TV JOJ

TV JOJ is a private TV channel in Slovakia.

About TV JOJ

It was launched on 2 March 2002 as a successor of the TV Global, which was broadcasting since March 2000. TV Joj was built by former head of Czech Republic channel TV Nova, Vladimír Železný, when he was at war with TV Nova’s U.S. investor Central European Media Enterprises (CME). Through Joj, Železný wanted to shake the dominance of CME’s station in Slovakia, TV Markíza, which was enjoying almost 50 percent of the country’s nationwide audience. In its first years on the market, TV Joj failed. Surviving through airing an anemic TV Nova diet, the station was beaten in ratings by TV Nova itself, whose strong signal reached deep into Slovakia. Still, many are reported to have decided to stay anyway.

In 2004, when CME bought back TV Nova, the Americans had to divest from TV Joj as Slovak legislation forbids a company to own two nationwide TV stations. The Czechs sold TV Joj back to Grafobal. As of 2004, TV Joj somewhat improved its audience and increased its reach from 65 percent of the country to 80 percent in 2005. Behind Grafobal is the Slovak businessman Ivan Kmotrík. His empire encompasses the country’s largest newspaper distributor and retailer Mediaprint & Kapa Pressegrosso, four large printing houses and the advertising agency EURO RSCG Artmedia, among others.