(Continued from Page 32) 34 April 2014 NATPE Review most interest fromMexico, Brazil and Argentina and especially the pan-LATAM channels. There is definitely a growing market in these regions for factual, lifestyle and documentary programming. The diversity of channels and buyers was definitely represented at NATPE this year.” This marked the first time 9 Story Entertainment exhibited at NATPE, and managing director Natalie Osborne reported that they were very pleased. “It was a great opportunity for us to increase our presence with Latin American clients and hold some key one-on-one meetings,” she said. “We also found there was significant attendance from digital players, which is an important growth area for us.” “With respect to the Canadian presence, it’s a relatively easy market for Canadians to attend both because of proximity and timing,” Osborne said. “Canadians offer strong co-production partnerships and in this sense, NATPE is a great platform to showcase this strength. Our specific objective with NATPE this year was primarily to further develop and service our Latin American territory.” She added, “NATPE is also a big U.S. market with all the major U.S. studios and broadcasters in attendance.” 9 Story received quite a bit of interest in its kids and family programs. Osborne also noted that the company has a large library of dubbed content, and received feedback indicating, “there is a current need for high quality, dubbed kids programming.” JodiMackie, International Sales executive at BreakthroughEntertainment, did not believe that a stronger Canadian presence would alter the nature of the market. “Whether more Canadian companies were exhibiting this year does not really change NATPE from being a Latin American-focused conference. Most of the exhibitors use this conference to catch up with their Latin American clients as the major European and Asian buyers are seen a short while later at MIP,” she said. For Breakthrough, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Colombia are “significant growth pay-TV markets” that are continuing to develop. Plus, while Mackie noted that “the conference is showing signs of growing again,” she believes that “unless the logistics of the long elevator line-ups leading to and returning from the meeting suites is quickly resolved… the frustrations by attendees and exhibitors alike will outweigh any growth benefits. Additionally, addressing the scheduling conflict with another major TV conference, which also falls during the same week, will help the growth of this conference.” NATPE has, in fact, tackled the scheduling conflict, moving the 2014 event a week earlier; now it will not conflict with Realscreen in Washington, D.C. as it did this year and the year before. SA Changing lives one adventure at a time. HD, 13 X 30’ THE KIND WAY Contact: ahaber@principalmedia.com • www.principalmedia.com Visit us at MIPTV 2014: Booth No. P-1.G10 MZTV’s Moses Znaimer, John Thornton Nelvana’s Jerry Diaz
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