CME unveils CEE social impact content initiative, greenlights two projects

Hana de Goeij at the Cannes Film Festival

Leading Central and Eastern European (CEE) media and entertainment company CME has launched an initiative to accelerate positive social change in the region through storytelling.

The CME Social Impact Centre was unveiled at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday with the stated aim of producing and coproducing social impact projects across all markets in which the company operates.

CME operates 47 TV channels in CEE, including in the Czech Republic (TV Nova), Slovakia (Markíza), Slovenia (POP TV), Bulgaria (bTV), Croatia (RTL), and Romania and Moldova (PRO TV). The company said it was partnering with NGOs, communities, public institutions, research and the private sector to ensure the impact of its shows extended beyond the screen.

The first two projects to be greenlit for development via the initiative include a documentary about cervical cancer for Bulgarian streaming platform Voyo and bTV, and a mobile-first series tackling mental health among Millennials and Gen Z for RTL Croatia.

“As the biggest content producer in CEE, CME recognises the responsibility that comes with our scale and reach. We are proud to be a broadcaster that is not only commercially successful but also respected across Europe for producing responsible, meaningful content that reflects and supports the societies we serve,” said Sam Barnett, CEO of CME.

Hana de Goeij, group head of responsible content and social purpose at CME and founder of the Social Impact Centre, added: “We have a successful track record of spotlighting important issues and giving a voice to those who don’t have a platform but have a lot to say. The CME Social Impact Centre is a logical next step in our strategy of responsible content.”

The CME announcement follows the launch of the Bafta Albert Impact Producer Accelerator programme in the UK in January, which supports producers who want to make screen content that can create social and environmental change.

Recent screen hits, such as Adolescence and Ocean with David Attenborough, continue to demonstrate that films and shows can influence real-world issues.

“All content has impact – but not all content is built to be impactful,” said Emma Vos, impact producer at the CME Social Impact Centre. “For us, that means being intentional about the stories we tell and the issues we choose to spotlight, with clear, measurable objectives from the start.”