Event Preview: DISCOP Istanbul

This year marks the fifth anniversary of DISCOP Istanbul, which is taking place February 24 to 26. The three-day event targets Turkey, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, and CIS countries. According to organizer Basic Lead, these markets account for 20 percent of the global entertainment content business revenue—a market share that has increased by 50 percent within the past five years.

DISCOP Istanbul, too, has grown immensely since its 2010 launch, including in terms of attendance. The gains have mirrored Turkey’s rise to prominence as a major production center. “DISCOP Istanbul has grown because of and thanks to the popularity of Turkish TV series,” says Patrick Zuchowicki, the CEO of Basic Lead and founder of the DISCOP markets. “Turkey has huge ambitions; it has already become the number one exporter of TV series in Continental Europe, and it is the second biggest producer of TV series in volume after the United States. Whether finished content or formats, the sales have been great and have been all over the world. That has contributed tremendously to the growth of DISCOP Istanbul.”

Zuchowicki notes that Basic Lead has been diligent in working to attract all the major buyers from the region. In terms of exhibitors, he assures that all the major Turkish content distributors are going to be in attendance, along with a slew of other international outfits—for example, Chinese and Korean pavilions will be present for the first time. “We don’t really look at the number of people attending our markets, we look instead at the number of qualified meetings each of our participants ends up having after three days,” Zuchowicki says. “We also focus on the quality of those meetings.”

On the opening day, The Innovation Afternoon will feature a curated program of keynotes and educational sessions about new issues arising in today’s fast-evolving multiplatform marketplace. VICE Media is making its second DISCOP appearance with a two-hour presentation on February 24. VICE Media’s managing editor, Ryan Grim, and senior editor and on-screen reporter Benjamin Shapiro will share their experiences working at the global media company and talk about what it takes to engage the current youth generation.

The Licensing Day, set for February 25, was developed in partnership with Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA). This educational program will deliver information about the keys to succeeding in the licensing and merchandising business in Turkey and across neighboring regions.

New for this year is a dedicated format day, being held February 26. The first-time event kicks off with a morning session on scripted formats, followed by one focused on the non-scripted segment. A special luncheon will bring together VIP guests who are driving the format business throughout Turkey, CEE, MENA and CIS countries. The afternoon will wrap with fast-track pitching sessions, featuring leading commissioning and creative TV execs who are seeking out fresh talent. The Format Day will close with an award ceremony, which will conclude DISCOP Istanbul 2015.