8 Last month, Rod Perth, president and CEO of NATPE, the Miami Beach TV market held at the Fontainebleau Hotel, announced that the exhibit floor and the Versailles — the biggest of the hotel’s four towers —were both already sold out. Among other news, the U.S. TV station groups will once again attend NATPE this year. According to Perth, “Station groups realize NATPE delivers a broader view of the competitive nature of their business…Local TV stations would say of themselves that they were slow to adapt to digital, and they’re now realizing they can’t be, and they know that NATPE is a place where they can meet people and be exposed to digital. They’re not coming here just to look at first-run syndicated shows,” he said. After last year’s edition of NATPE, some participants complained that prices at the Fontainebleau were becoming prohibitively high. However, Perth reassured participants that “We do everything we can to make sure prices are fair and reflective of the service and the value that [clients] are getting.” He also acknowledged that there are space constraints at the Fontainebleau, and they might eventually begin to use the Eden Roc as well. “We love being in Miami Beach, and no other facilities there have the capacity to fit NATPE better.” As for the logistical challenges of the elevators in the Tresor tower, he explained that the organization will do its best to alleviate the drain of the wait by once again serving drinks to those in line at the elevator banks. The three-day market kicks off on January 20, a week earlier than usual and on a Tuesday, instead of the traditional Monday due to the Martin Luther King holiday. This resulted in extra set-up charges since unions apply overtime-plus charges to work on holidays. A month ahead of the market, Perth reported that registration “pacing overall [was] very strong,” and he was “particularly pleased with buyer counts, which [were] very positive.” Perth noted that despite “some regional economic issues that are slowing everything down, we’re not really feeling it. Germany has been notable in terms of its increase in participation.” By December, buyers had registered from 62 countries, and 22 U.S. TV station groups had also registered, in addition to 230 exhibitors (107 domestic and 123 international) and all of the major U.S. studios. Latin American television executives were looking forward to the gathering in Miami Beach. Marcello Coltro, EVP of Content Distribution at Cisneros Media said, “NATPE is one of the mustattend events in our industry [because] it attracts not only content professionals, but it has expanded to include many more related industries, such as pay-TV distributors…Besides, the studios are back, and that makes it more compelling to a variety of international buyers that don’t attend the L.A. Screenings or MIPCOM.” Coltro added, “Finally, January is considered themidpoint of the broadcast year, when most of the clients focus on the year’s schedule, and their first look at new programming that will air in syndication in 2015 and 2016.” This year at NATPE, A+E Networks is looking to establish itself “as a new port of call in the minds of drama buyers,” according to Mayra Bracer, Latin America Television Distribution consultant. The company looks forward to NATPE because “all of the big players attend, as Miami is a main hub for Latin American business.” She added that “most Latin American countries are represented there, but not necessarily every channel.” Paris-based production company KABO Family recently launched its distribution arm, KABO International, which is attending NATPE for the first time. Managing director Arabelle Pouliot Di Crescenzo reported a month ahead of the event that she had already “scheduled appointments with new buyers, as well as existing clients.” “It can be challenging to squeeze everything in within such a short time,” said Sheila Aguirre, EVP of Content Distribution and Format Sales at FremantleMedia International. “We are taking pre- andpost- NATPEmeetings for thosewhohave an extended stay.” Since participants’ schedules are so packed, Aguirre suggested that the market might benefit from adding an extra day. “I am never able to attend any of the conferences and I would like to have at least half a day to hear some of the panels,” she explained. And, Perth added, “NATPE always has been and always will be a market and conference that is about one thing: content. There are so many sectors in this business, and they don’t exist alone. It’s no longer just linear, just digital, just the studios, just the syndicators, just advertisers. We build a value chain across the entire business and the platforms. We’re the big tent.” Hence this year’s theme: “Content Without Borders.” Last November, Reed MIDEM launched MIP Cancun in Mexico to bring buyers and sellers together for one-on-one meetings. Asked whether he was concerned that MIP Cancun could potentially siphon off participants from NATPE in the future, Perth replied, “I’m concerned about anyone who’s in our space…but we won’t roll over.” This time around, the 12th annual Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award will recognize six executives — four from the domestic side and two international: Linda Bell Blue (executive producer of Entertainment Tonight for 19 years), Gustavo Cisneros (chairman of The Cisneros Group), Adriana Cisneros (Gustavo’s daughter and CEO and vice chairman of Cisneros), Jay Leno (former host of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno), Jonathan Murray (chairman of Bunim/Murray Productions) and Ted Sarandos (chief content officer at Netflix). Theywill be honored at a reception hosted by Craig Ferguson (host of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson) on January 21. The award recognizes a select group of television professionals who exhibit extraordinary passion, leadership, independence and vision in the process of creating television programming. NATPE is particularly enthusiastic about this year’s opening keynote, given by the iconic TV writer and producer Norman Lear, who will be interviewed by Phil Rosenthal (creator of Everybody Loves Raymond). Plus, actress Eva Longoria will take part in a Global Navigator conference with Adriana Cisneros. This year, the conferences will fall under several categories: the Platforms Accelerated Track, which among other related topics will explore how to monetize the fragmentation of delivery platforms; theAccess to Insight Track, a series ofmaster classes andconversations (attendance is limited); theGame Changers Track, duringwhich topbroadcast, digital platform, advertiser and production companies offer insight into how they grow their businesses; and the NATPE Reality Track. And on January 20, NATPE is launching a separate strand of sessions under the banner NATPE Reality. This group of sessions will give participants the opportunity to connect to reality executives and receive insight into reality programming. The Reality and Formats Day was developed in close collaboration with NATPE’s Reality and Formats Advisory Board, headed by Phil Gurin and Hans Schiff. In addition to the conference lineup, a PRO Pitch event will see participants pitching their ideas directly to top reality and formats development executives from broadcast, cable, syndicated TV and domestic and international distributors. NATPE is also launching the NATPE Reality Breakthrough Awards during a networking mixer and luncheon that will honor the most innovative content in five categories — Reality, Reality Competition, Game Shows, Docusoaps and Factual. Confirmed session speakers include Ricardo Ehrsam from Televisa Internacional, Grant Ross from Zodiak Media Group, Michael Schmidt of Red Arrow Entertainment Group, Mark Linsey from BBC and Jennifer Dettman of CBC Television. A second panel focusing on reality shows in syndication will include Stephen Brown of Fox Television Stations, Lonnie Burstein of DebmarMercury, Hilary Estey McLoughlin from CBS Television Distribution and Valerie Schaer of NBCUniversal Domestic Television Distribution. There will also be a case study on ABC’s Shark Tank, featuring executive producer Clay Newbill. “We are never standing still,” added Perth. “We completely understand that the dynamics of the business are moving at such a speed that it’s our obligation to keep apace, and we’re committed to that, and as a result, our promise is that NATPE will continue to be more and more relevant every year.” By Sara Alessi Miami Market Adds Seminars To An Already Busy Conference January 2015 NATPE Preview NATPE Miami is ready to welcome European buyers and sellers.
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