VIDEOAGE June 2024 CEE Mart Attack 14 (Continued from Cover) larly, in 1924, when asked why he wanted to climb Mount Everest, George Mallory answered: “Because it is there.” And in 1933 when asked why he robbed banks, Willie Sutton responded: “Because that’s where the money is.” Now, we know that both Mallory and Sutton did not fare well in their attempts, but the verdict is still out for Content Warsaw (to be held June 3-6), the New Europe Market (NEM) in Dubrovnik, Croatia (happening June 10-13), and NATPE Budapest (June 24-27). Each of the three CEE markets promises a good number of buyers, top-level conferences, many exhibitors, and plenty of recreational activities. But not all the distributors are happy about the three consecutive markets, including those who will be attending all three of them. “There is now a plethora of trade markets, and we need to make choices for budgets and timing,” said Sophie Ferron, co-founder and president of GRB Media Ranch. “One Eastern European market is plenty. NATPE invited me to speak at the event, and NATPE has been in Budapest for several years with some great buyers and broadcasters in attendance.” Despite this, GRB Media Ranch will not have an exhibition presence at any of the three markets. “We are [participating] at all three markets, but I’m going to attend NEM as a speaker,” said Muge Akar, ATV’s head of Sales. “We will not have a booth there. For Content and NATPE we will be exhibiting.” “We decided to attend [all three] markets because they’re dynamic centers for our industry in Central and Eastern Europe,” said Sinem Aliskan, Inter Medya’s senior Sales and Communication manager. “We will have two tables at NATPE Budapest, [and] two people will be there selling finished content, with very few new titles being unveiled,” said Deena Stern from Fox Entertainment Global. Rochella Salvador, officer-in-charge and senior Sales manager, GMA Network, Worldwide Division, commented, “We decided to attend NATPE Budapest because top-tier buyers and exhibitors from CEE will attend. Moreover, with several of our existing clients slated to attend NATPE Budapest, it would be an excellent opportunity to reconnect and discuss their new programming requirements.” Elif Tatoğlu, Distribution Strategy & Sales director at Kanal D, reported: “We are attending [only] NEM and NATPE.” Nonetheless, the international TV sector is preparing for another faceoff this year, with Canada’s Brunico (NATPE Budapest) squaring off against the U.K.’s C21 (Content Warsaw), with NEM cleverly leaving itself out of the fray, simply and without fanfare reporting that a record 47 exhibitors and 70 speakers will be in attendance for its theme: “Content, Telcos, and Technology.” On the other hand, both Content and NATPE are promising stellar events. Last year, the two markets battled each other in the same Hungarian capital during the same period. NATPE Budapest took place June 19-22 at the InterContinental, while Content Budapest was held June 27-29 at the nearby Kempinski Hotel. Officially, Content Warsaw replaces Content Budapest, “as Warsaw is considered a more appropriate location for an effective CEE event,” according to Content’s website. In addition, “Content Warsaw is set to bring a fresh three-day market, screenings, and conference to the heart of the CEE region [and will take place] at Kinogram, a state-of-theart cinema complex. Kinogram [in Warsaw] is home to four surround-sound cinemas, an event space, and a range of meeting rooms and networking areas.” Content’s CEE Screenings will run across the three days, “allowing distributors to showcase their programming to buyers from across the CEE region,” said the official website statement. On Wednesday, June 5, Content Warsaw “will host a cocktail to celebrate 100 leading executives from channels, platforms, and producers who are redefining the content business across Central and Eastern Europe. In addition, there will be a range of parties, lunches, and dinners around the event, along with the opportunity to build and customize branded events by our trusted content and media partners.” For its part, NATPE Budapest highlighted its “by the numbers,” which were given as 400 buyers and 125 exhibitors from 65 countries. The event is still taking place in its traditional InterContinental Hotel. The NATPE programs calls for an opening night party on Monday, June 24, a Tuesday boat party, and a Wednesday closing party. To that, a Content official reached by VideoAge replied, “You can mention the 220-plus buyers from 30-plus countries. You can also say 500 delegates and 50 global exhibitors.” Different this year is the reduced number of off-site screenings traditionally held by the Hollywood studios, which infuriated NATPE’s exhibitors, who saw buyers leaving the InterContinental hotel for some nearby theaters. Claire Macdonald, NATPE Budapest’s executive director, who VideoAge met at the L.A. Screenings, reported that just “Sony Pictures is hosting an off-site screening, while A+E, Antenna, and ZDF are hosting on-site screenings.” In terms of strategy, GRB Media Ranch’s Ferron explained: “We are quite sensitive of the challenges and unsettling times that the CEE territory is experiencing with the wars going on, and the affected budget concerns, and will work with the region to find a way to work together. We also need to strike the right balance between localization and globalization. While audiences in this region are increasingly drawn to global content, there remains a strong demand for localized programming that resonates with their cultural and linguistic preference. Thus, the importance of formats. The economic landscape in the CEE region varies widely between countries so balancing pricing strategies to make content accessible while also ensuring profitability can be a delicate task for distributors.” To Inter Medya’s Sinem Aliskan, “While economic and political issues in some countries can impact various sectors, the CEE region remains crucial for our business. In addition to our continuous sales, we see especially growing interest in remakes and coproductions lately.” Similarly, GMA Network’s Rochella Salvador, said: “Central and Eastern European nations are key buyers of drama series. As we expand our presence in Europe, attending this market to establish our brand and showcase GMA’s content is important. This proactive approach aligns with the network’s objective of expanding its presence in Europe and strengthening its position in the global market. Through strategic engagement and effectively showcasing its titles, GMA Network aims to establish itself as the premier provider of Filipino content in Central and Eastern Europe.” As far as new content is concerned, Inter Medya’s Aliskan reported, “We’ll be introducing new content at both the Warsaw and Budapest markets. Among our highlights is our latest co-production with Mega Global Entertainment, Love and Pride. Additionally, as representatives of Gain, one of Turkey’s largest VoD platforms, we’re to present over 10 of their titles, including Hamlet and Like There Is No Tomorrow.” GRB Media Ranch’s Ferron remarked that “out of our extensive catalog of over 5,000 hours of premium scripted, unscripted, and formats, our hottest programs right now are three political documentaries, Unfit: The Psychology of Donald Trump; God & Country; and Untruth. In a historic U.S. election year where the country is sharply divided, and Donald Trump is currently facing four separate criminal indictments — a first for a former, and possibly future, U.S. President, these riveting political documentaries are mandatory viewing!” Finally, GMA Network’s Salvador will be “presenting two offerings at NATPE Budapest: Royal Blood, which delves into the tale of the estranged son of a business tycoon, and Luv Is: Love At First Read, a blend of romance and comedy.”
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