MIP: Digital Is Key to Content Creators

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As digital players continue to shape the traditional television landscape, the 51st edition of MIP TV plans to up the ante on showcasing multiscreen innovations, creating more synergies and opportunities for content creators.

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“More than ever, it’s crucial for Mip TV to connect broadcasters with the next generation of creators and talent that are breaking through in the (over the top) arena,” says Laurine Garaude, topper of Reed Midem’s TV division.

As part of MIP Digital Fronts, brands like Chipotle, websites such as What’s Trending, and shingles and platforms like Fox Digital Studio, Vuguru and Smokebomb Entertainment will be on hand to present their original online concepts.

The confab will host its first 4K spotlight program, including a keynote by Niclas Ericson, head of the TV division of world soccer governing body FIFA, and screenings of 4K footage covering all genres — factual, natural history, music, sports and drama — held in a 4K theater located in the main exhibition hall.

“This year’s World Cup soccer tournament is a start. 2016’s Olympics in Rio, and the UEFA soccer championship (in 2016) are expected to be the catalysts for mainstream 4K adoption by consumers,” says Chris Forrester, exec producer of MIP TV’s 4K conferences. “But you cannot launch a channel on the back of single events, no matter how compelling they are. The industry needs factual content, drama, music and all the other genres fulfilled in 4K.”

For its Media Mastermind keynotes, Mip TV has lined up such industryites as Starz CEO Chris Albrecht, Studiocanal’s CEO and chairman Olivier Courson, Tandem Communications’ prexy Rola Bauer, YouTube’s global head of entertainment Alex Carloss, Maker Studios’ exec chairman Ynon Kreiz and Red Arrow’s managing director Jan Frouman.

MIP Doc, the documentary event that precedes Mip TV, has programmed speakers including Dean Possenniskie, A&E Networks’ managing director of Europe, Middle East and Africa; and Paul Welling, senior VP and head of channels for Discovery Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa.

The talent roster expected to attend MIP TV’s World Premiere TV Screenings and walk the red carpet include Maggie Gyllenhaal, who will be promoting Hugo Blick’s politically engaged “The Honorable Woman” for the BBC, pictured above; Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, from Starz’s new show “Power”; and Kim Cattrall with the BBC dramedy “Sensitive Skin,” which she also exec produces.

Over at MIP Doc, “The Mentalist’s” exec producer Chris Long will be on hand to present the premiere of “A Tale of Two Thieves,” repped by Christophe Bochnacki’s Balanga.

Children and teen entertainment will play a big part at the market, which will organize a Junior at MIP TV sidebar, including a keynote by Tara Sorensen, head of kids programming at Amazon Studios, a matchmaking session and a summit with 80 creatives and execs.

The TV mart will also host a Focus on Israel, with a panel discussing Business Opportunities in Israel organized at Mip Formats (April 6), a session titled Co-Production Marketplace, Success Stories From Israel (April 5) at Mip Doc, and a Fresh TV screening session (April 8) showcasing the hottest content from Israel, notably “Prisoners of War” (remade in the U.S. as “Homeland”), “In Treatment” and “Hostages.”

MIP TV is set to attract approximately 11,000 participants and 4,000 buyers from 100 countries. European marketgoers rep 67% of all buyers, followed by buyers from the Asian Pacific region (16%), The U.S. (9%) and Africa/Middle East (7%).