REPRESENTATIVES of the Russian television show ‘Star Factory’ have been left hanging over whether the government will accept their offer to stage the program in Cyprus.
The company representing Russia’s Channel One in Cyprus, SB Exclusive, had presented their proposal to Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism in the beginning of June, and had been told that they would receive a reply by June 18.
Over two weeks after the ministry’s self-imposed deadline has expired, there has still been no reply and the company is working on proposals which they will present to other countries in the region if they do not receive a positive answer by the time they have been completed.
Speaking to the Cyprus Mail yesterday, Anastasia Bibikova of SB Exclusive, explained how there has still been no answer.
“We haven’t set any deadlines on receiving an acceptance of the offer, but because of preparations that need to be made in the country where the show will eventually take place, we need to have secured a decision soon.”
Plans for the deal sparked minor controversy when it was first made by SB Exclusive, as it entailed the government forking out €8 million to ostensibly allow a show to be hosted on its own turf.
The benefits of such a move, according to SB Exclusive, far outweighed the costs as the popularity of the show and the exposure Cyprus would secure to the millions who watch it would quickly and easily turn a profit.
During a press conference in June, Bibikova used the case study of a similar yet less popular Russian TV show which was staged in Antalya in Turkey in 2005.
According to her, ‘Comedy Club TV’s’ use of the Turkish resort town as a venue led to a “25 per cent increase in Russians holidaying in Turkey.”
“Even with the most pessimistic estimate of a 15 per cent influx of tourists who, as studies have shown, do not spend less than €600 each on holiday, this equates to revenue of roughly €16 million,” she said.
As part of the €8million deal, Cyprus will also be granted three months of direct advertising, equating to 3,650 minutes for delivering 25-minute highlights on prime-time Russian TV as supplements to the Star Factory broadcasts. If bought separately, this amount of exposure would, according to Bibikova, in theory “cost €126 million, but would not be allowed anyway because of advertising regulations.”
The Commerce Ministry was yesterday unavailable for comment on the progress of the decision, however Director General of the Cyprus Hotels Association (PASYXE) Zacharias Ioannides, who was a keen proponent of the idea, told the Cyprus Mail that he had been in contact with the ministry the day before and was waiting for an update on the status of the decision over the next few days.
The show would entail an ‘X Factor’ style talent contest being staged at various locations in Cyprus during October and November, and would apparently involve a large amount of fans and followers flocking to the island to attend the free concerts and parties.
Organisers promise the care-free Mediterranean island atmosphere will have a strong appeal to audiences entering the Russian winter, as well as those wishing to escape it and actually attend the shows.
Whether the government actually wants to pay for them remains to be seen.
