The Week at MIPTV

World Screen takes a look at the trends and themes that were dominant throughout the week at MIPTV.

There was a minor earthquake—that you may or may not have felt, depending on where you were at the time (if, for example, you were listening to a live band at a party at the Majestic, you missed it)—the best market weather we’ve had in years, an influx of digital media mavens who had an area of the Palais and a series of screenings to present their wares, and a laser focus on two key markets: Israel, which threw what was dubbed the best party of the week, and Mexico, which is gearing up to be the country of honor at MIPCOM.

By the numbers, official stats from Reed MIDEM say that 11,000 execs took part in the 51st MIPTV, including 4,000 buyers, about 1,000 of which hailed from digital platforms. Digital was indeed a key theme of the week as MIPTV highlighted a “new age of storytelling,” particularly with the new MIP Digital Fronts. New media content creators had an opportunity to present their shows, created for digital platforms, to both traditional and nonlinear buyers.

"For over 50 years, MIPTV has been the destination to produce, finance, distribute and acquire content from around the world," said Laurine Garaude, director of Reed MIDEM’s television division. "Now, with MIP Digital Fronts, it naturally becomes the international digital content marketplace and the new global destination to produce, finance, distribute and buy original online video."

Clearly, since Netflix’s House of Cards (and everything that platform has done since), the line between “TV” and “digital” content seems to have all but evaporated—one only needs to look at MUNCHIES, the new joint venture online channel from VICE and FremantleMedia; Amazon Studios’ Bosch, from Red Arrow International; and Xbox’s partnership with Channel 4 for an adaptation of Real Humans as just a few examples of that trend that were evident at MIPTV.

Another major theme was Israel, the subject of numerous sessions throughout the week, including one on scripted formats moderated by World Screen’s own Anna Carugati. If you missed this informative, lively panel, you can watch it here.

Israeli attendance at MIPTV was up, as was participation from Mexico, which sponsored the MIPDoc opening party (replete with a Mariachi band, empanadas and free-flowing tequila) ahead of taking center stage at MIPCOM as the country of honor.

While formats absolutely dominated news coming out of MIPTV, there was plenty of action on the drama front, with attendance from noted showrunners like Frank Spotnitz (in town to announce his new pact with Tandem), Tom Fontana and Chris Long. Fontana and Long took part in a fantastic, engaging conversation with World Screen’s Anna Carugati on Tuesday afternoon, discussing what it takes to create long-running drama series. You can watch that video here.

The sessions moderated by our group editorial director weren’t the only things we were proud of at MIPTV. We could not have been more pleased with the MIPTV edition of World Screen, which, at 512 pages, had more content than any other trades available in the Palais; not to mention more exclusive Q&As that you truly could not find anywhere else, among them David Tennant, Kerry Washington, Michael Emerson, Sofía Vergara, Jon Feltheimer, Anne Sweeney and so much more.

Catch up on all of our MIPTV news on WorldScreen.com, or read our dedicated recaps for formats, drama and factual. Look out for our recap of kids’ news tomorrow.