NATPE, DISCOP Prep Mideast Content Market

PARIS/LOS ANGELES: DISCOP and NATPE have announced that their new event, DISCOP Middle East, will take place in Istanbul in March of 2011.

DISCOP Middle East expands the organizations’ portfolio of events dedicated to emerging markets, which currently includes DISCOP East in Budapest and two editions of DISCOP Africa. It will be held at the Intercontinental Ceylan Hotel in Istanbul from March 14 to 16, 2011. The new event follows a recent survey of content sellers showing that two-thirds of respondents doing business in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) had substantially increased their sales in the last two years. The three-day market is expected to attract between 200 and 250 buyers from the Middle East and North Africa. In addition opportunities for distributors, DISCOP Middle East will feature a networking and pitching program focusing on co-production opportunities. Limited premium and budget exhibits will be offered to the 100 vendors expected to attend the inaugural DISCOP Middle East edition.

Patrick Jucaud, general manager of DISCOP, commented: “We are now in a position to deliver content licensing opportunities in several geographical zones that are becoming increasingly important for clients affected by the downturn in more developed markets. Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Sub-Saharan and North Africa, and the Middle East are regions that are benefiting most from the continued expansion of widespread low-cost digital technology, the mobile revolution and fast-growing broadband penetration."

Rick Feldman, president and CEO of NATPE, added, “Patrick and I feel that Istanbul is a logical location to launch a content market to effectively serve Africa and the Middle East. Geographically ideal, it represents a major media hub of a developing region that is poised to grow dramatically. As one of the great gateway cities Istanbul offers diversity in thought and culture while also providing the high standard of facilities and services our delegates have come to expect from a DISCOP event.”