ITV

Tag: Mipcom

  • Lucy Smith named director of MIPDoc MIPFormats & MIPJunior

    Lucy Smith named director of MIPDoc MIPFormats & MIPJunior

    MUMBAI: Reed MIDEM today announced that Lucy Smith, director of conferences for Reed MIDEM’s Television Division, is named director of MIPDoc, MIPFormats and MIPJunior.

     

    In her new role, Smith will continue to manage all MIPTV and MIPCOM-related conferences in addition to developing MIPDoc, MIPJunior and MIPFormats.

     

    “Over the past seven years, Lucy has done an outstanding job producing conferences that are at the cutting-edge of the key issues facing the entertainment industry. She has been instrumental in attracting world class speakers and making our MIPTV and MIPCOM conference programmes an integral part of the event experience. She has been a key player in the launch of well-received competitions and screenings and her strategic understanding of the documentary, youth and format sectors makes her the ideal choice to develop MIPDoc, MIPFormats and MIPJunior,” comments Laurine Garaude, Director of Reed MIDEM’s Television Division.

     

    MIPJunior exists since 1993. It is the leading international conference networking and screening showcase for kids and youth programming. MIPJunior provides over 500 buyers with the chance to view more than 1,000 programmes and discover new projects that are seeking funding.The event takes place in October on the weekend prior to MIPCOM.

     

    Launched in 1998, MIPDoc is the world’s leading factual co-production, screenings and conference event held inApril on the weekend before. MIPDoc brings together factual programming producers and distributors with over 400 buyers who access in excess of 1,500 programmes and projects.

     

    MIPFormats is the only international conference, networking and screenings event dedicated to the fast-growing formats community. Launched in 2010, MIPFormats provides unique access to some of the main players in the format business as they discuss success stories and major trends. The screenings showcase the best and newest ideas in the format sector.

  • FremantleMedia International renews Jamie Oliver output deal

    FremantleMedia International renews Jamie Oliver output deal

    MUMBAI: FremantleMedia International (FMI), the global distribution division of FremantleMedia, one of the largest creators, producers and distributors of television entertainment brands in the world, has extended its output deal with Jamie Oliver’s indie, Fresh One Productions Ltd, it announced today. Under the terms of the arrangement, FremantleMedia International will continue to be the exclusive distribution and first-look partner for all Fresh One productions featuring Jamie Oliver. The deal allows FMI to distribute tape sales from Oliver’s existing shows- such as Jamie’s Money Saving Meals/Save With Jamie; Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feasts and Jamie’s 15-Minute Meals – and includes those made under the terms of the original deal as well as any future titles.

     

    Bob McCourt, Acting CEO, FremantleMedia International, said, “Jamie Oliver is one of the world’s most pioneering and sought-after TV personalities, renowned for his global campaigning work as well as the diversity and quality of his output. He has been a stalwart of the FremantleMedia International catalogue for over a decade and I’m delighted that we are continuing our relationship with him and the team at Fresh One Productions.” Tara Donovan, CEO, Jamie Oliver Media added: “We are delighted to be continuing the relationship with FremantleMedia International. Their international sales network has helped to take our shows across the world and in doing so, has spread the message that food and home-cooking is a joy to be embraced by everyone.”

     

    FMI began its relationship with Fresh One in 2002, when it began distributing Oliver’s Twist on behalf of the international chef and campaigner. That title continues to whet the appetite of international buyers and has so far been sold to over 200 territories. Meanwhile, Oliver’s most recent title Jamie’s Money Saving Meals/Save with Jamie, which FMI launched at MIPCOM in October 2013, has already sold to over 100 territories to date.

     

    In April, FMI will be bringing two new Oliver titles to the international marketplace: Jamie and Jimmy’s Food Fight Club S2, in which childhood friends Jamie Oliver and Jimmy Doherty embark on further culinary adventures, creating incredible food with celebrity guests including Usain Bolt and Sienna Miller, and Jamie’s Festive Feasts a celebration of the lazy winter days at the end of the year after Christmas when it’s time to kick back, spend some quality time with family and friends, and cook up some amazing dishes.

     

    Founded by Jamie Oliver in 2001 and now led by the creative brains behind hit shows from The X-Factor and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Jamie’s Kitchen and 30-Minute Meals to Operatunity and Ballet Changed My Life, the company has broadened out to make acclaimed food formats such as Chef Race, The Restaurant Inspector and Two Greedy Italians; hit formats such as Dream School – now in its second season in the US; documentary series and singles such as The Men Who Made Us Fat/Thin, The Sound of Musicals, Richard Pryor Omit the Logic, Mad Dog: Gaddafi’s Secret World and even dramas such as Spies of Warsaw with David Tennant.

  • Now MipTV roadshow to hit Bengaluru today

    Now MipTV roadshow to hit Bengaluru today

    BENGALURU: Today is the turn of India’s garden city Bengaluru (Bangalore)  to get insights on  how its animation, gaming, TV channel and production and film executives can take audiovisual content from Karnataka global through markets such as MipTV and MipCom which have been organised in Cannes for decades now.

     

    An intimate audience in Chennai  (having a similar profile) engaged with Reed Midem representatives Ted Baracos, Paul Barbaro and India representative Anil Wanvari on 20 January.

     

    “Bengaluru has built up its reputation as India’s Silicon Valley,” says Baracos. “We, at Reed Midem, would love to see it known for its prowess in the media and entertainment space too. MipTV and MipCom offer the biggest gatherings of buying and selling executives from TV and digital from all over the world, and can work well to catapult Bengaluru in front of these folks. It could well serve as a good starting point to start the Karnataka content export engine to new markets.”

     

    “For that to successfully happen, Karnataka’s industry will have to take a bold step in wanting to be a part of a content export  economy which runs into billions of dollars each year,” adds Barbaro. “In recent times, Korea, Russia, Turkey and even provinces in China have been step by step increasing their initiatives in this direction. There is a huge pie out there in the 100 or so countries that participate in MipCom and MipTV respectively.”

     

    To reach out to the community in Bengaluru, a partnership was struck by Reed Midem  with the Association of Bangalore’s Animation Industry (ABAI) a couple of years ago. And today’s get together will see that relationship bearing fruit as ABAI is sending scores of its representatives to attend the seminar entitled “Content without boundaries.”

     

    “MipTV offers scores of opportunities: right from simple syndication to co-production to licensing to co-creation,” says Wanvari. “The neighouring state of Andhra Pradesh has already taken strides in that direction and its government has been encouraging producers and creators to go global. I believe Karnataka’s content production industry can use these opportunities to gradually get their revenues moving northward.”

     

    The industry get together will take place this evening at the Hotel Aloft in the swanky IT district – the Whitefield area – from 7:00 pm onwards. 

     

    The road show will next move to Mumbai where a seminar is planned for 24 January.

  • MipTV roadshow to hit Chennai on 20 January

    MipTV roadshow to hit Chennai on 20 January

    MUMBAI: Paris-based Reed Midem, which produces the world’s biggest and most successful content markets MipTV and MipCom in the French Riviera seaside town of Cannes, is all set to begin a series of road shows in India which will feature seminars and interactions in three cities  – Chennai, Bengaluru and Mumbai – explaining how India’s content community can build its international sales and presence.

     

    The first of these will be hitting Chennai on 20 Januray 2014. To be held at the Hotel Benzz Park in the T. Nagar business area,  it is slated to be attended by a select group of invited professionals  from the southern India city’s animation, TV, film distribution and value-added services sectors.

     

    The theme of this year’s roadshows is “Content without boundaries.”

     

    Down for the second time in about six months from the Paris headquarters  of Reed Midem are director of new market development Ted Baracos and Asia sales head Paul Barbaro. Accompanying them is Indiantelevision.com founder, CEO Anil Wanvari, who is MipTV, MipCom and Midem India representative.

     

    Says Baracos: “We were quite delighted with the response from  India’s talented content creators when we had road shows in Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai last year.  Our theme then was: Can Indian content leave its stamp on the world? And India responded with a big yes. Attendance from the country was up almost 20 per cent as Indian companies came to MipCom in October 2013 to strike deals and pursue international market opportunties. So we decided to come back once again to connect with the community here.”

     

    Adds Barbaro: “Several Indian companies such as Shemaroo, Green Gold, Viacom18, Zee TV, DQ Entertainment, AVCGI have understood the power of MipCom and MipTV and have  successfully been using the platforms we provide to expand their content syndication, production and co-production businesses. We would like India’s  new content creators to understand, be a part and exploit the new entertainment economy in which content is likely to cease having borders, it will travel everywhere. Hence we  are here continuing our conversation with them through these road shows.”

     

    “I have been attending Mipcom and MipTV for more than 14 years and have seen Indian broadcasters, animation studios, service providers simply grow thanks to the contacts and deals they strike there,” says Wanvari. “The entrepreneurialism and hunger to conquer new markets can only see India’s content being consumed and even co-produced in markets never thought about before. It is important that more and more Indian firms understand and exploit this opportunity. It can bring home hundreds of millions of dollars in much needed forex into the Indian economy and probably grow the next Endemol or Fremantle out of India.”

     

    From Chennai, the team will then move to Bengaluru on 22 January and to Mumbai on 24 January. The entire road show has been put together and organised by Indiantelevision.com’s ITV 2.0 Productions division.

  • FMI closes 1,200 hours programming sales deal in Asia

    FMI closes 1,200 hours programming sales deal in Asia

    MUMBAI: In the last two months, Fremantle Media International (FMI) has closed more than 1,200 hours of programming sales in Asia. On the first day of the Asia TV Forum, the company announced that the deals include many titles from its recently launched Mipcom slate as well as the first ever sale of an Australian drama to a free-to-air channel in the Philippines.

     

    The competitive reality docu-series, The Fashion Fund featuring Anna Wintour, has been sold to two broadcasters in Thailand: free-to-air channel Workpoint TV and pay TV operator TrueVisions. TrueVisions has also acquired the new Hulu original series Behind the Mask, the one-off feature documentary I Am Steve McQueen and the eye-opening factual special, Asteroids: Doomsday or Payday?

     

    Solar Entertainment in the Philippines has bought series one to three of Winners and Losers, making it the first ever free-to-air Philippine network to broadcast an Australian drama. It has also acquired The Fashion Fund, David E. Kelley (Ally McBeal, Boston Legal) medical drama Monday Mornings and Web Therapy series three starring Lisa Kudrow.

     

    The Asia team has made light work of racking up deals across Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and The Philippines, packaging some 580 hours alone for Mediacorp’s on-demand platform Toggle.sg. Leading shows across all genres, from entertainment and lifestyle to drama and kids, have also been snapped up by a variety of free-to-air, pay TV and cable channels.

     

    Looks like it is a good time for the Asian market.

  • Greymatter to debut at MIPCOM 2013

    Greymatter to debut at MIPCOM 2013

    Greymatter Entertainment – a 360 degree media company offering end-to-end creative solutions and production services for broadcast, celluloid and digital platforms – is debuting at this year’s MIPCOM with a host of new and innovative formats.

    For a company which produces content across genres, including reality, music, travel, lifestyle, game show and documentary, participating in the world’s largest content market is possibly a natural next step. Says Greymatter Entertainment owner Rahul Sarangi, “MIPCOM helps you network with global content buyers. The market is also a platform for companies with new formats.”

    We believe most of our formats are very differentiated yet palatable to the global audience, says Rahul Sarangi

    So what’s on offer at the fest? “We will launch a factual documentary titled ‘Tribes of the World’, an award winning show ‘Bikini Café’, a never-seen before music reality format named ‘Remix’ and a series about unconditional love christened ‘Thanks Maa’,” Sarangi answers.

    For the uninitiated, Tribes of the World is a factual documentary which explores the unexplored and unseen faces of tribal India. Bikini Café is about testing one’s entrepreneurial skills of owning a shack while Thanks Maa gives mothers a chance to relive their dreams.

    Elaborating on his plans, Sarangi says: “We are looking at co-producing interesting formats/content under the genres we specialise. As far as selling is concerned, one of our music formats ‘Remix’ has been sold to a few markets and is distributed by Global Agency. We have also recently concluded a very successful co- production deal with Novovision on 52 x 30 min non-dialogue humour episodes for the global market.”

    What does Greymatter expect to achieve at MIPCOM 2013? “As you would be aware, Indian broadcasters don’t give rights to producers, but we have figured that if we have a global partner, then we can retain rights and make it a global success. We believe most of our formats are very differentiated yet palatable to the global audience,” explains Sarangi, adding: “We expect to strike some interesting co-production, distribution or strategic partnership with global companies that suit our profile.”

    On the subject of markets, Sarangi says the company is open to any market, from America and Europe to the Middle East and Asia, as long as it shares Greymatter’s sensibilities. The firm will concentrate on platforms like IPTV, mobile and free to air.

  • Zees DID, Buddha get takers at Mipcom

    Zees DID, Buddha get takers at Mipcom

    MUMBAI: It’s time for broadcasters to take stock of business at the recently concluded Mipcom 2013 and Zee TV, it seems, has emerged a winner.

    The formats were the highlights for Zee at Mipcom says Sunita Uchil

    Not only is the channel’s Dance India Dance a topper in terms of ratings, the show featured prominently on buyers’ lists at the content festival.

    “It is the only dance format show, which is home grown. The dance format was largely viewed by buyers who came to our booth with the prospect of using the concept,” says Zee global head syndication Sunita Uchil.

    Apart from DID, Zee’s new series Buddha struck a chord with international buyers. “We had a lot of inquiries even for the new series, which has never been made,” says Uchil.

    The historical series Jodha Akbar too found resonance among buyers. “Historicals are always popular. Last year, Jhansi ki Rani was the talking point for buyers and this year, it was Jodha Akbar. It is known and liked because of the images, characters and shots,” says Uchil.

     

    It was a busy MIPCOM for Zee, which had close to 90 meetings during the four-day fest. “The formats were the highlights for us,” exults Uchil and adds: “So while there were takers for Dance India Dance from Japan, the Asia Pacific region and Europe; the historical series got preference from the Middle East and Africa region. And, there were takers for our drama scripts from the Latin American market.”

    Additionally, the Zee booth had buyers looking for bulk purchase of drama series such as Pavitra Rishtaa, Punar Vivaah, Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke and Badalte Rishton ki Daastan. “All these drama shows are a part of anybody’s buy. So when buyers consider us, they look at us with the bulk of our shows,” says Uchil. 

    Just how many deals has Zee cracked at Mipcom? “We are still talking to the buyers, but will soon close the deals,” says Uchil without really answering our question…

  • Disney movies on demand reaches over 8 million viewers in EMEA

    Disney movies on demand reaches over 8 million viewers in EMEA

    MUMBAI: Disney Media Distribution EMEA revealed the figures for its branded on-demand service Disney movies on demand and the continued growth of ABC TV on demand and Disney channels on demand, this Mipcom.

    Since its launch at Mipcom in October 2012, Disney movies on demand, the family-friendly branded SVOD service, is now available on 12 live platforms in six EMEA territories. Disney movies on demand most recently launched on OSN in the Middle East and North Africa and Wuaki in the UK , reaching over eight million consumers across EMEA.

    The service gives customers access to a wide range of Disney’s classic animation and live-action hits including the classic animation ‘Jungle Book’, Disney Pixar’s ‘Monsters’ and ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’.

    Since its launch in 2010, ABC TV on demand has been launched on 26 platforms in 16 EMEA territories. In 2013 to date ABC TV on demand has had over 60 million views in EMEA. In 2012, ABC TV on demand launched in four new countries and on 11 new platforms, registering 33 per cent increase in reach and 80 per cent increase in total views.

    Disney channels on demand that offers popular Disney channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior series at the click of a button, is now available to 47 million Disney channel subscribers across EMEA on 55 live platforms, with further launches scheduled before the end of the year. The channel on demand has also enjoyed particular success in France, where it is now available to 4.7 million viewers with a 62 per cent uplift in viewers between July 2012 and July 2013.

    The Walt Disney Company EMEA SVP & GM media distribution Catherine Powell said, “Disney and ABC Studios content is hugely popular with viewers across EMEA and the significant growth of our branded on-demand services reflects that. We are committed to bringing our great characters and excellent storytelling to all members of the family when they want it; where they want it and how they want it. Our branded services will continue to be a focus for the future.”

  • Disney movies on demand reaches over 8 million viewers in EMEA

    Disney movies on demand reaches over 8 million viewers in EMEA

    MUMBAI: Disney Media Distribution EMEA revealed the figures for its branded on-demand service Disney movies on demand and the continued growth of ABC TV on demand and Disney channels on demand, this Mipcom.

    Since its launch at Mipcom in October 2012, Disney movies on demand, the family-friendly branded SVOD service, is now available on 12 live platforms in six EMEA territories. Disney movies on demand most recently launched on OSN in the Middle East and North Africa and Wuaki in the UK , reaching over eight million consumers across EMEA.

    The service gives customers access to a wide range of Disney’s classic animation and live-action hits including the classic animation ‘Jungle Book’, Disney Pixar’s ‘Monsters’ and ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’.

    Since its launch in 2010, ABC TV on demand has been launched on 26 platforms in 16 EMEA territories. In 2013 to date ABC TV on demand has had over 60 million views in EMEA. In 2012, ABC TV on demand launched in four new countries and on 11 new platforms, registering 33 per cent increase in reach and 80 per cent increase in total views.

    Disney channels on demand that offers popular Disney channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior series at the click of a button, is now available to 47 million Disney channel subscribers across EMEA on 55 live platforms, with further launches scheduled before the end of the year. The channel on demand has also enjoyed particular success in France, where it is now available to 4.7 million viewers with a 62 per cent uplift in viewers between July 2012 and July 2013.

    The Walt Disney Company EMEA SVP & GM media distribution Catherine Powell said, “Disney and ABC Studios content is hugely popular with viewers across EMEA and the significant growth of our branded on-demand services reflects that. We are committed to bringing our great characters and excellent storytelling to all members of the family when they want it; where they want it and how they want it. Our branded services will continue to be a focus for the future.”

  • Content distribution revisited

    Content distribution revisited

    CANNES:  “In India, we produce so much content and it is up on the web in the next three and a half minutes,” began IndiaCast Group CEO Anuj Gandhi. He was speaking at a panel on ‘Access is the new ownership: A new look at content distribution’, on day two of MIPCOM.

    Moderated by Superhuman founder Louisa Heinrich, the session focussed on changing audience expectations and how consumers ought to get what they want to watch, where they want to watch, instead of what content distributors want to show. 

    “We need to ensure that quality content is produced and is also made available cross country,” Gandhi reinforced.

    Describing India’s internet story as ‘spinning faster than the globe’ Gandhi substantiated his statement with statistics. “India has 150 million internet users and ranks number three worldwide. 75 per cent of the population using internet is below the age of 15. Almost 86 per cent of Indian web users visit a social networking site, of which 80 million are on Facebook.”

    “That apart, there are 220 million mobile devices sold every year. There are 700 million mobile phone users and 40 million are 3G subscribers. India boasts of seven million tablets and 0.5 million are sold per month. Also, there are 50 million smart phones and three million sold every month,” he said.

    India is the second most important market for internet giants, Gandhi said, adding: “Consumption of video has shot up in India, with more and more people hooking on to YouTube to watch videos.”

    Gandhi further informed the audience that the rollout of the national telecom policy would target 175 million broadband users by 2017, up from the current 15 million. “100 hours of content is being uploaded to YouTube every minute. Also, the good news is that the data access charges will come down by 70 per cent.”

    Coming to IndiaCast, he said it is looking at ways to handle traditional media. “We are getting shackled by the traditional platform. We are losing out on opportunities. The traditional platforms have ring-fenced content rights. There are longer contracts and limited flexibility.

    So while the traditional platform is growing, it is also getting expensive and has capacity constraint. Content needs to travel. We need to exploit our rights to ensure that the content is made available everywhere,” said he.

    Gandhi foresees a five-fold increase in data consumption in the switch from 2G to 3G and another five times with that to 4G. “There will be a three times growth in the YouTube revenue in the next two years and two million paying mobile TV subscribers in the next two years. The number of people watching YouTube has already crossed 50 million and the channel is now looking at ways to monetize it,” he said.

    Asked about the role of the broadcaster in social media, Gandhi said: “Well, the key issue is to have a 360 degree marketing campaign and social media is one such platform. As a content distribution company, we need to analyse what people are saying about available content. We need to be innovative, be aware of what is happening in the markets, and also keep experimenting with windowing and stop playing safe.”