DISCOP Istanbul Preps Format Day Events

AMSTERDAM: For the second year, DISCOP Istanbul will host a special day of sessions, on March 1, dedicated to the format industry.

The Format Day, co-organized with FRAPA, will include three conference sessions, spotlighting IP protection, and the trends, challenges and opportunities to be found in the CEE and MENA markets. It will also feature The Formats Showcase, during which new formats across all genres will be presented to a panel of industry executives.

Missing Link Media’s Jan Salling, who was appointed FRAPA co-chair with The Gurin Company’s Phil Gurin last March, will moderate the first conference of the day: Why Protecting Your IP Will Build Your Business. The session will examine the creative, copyright and protection issues in a global formats industry changing at warp speed.

Salling said: “This cooperation with DISCOP is a significant step in our mission to put FRAPA at the heart of our community. To be an effective player, we need to be where the formats industry is—and in early March, that place is Istanbul.”

Gurin added: “FRAPA has a clear global mission to support the format industry and speak out on behalf of creatives everywhere. Attending DISCOP demonstrates our continued effort to advocate for industry best practices. In supporting the creative community in Istanbul, we hope to make a clear stand for fairness to all through international tolerance and cooperation.”

Patrick Zuchowicki, CEO of DISCOP organizer Basic Lead, said: “We are happy to renew our partnership with FRAPA and provide DISCOP Istanbul’s independent producer community with a strong and relevant conference and pitching program centered on the continuing popularity of formats.”