bar by the pools. These areas were considered fertile ground for some small distributors who basically “rented” a table and met with buyers without incurring the cost of a registration badge. Another expedient used by some distributors (Sony Pictures included) to reduce the costs of renting exhibition space or to facilitate meetings, was to lease a boat moored on the canal directly across from the Fontainebleau, in the style found at the port in Cannes for MIP and MIPCOM. As a result of the substantial Latin presence, NATPE accounted for an estimated $100 million in deals (including those initiated at MIPCOM last October and those to be completed here at MIP). Plus, distributors were on hand with plenty of telenovelas. VideoAge Daily counted around 18 never before seen novelas making their premieres at the market, including titles from Caracol, Globo TV, Record TV, Telefe, Frecuencia Latina International, Telemundo and others. The convention floor was abuzz with many of the issues facing TV in Latin America, including the challenge of DTT and the switchover from analogue to delegation. All studios brought along their Latin American sales departments, and many had dedicated Canadian sales forces as well. Additionally, studio executives representing Europe were up, especially at NBC Universal and CBS. Also on the studio front, Disney Media Networks Latin America (DMNLA) announced a deal that will see Disney seriesTheAmazingRaceair onTBS’ SPACE channel. The news was announced at a breakfast press conference organized by Turner Broadcasting Systems and DNMLA on Day Two. Based in Argentina, SPACE will carry the third season of the reality show exclusively for all of Latin America. Day Two also brought the traditional Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Awards, which this year honored Entertainment Tonight’s Mary Hart, along with NBC sports executive Dick Ebersol, retiring TV host Regis Philbin and international TV executive Gerhard Zeiler of Germany’s RTL Group. The awards recognize individuals who demonstrate passion, leadership and independence in the creation of television programs. As the market began to wind down, convention floor talk turned, inevitably to the next market. For many, this was to be DISCOP Africa, which took place February 9-11 in Accra, Ghana. Companies from Latin America and Europe confirmed their attendance at the event, and Patrick Jucaud of organizing company Basic Lead pointed out that many IPTV platforms were to be on the hunt for content. In the weeks after the market, NATPE organizers announced that next year’s event will be tentatively held January 23-25, 2012. digital. Between 2015 and 2024, countries across Latin America will complete the conversion, and along with the switch will come many more programming hours to fill and the resources to buy content for them. Also on people’s minds were the problems facing Hispanic TV in the U.S. Ad revenues for Spanish-language channels in the U.S. are down, while the number of outlets is increasing exponentially. Last year ad revenues for the sector dropped $100 million, leaving a growing number of networks competing for a shrinking pie. And with Comcast set to complete its 60 Spanish-language network lineup, the situation promises to only grow more difficult. Plus, the challenge of keeping third and fourth generation bilingual audiences engaged in Hispanic programming is ever-present. WiththeU.S.retransfeehitting$1billion in 2010, the topic was prevalent (retrans is the fee that broadcasters negotiate with cable, satellite and broadband operators). But despite predictions that by 2016 the fee will reach $2.6 billion, there was no session addressing the subject at NATPE. In spite of the obstacles that the TV industry faces ahead, there were many reasons to be optimistic at NATPE 2011. Day Two’s panel “U.S. Domestic Syndication: Is There A Pulse” reassured audience members that things continue to look rosy for the syndication biz. John Nogawski, president of CBS Television (U.S.) Distribution noted that syndication remains “a cost-effective way for stations to fill their airwaves and have a franchise on their station that helps define them in their market.” On the flip side, he pointed to creating suitable content for syndication as an ongoing challenge. Mitch Burg, president of New Yorkbased Syndicated Network Television Association (SNTA) alsoweighed inon the syndication business. Burg and the SNTA work for the six U.S. studios, gathering information about howmarketers can best take advantage of syndication. However, at another seminar, Jeff Zucker, the then CEO of NBC Universal, pointed out that cable networks have to step away from syndication and move into original programming, since on-demand services have eroded the profitability of the syndication business model. Another highlight in the seminar schedule was “Next Generation of TV Digital Measurement.” Nielsen’s Cheryl Idell moderated a panel exploring the meaning, goals and future of TV measurement. Idell and her roster of guests took on new technology and subscription based business models in Internet content delivery. After spotty attendance in 2010, the “800 lb gorillas” (i.e. the U.S. studios) were back at NATPE. And naturally, they took the opportunity to go all out, with suites in Tresor tower (or the hotel’s Versaille wing for Warner Bros.) and cabanas out by the pool, which became very useful for taking meetings while avoiding the elevator jam. There were around 185 studio executives gracing the hallwaysof theFontainebleau, andWarner Bros., with a team of 40, had the biggest N A T P E ( C o n t i n u e d ) (Continued from Page 14) V I D E O • A G E AP R I L 2 0 1 1 16 Fontainebleau’s main bar area The docks and the exhibitors’ boats VideoAge’s on the spot remedy adopted by NATPE
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI4OTA5