MIPCOM Preview: A Note from the Editors

NEW YORK: World Screen’s editors provide a snapshot of what you’ll find in our ambitious MIPCOM edition, which, at 610 pages, is our biggest and most successful issue in our 26-year history.

Every year in early May, World Screen’s editorial team convenes to begin planning our October edition. The goal is always the same: how do we out-do ourselves?

With every issue, as we seek to deliver exclusive interviews with our industry’s leading figures and insightful features on the challenges and opportunities in our business, we set a high standard for ourselves. As you’ll see from this edition, we more than met our goals. The October issue of World Screen delivers interviews and analytical features that you won’t find anywhere else.

Among our proudest achievements in this issue was finally securing an interview with the revolutionary filmmaker James Cameron. Since he took his directorial skills to the TV documentary world in 2003 with Ghosts of the Abyss, Cameron has long been on our interview shortlist. We are thrilled that he took the time to speak to us for this edition about how his company with Vince Pace, the Cameron Pace Group, is pioneering 3D technology. The man behind the megahit Avatar believes that TV broadcasting will be the next big development in 3D, and he tells World Screen that he would be happy to work on a 3D production for television.

The other new technology reshaping our business is over-the-top television services. We asked our contributing editor, veteran reporter Elizabeth Guider, to tackle this issue for us. As always, Guider has done a fantastic job of looking at all sides of the OTT equation, offering up views from numerous executives on the question of cord-cutting, and what impact services like Netflix and Hulu are having on the traditional television model. This main feature is accompanied by Q&As with Time Warner’s Jeffrey Bewkes, Viacom’s Philippe Dauman, Lionsgate’s Jon Feltheimer, ESPN’s George Bodenheimer, Liberty Global’s Michael Fries, RTL’s Anke Schäferkordt, ProSiebenSat.1’s Andreas Bartl, Modern Times Group’s Hans-Holger Albrecht, Showtime’s Matthew Blank, BBC Worldwide’s John Smith, BSkyB’s Sophie Turner Laing, AMC Networks’ Joshua Sapan, Globosat’s Alberto Pecegueiro and Comcast’s Matthew Strauss.

In all of our discussions with these leading executives about over-the-top delivery systems, the conversation kept returning to quality content and, as important, programming finesse. Channels and platforms have to do more than just distribute content; they have to package and present that content in a way that is easy for consumers to find.

Indeed, the achievements of programmers are often overlooked in our business, and we at World Screen are looking to change that with the inaugural Content Trendsetter Award. In partnership with MIPCOM, the World Screen Content Trendsetter Award is being award to CTV’s Mike Cosentino, Channel 5’s Jeff Ford, Sky’s Sarah Wright and Televisa’s Carlos Sandoval. You can read about these buyers’ achievements in this issue. The awards will be presented at MIPCOM.

Here’s a look at what else the MIPCOM edition has to offer:

World Screen 

·      MIPCOM 2011 Personality of the Year, Disney’s Anne Sweeney, talks about digital media and the gains across the company’s portfolio of channels.

·      Jeremy Irons, star of Showtime’s The Borgias, talks about inhabiting the role of infamous Rodrigo Borgia, Pope Alexander IV.

·      Jeff Shell talks about how he is positioning NBCUniversal’s international business following the Comcast merger.

·      Hubert Lacroix reflects on the 75^th anniversary of the Canadian public broadcaster CBC.

·      Plus interviews with The Bold & The Beautiful’s Bradley Bell, Muse’s Michael Prupas and cinematographer Vince Pace.

TV Europe 

·      A thorough look at the latest developments in the British media market.

·      Spotlighting the gains in European drama.

·      A profile of the Polish media sector.

·      Kevin Lygo talks about the strategy he has put in place at ITV Studios.

·      Star Media’s Vladislav Riashyn discusses the gains in Russia’s TV production arena.

TV Kids

·      Programmers from Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and CBeebies talk about the kinds of shows they’re looking for.

·      Rights’ owners are extending their popular brands into theme parks and live events.

·      Distributors are using social media to build hit shows.

·      Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh talk about their Disney Channel creation, Phineas and Ferb.

·      Claude Schmit speaks about maintaining Super RTL’s ratings lead.

·      Turner’s Michael Carrington explains the rationale behind Cartoonito’s expansion across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

·      Lagardère’s Karine Leyzin shares her programming strategies for Canal J, TiJi and Gulli.

·      Sebastian Debertin reveals details about his acquisitions and co-production remit at KI.KA.

·      Brand Licensing Special Report: This includes a look at the latest trends in the licensing and merchandising sector, plus an interview with Zinkia’s José María Castillejo.

·      Male skewing shows, from motoring to military, are in high demand.

·      Buyers are snapping up series focused on the home.

·      Anthony Bourdain provides a behind-the-scenes look at his Travel Channel hit No Reservations.

·      Al Jazeera English’s Al Anstey discusses international expansion and the challenges of covering this spring’s Mideast protests.

·      Sean Cohan on A+E Networks’ successful bouquet of channel brands.

TV Formats

·      Broadcasters are keen on formats that provide a feel-good factor.

·      Distributors are pursuing creative partnerships in the quest for the next big hit.

·      Nigel Lythgoe talks about American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance.

·      Gary Carter sheds light on FremantleMedia’s growth strategy.

·      Avi Armoza on operating his boutique independent, Armoza Formats.

·      Izzet Pinto on Global Agency’s gains over the last five years.

·      Profiling 2waytraffic/Sony Pictures Television’s global megahit Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? 

·      Ahead of CASBAA, we check in with Asia’s biggest pay-TV channel brands on digital initiatives and original content creation.

·      Steve Marcopoto provides broad insight into Turner Broadcasting’s Asia-Pacific business.

·      Christine Fellowes on the combined Universal Networks International Asia-Pacific operation.

·      Wilma Galvante reveals her programming strategy at Filipino broadcaster GMA Network.

·      The Arab Spring protests have reshaped Middle Eastern media.

·      Jan du Plessis on M-Net’s 25^th anniversary.

·      A snapshot of the tremendous growth taking place in the Brazilian media sector, and the challenges ahead.

·      Latin American distributors are making headway into new markets.

·      Pedro Leda on Ledafilms’ successful movie-distribution business in Latin America.

·      A wide-ranging discussion with Telefe’s Fernando Varela.

·      The most comprehensive programming guide you’ll find at MIPCOM includes detailed information on the shows on offer from more than 150 leading distributors.

This MIPCOM, we have also published new editions of our portable TV Kids Distributors Guide and TV Formats Distributors Guide.

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