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MipTV 2013 hot topics: new business sides and emergent markets
MipTV 2013 started yesterday showing clearly where the content business is heading to: organizer Reed Midem appointed Argentina as the Country of Honour for Mipcom 2013, following the steps of Canada, Russia and China, chosen the previous editions. And both Endemol and Fremantlemedia disclosed their new strategies, focused on digital platforms and branded content.Reed Midem perceives that Latin America is one of the regions with the highest business potential for the oncoming future. And Argentina was chosen because it has a strong independent industry and capability of creating fresh contents. The most recent study by FRAPA about format exporters (2004-2008), put Argentina fourth, after USA, UK and Holland.
The agreement was signed by Paul Silk, CEO at Reed Midem, and Liliana Mazure, president of INCAA, the visual arts public entity of Argentina that is investing strongly on promoting local productions to the international TV business. Mazure commented: ‘This is a great opportunity that we will develop fully. We’re planning for Mipcom a delegation of 300 people, with more than 40 companies coming for the first time. We showcase product from all our territory, not only from Buenos Aires’.
Both CEOs of Endemol, Tim Hincks, and FremantleMedia, Cecile Frot-Coutaz, said they are launching more new channels in YouTube. Endemol has already got one focused on Fear Factor and FremantleMedia has plans to expand its market leading YouTube presence. FremantleMedia contents scored 4,5 billion viewers on YouTube in 2012. The company plans to co-produce fresh online content with the digital titans, yesterday announced that multiplatform comedy tittles from Vuguru, an online producer, are now part of its slate.
Concerning branded content, Endemol has teamed up with The Rolling Stones to develop multiplatform and retail ventures. FremantleMedia has changed the way of producing formats in the Middle East, it has now an alliance with MBC, the big panregional broadcaster, and Pepsi-Cola to produce X Factor.
Other related news: Zodiak Rights has launched a new division, Zodiak Clips, to exploit short-term content mainly in online platforms. The move includes a deal with Skyworks, a top aerial HD stock footage provider. Sony Pictures TV has unveiled a second screen app to follow international premieres of Hannibal drama.
Lithuanian incumbent telco TEO LT has added 3D channel 3Flow to its offer. This Cloud-based TV service revenues are expected to increase from nearly USD 120 million in 2013 to USD 700 million by 2017. The cable operators will be the main means, though now OTT systems as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and iTunes are the pioneers.
Buyer testimonies at MIPTV? Alexandra Bezpalcova, Nova Czech Republic: ‘We are launching three new TV channels: one devoted to comedy, one male-oriented, and one retro, with vintage local productions’. Gabor Fisher, RTL Klub Hungary: ‘RTL II, our first pay TV (free TV alike) channel, is starting according to expectations. There are 103 Hungarian speaking channels in our country, but with good content and scheduling, you can make a difference’.
Roxanne Barcelona, GMA The Philippines: ‘I look for theatrical movies and more game shows’. Migdalys Silva, Nickelodeon Latin America: ‘We want irreverent animation for kids, the new Sponged Bob’. Peter Chalupa, Markiza, Slovakia: ‘We are buying more realities, a variation to the big talent shows, that are the great thing’.
Nicolás Smirnoff and Fabricio Ferrara
Full Story MIPTV 2013: 50 TV years, new multi-platform challenges