V I D E O • A G E AP R I L 2 0 1 0 20 BY KAREN RUTTNER Ultimately, NATPE will succeed one way or another, if only by default. The selection of Miami, Florida, as the 2011 venue was received with much enthusiasm, as it will finally force NATPE to reshape itself as a fully international event. Until now, and despite the fact that NATPE’s market is 99 percent international, its organizers did not acknowledge this element at the seminar and awards levels, nor did they focus on relevant international topics in their Daily newsletters, instead relying heavily on coverage of domestic (i.e., U.S.) television. With that in mind, it’s likely that some of the international companies present at this year’s event were there simply to avoid losing exhibiting privileges in Miami. It should be noted, however, that Miami was not NATPE’s first choice. The event is moving in 2011 because its preferred venue in Las Vegas was not going to be completed in time. Out of the 56 seminars held this year, only seven were somewhat related to international TV. NATPE even nixed the idea for the one domestic seminar — about TV stations’ extra digital channels — that would have benefited international producers and distributors. On the awards side, none were devoted to international TV executives, much to their chagrin. At the exhibitors’ level, this year’s NATPE managed to alienate Disney, which having not found a satisfactory arrangement, decided to forgo the event altogether as Sony did a few years back. As far as the overall assessment of NATPE 2010 is concerned, the outcome wasn’t rosy, but consensus seems to be that the market has hit bottom and now has nowhere to go but up. NATPE’s organizers objected to VideoAge Daily’s report of an estimated 2,000 total participants over the three-day market that started on Monday, January 25. VideoAge based its figures on the count provided by THEhotel and Mandalay Bay when the Daily was delivered to all registered participants. Ironically, VideoAge’s reporting is considered “too negative” by NATPE management, ignoring the fact that it reflects the opinions of many TV executives, including the heads of the U.S. studios’ international TV divisions, that NATPE gathered directly. The conference boasted a raft of star-studded panels (think Hugh Laurie, Donald Trump, Judge Judy and more). Even so, words like “unrest” and “discontent” were creeping into the exhibitors’ lexicon. The main divide was found between those exhibitors relegated to the market floor versus those in the THEhotel tower suites. VideoAge surveyed a number of the companies present to gauge their reactions to the location differentials and the event in general. The vibe on the f loor was predominantly negative. When asked how things had been going for TOEI Animation, sales manager for Latin America Eduardo Lucio merely said, “Actually very slow. I’m disappointed really.”Was the trip to Vegas worthwhile for them? “No,” Lucio said. “Not really.” A few stands over, Rafael Fusaro, president, and Maria A. Martinez, svp and COO of APA International Film Distributors expressed similar frustration. “The music [from the nearby Digital Theater, a stage used for presentations] is too loud,” Fusaro said. “It’s not good for speaking. The Digital Theater shouldn’t be where the sellers are. We didn’t know it would be here.” The APA team was divided in terms of optimism for the 2011 move to Miami, despite the fact that their offices are located there. “There’s more to do, activity wise and entertainment wise in Vegas thanMiami,”Martinez explained. “Vegas is used to conventions.” Fusaro was quick to counter though, adding with a smile, “Europeans like to go to Miami more than Vegas.” European approval is certainly something that NATPE should be concerned with, especially considering comments from people like Beatrice Grossman Conforti, head of Business Affairs for Switzerland’s RSI. “More attention needs to be paid to European producers,” she expressed. “Buyers come [to NATPE] to meet with the U.S. majors, mainly. There must be a little bit of interest shown to Europeans. The organization claims to be an American market. After this crisis, though, maybe a little bit of European old culture could be good for everybody.” That said, Grossman is somewhat optimistic about the forthcoming location shift. “I don’t know if Miami will be better, but it will definitely be a shorter trip for the Europeans.” Rob Molloy, director of Television for London, UK-based Guinness World Records addressed the conference focus as well. “This has moved more towards catering to Latin America. NATPE should address this and force everyone back to the show floor. Everyone is all doom and gloom, saying NATPE is dying. I don’t agree. The business of television has changed.” So, considering the business is changing, does Molloy think the moves NATPE has made of late are sufficiently addressing the shift? In regards to this year’s event, he commented, “We were pleasantly surprised [Monday] morning. When we initially saw the buyers list we were a bit skeptical. We have an agent specifically for Latin America, so we’re not here for that. And business definitely slowed that afternoon and even more so today [day three].” Maria Lucia Hernandez Frieri of Colombia’s RCN said, “This has been a very good market. All of our clients have come as previously arranged, and we had a few people come in to request meetings.” Hernandez’s statement, albeit positive, included shades of what seemed to be inherently wrong with With The Miami Move, Mart Has Nowhere To Go But Up N A T P E R e v i e w E1’s Valerie Cabrera CableReady’s Gary Lico at his stand Telefilms’ Ricardo Costianovsky, Humberto Delmas, Tomas Darcyl, Alfredo Andreotti, Alejandro Carballo (Continued on Page 22)
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