V I D E O • A G E MA Y 2 0 1 0 10 MIP-TV ended with a bang this year — or rather, an eruption.On themarket’s final day, a volcanic blast in Iceland filled the sky above Europe with ash, rendering air travel impossible and stranding hundreds of market travellers in the Côte d’Azur. But while the market’s aftermath may have been turbulent, MIP-TV itself was smooth sailing. If one thing was evident at MIP-TV, it was that the industry is on the mend. The weeklongfestivalprovidedsomecompanies the opportunity to bounce back from a difficult 2009 and take advantage of the recovering global economy. Although the market was less flashy than years past, parties were back in moderation, a number of stars brightened things up and the general attitude on the convention floor was one of optimism. Some 11,600 participants from 217 countries gathered to do business in Cannes at MIP-TV 2010 and its affiliated events that took place April 10-15. Attendance was up by about 100 people from last year’s conference, which, due to the financial crisis, saw 14 percent decline in participation from the previous year. The modest increase in attendance seemed to point to a gradual improvement in the state of the industry — an idea that was echoed by a good many executives to whom VideoAge spoke on the convention floor. Although the market took place a few weeks later than usual, resulting in a reduced studio presence (Disney and Warner Bros. took meetings in suites at the Palais rather than their customary stands), attendees remained buoyant. Colombiabased Caracol Television’s Beth Orozco commented, “[A later MIP] doesn’t make a big difference for us. In fact, it gives us a chance to release new productions that couldn’t be presented at earlier markets.” The late start date may have even worked in favor of smaller companies, as buyers from both France and Italy remarked that in the absence of the studios, they were taking more time to meet with indies. Even though the risk of losing more studios next year remains, MIP-TV organizers seem to reject any suggestion to move the market to late February. They seem convinced that if the market presents the right elements (e.g., specific conferences and side events), the studios will come back regardless of whether the calendar date makes sense in view of the L.A. Screenings a few weeks later. Nevertheless, for most in attendance, it was business as usual on the Croisette. Comcast International Media Group was on hand with a sprawling stand and, a wealth of lifestyle and entertainment programming. But despite much convention-floor buzz about the Comcast/NBC acquisition deal, executive vice president Duccio Donati kept mum about the agreement. The German contingent was out in full force, with announcements and press conferences aplenty. Studio 100 announced a Turkish co-production and in an informal press conference, Bavaria Media’s Philipp Kreuzer revealed that for now, his sales team’s efforts are concentrated wholly on Europe. For its part, Italy was also well represented despite financial woes at home. The Italian pavilion hosted a reception in honor of the Rome-based Association of Audiovisual Distribution and an animation co-production between Rai Fiction and the Region Sicily. Many Italian executives were also preparing to head to Rapallo for Cartoons on the Bay, which kicked off on April 15, right on the heels of MIP. Singapore also had a busy market, with Media Development Authority hosting a luncheon and a press conference. Acting Minister for Information Communications and the Arts, Lui Tuck Yew, presided over the conference, which centered on the country’s plan to become the “Asian media capital.” However, as far as that title is concerned, Malaysia may be poised to give Singapore a run for its money. The Malaysian contingent held a Day Two signing of a co-production treaty between Ed-Online and Korea’s NHC Media. Additionally, Adam Ham, entertainment and media specialist at Malaysia’s Multimedia Development Corporation, outlined the country’s plan for industryexpansiononthe international stage. As a part of this plan, U.S.$22 million has been dedicated to the cause of international co-productions. Also out in abundance were executives from the financial end of things. These money people —specialists inbanking, gap financing, and tax shelters — were at MIP representing a host of countries. American investment fund Fuse Capital, which specializes in Web startups, and Canadian firm Rocket Fund, which specializes in kids’ content, were on the lookout for business prospects. The list of financial institutions in attendance included Banque Nationale Du Canada, Belininvest, Fonds de Solidaire, Harsha Deshpande, Ingenious Media and a handful of others. The theme of MIP-TV was “Charting the Next Decade,” and much of the conference program was therefore geared towards digital media. In keeping with the theme, Jonathan Miller, chief digital officer, chairman and CEO of News Corp’s Digital Media Group, delivered a Day Two keynote that addressed, among other things, the future of online TV distribution. “[Online] content expands faster than advertising can support it,” he said, elaborating that subscription The Croisette Awakened By An Eruption of Deals M I P - T V R e v i e w The BBC’s Steve McCallister at their Majestic Beach event Disney Media Networks’ Henri Ringel and Fernando Barbosa Record TV’s Delmar Andrade (Continued on Page 12) The Starz contingent, headed by Chris Albrecht and Gene George
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