“STS Media” has agreed to return the library of series of Yellow, Black & White (YBW), including “Kitchen”, new flagship for STS, which again has appeared in broadcast of the channel. Content was disappeared from broadcast because of an unprecedented deal for the TV market, during which YBW went to “Gazprom-media” Holding. To return the library it had to be agreed with its new owner, Alexander Karmanov, owner of the Eurasian pipeline consortium. His structures that produce “Dom-2” for TNT are now ready to film sequel of the popular sitcom for STS.

Alexander Karmanov’s structures agreed with STS Media on the conditions for return of the library of TV projects of YBW Studio to the holding, including “Kitchen”, “Eleon Hotel”, etc., sources close to negotiations told to Kommersant. Rights to projects historically belonged to YBW, and the last few months — a joint company of YBW and Mr. Karmanov. Now they will gradually return to STS. So, “Kitchen”
has already returned and is in the broadcast.

For over 10 years YBW was making content for STS, but in 2017 relations between the partners became bad and YBW combined business with Solaris of Alexander Karmanov — longtime partner of “Gazprom-media” Holding. They created TCT Universal, where Mr. Karmanov made a share in Comedy Club Production (25.01%) and TNT Club service, and YBW — library of projects that were in broadcast of STS, 26% of online cinema Start and the obligation to create a certain number of hours of entertainment content per year. YBW planned to offer content of common company to STS, and Mr. Karmanov’s structures — to TNT.

But when the relationship between YBW and STS became bad, “daughter” of Universal TCT under the name of TCT Production was sold to “Gazprom-media”. Thus, Holding consolidated 100% of Comedy Club and control in TNT Club, as well as received a share in Start and YBW`s obligations for the production of content — now for the channel “Super” included in Gazprom media. TCT Universal with library of content remained with YBW and Solaris under the actual control of Alexander Karmanov. In “Gazprom-media” and “STS Media” refused to comment, Solaris and YBW did not respond to request of “Ъ”.

STS painfully accepted the exit of the library, because considered popular series on the basis of which competitors were planned to develop “Super” historically their own. Situation was discussed at the level of management of the Holdings; as a result, Gazprom-media promised not to use this library at “Super”. Thus, for several months the content was lost from broadcast. Combining assets with YBW, Alexander Karmanov expected to earn from the library, but as a result the investment lost its meaning for him, told his friends to “Kommersant”. YBW received benefit from unification “in the form of money and long-term partnerships commitments on channel “Super”, said a source close to Studio.

Negotiations on the future of the library were held by Mr. Karmanov and Art Pictures Distribution, which buys content for “STS Media” and “National media group”, sources tell to “Kommersant”. In the end STS will not only receive the library, but also interested in ordering the continuation of sitcoms “Kitchen”, “Hotel “Eleon” and “Ivanov-Ivanov”. Alexander Karmanov proposed to produce them for STS, while STS can get ownership of the rights to new content, which the channel tried to get from YBW, two sources close to negotiations say. At the next stage, the parties will discuss production of sitcoms. YBW was interested in the development of its brands, but under the terms of the contract with Gazprom-media it is obliged to work exclusively for channel “Super”. Structures of Mr. Karmanov till now were producing content only for NTN channel (part of “Gazprom-media”) including the reality show “Dom-2”. Sources of “Kommersant” consider that TV series for STS can be made through contractors: for continuation of “Kitchen” producer experience is not important as much as the “access to actors”, authors and directors, and they are all in the market”.

SOURCE: Ъ