Mipcom 2015, tastes of the business to come

Though economic scenarios are not the best ones —due to the old global crisis and new regional cracks, as currency devaluations in Russia, China and Brazil— content business breathes brand-new and expansion ventures, some spontaneous, some obliged, because of digital boom. 

What can be added to what was said on this week dailies? A great question is where the new OTT platforms are going to, with Netflix successful SVOD model as the first big step. Chris Ottinger, president international, MGM: ‘Other options are premium subscriptions, very low price models, free advertising models as Hulu in USA, niche services per genre, just for mobile, focused on short videos, etc. Fiction will be spread through digital platforms, while free TV will keep big event programming as sports, entertainment, etc. That’s why we are making strong focus now on entertainment formats, apart from blockbusters and TV series’.

Mihai Crasneanu, CEO of the VOD aggregator Grey Juice Lab (UK): 'We are witnessing the end of the licensing model. There are too much (new) windows and platforms for the content available for distribution. New strategies have to be implemented by content creators'.

TVN, the leading Polish broadcaster, launched new original online programming for its OTT service Player.pl: Polish versions of Web Teraphy, Lip Sync Battle, reality Start u Up and docu-reality My lovestories, apart from second seasons of spinoffs. Along with Samsung Poland, TVN will develop VOD strategies for Player.pl, to be available in mobiles and SmarTVs.

Many of traditional free TV acquisition executives, now are buying for group of channels, combining also pay TV and OTT. Elza Strapkova, acquisition manager at TV Markiza, Slovakia: ‘I am looking for big mainstream products for our main channel, and niche programming for the other two channels, male and female oriented each’. Monica Iturriaga, acquisitions Mediaset Telecinco, Spain: ‘The Government assigned 6 more channels to the free TV-DTT scenario, one for us in HD. So, I am buying for three channels now, with extra focus on HD’.

Market news: Scripps Networks Interactive (USA) and same TVN (Poland) announced with a cocktail, its first programming deal since SNI acquired the Polish broadcaster: TVN has secured the format rights to create a Polish version of DIY Network's home improvement series, Kitchen Crashers, announced Jim Samples, president, SNI, and Markus Tellenbach, TVN Group CEO.

Remember the programming gap between U.S. production —now more Pay TV oriented— and European broadcasters —more traditional free TV alike? Next spring first events about the matter will be organized, to make the gap shorter, joining U.S. producers and European TV channels, to discuss genre evolution and twists. 

Tibor Forizs, head of programming scheduling and acquisitions, RTL Klub, Hungary: ‘At Mipcom we are buying mainly TV series. As now it is difficult to find in America genres as procedural TV series, we are more open to Europe and other origins for fictions. We like the re runs of historical series, as audience recognizes them’. Christine Brand, director of programming, MGM Germany: ‘We are successful for instance with westerns, but now it is very difficult to find new productions on the genre’.

On the kids segment, animation has got market back from live action, this Mipcom & MIPJunior. Pablo Zuccarino, content director Cartoon Network, Latin America: ‘We are in our best moment ever, betting mainly on our non traditional animation, a bit bizarre, a bit black humor, for modern kids’. Pierre Belaisch, managing director, Gaumont Animation, France: ‘Live action trend is there, but animation is leading for far. For me they are complementary: animation targets kids 5-8 years, and live action 6-10’.

Russian crisis? Vlad Ryashin, founder Star Media: ‘Due to currency devaluation and economic problems, Russian advertising pie is reduced 50% this year. Though, I think market will have one or two complicated years, and then it will grow stronger’. The company has launched the first Russian TV series in English, to be distributed by Red Arrow (Germany). ‘We added to our top productions, the language and a main distributor. So, we passed at the central markets from ‘let’s see’ to ‘Done, what else do you have?’

Nicolás Smirnoff, Fabricio Ferrara and Rodrigo Cantisano