MIP-TV 2014 DAY 3 April 9, 2014 My 2 Cents: Sochi Buyers’ Preparations For June Is For Mart could become an ideal Hopping and convention venue L.A. Screenings Start at MIP Page 3 he Road to the L.A. Screenings TV Shopping is paved with traps: Buyers are INSIDE: Highlights Tcagey about revealing what f you think April is a busy month they like amongst the new season’s with MIP-TV and the concurrent of TV offerings from series for fear of “compromising INAB Show and Cable Show, be negotiations,” and sellers are wary prepared for what lies ahead after a Latin America about buyers’ intentions. Usually relatively quiet May. To allow time to this dance starts in May, but since attend just the key entertainment- Pages 10, 12 the U.S. TV networks have already related trade shows, the month of announced a large number of pick- June should have 58 days. If we ups (either in pilot or straight-to- have to add hardware-related TV COMING UP: series form), buyers at MIP-TV markets, then the days could reach L.A. Screenings Studio have already started to jockey for over 70. position. Unfortunately, June has only & Pilots Guide Some buyers, such as Walter new ones until I see the full slate 30 days and the international TV Sequeira of ARTEAR in Argentina, of programs earmarked for the industry will have to pick and choose May 17 are said to be disappointed by last 2014/5 season, and where they among the 20 key trade shows in 10 season’s attempt to copy shows like are scheduled. What is now clear, countries. Lost, but he’s impressed by cable’s however, is that you can’t just look Naturally, among those 20 VideoAge more audacious shows like Game of at the U.S. free-to-air networks. markets there are some traditional Thrones. The cable and premium cable favorites, like NATPE Europe (June Daily Dermot Horan from Ireland’s channels offer a range and volume 23-26 in Prague), Licensing Expo RTE said he “can’t really judge the of programming that has become (June 17-19 in Las Vegas), Monte on the go (Continued on Page 4) (Continued on Page 4) Hotel ★★★★★ Concierges Evaluate MIP any MIP-TV participants depend on hotel concierges Mto make their stay in Cannes less stressful. Whether they’re well or poorly tipped, their service is always highly professional. They appear to know it all and have an answer ready for every question, almost on par with teenagers. But what do concierges think of MIP-TV and its participants? VideoAge Daily posed this question to concierges at the Majestic, Carlton, Grand Hotel and Martinez. They all answered openly, but declined to be quoted. Their general view of MIP-TV is that this year will be quieter than previous editions. The studios’ reduced presence is sorely felt, but the concierges pointed out that since Reed MIDEM bought almost all of the hotel rooms, their hotels will be fi lled with participants who used to stay at other hotels. In addition, considering that Action Series (2014) • 13 x 60 minutes MIDEM, the music market in February, surprisingly rebounded MIPTV / C15.A5 eOnetv.com and MIPIM, the real estate show in [email protected] @eOne_TV (Continued on Page 4) VIDEOAGE_MATADOR_FRONTPAGE_DAY3_v2.indd 1 01/04/14 1:05 PM April 9, 2014 My 2¢ Once the dust between the U.S. and Russia settles, Putin safeguards Crimea (with his T-90 tanks) and the Americans take Ukraine under their (F-22) wings, Sochi could become an ideal convention venue. anted: A town in which to hold international be an ideal place for such TV trade organizers as TV trade shows for emerging countries that NATPE Europe and DISCOP Istanbul. Whas the following characteristics: The Olympics gave Sochi a U.S.$51 billion • Located at a crossroads between Europe and Asia makeover, but Russian observers predict that the • A resort vibe, possibly by the sea with mild resort town will face a tough struggle for visitors’ temperatures during autumn and winter money with most sporting venues becoming state • Close proximity to a well-served airport properties. One way to beat the odds is to keep prices • Inexpensive accommodations with plenty of hotels low, at least lower than in Miami Beach, Florida (a VIDEOAGE • A good hotel for a market venue city Sochi likes to compare itself to. It used to be called • Easy to navigate by foot the “Soviet Florida”), considering that the town is DAILY No, I’m not describing Cannes or Santa Monica, oversupplied with hotels. On average, hotels in Sochi AT MIP-TV even though the town I have in mind has many cost 5,600 rubles ($175) per night during high season identical characteristics: It’s Sochi, Russia’s largest (June through August), but in April they could go for STAND P-1.H65 resort town, which sits on the Black Sea. $75 a night at a four-star hotel and $90 for a five-star MAIN OFFICE: Let’s compare: Sochi has a subtropical climate hotel. 216 EAST 75TH STREET S.TE PW NEW YORK, NY 10021 with temperatures ranging from 10 degrees Celsius Perhaps an obstacle that could keep Sochi from TEL: (212) 288-3933 in January to 12°C in December, with the hottest becoming an effective international convention town FAX: (212) 288-3424 period in July and August, is the bureaucratic difficulty WWW.VIDEOAGE.ORG when it can reach 28°C. Cannes in obtaining traveling WWW.VIDEOAGELATINO.COM has a Mediterranean climate visas from the Russian WWW.VIDEOAGE.IT with temperatures ranging government. However, EDITOR from 12°C in January to 13°C there are services that, for DOM SERAFINI in December, reaching 27°C about $250, will take care ASSISTANT EDITOR in July and August. In Santa of all formalities without SARA ALESSI Monica temperatures average the need to go to Russian EDITORIAL 18°C in December and January, CONTRIBUTORS consulates in person. This is ISME BENNIE (CANADA) reaching 22°C in August. a service that the market’s LUCY COHEN BLATTER Sochi’s airport, served by organizers can also provide CARLOS GUROVICH LEAH HOCHBAUM ROSNER 36 airlines, is 25 km from the at a fee. Plus, citizens of 32 BOB JENKINS (U.K.) center of the city. NCE is the countries are not required CAROLINE INTERTAGLIA NICOLE MEROGNO same distance from Cannes. to obtain a visa, including LAX is 20 km from Santa Argentina, Brazil, Chile, ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER MONICA GORGHETTO Monica. According to Kayak. Colombia, Israel and Turkey. BUSINESS OFFICE com, a roundtrip ticket from An issue that could be LEN FINKEL New York City (JFK) to Sochi more problematic is Internet LEGAL OFFICE (AER) in April could cost about U.S.$757 on Aeroflot. security. However, the report of the NBC journalist ROBERT ACKERMANN, Cannes is close to Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, at the Sochi Games claiming that his computer was STEVE SCHIFFMAN Switzerland, Croatia, Slovenia and Paris. Sochi is close hacked as soon as the device was connected to the WEB MANAGER MIKE FAIVRE to Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Internet was disputed by U.S. experts (the journalist’s DESIGN/LAYOUT Moldova, Turkey and Moscow. Santa Monica is equally computer was hacked in Moscow, and not in Sochi, CARMINE RASPAOLO far from East and West. after downloading hostile apps). To be extra safe, ILLUSTRATIONS Cannes has the Alps, Santa Monica has the Santa Internet experts say that Sochi visitors can disable BOB SHOCHET Monica Mountains, Sochi has the Roza Mountains. All geolocation data and/or switch on a Virtual Private three towns have avenues lined with palm trees. Network (VPN) service provider when connecting to Perhaps, Sochi might not be economically public WiFi. appealing right after the Winter Olympics, but give Dom Serafini it a few years (especially after this year’s Formula 1 Grand Prix and the 2018 World Cup) and Sochi could April 9, 2014 Cover Stories (Continued from Cover) L.A. Screenings Busy June Concierges as attractive to international buyers as those Carlo TV Fest (June 7-11) and E3 (June 10-12 in Los March, was very successful, the concierges hoped broadcast on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX and the CW.” Angeles). Plus, there are favorite newcomers like that the momentum would continue at MIP-TV, Lanny Huang of Hong Kong’s Promo Group TV the New Europe Market (June 10-13 in Croatia) and that it will ultimately be a good market. This and the Next TV Summit (June 11 in London). is despite the sorely missed presence of the usual is “expecting many hot new pilots for 2014 with A good number of executives have asked why large number of Russians upon whom Cannes’ strong storylines” and some based on novels. She market organizers would try to squeeze even is particularly excited about The Club from CBS, more shows into an already crowded month. The economy depends nowadays. So do the concierges have a favorite event? Damaged Goods and Selfi e from Warner Bros. answers vary: Some because they grandfather the dates in; others because they expect their market The unanimous answer was, excluding the and The Strain from Fox.” She expects the season to succeed over the rest; some to take advantage of Film Festival in May (which is not considered a to be fi lled with “much drama, good storylines, reduced venue costs and a good number because market), no, they don’t have a favorite congress: adventure, action and nature.” they think that their markets are different and all clients are the same.