Miami’s FMM In Slow-Mo The third annual Florida Media Market (FMM) risked being the year’s first victim of the worldwide financial crisis. But in the end, it was held at the traditional Alexander Resort in Miami Beach, Florida, last October 23-26, and attracted the usual good number of top international film and TV players. Among the participating executives were Philip Alberstat, CEO of 49 North Media, Millennium’s Lonnie Ramati (both from Los Angeles) and Canada’s Michel Zgarka, who premiered his latest movie, Misbehaviour. Other executives came from Colombia, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Argentina. A large contingent came from the Miami area, including Venevision’s Pedro Tinoco, Telemundo’s Esperanza Garay and Carsey-Werner’s Rolando Figueroa. FMM’s organizer Maritza Guimet acknowledged the difficult feat and reported half the attendance of last year –– 200 participants –– but determined to make the event a major player in the Latin American film and TV scene. Pictured: VideoAge’s Dom Serafini, Millennium’s Lonnie Ramati, 49 North Media’s Philip Alberstat at the seminar “The Business of Show Business,” which Alberstat renamed “Rip-off 101.” The seminar explored distribution and advances against sales in the current film and TV business environment. Microphones Lose Spectrum The U.S. telecommunications authority, the FCC, recently decided to sell UHF frequencies to the highest NO V E M B E R/ DE C E M B E R 2 0 0 8 bidder in advance of the February 2009 shift of broadcast television from analog to digital transmission. TV stations won’t be the only ones impacted, though. U.S. wireless products that have been operating in that spectrum will also be affected. Wireless microphone manufacturers in the U.S. have been using the VHF and UHF frequencies for years now and this decision is causing a major uproar in the industry. Most wireless microphone products will now be challenged to find an unused, licensed frequency. Owners of such microphones are trying to decide whether their existing equipment will still operate, albeit with more noise, or must be replaced. Added Checks to U.S. Travel Beginning in 2009, travel to the U.S. from abroad for pleasure or to attend a market, such as NATPE or the L.A. Screenings, will become even more time-consuming. As of January 12, all Visa Waiver Program (VWP) travelers will be required to obtain, via Internet, a travel authorization prior to boarding a carrier to the U.S. The VWP allows citizens from 27 countries to travel to the States for 90 days or less for purposes of business or tourism without obtaining a visa. Under the new system, VWP travelers who do not apply for and receive authorization may be denied boarding and entry into the U.S. The new restrictions apply to citizens and nationals from all VWP countries: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The authorization system— called the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) — has been operational since last August and requires that travelers apply online no later than 72 hours in advance of traveling. The application, which for now, is given only in English, asks biographical and eligibility questions similar to those found in the I-94W paper form (the form given to international travelers on planes before landing). If approved, the authorization is good for up to two years and multiple trips. The Department of Homeland Security, which administers the VWP, lists https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/ as the site to obtain both information and forms, but it often doesn’t connect, therefore it is better to use: www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/. (Continued from Page 2)
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