Videoage International March-April 2020

20 March/April 2020 V I D E O A G E founder and CEOof Nexstar, a groupwith 216 local TV stations in 118 markets (covering 63 percent of U.S. TVHH), in addition to domestic syndicators such as Carsey-Werner, Litton, and Trifecta. Disney also unveiled its new company name for its LATAM Division (Buena Vista Media Distribution, which is headed by Fernando Barbosa), and the newly re-merged Viacom and CBS came up with some seven company names, including ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group (headedbyArmanoNuñez); ViacomCBSNetworks International (headed by Pierluigi Gazzolo), which includes ViacomCBS Networks Americas and ViacomCBS International Studios. Nuñez’s group includes ViacomCBS Studios International. With a cascade of the group’s companies in attendance, the staging of two major parties, and the clearanceof anewsyndicated show, ViacomCBS clearly dominated this edition of NATPE Miami. One aspect of NATPE that has yet to be addressed is the fact that although the market still attracts a good number of Hollywood’s top operatives (both for domestic and international), and ad reps, ad agencies, brand executives, and talent agencies participate in lots of the market’s behind-the-scenes activities, the organization doesn’t yet know how to capitalize on all that, or better yet, monetize it. As for the buying and selling aspects, the market fulfilled its promises, even though it was considered a “half-full” event. Doris Vogelmann, VP of Programming and Operations at Doral, Florida-based VME Media, said that she was at NATPE in search of “edu- tainment/infotainment animation and live- action shows for preschoolers and kids. For an 18-plus audience, I was looking for natural histo- ry documentaries, lifestyle programs, investiga- tion/factual programs, and dramas.” Vogelmann noted that prior to the market she made sure to “pre-schedule meetings with distributors that of- fer the content I was looking for.” She went on to explain that, “there are two main differences between MIP Cancun and NATPE that make MIP Cancun better from my point of view — the way meetings are organized and the fact that everyone is in one place,” which she said, makes it easier to build relationships. Vivian Reinoso, head of Worldwide Acquisition for Miami, Florida-based J2911 Media, who was at NATPE Miami to look for family shows, dramas, and soft crime series, said that she didn’t find “as many options as I would have expected, but overall I believe there was some content that will be a good addition to our catalog.” Plus, she liked the fact that NATPE allows buyers to select who you are going to meet with. “The opposite occurs with MIP Cancun,” she said, noting that several of her meetings there failed to make good use of her time. But she did have some advice for the organizers of next year’s NATPE. “I did have several good meetings each day,” she said, before adding that NATPE felt pretty empty this year. “It wasn’t as crowded as it used to be. NATPE organizers need to revisit their strategy to improve the attendance for this market.” Similarly, VMEMedia’s Vogelmann commented that NATPE “was a little less interesting than previous years. I felt that there were fewer companies on the market floor.” As expected, MIP-TV was on the minds of many NATPE participants, as evidenced by the presence of seven MIP-TV operatives, headed by Lucy Smith, the market’s number three executive. NATPE Miami Review (Continued from Page 16) A conference on “Global Overview” brought together executives from Canada, the U.K., India, Turkey, and the U.S. The NATPE party circuit ended with a big bang with a Big Band 1930’s-style shindig hosted by ViacomCBS Networks Americas. Pierluigi Gazzolo, president of ViacomCBS Networks International, welcomed guests. Paul Buccieri, president of A+ENetworks Group, at the A+E NATPEMiami party. From l. to r.: Bryan Gabourie, Ellen Lovejoy, Buccieri, Hannah Carrady, and VideoAge ’s DomSerafini NATPE CEO JP Bommel at the closing press conference held in the Fontaine meeting room of the Fontainebleau The hotel’s in-room early morning magazine delivery is a staple of NATPE Miami. ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group’s Armando Nuñez (l.) hosted a rooftop party to welcome Drew Barrymore of The Drew Barrymore Show , shown here with CBS Television Distribution’s Jonathan Bingaman Anjelica’s 22-Minute Workout ’s Anjelica Scannura with Moses Znaimer, John Thornton, and Darija Ivankovic, all from production company MZTV