NATPE Outlines New Market & Conference Highlights

LOS ANGELES: Actress, producer and activist Eva Longoria has been added to the speaker lineup for NATPE 2015, which is on pace to see strong attendance from both U.S. and international buyers, exhibitors and general attendees.

There are currently 230 exhibitors confirmed. For the third consecutive year, all of the major U.S. studios are expected to attend, while 28 new exhibitors have registered for their first NATPE. Newcomers hail from the U.S., Canada, Latin America and other international territories, with a notable increase in European attendance hailing from Germany. The exhibition floor and Versailles Tower are completely sold out, with the Tresor, Sorrento and Chateau Towers nearly sold out.

It was previously announced that the conference will feature a new NATPE||Reality day on Tuesday, January 20. Part of this effort includes the first Reality Breakthrough Awards, honoring those reality programs that "broke through the clutter" and "made some noise." The finalists for the five categories have now been unveiled: Competition: American Ninja Warrior, Face Off, MasterChef Junior, Shark Tank and The Voice; Docusoap: Big SMO, Chrisley Knows Best, Teen Mom, True Tori and Wahlburgers; Game Show: @Midnight, Hollywood Game Night, Jeopardy!, The Chase and The Price Is Right; Reality: Botched, Catfish, Life Below Zero, Naked & Afraid and The Profit; and Factual: Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, Brain Games, Cold Justice and The Daily Show.

Also recently announced, Phil Rosenthal, the creator and executive producer of Everybody Loves Raymond, will serve as moderator of Norman Lear’s opening keynote. Longoria is joining the conference’s Global Navigators Track on Thursday, January 22, to discuss how U.S. networks effectively engage with the burgeoning Hispanic audience.

Rod Perth, the president and CEO of NATPE, said: “NATPE has been and will always be about content. We are not a niche market, and this year’s conference is a true testament to the unique and diverse opportunities we serve, spanning the entire content value chain, across all platforms and covering every sector of the business. We are committed to serving as a facilitator that connects everyone in the content business together in a relevant and vital marketplace that offers access to leadership and unparalleled opportunities to share ideas, close deals, and cultivate new relationships.”