is remembered when some 600 people lost their jobs, among which married couples which left families without income. TV Enter with 300 people closed as well as TV Politika which was suffering until 2007.

TV Nova started broadcasting November 17 last year and the last attempt to get the national frequency from RRA failed April 23.