Event Preview: NATPE

The next edition of NATPE Miami is just around the corner, taking place from January 17 to 19 at the Fontainebleau and Eden Roc hotels.

With suites and the exhibition floor sold out, the event’s organizers are feeling upbeat about the upcoming market and conference. “We’re so excited about NATPE Miami,” said JP Bommel, the COO and managing director of NATPE, during a call with press. “NATPE Miami 2017 is pacing well ahead of last year. We’re pleased to report that we have a very strong international attendance.”

He mentioned, in particular, a larger presence from Asian companies expected at the market. There will be a China pavilion with 20 or so production companies, as well as a new pavilion with the Brazilian TV Producers association. New exhibitors from Russia, Thailand, Germany and Japan are also expected. Bommel highlighted that more international buyers are planning to attend, including a notable uptick in those hailing from Europe.

NATPE has introduced a new membership initiative this year: NATPE Next Gen, “created to service industry up-and-comers looking to enhance their burgeoning career and establish long relationships for the future,” Bommel said. “These are the future executives of the television and platform industry.” The new organization will operate under the NATPE umbrella and provide exclusive access to year-round programming in the form of events, summits, workshops and screenings.

For the first time ever, NATPE Miami will offer a Master Class Series across all tracks, “featuring top names in the business giving intimate sessions to conference attendees,” Bommel explained. “This is an effort to be very engaging, inclusive of all the members and to make sure that there is not only the highest level of networking and access to our executives but also meaningful conversations and business deals being seeded in those conversations during the Master Classes.”

These sessions include 19-time Grammy Award-winning producer Emilio Estefan teaching a class on “How to Navigate the Music Industry;” Modern Family’s Steve Levitan instructing attendees on “Comedy Writing at Its Best;” and Morgan Wandell, Amazon Studios’ head of drama series, leading a session on “How to Thrive in the Scripted Market.”

NATPE has set three new initiatives for the upcoming Miami market: NATPE Music, NATPE Scripted and the creation of a NATPE Station Group Summit. Lionsgate’s Kevin Beggs and Facebook’s Matt Jacobson have been tapped to deliver keynote addresses for the new tracks. The iconic composer Paul Williams, the president and chairman of ASCAP, will be keynoting the NATPE Music track, which Bommel mentioned is a particularly exciting focus for the event, as he comes from a music background himself.

World Screen’s Anna Carugati will lead a special panel entitled “Latin America and the U.S. Hispanic Market: The Big Picture,” taking place on Thursday, January 19, at 8:30 a.m. in Ocean Tower Salon 1 B/C. The session will feature Carugati in conversation with Adriana Cisneros, the CEO and vice chairman of the Cisneros Group of Companies; Henry Martinez, the president and managing director of Discovery Networks Latin America/U.S. Hispanic and Canada; Pierluigi Gazzolo, the president of the Americas at Viacom International Media Networks; and Cris Abrego, the chairman of Endemol Shine Americas and CEO of Endemol Shine North America.

NATPE’s 14th annual Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Awards are being presented to Dana Walden and Gary Newman, the chairmen and CEOs of Fox Television Group; Susanne Daniels, the global head of original content for YouTube; Randy Falco, the president and CEO of Univision Communications; Josh Sapan, the president and CEO for AMC Networks; and actress/producer/director Eva Longoria. Natalie Morales, the West Coast anchor of NBC News’ TODAY and co-host of Access Hollywood and Access Hollywood Live, will host the awards during a special gala on January 18.

Bommel also confirmed that Miami will remain home to the event in 2018 and for “the foreseeable future. It’s so conducive to building new relationships. The networking is excellent, and it’s fun! It’s a celebration of television and the great business of producing. People love it!”