Editor’s Note: MIPTV Celebrates 50 Years, Honors Industry Leaders

CANNES: In a business driven by ratings, market shares, budget projections and calculating numbers of all sorts, last night’s MIPTV 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner offered industry leaders a rare moment of emotion and appreciation.

At the dinner, six executives were recognized for their contributions to the television industry and their loyalty to MIPTV. The honorees were: 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.

In front of a who’s who of the international television community, as well as MIPTV founder Bernard Chevry, Reed MIDEM’s CEO Paul Zilk presented each honoree with a MIPTV Medaille d’Honneur. Each honoree gave a brief acceptance speech and thanked colleagues, mentors, MIPTV and even the city of Cannes.

There were moments of levity. M6’s de Tavernost was honored to be in the company of the other winners but asked Mojto and Nuñez if they would kindly lower their programming license fees.

When CBS’s Nuñez took the podium he thanked his father, Nuñez, Sr., who instilled in him a love of the business, his family and colleagues, and then quipped, "Sorry Nicolas, no discounts!"

The level of emotion started to rise when Turner Laing thanked the legendary Peter Orton, founder of HIT Entertainment, now deceased, who gave her her first job in the industry.

But the most moving moment came with Nuñez, Sr., who choked up when he recalled how he and his wife had had to flee Cuba with only $5 in their wallet and Mrs. Nuñez was eight months pregnant at the time with Armando. They made their way to the New York area and were able to build a life thanks to his job in the international television industry. Nuñez Sr. worked for decades for ITC.

It was a lovely evening and a chance for all in attendance to realize the value of relationships and how lucky we are to work in this business.