Convenciones
MIPTV 2013: hyper-dynamic outcome, as the market has been
The 50th anniversary edition of MIPTV has ended with encouraging figures, according to organizer Reed Midem: more than 11,000 attendees from over 100 countries, including 4000 buyers. The VOD and digital segments have grown 30 percent from last year, representing now more than 800 buyers.Prensario interviewed more than 300 buyers and sellers during the week. Most of the buyers were satisfied with the event, because, they said, they had more time than at Mipcom to meet additional exhibitors, especially from the independent side of the business. Some of them defined the offer of product this year as not so good as in previous editions, due to the European crisis. They also thought there has been less news or innovative proposals.
A good proportion of the sellers said the show has been good, but they feel it is comparatively more expensive than Mipcom, which is noticeably stronger the four days of the week. Prensario considers this MIPTV as the best one of the last three editions, due to fresh energy, new players and growing business drives not seen last years. The Reed Midem staff mentioned that, off the record, there were 500 people more this week than last year.
Highlights of the 50th MIPTV: the brand-new Ultra HD (4K) technology by Sony, the consolidation of MipCube as the specific pavilion for new media ventures, for the first time located inside the Palais, and regarding product, the worldwide premier screening of Da Vinci’s Demons, produced by Adjacent for Starz, sold internationally by BBC Worldwide.
The relevance of emerging markets keeps growing. Reed Midem appointed Argentina the Country of Honor for Mipcom 2013. A trendy decision, it suggests focus on this country and Latin America in general as sources of new business ventures in the future.
The number of companies participating from Russia grew this year 18%, Ukraine 30%, Brazil 17% and the United Arab Emirates outstood with 58%. West Asia and the Middle East are also regions to search carefully from now on. China’s delegation was the largest ever at MIPTV, with 79 companies attending.
Among other important deals announced, Discovery has acquired Scandinavian broadcaster SBS, following a 20% stake acquisition of the pan-European sports channel Eurosport. China’s public broadcaster CCTV co-production deals with Venevision (USA/Venezuela), BBC Worldwide and Austria’s ORF.
French Pay TV Canal Plus signed a long-term alliance with A+E Networks that includes the launching of pay channels focused on A+E’s factual catalogue. Endemol is once again looking at possible mergers and acquisitions, launched in Cannes the AMC drama Low Winter Sun, as the latest project in its development of scripted business.
MipTV’s 2013 red carpet of actors was the most densely populated ever, according to Reed Midem. And both MIPDoc and MIPFormats, confirmed the growing appetite for factual content, which now is the second most strong category considering the 1,325 titles entered at MIPDoc screening library. About 159 projects came to MIPDoc seeking production partners.
The merger between traditional TV and the digital world keeps becoming more intense day after day, with Amazon, Hulu, YouTube, Yahoo!, Netflix and Vuguru investing now directly in the purchase and production of original content. MIPTV partnered with YouTube to screen successful YouTube channels from around the world, including star chef Jamie Oliver’s channel FoodTube and German comedy channel Ponk.
The content business story continues at the LA Screenings, next month. See you there…
Nicolás Smirnoff and Fabricio Ferrara