DISCOP East Releases Final Attendance Numbers

PARIS/LOS ANGELES: A total of 1,542 executives attended DISCOP East in Budapest last week, down from the 1,729 on site at last year’s edition but still higher than the participation registered in 2007.

There were 732 buyers at the three-day market, DISCOP’s organizers say, versus the 1,003 who attended in 2008, from 588 channels, DVD and theatrical distributors, agents, production companies and pay-TV operators. The buyers on site hailed from 33 countries in the region. DISCOP attributed the fall-off in buyer attendance to the impact the crisis is having on broadcasters in markets like Ukraine, Latvia, Estonia and Russia. There were 509 distribution executives at DISCOP East from 320 companies, down from last year’s 596 executives from 421 companies.

“The market this year took place in one of the worst economic environments ever, and despite this terrible climate, enough business was done by enough participants during the 3-day market to ensure that Central and Eastern Europe are considered a resilient marketplace,’ said Patrick Jucaud, the managing director at DISCOP East.