The Week at MIPTV

NEW YORK: World Screen recaps some of the major themes that producers, buyers and distributors were weighing in on at MIPTV last week.

In a column she wrote for World Screen Newsflash just before leaving Cannes last week, Anna Carugati, World Screen’s group editorial director, noted that “in a business driven by ratings, market shares, budget projections and calculating numbers of all sorts, the MIPTV 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner offered industry leaders a rare moment of emotion and appreciation.”

Indeed, the celebration of MIPTV’s first Medaille d’Honneur recipients—Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan’s Masao Takiyama, Beta Film’s Jan Mojto, M6’s Nicolas de Tavernost, BSkyB’s Sophie Turner Laing, Armando Nuñez, Sr. and CBS Global Distribution Group’s Armando Nuñez—on Wednesday night was the subject of many conversations for those left in the Palais on the quiet last day of the market. If you missed it, be sure to read Anna’s recap, which touches on the night’s many highlights, including Armando Nuñez, Sr., recounting his journey from Cuba to the U.S. when his wife was eight months pregnant with his son. Word is, there weren’t too many dry eyes in the Carlton ballroom that night.

Speaking of which, people could be spotted wiping away tears during the United Nations Global Education First Initiative, hosted by UN Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown on Wednesday morning. Brown showcased two short films illustrating the plight of children around the world, particularly girls, who don’t have access to a proper education. I met with the former British Prime Minister on Wednesday afternoon to learn more about his message to the global content community, which, he believes, will need to chip in for the U.N. to achieve its target of making sure that by the end of 2015, the 61 million children across the globe who currently are without an education are enrolled in schools. "People know that there are more stories to be told about what’s happening and why girls are not getting an education, why children are forced into child labor, why girls are getting married early, and how girls are fighting back," Brown said. Brown also offered up some suggestions for how producers and broadcasters can take part in this global campaign.

Brown’s session capped off three days of panels, keynotes, masterclasses, screenings and more at MIPTV, which reported an attendance of 11,200, a slight increase on last year. While many distributors moaned (as they often do) about quieter Palais hallways than usual, the consensus was that sellers were busy doing deals on a wide variety of product. Attendance may have been down from some genres and territories, but there were gains in a host of other areas, most notably digital. With MIPCube firmly part of the MIPTV fabric in the Palais, new technologies were on display and digital platform buyers were very much in attendance; according to Reed MIDEM, there were 800 digital and VOD buyers at the market, a 30-percent gain on last year.

The International Digital Emmy Awards, presented on Monday night, celebrated the best in new digital content—winners hailed from Australia, Canada and the Netherlands—and gave the Pioneer Prize to CSI creator Anthony Zuiker, who has pushed the boundaries of online content with Cybergeddon.

Digital was also on the minds of a number of key distributors at the market. Tim Hincks, the president of Endemol, discussed the company’s YouTube channels, in addition to announcing that the European behemoth will soon be back in the M&A game. Cecile Frot-Coutaz, the CEO of FremantleMedia, weighed in on digital opportunities at a press breakfast, where the company also announced two new offerings to come out of its pact with multiplatform content specialist Vuguru.

Emerging markets were also out in full force at MIPTV, with year-on-year increases in the numbers of companies participating from Russia, Ukraine, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates and, most notably, China, which had its largest-ever delegation at the market. Another territory in the spotlight was Argentina, which has been announced as the country of honor for MIPCOM.

Read all of these stories, and more, on WorldScreen.com, where you’ll also find recaps of format, drama and factual deals announced at the market. Look out for our kids’ recap tomorrow.