Event Preview: INTV

The INTV conference organized by Israel’s Keshet is luring a host of international media executives to Jerusalem this November.

It seems that every day there is a new device on which to watch our favorite shows and movies, a new website serving up engaging TV series, a new social-media site where we can comment, share and form communities and a new app for our smartphone. The same continuous flow of convenience that technology is serving up to consumers is causing disruption to producers and content owners as they scramble to find ways of moving that content through windows, create new ones, and, most important, be paid for it.

The management at Keshet Media Group in Israel thought it was time to organize a two-day conference, INTV, Innovative TV Conference, to address the constant evolution of the television business. “The unique point about INTV, and that’s what makes it so different from other conferences, is that INTV is about television, but only from an innovation perspective,” says Alon Shtruzman, the managing director of Keshet International.

Why hold the conference in Israel? “Israeli content has become quite a phenomenon in the last few years,” continues Shtruzman. “In the same way Israel became quite known for technology, Israel is evolving as one of the innovation houses for content as well. In the last few years, we’ve seen production companies delivering top-notch and sometimes even revolutionary shows like In Treatment and [Prisoners of War, which was adapted into] Homeland.”

At the first INTV, held in November 2012, Keshet attracted a string of high-level executives to talk about the various aspects of the television industry, including Ari Emanuel, the co-CEO of the talent agency WME; Stephen Lambert, the chief executive of Studio Lambert and creator of Undercover Boss; Josh Berger, the president and managing director of Warner Bros. in the U.K., Ireland and Spain; and Lars Blomgren, the managing director of Filmlance International and producer of hit crime dramas such as Bron (The Bridge).

This year, Keshet is preparing another fast-paced two-day conference, which will be held on November 4 and 5 at the YMCA Hotel in Jerusalem, a perfect setting as one of the most historic cities on earth that so suggestively blends old and new. INTV will provide a stage to those that shape the present and future of television. While the list of participants is still being compiled, confirmed speakers so far include a wide range of creatives and executives, in order to once again offer a 360-degree view of the ever-evolving television landscape. “We want to make sure we give good representation to different aspects like distribution, technology, online, production and markets like the U.K. and the U.S.,” says Shtruzman.

On the creative side, Mikkel Bondesen, the CEO of UFUSE and executive producer of The Killing and Burn Notice, and Tim Kring, the president and CEO of TKImperative and creator of Heroes and Touch, will be on hand to talk about pushing the boundaries of storytelling.

Representing channels and broadcasters will be Justin Gorman, the head of entertainment at Channel 4 in the U.K., and David Eilenberg, the senior VP of unscripted development at TBS and TNT in the U.S., both known for embracing new and cutting-edge program ideas.

With the cost of programming constantly escalating, independent companies are finding new financing models to ensure the kind of on-screen quality broadcasters and viewers have come to expect. Sandra Stern, the COO of Lionsgate Television, and John Morayniss, the CEO of Entertainment One Television, will share their strategies for producing high-end content.

Over-the-top services are gaining viewership and “completely revolutionizing the industry,” as Shtruzman says, so Alex Kruglov, the head of content acquisition at Hulu, will be joining the mix at INTV. Insight into boosting traffic and ad revenues on websites will be provided by Adam Singolda, the founder and CEO of Taboola. And Virginia Mouseler, the CEO and co-founder of The WIT, will provide data and analysis about television programs around the world.

Last, but certainly not least, is the city of Jerusalem, whose historic sites and diverse restaurants will provide the perfect setting for the conference. While, as Shtruzman explains, “INTV is a two-day crash course for busy executives who want to stay on top of technology innovation and whatever is happening in this amazingly rapidly changing area of television, we also want the participants to have fun!” 

For more information about INTV, visit www.in-tv.net.