(Continued from Cover) NATPE’s History Repeats Itself ever to be translated simultaneously into Spanish,” VideoAge reported in our 1988 article, “NATPE Stresses Quality Programs.” Additionally, the conference program included more activities geared toward international attendees than in years past. The 1990s NATPE faced a downward spiral in 1990, as indicated by our 1989 preview titled, “NATPE Sings Blues In New Orleans.” The theme of the market that year was “Challenges of the next decade,” and, as VideoAge reported, “storm clouds [could] be seen gathering on time for the syndication business, which we billed as the “bread and butter of NATPE.” In 1989, VideoAge also previewed the upcoming 1990 NATPE with an article written by then-president Phil Corvo titled, “NATPE’s New Intl Accent,” in which Corvo stated that NATPE International was increasing its role in international program marketing, and had set aside two mornings for international attendees to visit booths without domestic buyers present. They also arranged an international reception for foreign buyers, and European registration paced ahead of the previous event. assured everyone that NATPE was making an effort to become the premier world marketplace for the buying and selling of TV programs. In 1990, VideoAge posed the question: “Is NATPE A Good Market?” The main concerns were budget considerations (namely that the market was too 1993. Armando Nuñez Jr., Tetsu Uemura, Hiroyuki Nakamura, Barry Barnholtz 1995. Joseph Matesevac, Ray Donahue 1994. Joe Lucas 1992. Irv Holender with UWF wrestlers and their manager Herb Abrams 1993. Chicca Pancaldi, Guido Pugnetti 1994. Hector Beltran, Belinda Menendez, Carlos Bardasano 1993. Marion Edwards, Jim Gianopulos, Len Grossi 1994. Victor Tobi, Roberto Barros JA N U A R Y 2 0 1 3 V I D E O a A G E 24 (Continued on Page 26) The 1980s During the ’80s, when oversized sweatshirts and skin-tight leggings were all the rage in the U.S., NATPE was held in Las Vegas, New Orleans and even Houston, and the international TV contingent was struggling to make itself known in the U.S. In 1983, VideoAge reported that there were differing opinions about whether NATPE was solely for domestic business, or whether it was an appropriateplaceforinternationalbusiness to take hold. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the international contingent was expected to be smaller that year. Also in 1983, the conference design allowed for four days of screenings and reserved the last two days for workshops, discussions and awards, leading some to complain that the “conference workshops and award ceremonies interfered with the real business of buying and selling.” Some syndicators even talked about holding a separate convention for screenings, or withdrawing from the convention format altogether to screen product for stations individually instead. By 1986 and 1987, the focus had shifted to the high costs in New Orleans, where NATPE was held. In a preview article for the 1987 edition titled, “NATPE Convention to New Orleans Again: Problems, Solutions and Expectations,” VideoAge noted that on top of expensive hotels and restaurant menus, a nine percent sales tax on all goods would also empty wallets. Despite grumblings about the high costs, NATPE took aim at helping the international contingent feel more at home, and VideoAge reported in a 1987 article titled, “NATPE changes its domestic image for a more int’l profile,” that although the market “remain[ed] a mainly domestic affair, it [was] attracting more and more broadcasters anddistributors fromother continents.” According to Sunbow’s Fred Cohen at the time, “NATPE is really NATPE International and it’s attracting more and more overseas programming people who come over not only to see what new productions are available, but to introduce their product into the marketplace.” So, it should come as no surprise that attendance figures rose, as “the amount of floor space occupied…increased.” “The tremendous growth of Spanish-language programming [was] reflected at NATPE by the first session But not everyone was satisfied that enough was being done for the international contingent. In our 1990 article, “Pardon My Indifference: But This Is NATPE!,” VideoAge highlighted the sense that foreign TV executives were being “treated like the plague by domestic U.S. syndicators.” As we reported, “The problem is the syndicators on the floor are there to do domestic business. They aren’t there to do international wheeling and dealing. So the international buyers get lost in the shuffle.” As a response, NATPE tried to bring more attention to international buyers. Thus, they sent out brochures on the nuts and bolts of the convention that were printed in French, German, Spanish and Italian, and the NATPE International Service Center was prepared to help foreign buyers and sellers. It marked the first time a united Germany and The Association of French Program Producers exhibited. Then-president Phil Corvo the horizon.” One attendee complained about the domestic seminars held at the event, which he deemed unsuitable for international visitors. Additionally, NATPE implemented various restrictions on the exhibition floor, banning food, live demonstrations and caricatures from TV shows, which effectively “took the show out of show business.” We recapped the 1990 event with the headline: “NATPE’s Darkest Hour Passes Into History.” To exacerbate the problem, it wasn’t a great expensive) and international attendance, though many attendees acknowledged that progress had been made. The push to “beef up [NATPE’s] international effort” continued in 1992, when “global programming finance, technology and co-production topics [were] featured at the 1992 NATPE international seminar, under the banner On A Clear Day, You Can See 2000: International Television in the ’90s.” NATPE’s then-seminar coordinator, Joe Barbarino, acknowledged that “making NATPE attractive to an international crowd has been an ongoing effort.” It seemed syndicators were beginning to
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI4OTA5