The challenges of Natpe Budapest 2013

Fortunately, the organization has done a good job and the number of attendees expected for the show will be pretty similar as last year: 500 executives with close to 300 being buyers. This continues to position Natpe Budapest as the main business event for CEE.

The networking activities were reinforced, too. The breakfast briefing session Extending the Value of Content - Beyond Borders and Across Platforms will be held tomorrow from 8-10am at Café Gerbeaud moderated by Broadband TV News editor Julian Clover, looking at the opportunities and challenges of re-versioning programming across all genres for content rights owners, local producers and digital and multi-platform owners in the CEE region.

The panelists confirmed are Nassima Boudi, International Sales Manager, Eurodata TV Worldwide; Antony Root, EVP Original Programming and Production, HBO Europe; Patty Geneste, CEO of Absolutely Independent & chairman at Frapa; and Peter Radnai, director of Local Production, Chello Central Europe.

Natpe Budapest Opening Cocktail Reception will be the same day at 6pm at Sofitel terrace & restaurant. And there will be a Networking Reception on Wednesday, June 26 from 6pm to 8pm at Sofitel Terrasse Restaurant + Bibliotek Lounge, instead of the traditional boat party.

All3Media (UK) and Filmpool (Germany) organize on Wednesday, June 26 at 8am, Day & Night - The Morning After the Night Before Breakfast at Sofitel restaurant, to speak and celebrate the success of the constructed reality format Day & Night in Berlin (RTL2) & Budapest (RTL Klub). The companies have invited specifically format buyers, producers and broadcasters. RTL Klub will present a case study of the production techniques used in creating this daily, scripted reality show that has Facebook buzzing and audiences enraptured.

On behalf of the US Studios, they hold screenings in Budapest again for the third year in a row. Through many sources, Prensario confirmed that Warner Bros. is doing a whole day screening on Monday, June 24 (before the market starts), while CBS (morning), NBCUniversal (midday) and Fox (afternoon) will be organizing theirs on Tuesday, June 25.

Again, exhibitors at Sofitel are expectant to see the buyers’ behavior with these Screenings. A worldwide distributor describes to Prensario: ‘Evidently, they are not a good thing for us, as some key buyers have told us that they are here in Budapest only for the Screenings and they have no time for meetings. Anyway, Natpe Budapest continues to be a good place for us, that’s why we are here again this year’.

The situation about the major screenings is much better than the first time they were held in 2011, many executives consulted agree. Natpe was able to coordinate with the US Studios and organized the screenings in order not to be mixed with the market days.

Natpe president and CEO Rod Perth completes: ‘The dynamic CEE market is becoming ever more important for the global content industry. There is an increased desire of international content owners to sell into the region and, with a significant growth in local production, of CEE producers to sell their shows and ideas to other broadcasters both internationally and cross border within the region’.

Fabricio Ferrara