DISCOP Istanbul Gears Up for Third Edition

LOS ANGELES: Nearly 500 companies have already signed up to attend the next edition of DISCOP Istanbul, which is set for March 5 to 7, 2013.

More than 250 broadcasters, pay-TV platforms, IPTV services and other platforms are expected. The conference will continue to support the development of Western Asia’s production and distribution industries, with programs focused on regional co-productions and international partnerships with Eastern Europe and India. Two topical days will also be featured in the program, one dedicated to news production and distribution in the Middle East and one focused on ways broadcasters can control and maximize licensing opportunities.

Patrick Jucaud-Zuchowicki, the general manager of DISCOP Istanbul’s organizer, Basic Lead, commented, “The continued expansion of DISCOP Istanbul is fueled by the ongoing growth of the Western Asian market, which has seen a 34 percent surge in television advertising expenditure. With a population of half a billion people across Eurasia, Central Asia and the Middle East, business development in this region is a core operating objective for many global suppliers of TV programs, formats and thematic channels.”
 
“In the not so distant future, we will see Western Asia, like other emerging regions, transition from massive importers of westernized content to producers of regional programming,” he continued. “This is already happening through format franchises and more recently via dramas. Our plan is to reinforce the relevance of DISCOP events for cross-border, regionally-focused, deal-making. Catering to the specific needs of local producers and distributors is part of that plan.”