MIPCOM 2013 Preview: A Note from the Editors

NEW YORK: World Screen's editors provide a snapshot of the highlights of our MIPCOM edition, which features a lineup of articles and exclusive interviews.

Putting together the World Screen MIPCOM edition is never an exact science. In the spring of every year we start with the question, How do we top the standard we set for ourselves last year?, and see where it takes us. As the interviews started to trickle in over the last few months, we could tell that this October, we were going to bring our readers the most ambitious editorial lineup we have delivered in our 28 years in business.

It’s a lofty claim, but as you’ll see from the list below, it’s clear that more than ever, World Screen has the interviews you won’t find anywhere else, delivering insight from the industry’s top movers and shakers, both in front of and behind the camera.

One of our many must-reads is our in-depth Q&A with Jeffrey Katzenberg, the CEO of DreamWorks Animation and this year’s recipient of the MIPCOM Personality of the Year award.

Gracing the cover is the super-talented Claire Danes, who this past weekend picked up her second consecutive Emmy Award for her portrayal of a brilliant but troubled CIA agent in Showtime’s Homeland. And she’s not the only star power you’ll find in our MIPCOM edition: we also have extensive interviews with Alec Baldwin, fresh off his award-winning turn in 30 Rock; James Spader, the lead in NBC’s buzz-generating The Blacklist; and Kevin Bacon, talking about his hit FOX series The Following. Speaking of hit series, we also have Armando Iannucci discussing the critically acclaimed HBO show Veep.

Iannucci made a name for himself with British TV hits like The Thick of It, one of numerous shows from the European continent that have made an impact in the U.S. and beyond. Indeed, our main feature in this issue looks at the strength of Europe’s content-creation sector. Here, you’ll find interviews with the heads of some of the region’s leading media companies, as well as top producers and writers: RTL Group’s Guillaume de Posch, BBC Worldwide’s Tim Davie, Endemol’s Just Spee, Modern Times Group’s Jørgen Madsen Lindemann, Talpa’s John de Mol, screenwriter Andrew Davies, Tele München’s Herbert Kloiber, Gaumont’s Christophe Riandée, writer and producer Steven Moffat, Dogan TV’s Irfan Sahin, Beta Film’s Jan Mojto and ITV Studios’ Kevin Lygo.

Another trend report in this issue explores the phenomenon of binge viewing from the perspective of broadcasters, media buyers and producers. We also hear from Netflix’s chief content officer, Ted Sarandos.

Here’s a full rundown of what else you’ll find in this ambitious edition. Follow the links below to access our digital editions online or on your iPad.

World Screen

• Hernan Lopez talks about the 20th anniversary of FOX International Channels.
• Profiles of this year’s World Screen Content Trendsetter Award recipients.
• Philippe Dauman, the president and CEO of Viacom, talks about the strength of the company’s brands.
• Guillaume de Posch discusses the new strategy at FremantleMedia and RTL Group’s approach to weathering Europe’s financial challenges.
• The CEO of Globo, Carlos Henrique Schroder, discusses the broadcaster’s continued dominance in the face of emerging competition.
• Turkey’s leading broadcaster, Kanal D, marks its 20th anniversary.

Read it here.

TV Europe

• Some of Europe’s top buyers talk about spotting hits, output deals and the need for nonlinear rights.
• Jørgen Madsen Lindemann, the president and CEO of Modern Times Group, on the strengths of the company’s operations across Europe.
• Steven Moffat talks Doctor Who ahead of the show’s 50th anniversary.
• Jochen Starke reflects on 20 years of RTL II.

Read it here.

TV Kids

• How important is scale in the kids’ business?
• What do kids want? Leading distributors offer their views.
• Boys’ action shows are still delivering audiences.
• Jeffrey Katzenberg on acquiring Classic Media and serving kids on multiple platforms.
• Cyma Zarghami reveals some insight into Nickelodeon’s ratings resurgence.
• Ben Bocquelet shares his creative process on The Amazing World of Gumball.
• Steven Stohn on keeping teen viewers engaged with the megahit Degrassi.
• Caroline Cochaux discusses her programming remit at CANAL J, TiJi and Gulli.
• Vince Commisso talks about running an independent kids’ outfit in the current landscape.
• Celebrating 10 years of m4e and 30 years of Telescreen.
• PGS Entertainment marks its 5th birthday.
• Our Brand Licensing Europe report includes an interview with 41 Entertainment’s Allen Bohbot.

Read it here.

TV Formats

• Spotlighting modeling and fashion formats.
• A look at the constructed reality trend.
• John de Mol discusses the mega-hit The Voice and other new formats coming out of Talpa Media.
• A Q&A with Endemol’s CEO, Just Spee.
• Kevin Lygo talks about ITV Studios’ format development process.

Read it here.

TV Real

• A look at how docudramas are impacting the factual business.
• Producers are putting a new spin on the always-in-demand travel genre.
• Physicist Brian Greene talks about translating complex subjects like string theory.
• Jim Samples on his expansion strategy at Scripps Networks International.

Read it here.

TV Asia Pacific

• The pan-regional brands heading to CASBAA are firmly focused on expanding their reach further into local markets and boosting ad revenues.
• FOX International Channels’ Zubin Gandevia talks about FOX Sports, TV Everywhere and affiliate relations.
• Rohana Rozhan shares how Astro has evolved into Southeast Asia’s leading pay-TV platform.

Read it here.

TV Middle East & Africa 

• Investment schemes and high-tech facilities are attracting international media companies to Dubai.
• We profile the upcoming INTV conference in Jerusalem.
• Richard Bell of Wananchi discusses the challenges and opportunities of running a pay-TV platform in Africa.

Read it here.

TV Latina

• A profile of Argentina, which is the country of honor at MIPCOM.
• Marcos Santana on Telemundo Internacional’s positioning in the market.
• Bernarda Llorente and Claudio Villarruel talk about their work at ON TV.
• A Q&A with Telefe’s global content director, Tomás Yankelevich.

Read it here.

TV Listings

• Comprehensive information and stand numbers for more than 150 distributors heading to MIPCOM.

Read it here.

We have also published new editions of the TV Kids Distributors Guide and the TV Formats Distributors Guide. We also added this year a September/Pre-MIPCOM edition, which featured an in-depth report on international drama co-productions, plus interviews with Poirot’s David Suchet, TANDEM’s Rola Bauer, Shine’s Rich Ross and Starz’s Carmi Zlotnik.

Don’t forget to pick up your copy of World Screen at the Palais, or in a number of hotels in Cannes.