BALTIC SCREEN MEDIA REVIEW 2014 / VOLUME 2 / COMMENTARY Commentary Small Market, Big Format: Idols in Estonia ULRIKE ROHN, University of Tartu; email:
[email protected] 122 DOI: 10.1515/bsmr-2015-0018 BALTIC SCREEN MEDIA REVIEW 2014 / VOLUME 2 / COMMENTARY ABSTRACT This article looks at the factors that have infl uenced the Estonian adaptation of the Idols format, Eesti otsib super- staari. Based on existing literature, as well as on interviews with representatives of the local TV industry, this article suggests that the most infl uential factor is the small size of the Estonian TV market. Most changes to the original format have been made for practical reasons and not due to cultural considerations. Hence, this article argues that it is mostly market and industry logistics that infl uence programme imports and local adaptations and not so much the cultural shareability of such programmes. INTRODUCTION local audiences whilst others are not. In this context, the approach of cultural transla- Shows usually don’t travel. It is tors by Kyle Conway (2011) emphasises the very diffi cult to produce a format in-between position of media producers that travels internationally. And between the origin of the content and the when adapting it to a market a lot target market of the content, and argues of parties and forces are involved. that the forces that affect local network The fi nal product is usually a executives and media producers in their result of something very complex. decision-making processes shape the pro- (Personal interview with an Esto-