NATPE Previews Conference Attendance & Highlights

LOS ANGELES: In a conference call today with press, Rod Perth, NATPE’s president and CEO, said the organization is committed to breaking down traditional barriers within the industry and creating an environment where deals get done across all platforms.

The theme of NATPE 2014 is “No Barriers. New Business.” and it is one “that reflects our commitment to create the first and most important must-attend market of the year for the linear and digital content communities,” said Perth. “This is important also for advertisers and brands, and to a degree the banking community because advertisers and brands cut across both worlds of linear as well as new media.” These communities, he continued, “know that NATPE is the place where deals start and then get done across every platform."

Perth mentioned double-digit increases in attendance of both buyers and exhibitors, and, in particular, an increase in international participants. The numbers to date show that 44 percent of all registered buyers are international, representing 46 countries. There are 225 exhibitors signed up so far, 34 of which are attending NATPE for the first time. Perth said that boosting international growth will be a key focus for NATPE.

On the domestic front, there will be 28 station groups and all the Hollywood studios will be participating.

One of the highlights of the conference will be the presentation of findings from the two-part independent research study commissioned by NATPE and the Consumer Electronics Association to learn more about how and why consumers use second-screen devices to engage with video content.

The conference sessions are structured similarly to last year, with two new tracks being added. The Storytellers Who Have Shaped Pop Culture track will feature Oscar- and Emmy-winning writer, director and producer James L. Brooks in conversation with writer and producer Phil Rosenthal (Everybody Loves Raymond); Andy Cohen of Bravo's Watch What Happens Live!; Marta Kauffman, writer and creator of Friends; documentary producer Morgan Spurlock; and Terence Winter, executive producer of Boardwalk Empire.

Speakers in the Game Changers track include Sean Atkins of Discovery Communications; Drew Buckley of Electus; Alex Carloss of YouTube; Fred Graver, the head of TV at Twitter Media; Erin McPherson of Maker Studios; Jim Packer of Lionsgate; Babs Rangaiah of Unilever; and Valari Dobson Staab, the president of NBC-owned television stations at NBCUniversal Television Stations.
 
The Masters of Marketing track features Andy Donkin of Amazon.com; Joseph Feczko of Macy’s Corporate Marketing; Rob De Feo, the innovation leader of Expedia; David Levy, the president of Turner Broadcasting; and Bryan Thoensen, the director and head of brand content at Hulu.
 
The lineup of Global Navigators includes Emilio Azcarraga Jean, the chairman of the board and CEO at Televisa Internacional; Alberto Ciurana, the president of programming and content for Univision Networks at Univision; Mike Beale, the director of international formats at ITV Studios; Andy Kaplan, the president of SPT Networks at Sony Pictures Television; and Andrew Zein, the senior VP of creative, format development and sales at Warner Bros. International Television Production.