With a number of international markets growing strong, it has created fresh opportunities for media companies to expand into new markets, as strong advertising markets grow.
Peter Smith, the new NBC Universal president as of last September, has been agressively pursuing growth in the international arena. He has recently launched a new production unit in London which will be led by Angela Bromstad, former president of NBC Universal TV Studio.
Along with producing reality and scripted shows for the UK market, the new division will also focus on other markets as well.
Countries under the former Soviet Union have been an especially strong market media companies are looking to enter. NBC Universal already licenses "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" in Russia, and is looking to expand its licensing business along with original content in the countries.
"We're so myopic in the U.S. in terms of our product," Bromstad said in a phone interview from London. "With the changing economic and political landscape in Europe, Latin America and other parts of the world, countries like Russia, France, Germany, Japan and Mexico want their own locally produced comedies and dramas with their own stars instead of dubbed versions of ours."
The official date for Bromstad to step into the role of president of international TV production at NBC Universal International will be September 1.
Comment Preview