'A new golden age' has taken shape at Mipcom 2013

Garaude exposed that Mipcom this year joined 13,500 delegates, from over 100 countries gathered to do business. International acquisition executives numbered 4,623, of which over 1,000 were digital buyers. There were new pavilions from China, Russia, India, Nigeria and South Africa. Argentina, the Country of Honor 2013, brought a record 98 exhibiting companies and a delegation of 283 executives, doubling its attendance from last year.

‘Latin America is currently the world’s fourth largest TV market and there is a real push towards international export within the Spanish-speaking world and beyond’, reported Garaude. ‘The LATAM Global Dealmakers Lunch brought together over 150 of the top executives from Latin America and highlighted the extraordinary developments in the region’s entertainment industry, particularly in Argentina’.

The designation of Mexico as Country of Honor 2014 stresses the trend. Francisco Gonzalez Diaz, head of Mexican government institution ProMexico, mentioned three programs that the country provides to foreign TV producers: a partial reimbursement for the production expenses, a roadmap for the audiovisual industry, and the creation of a Digital Creative City in Guadalajara.

‘Mexico is the largest producer of flat-screen TV sets but also of content. We have state-of-the-art technology, top-level infrastructure, scenic variety, decades of experience as leaders in the Hispanic market, and a qualified labour force’, he added.

Katzenberg: ‘I don’t think there’s ever been a time filled with so much new and unique opportunities for TV world. Despite fears in the past, traditional television viewing, by almost every single measure, has not only remained robust, but has continued to expand. Mobile and digital will prove to be an asset rather than a threat to traditional TV’.

Some trendy deals: FremantleMedia unveiled a major multi-year digital agreement with Chinese-based portal YouKu for FremantleMedia to provide hundreds of hours of content per year to YouKu’s VOD channels. Shows that are initially slated to be involved include The X Factor USA, America’s Got Talent and American Idol.

Disney reported that Agents of SHIELD will appear on several Chinese online platforms offering VOD services, including Tudou, 24 hours after the US airing. Amazon’s LoveFilm VOD platform signed an agreement with German rights giant Tele Munchen Group giving LoveFilm Germany SVOD rights to such titles as Iron Man 3, Magic Mike and Midnight in Paris.

French heavyweight broadcasters TF1 and pay-tv Canal+, became the latest groups to team up with Facebook in an agreement that will see the internet giant providing analysis tools to help the duo understand the online comments about their shows and better determine advertising targets.

Online titans want their own content. Amazon’s call for people to propose film scripts and television series pilots, according to its director Roy Price, saw some 14,000 scripts and over 4,000 pilots sent in. Amazon has since reduced the number to 24 films and 30 TV series, which are heading for development.

For MipTV 2014, Reed Midem will launch the first MIP Digital Fronts, the international screenings for original online video. ‘MipTV and Mipcom were built on the buying and selling of television programming. MIP Digital Fronts will be the first international marketplace where high-quality, original content for online web channels and app-based/OTT streaming video platforms will be traded’, noted Garaude.

Nicolás Smirnoff and Fabricio Ferrara

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