Europe may be running out of eastern promise

摘要

With disposable incomes on the rise and broadcasters clambering to launch channels and platforms, central and eastern Europe offers more attractive growth rates than many countries in western Europe and elsewhere in the world. The last few years have seen both international and local players ramp up their businesses in the region, taking advantage of rising advertising spending and a greater consumer willingness to pay for television and communications services. "The markets overall exhibit very good growth," says Linda Jensen, chief executive of pay-television broadcaster HBO Central Europe. "If you look at [growth forecasts for] the US for the next five years and you look at central and eastern Europe, I think you'd be much more inclined to hold on to your central and eastern European assets than you were before." Gross domestic product (GDP) growth for the region in 2006 was well over double that of the European Union average -7.1 per cent compared with 2.9 per cent.