Barrandov Televizní studio (BTS), the main operator of the Barrandov television group, has officially ceased its activities. The step occurred on Wednesday based on a court decision as part of ongoing insolvency proceedings. The reason is the long-term financial unsustainability of further operations of the company in its current form, which prevented it from fulfilling its obligations to creditors.
Despite the cessation of the core company's operations, TV Barrandov, Barrandov Krimi, and Barrandov Kino channels will continue to be available to viewers. The technical provision of broadcasting and station operations will be taken over by external companies, which is intended to ensure program continuity even after the effective demise of the original operator. This model is intended to serve as a temporary solution to a situation where licensed broadcasting rights are tied to problematic entities.
Future of licenses at risk
The cessation of BTS's activities raises questions about the validity of broadcasting licenses with the Council for Radio and Television Broadcasting (RRTV). If the license holder ceases to exist, the licenses may effectively cease to exist, which would particularly affect thematic stations:
TV Barrandov (main channel)
Barrandov Krimi
Barrandov Kino
The court decision to cease company operations is the culmination of protracted financial difficulties of the group, which was previously controlled by Jaromír Soukup and in which investor Jan Čermák now has a majority influence through the company Servis 24. The total debts of the group were estimated in the past at hundreds of millions of crowns, which led to a reduction in the production of original programs and a transition to an austerity regime based on reruns and acquired content.
A transformation is currently underway, aiming to separate broadcasting assets from historical debts. The outcome of this process will determine whether the Barrandov brand will remain in the Czech media market long-term, or whether broadcasting positions will be sold to other interested parties as part of the asset settlement.