IMZ Market Analysis

To work with music and dance programmes - as programmer or producer or whatever functions - is one of the most inspiring professional activity one can choose. And I am quite sure that my colleagues agree to this statement.

But of course professional activities also include big problems - problems that some might call major challenges. And one such challenge is the fact that it seems to become more and more difficult to achieve support in programming music and dance programmes on TV. The number of viewers is relatively small for this programme category, but this has always been the situation, so what's new?

The new situation is basically driven by the rapid and quite dramatic changes in the media structure - the development of new technology on both production and consumer side combined with the fact that today even national public service broadcasters have to fight for their existence because without a substantial number of viewer share political (and hence economical) support disappears.
The following analysis does not offer easy solutions to this situation, but it might offer some clarity as to the structure of our market situation, as to the current tendencies in programme production, as to the production companies profiles and focus - and as to the problem areas that prevent us from getting the utmost out of the substantial amount of resources invested in this programme area.
At the same time I hope that the book - both analysis and catalogue - might serve as a programming tool to colleagues since it structures the last three years of programme production into user friendly categories based on the practical needs we face every day.
Music and dance will survive - no doubt. But let us discuss how to develop further a dynamic programme area that really deserves a huge number of viewers.

Bent-Erik Rasmussen, director
ICMM - International Culture and Media Management