Hispanic TV: NAB’s Ace to At NATPE, Canadians Deter ......NATPE is member-directed and...

In This Issue:

AFM Review

NATPE Preview

U.S. TV Season

Privacy Laws

THE BUSINESS JOURNAL OF FILM, BROADCASTING, BROADBAND, PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 VOL. 32 NO. 7 $9.75

®

www.videoage.org

BY ISME BENNIE

Broadcast executive Jay Switzer, along-time NATPE attendee andformer NATPE board member,has always believed strongly inthe market’s importance forCanadians. His key

reasons: the right time ofyear, the right mix ofattendees and the opportu-nity to meet with themdirectly. Another bonus:NATPE is member-directedand not-for-profit.

But recent industrymoves in Canada will affectCanadian participation inNATPE 2013: the sale ofAlliance Films to Enter-

tainment One (eOne), though pendingfinal approval as of press time, will putone fewer Canadian company on thefloor.

The surprise regulatory denial of Bell

At NATPE, CanadiansWill Bring the Big Guys

(Continued on Page 20)


T his year the annual Asia TelevisionForum (ATF) is being heldconcurrently with Screen-Singapore, a film entertainment

event in Asia that gathers internationalsellers and Asian buyers. It will alsofeature screenings.

The three-day ATF market andconference will begin on December 5 atthe Sands Expo and Convention Centerin Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

Until recently, the ATF was a hub forLatin American sellers. However, theirpresence began to decline last year, withonly five companies from Latin Americamaking the trip to Singapore. This year,that number has held steady, thoughsome companies — such as Latin Media— will not return this year. Therefore,ATF will play host to just the followingLatin American companies: Globo TVInternational (Brazil), TelemundoInternacional (U.S.), Televisa Interna-cional (U.S.), TV Azteca/Comarex(Mexico) and Caracol Television (fromits Spain office).

Yet, according to Comarex’s Martha

A Lively ATFExpected, WithFewer Latins

Latins Take MIPCOMand TV Sales by Storm

T his past MIPCOM was a huge draw for Latins.The strong presence of Latin companies hashelped to solidify MIPCOM as the third largestinternational TV trade show for Latin

companies — both sellers and buyers — after NATPEand the L.A. Screenings.

This year, 113 exhibiting Latin companies and 62



BY DOM SERAFINI

The U.S. broadband industry needs spectrum –– lots of it. After raking in allavailable frequencies and even snagging unlicensed spectrum (the white spaceor unused spectrum that sits betweenTV channels), the telcos are nowgoing after those frequencies not fully

utilized by local TV stations.The strategy behind this “spectrum-grab”

(reminiscent of the 1889 “land-grab” inOklahoma) is revealed in a complaint filed bythe labor union Communications Workers ofAmerica, which claims that telcos are forgoingbuilding costly fiber networks and insteadrelying on wireless to provide broadband.

However, if this strategy proves correct, itcould spell disaster — if not doom — formany of the 1,777 local U.S. TV stations, ofwhich 1,200 are members of the 90-year-old

Hispanic TV: NAB’s Ace toDeter Telco Spectrum Grab

Gordon H. Smith

A frank talk with NAB CEO Gordon H. Smith

Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:58 Pagina 1

www.breakthroughentertainment.com

Nat Abraham, President, Distribution t 416.366.6588 x 114 e [email protected] Blank, Director, Int’l Distribution t 416.366.6588 x 231 e [email protected] Mackie, Int’l Sales Executive t 416.366.6588 x 112 e [email protected]

CONTENTSV I D E O A G E • N o. 7 • N o v . / D e c . 2 0 1 2

Cover stories:

Hispanic TV is the ace for Gordon Smith’sNAB to fend off telco spectrum grab

At NATPE, Canadians will bring the big guys: Bell, Rogers and Shaw

A lively Asia TV Forum expected, despite drop in Latin presence

Latins take MIPCOM and international TV sales by storm

4. World: U.S., Jordan, Australia, China, Argentina, Italy, South Africa, Canada

10. Book Review: When itcomes to Robert Redford,stick to his movies, skipthe book

12. NATPE Preview. As the TV market reaches 50, middle age turns into new age

14. American Film Market Review: Film mart rides tropical and economic storms

16. New U.S. TV Season. Buyers see quality, still waiting for breakthrough

18. The future of U.S. TV: How local TV stations cancope with the switch from broadcast to broadband

28. Travel News. Calendar of events

30. My 2¢: Privacy laws are tailor-made for the rich and powerful to avoid scrutiny and accountability

Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:58 Pagina 2

BroadcastingGiants Honored

T his past October, over 50 U.S. TVluminaries from the 1980s and ’90smingled with some 250 guests at

the 10th annual “Giants ofBroadcasting” award luncheon at theWaldorf-Astoria Hotel in New YorkCity. The event was organized by theAlexandria, Virginia-based Library ofAmerican Broadcasting Foundation,

which is in its 41st year. Veteran tradejournalist Don West serves as thefoundation’s president.

Among the luminaries at the awardluncheon were Bill Baker (ofWestinghouse TV and WNET-TVfame), who acted as the master ofceremony; Fred Pierce (of ABC fame),Jim Rosenfield (of CBS fame) andjournalists Lesley Stahl and RobinMacNeil.

Among the former and current

executives honored were Ted Turner andSir Howard Stringer (pictured belowwhile accepting the Award).Coincidentally, outside the hotel therewas a union demonstration protestingsome of Stringer’s union policies at Sony.

Holding one of the leaflets that thepicketers were handing out withSpringer’s picture on it and a list ofdemands, West joked that it was asouvenir because there is no such thingas bad publicity.

Oz’s Top 25 TVShows in 25 Years

Recently, Australia’s The SydneyMorning Herald published a list ofthe top 25 most popular TV shows

over the past 25 years, according to apanel organized by the paper. Here’s thelist in order of preference, with the yearthe show came out. VideoAge added theinternational distribution company:Mad Men (2007), Lionsgate TelevisionThe Sopranos (1999), HBOSeinfeld (1990), Sony Pictures TelevisionThe Wire (2002), HBOThe West Wing (1999), Warner Bros.TelevisionArrested Development (2003), 20thCentury Fox TelevisionFrontline (1994), ABC-TV Australia(comedy series)The Simpsons (1989), 20th Century FoxTelevisionBreaking Bad (2008), Sony PicturesTelevisionHomeland (2011), 20th Century FoxTelevisionLost (2004), DisneyTwin Peaks (1990), CBS StudiosInternational (CBSSI)The Larry Sandler Show (1992), HBOFrasier (1993), CBSSIBuffy The Vampire Slayer (1997), 20thCentury Fox TelevisionSummer High (2007), Australia’s ABCDeadwood (2004), CBSSIThe Office (2001), BBCBlue Murder (1995), Australia’s ABC The X-Files (1993), 20th Century FoxTelevisionCurb Your Enthusiasm (2000), HBOSix Feet Under (2001), HBOBattlestar Galactica (2004),NBCUniversalLaw & Order (1990), NBCUniversalPhoenix and Janus (1992), both fromAustralia’s ABC.

China LicensesItalian Format

The Chinese version of Io Canto (ISing) has been licensed by Italy’sMediaset to China’s Enlight Media,

a production company founded inBeijing in 1999, which is now traded onthe Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

Enlight Media is considered China’slargest private TV production group.

After 10 months on the air in China, ISing, a one-hour competition formatgeared at young audiences, has become ahit during primetime on Fridays onsatellite TV channel Liaoning.

According to Enlight Media’spresident of production, Harry Su, I Singis the first show of its kind — gearedspecifically toward young people — inChina.

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 2


V I D E O • A G E4

Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:58 Pagina 4

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Produced by Genevieve Woo, Tony Kern Distributed by Golden Village Genre Horror Format 79 mins Language English

Haunted changi is about a group of local filmmakers who explore the famously haunted Old Changi Hospital in Singapore with terrifying and tragic results.

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Michel Rodrigue — a formatspecialist from both Montreal, Canadaand Los Angeles, California who’s nowthe president of The Format People — iscredited with finding the show.

After a specific request from Su,Rodrigue negotiated the format rightswith Mediaset’s Paola Primavori for ISing on behalf of Enlight.

Now, through Rodrigue, Su is lookingto invite professionals from around theworld to help Enlight develop new TV

shows. In addition to Liaoning TV,Enlight produces for other Chinese TVnetworks, such as CCTV-1 and Anihiu.

Pictured below from left to right: MichelRodrigue, president of The Format People,Chloe Yang, director of marketing forEnlight and Harry Su, president ofProduction for Enlight.

Amanda OspinaGets a Mas X

Cumbre, anyone? The indomitableAmanda Ospina did it again,organizing for the 10th time the

Cumbre Mundial de la Industria de laTelenovela, or “Telenovela IndustrySummit.”

Over 150 Latin TV executives metearly last month for a three-day summitat the Marriott Biscayne Bay Hotel inMiami, Florida to talk telenovelas andexplore innovative ways to keep thegenre attractive to a mass, worldwideaudience.

Some 30 speakers reached the podiumto either present innovativeprogramming or to explore ways toexpand telenovelas’ reach worldwide.

Among the panelists were Alberto

Santini, director general of Azteca’sCanal 13 from Mexico; MarceloCamaño, president of Argentina’sWriters Association; David Daza,program director of Venezuela’sVenevision, and Mauro Alencar,telenovela consultant for Brazil’s RedeGlobo.

Pictured below is Amanda Ospina,editor and publisher of TV Mas magazine,who organized the “X Cumbre.”

Director FavioDies at 74

Argentinean film director and actorLeonardo Favio died early lastmonth in Buenos Aires at age 74.

Favio is considered one of Argentina’smost important cultural figures.

He began his career as a film star in the1950s and 1960s, but went into exilewhen the military dictatorship took overin 1976. He returned after Democracywas restored. Favio’s last film was TheGood People.

FMM EmpowersWomen Execs

At the upcoming Florida MediaMarket (FMM), starting on January31, 2013 at the Shelborne Hotel in

Miami Beach, Florida, FMM founderMaritza Guimet will launch GoddessMujer Woman (GWM) with aninaugural breakfast. Top womenexecutives from China, the U.S., LatinAmerica and the Middle East areexpected to attend.

GMW will serve as a platform tocreate content as well as an outlet forcontent. The goal is for independentwomen producers and filmmakers toempower a new generation of womenacross the globe to be part of theindustry and to give them the tools tosucceed. It aims to increase therecognition of women’s role in thedevelopment of film and television.

Recently Guimet signed an agreementfor active participation at FMM withChinese TV executives Zhong Xuzhao,VP of SRT, Sichuan Radio and TV andZhou Yanou, manager of InternationalRelations, Sichuan TV Festival.

The agreement was brokered byFMM’s consultant Georges Leclere.

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 2

(Continued from Page 4)



Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:58 Pagina 6

DISCOP AfricaSpurs TV Sales

L atin American telenovelas generateda great deal of interest from Africanbroadcasters at the seventh DISCOP

Africa, which ended November 2 at theSandton Convention Center inJohannesburg, South Africa.

Growth from the first DISCOP Africain Senegal in 2008 to this edition wasclearly evident, which is a testament to

both the African market’s rapidadvancement and DISCOP Africabecoming the pre-eminent Africanmarket.

The three-day event was well-attendedand well-organized. The DISCOP teamwas everywhere throughout forcontinued on-site support.

Numerous major players were inattendance, including CBS, MTV,Discovery, BBC Worldwide, MGM,NBCUniversal, Telemundo, Sony,

Televisa, Caracol, Venevision, DW,Euronews, Endemol and NHK. Plus,there were Brazilian and Chinesepavilions.

More than 40 African countries werein attendance, with the Francophonecountries particularly well-represented.An event celebrating the Francophone-Africa connection held at MichelGondry’s Home Movie Factoryinstallation was a high point.

Telenovelas were some of the keyattractions due to their serial nature,relatable storylines and themes –– andthe ease with which broadcasters candub them and find interested sponsors.

Among the quality content offered atthe market, there was Inside Story, a filmproduced by Discovery Channel GlobalEducation Partnership (DCGEP) inKenya and South Africa, with Kenyan,South African and Nigerian actors. It

deals with a football (soccer) playerconfronted with HIV. The film was shotin English, but DCGEP has producedFrench, Portuguese and Swahili versionsas well. The intent is for the film to bebroadcast throughout the continent onDecember 1, World AIDS Day. Also, thepull of football, especially with theupcoming African Cup of Nations set forJanuary, has generated broad interest inthe film.

CCI Plays ItsCards Right

This time, at their traditional pre-MIPCOM Sunday party, Canada’sCCI Entertainment introduced one

of the best conversational games. Eachguest was given four cards with a pictureof the same TV show upon arrival. Thegoal was to trade cards with other guestsin order to obtain four different cards.The first two winners each won a bottleof Champagne.

Content’s KingIn All Lingos

Wall graffiti in Italy: “É il contenutoche conta,” or “Content is whatcounts,” (scribbled on the top of a

mural). The word is out that content isindeed king.

Famous Quotes

“The Huffington Post, with 35 millionunique monthly visitors, probably tookin about $60 million last year withoutshowing a profit. That’s what digitalsuccess gets you. Current TV, reaching60 million households, took in $101million, with nearly $12 million in cashflow. That’s what failure in the cablebusiness gets you.”

Michael Wolff in USA Today,November 5, 2012

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Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:58 Pagina 8

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D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 2

B o o k R e v i e w

When it Comes to Redford, Stickto his Movies, Not the Book


Robert Redford is perhaps bestknown for playing theSundance Kid alongside hisdear friend, Paul Newman inButch Cassidy and theSundance Kid (after which hebecame a national icon), and

for his efforts in promoting independentfilm through his brainchild theSundance Institute, founded in 1981. In1985, Sundance expanded to take overthe United States Film and VideoFestival (where Redford served ashonorary chairman) from the Utah FilmCommission, thus creating theSundance Film Festival.

Yet, in a meticulous biography, RobertRedford: The Biography (Alfred A. Knopf,468 pages, $28.95), Michael FeeneyCallan, author of several otherbiographies, uncovers the man behindthe characters Redford portraysonscreen. The author relied oninterviews with Redford spanning 14years, beginning in March 1995, as wellas Redford’s own “jottings” in personaldiaries housed in the Mugar MemorialLibrary at Boston University and theSundance archive in Utah. Callanestimates, “In all, more than 300participants in the Robert Redford storywere interviewed,” as Redfordintroduced him to “friends, businesspartners and co-workers.”

While it’s clear Callan is dedicated tocompiling a complete, thoughtful tomeof Redford — and he does so admirably— it’s difficult for the reader to avoidgetting bored. It isn’t entirely Callan’sfault that the reader finds himselfchecking out (or even falling asleep)mid-sentence. Much of it lies on theshoulders (and in the words) of the verytalented and intelligent subject, RobertRedford himself.

But herein lies the problem. Nary apage goes by without a large-minded,hefty and, for lack of a better word,pompous quote from Redford, whoseems to have analyzed nearly every partof his life in great (and at timesinfuriating) detail. It is easy for the

reader to get bogged down in his highdiction, lofty ideas and very highexpectations of himself and his everyaction. To wit, after his mother diedwhen he was a young man, Redford says:“I wanted to be alone with the grief I hadand the difficulty I had with my personalidentity. More than anything, I wantedto go on a journey with my art.”

Thus, the reason for the boredom istwo-fold — Redford’s life, at least whatCallan writes of it, frankly isn’t veryinteresting (his quotes are far toointellectual and reflective as opposed tofun), and Callan’s writing style — thoughpolished and intelligent — is equallyuninteresting and not particularlyengaging. Plus, the book chronicles theexcruciating minutiae of each ofRedford’s films, from conception toscript writing and rewriting to filming toediting and so on. After a while, thisbecomes tedious. To temper the drone ofproduction stories, the reader craves aglimpse into Redford’s personal life.

Callan opens the book with a longaccount of Redford’s family history inwhich the reader learns every detail of hisparents’ lives. We learn that Redford was

born before his parents tied the knot,that he had a strained relationship withhis father and that Redford was adevilish delinquent in his youth (he onceplayed hooky from school for a monthbefore his father found out). Thiscontrasts greatly with the sparse detailsCallan shares of Redford’s personal adultlife, including his marriage to his firstwife, Lola, their divorce in 1985 and hissubsequent relationships with SoniaBraga, Kathy O’Rear and SibylleSzaggers, whom he married in 2009.

In contrast to the long family history,Callan writes only a few words aboutRedford’s divorce: “He had acclaim,wealth and opportunity, but he also hada failed marriage.” The author finallybrings to life a brief interaction betweenRedford and his wife that shows themarriage was over one day at Sundancewhen he and Lola were skiing withfriends. But he immediately returns todescribing Redford’s moving-making,giving us only a brief glimpse into theactor’s family life.

This lack of personal informationlikely stems from Redford’s failure toshare it. After all, Callan writes,“Redford shared with no one the extentof his domestic breakdown, but itdisturbed him.” While we learn of thesudden death of Redford’s firstborn sonas an infant, his son Jamie’s serioushealth problems and his daughterShauna’s distress when her boyfriend wasmurdered, readers feel as though theyhave been kept at the border of Redford’spersonal life. We are not let in, and,unfortunately, this distance keeps usfrom fully engaging in the book.

Instead, the author presents Redfordas an actor who is very much intocreating art for art’s sake. He’s notpreoccupied with money, except in theearly days of his first marriage when heand Lola were starting a family andmoney was a necessity. But even early inhis career, when Bing CrosbyProductions offered Redford $10,000for the lead in TV series Breaking Point,he rejected the role, saying, “Let them

offer me twenty thousand, or thirty, orforty. It just makes it easier to say no.” Infact, he rarely took a role for money,looking instead for parts he could learnfrom, or in which he felt a kinship withthe character he was to portray onscreen.“The criterion I applied was, What can Iabsorb from this? Who wrote it? Who’s init?” Redford said.

Redford cherishes artistic value in thefilms he makes, and he was devastatedwhen a studio altered what he loved. Inthe late 1960s, Redford backed out of thewestern Blue because he “felt ‘the wrongsensibilities entirely’ were being imposedon a western story.” Once he made aname for himself, he often went againstthe demands of studios to uphold hisartistic principles, as he did with Disneyon The Horse Whisperer. Redford refusedto go along with Disney’s marketingcampaign for the film, in which he wasexpected to appear on Oprah Winfrey,Larry King and Barbara Walters. Anyplans for a multi-film contract withDisney were dashed thereafter. But thisisn’t surprising, as according to Callan,“His nature was always stoutlyindependent.”

Redford is involved in every detail ofthe films he takes on, often taking it uponhimself to write scripts so they turn outthe way he envisions them. And he isconstantly moving forward andchallenging himself, with this forwardmotion eventually leading to his desire todirect. He made his directorial debut in1980’s Ordinary People, a “labor of love”in Redford’s words.

But the art for art’s sake mentality istruly exasperating when Ordinary Peopleis nominated for awards, and Redford’sarrogance shows through Callan’s writing,making him appear distant and a bitunlikable. Redford says, “When I saw theawards trail beginning, I caved in. I justdidn’t want it. What I was doing wasabout personal art, about exploringmyself and my audience. I was very proudof the film but I did not desire accolades.It sounds churlish, but I was sated onaccolades…I thought, Screw this! anddisappeared.”

Yet, Redford was proud of the honoraryAcademy Award he received in 2002 forhis achievements as “actor, director,producer, creator of Sundance andinspiration to independent innovativefilmmakers everywhere” because “itreconciled [his] two worlds — theindependent cinema and [his] acting,”according to Redford.

Prospective readers looking for theexciting conman Redford portrayed inThe Sting won’t find him here. So, unlessyou’re looking for a book to lull you tosleep, Callan’s biography should be left onthe shelf, and Redford’s image should beleft on the silver screen. SA

Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:58 Pagina 10

BY SARA ALESSI

As NATPE — which will beheld at the FontainebleauHotel in Miami Beach onceagain on January 28-30,2013 — starts to reachsenior status with its 50thanniversary, it’s not slowing

down with age, and organizers andattendees alike are gearing up for anenergetic event.

“Everything is going to be bigger andgrander and more about the future inevery way,” said Los Angeles-based RodPerth, NATPE’s new president andCEO. “We’re going to be doing morethings that integrate technology in termsof [what is] going to have an impact onthe business.”

Plus, he added, “We’re planning a bigbirthday bash on Tuesday night.” Otheractivities in store will be a “surprise,”said Perth, in his usual reserved way.

In its 50th year, Perth sees “NATPE[as] a bridge between content creationand monetization. It does [this] byfacilitating and connecting the ongoingconversations between Hollywood,between the world of international,digital and the world of brand andagency communities.”

As far as attendance goes, registrationis “way ahead of pace” as compared tolast December. NATPE is traditionally astrong market for Latin America, butPerth said, “We will have a lot ofCanadian buyers and European buyersand exhibitors. We believe all of theseterritories will be represented in majorways. We don’t have a weakness there.”

Ahead of the event, participants wereenthusiastic about the market. From LosAngeles, Valerie Cabrera, EVP ofCanada’s Entertainment One TVInternational (eOne) said, “NATPE hasbecome significantly more important foreOne with the rise of all things digital inLatin America and also for Europeanterritories, as it seems attendance fromthat particular continent has beensteadily increasing.”

For Miami, Florida-based JackAlfandary, SVP of Latin America andU.S. Hispanic for FremantleMedia,“Participating in [NATPE is] a vital

element in the making of our salesstrategy.” Alfandary explained hiscompany’s goals for NATPE as follows:“First and foremost, we look to connectwith our clients, present them with newproduct launches, and work with themto help them meet their content andprogramming needs and objectives.Second, we always look to meet newpartners in this type of market and last,but of course not least, we look toconnect with both young and establishedcontent creators.”

“NATPE is becoming increasinglyimportant to Starz, as we accelerate ourefforts in the U.S. post pay-TV marketand in Latin America,” said GeneGeorge, EVP of World Distribution forStarz Media. “We continue our initiativeto license directly to free TV broadcastersthroughout Latin America, and NATPEoffers a terrific opportunity to see manyof them again.”

However, Nat Abraham, president ofDistribution for Canada’s BreakthroughEntertainment, had a different opinion.“There was a time several years ago whenNATPE was perhaps the most importantof all markets. However, once the studiosstopped exhibiting, there was an almostimmediate falloff in international buyerattendance. As a result, for smallercompanies like ours, it became cost-prohibitive to continue to spend themoney for booth rental and setups,advertising, graphics, etc., andconsequently, it has become a lesserpriority,” he said.

In terms of buying territories on whichexhibitors are setting their sights,FremantleMedia’s Alfandary stated thateven though Latin America as a whole isan important target, “the larger marketstake a big part of the focus, and theseinclude Brazil, Mexico and Colombia,among others.”

New York-based Marielle Zuccarelli,managing director of InternationalContent Sales for A+E Networks, saidher company “uses NATPE primarily totarget Latin American program salesclients, though increasingly broadcastersfrom Europe and Canada are attendingthe market. Since it’s the first majorinternational market of the year, we use

[it] to introduce new programs from ourcatalog. We’re also ramping up ourformat distribution efforts, and we’ll bemeeting with clients and productioncompanies to explore opportunities.”

Cabrera of eOne also noted that hercompany will target “all the usualsuspects in Latin America,” while at thesame time, “ramping up our HispanicU.S. target.”

For his part, FremantleMedia’sAlfandary doesn’t doubt that the 2013market will be even better than last yearfrom both a business and organizationalstandpoint. He said, “NATPE alwaysstrives to offer an improved market yearto year, and I am sure this upcomingedition will continue to evolve.Additionally, the market in general hasbeen active over the past few years and[I] expect in our region that willcontinue for the foreseeable future.”

eOne’s Cabrera concurred, stating, “Itcan only get better year [after] year withrespect to organization and business.Last year, it was organized moreefficiently with a better Europeanattendance than in the previous year.”

Breakthrough’s Abraham was positivewhile entertaining some reservations: “Itseems from everything I’ve been readingthat NATPE is on its way back, but thereis still a long ride to reach the level ofmarket importance it once held.”

NATPE is famous for an abundance ofconferences, but Perth told VideoAge,“We’re actually reducing [the number]because we want each one to be moresignificant…We want each one to standon its own in a significant way.” Yet, henoted, “If you wanted to go to a

conference every hour for two days, youcould.” As VideoAge has long maintained,the reduction in conferences will surelyhelp generate more traffic in theexhibition hall and corridors of the hotel.

As far as the elevator situation, whichwas a problem two years ago whenNATPE first moved to theFontainebleau, Perth maintained thatnow, “It is a non-issue.”

However, eOne’s Cabrera had asuggestion in that regard, hoping theorganization would, “arrange designatedelevators for bottom and top floors.”

In no unclear terms, Abraham ofBreakthrough believes organizers mustbuild up the studio presence on theexhibition floor. “Get the studios back onthe floor — not in separate suites wherethere is no benefit or leveraging of thebuyers for other exhibitors on theexhibition floor.” He added, “Also, thedistance between the exhibition floor andthe hotel suites — where the majorstypically hold their meetings — and theelevators — results in a frustratingexperience for those smaller companieswho have invested to exhibit.”

Starz’s George suggested NATPE“continue to invest in the conference,making it more of a true showcase forbuyers, talent and press.”

With this year’s theme, “BeyondDisruption,” NATPE is showing that ithas endured and is looking to emphasizethe fact that the market is about content.“The reason we picked that theme is thatit is representative of what we think is theopportunity that is hidden by howdisruption can preoccupy you,” Perthsaid.

This year, the 10th annual BrandonTartikoff Legacy Awards will honor SteveLevitan, co-creator of Modern Family;John Langley, executive producer of Cops;Debra Lee, CEO of BET and HerbertKloiber, chairman of Germany’s TeleMüchen Gruppe.

As far as the future of NATPE, Perthreported, “We are planning to grow theconference in ways that serve ourattendees. We will add the capabilities toaccommodate more attendees. It’s notjust about the number, it’s about thequality of the experience for those whoinvest in us.”

V I D E O • A G E D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 212

N A T P E P r e v i e w

As The TV Market Turns 50,Middle Age Is The New Age

This year the number of conferences andseminars will be reduced

Starz’s Magic City talent during abreakfast meeting with the press

Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:58 Pagina 12

UNDER THE HIGH PATRONAGE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC

THE WORLD IN THE MIRRORIMAGES AND SOUNDS FROM 5 CONTINENTS

TURIN 16/21 SEPTEMBER 2012Edition conceived and directed by Giovanna Milella, Prix Italia Secretary General

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RADIO DRAMAORIGINAL DRAMA HOME GOAL ARTE RADIO - FRANCE Direction: Mariannick Bellot, Arnaud Forest Production: Silvain Gire Script: Mariannick BellotADAPTED DRAMA MAMA TANDOORI NPO - NETHERLANDS Direction:Vibeke von Saher Script: Hanneke Hendrix

RADIO MUSICCOMPOSED WORK THE HALLUCINATED NIGHT SRF RADIO FRANCE - FRANCE Direction: Paul Malinowski Music: Sebastian Rivas

RADIO DOCUMENTARIESOVERALL QUALITY SENSE AND SENSIBILITY NRK - NORWAY Direction, production and script: Lasse Nederhoed EXTRAORDINARY ORIGINALITY AND/OR INNOVATION WIRELESS NIGHTS:1. “OVERNIGHT DELIVERY” BBC - UNITED KINGDOM Direction:Laurence Grissell Production:Philip Sellars

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TV PERFORMING ARTSPERFORMING ARTS PINA ZDF - GERMANY Direction and script: Wim Wenders Production: Gian-Piero Ringel, Wim Wenders Music: Thom Hanreich

MUSIC AND ARTS DOCUMENTARIES ANTON CORBIJN INSIDE OUT NPO - NETHERLANDS Direction and Script: Klaartje Quirijns Production: Sander Verdonk, Gertjan Langeland

TV DOCUMENTARIESCULTURAL AND GENERAL INTEREST HE THINKS HE’S THE BEST SVT - SWEDEN Direction: Maria KuhlbergCURRENT AFFAIRS SPECIAL FLIGHT SRG SSR - SWITZERLAND Direction: Fernand Melgar

WEBINTERACTIVE WEBSITES LINKED TO A RADIO OR TV PROGRAMME THE NETHERLANDS FROM ABOVE NPO - NETHERLANDS http://nederlandvanboven.vpro.nl Project Manager: Jasper Koning Web Artist: Frederik RuysNEW CONTENT AND TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE MULTISCREEN TELEVISION BARCODE ARTE FRANCE - FRANCE http://codebarre.tv/en Production Manager: Dominique Willieme Production: David Carzon, Marianne Levy-leblond, Joel Ronez, Hugues Sweeney

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WINNERS 2012

VideoAgeWinners:Layout 1 24/09/12 12:40 Pagina 1

The talk outside the suites ofthe Loews Hotel in SantaMonica — the mainmarketplace of the AFM —was focused on thedestructive Hurricane Sandythat hit the northeast coast

of the U.S., paralyzing all forms oftransportation.

Carlos Hertel of Germany’s TeleMünchen International estimated that,because of Sandy, 20 percent of buyersarrived late. “In effect, the market startedon Wednesday,” he said, instead ofTuesday, October 31, which was theofficial start date. Similarly, for SteveArroyave of Canada’s ArrowEntertainment, “the market was slow thefirst day and a half.”

Valerie Cabrera, EVP of Entertain-ment One TV International, reportedthat the storm “Delay[ed] a lot of peoplefrom attending, so instead of arriving onWednesday or Thursday, buyers came inover the weekend.”

Indeed, an exhibitor who did not wantto be quoted because he was privy toconfidential information said that byThursday, one third of the buyers hadn’tpicked up their badges yet.

One company severely affected bySandy was the New York-based ScreenMedia, which could only open its suiteon Thursday morning.

Jonathan Wolf, managing director ofAFM, found that about 50 participantswere delayed by airport shutdowns, but“most were sellers, not buyers,” he said.

According to his analysis, only a dozenbuyers were affected and, among them,very few Europeans. Asian and Latinparticipants were unaffected andCanadians who took direct flights or

avoided connections in troubled areaswere not affected either.

In any case, the late arrivals made for alonger-than-usual market that otherwisewould have slowed down considerably bySunday, the sixth day of the eight-daymarket. Reported an executiveresponsible for the Asian market, “Mylast appointment ends on Sunday. Bythen, for me, the market is over.”

Evan Crooke of Los Angeles-basedOsiris decried the poor traffic on thesecond and third floors of the LoewsHotel, saying: “Those companies arenew, so it’s difficult for them to getappointments. Plus, they’re in suites withlittle or no traffic. The AFM layout is nothelpful to them.”

Wolf responded by saying thatexhibitors on the second floor receive a30 percent discount; nevertheless, hepromised to address the issue in thefuture by moving the Internet kiosk fromthe sixth floor to those lower floors.

In terms of the market, Crookemaintained “AFM is important for us,”and said he’s met with buyers from Asia,the Middle East and parts of Europe,especially the Netherlands. However, henoted that there are “so many marketsand not enough buyers to accommodateall these markets.”

Similarly, John Alexander, theLondon-based SVP of New York-basedSonar Entertainment, commented,“AFM is good as [a] follow-up marketfollowing MIPCOM.” Several sales wereinitiated at MIPCOM and were closed atthe AFM, he said.

This year, AFM organizers added anew feature to the event — anInternational Pavilion with some seven

stands at Le Merigot Hotel, which isadjacent to the Loews and also housed afew more exhibitors.

Some old-time film executivesreported an unusual number of newcompanies exhibiting at the AFM for thefirst time. This trend is said to be due toseveral factors: executives leaving theircompanies to set up their owndistribution businesses; former contentbuyers who’ve transitioned todistribution; producers dissatisfied withtheir distributors who decide to ventureout on their own; and entrepreneurswith money — and little pastinvolvement in the industry — who areattracted to the film business.

Double Dutch from Canada is one ofthe new companies, which, in the wordsof its president Ron Möring, up untilrecently was in the DVD acquisitionbusiness and has now ventured into filmco-production, financing anddistribution.

However, for independents, thetheatrical business is a different game alltogether, considering that, in the U.S.,for example, only 250 screens are

reportedly not abiding by traditionalwindows.

When it comes to economics, one ofthe most interesting of the five-dayconference series must have been thefinancial panel about surviving the “DarkAge” that began in 2008. That was when,according to panelist Nigel Sinclair of LosAngeles-based Exclusive Media, thebottom fell out and, for a period of twoyears, buyers weren’t buying, banksweren’t lending and investors were scarce.

Today, the equity market is buoyant.Sinclair predicted that South Americawill be the next big source of capital. Inthe view of another panelist, GrahamTaylor of Beverly Hills talent and literaryagency WME, China is an importantlong-term partner, though finance ismore corporate there; Russianinvestments are more individualistic, hesaid.

Also new this year was the PR firm incharge of press accreditation andregistration. Gone is the ancestral LippinGroup, replaced by Sunshine Sachs, theNew York-based PR agency operating inHollywood since 2008.

In a letter inserted into participants’registration kits, Santa Monica MayorRichard Bloom welcomed everyone back,saying that he is “appreciative that theAmerican Film Market will return toSanta Monica through 2017.”

According to official figures, AFMended its run on November 7 with a sixpercent increase in buyers (to 1,616 from1,523 a year ago) and 35 more buyingcompanies than in 2011. A total of 753buying companies from more than 60countries were present this year.

The AFM Conferences, whichlaunched in 2011, drew audiences ofmore than 700 each day. Exhibitingcompanies at AFM were on par with lastyear, coming in at 357.


A F M R e v i e w

Film Mart Rides Tropicaland Economic Storms

Sales agent Lars Bjorck andArrow’s Steve Arroyave

Breakthrough’s Nat Abraham, MarinaCordoni

Sonar’s John Alexander

Jennifer Garnick and Jonathan Wolf of AFM organizer IFTA

The financial panel about surviving the “Dark Age” — now in the past

A view of the Buyers’ Lounge on the fifth floor of the Loews

Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:58 Pagina 14

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5896 ATF AD - VideoAge -FApathed.pdf 1 13/8/12 6:12 PM

The talk outside the suites ofthe Loews Hotel in SantaMonica — the mainmarketplace of the AFM —was focused on thedestructive Hurricane Sandythat hit the northeast coast

of the U.S., paralyzing all forms oftransportation.

Carlos Hertel of Germany’s TeleMünchen International estimated that,because of Sandy, 20 percent of buyersarrived late. “In effect, the market startedon Wednesday,” he said, instead ofTuesday, October 31, which was theofficial start date. Similarly, for SteveArroyave of Canada’s ArrowEntertainment, “the market was slow thefirst day and a half.”

Valerie Cabrera, EVP of Entertain-ment One TV International, reportedthat the storm “Delay[ed] a lot of peoplefrom attending, so instead of arriving onWednesday or Thursday, buyers came inover the weekend.”

Indeed, an exhibitor who did not wantto be quoted because he was privy toconfidential information said that byThursday, one third of the buyers hadn’tpicked up their badges yet.

One company severely affected bySandy was the New York-based ScreenMedia, which could only open its suiteon Thursday morning.

Jonathan Wolf, managing director ofAFM, found that about 50 participantswere delayed by airport shutdowns, but“most were sellers, not buyers,” he said.

According to his analysis, only a dozenbuyers were affected and, among them,very few Europeans. Asian and Latinparticipants were unaffected andCanadians who took direct flights or

avoided connections in troubled areaswere not affected either.

In any case, the late arrivals made for alonger-than-usual market that otherwisewould have slowed down considerably bySunday, the sixth day of the eight-daymarket. Reported an executiveresponsible for the Asian market, “Mylast appointment ends on Sunday. Bythen, for me, the market is over.”

Evan Crooke of Los Angeles-basedOsiris decried the poor traffic on thesecond and third floors of the LoewsHotel, saying: “Those companies arenew, so it’s difficult for them to getappointments. Plus, they’re in suites withlittle or no traffic. The AFM layout is nothelpful to them.”

Wolf responded by saying thatexhibitors on the second floor receive a30 percent discount; nevertheless, hepromised to address the issue in thefuture by moving the Internet kiosk fromthe sixth floor to those lower floors.

In terms of the market, Crookemaintained “AFM is important for us,”and said he’s met with buyers from Asia,the Middle East and parts of Europe,especially the Netherlands. However, henoted that there are “so many marketsand not enough buyers to accommodateall these markets.”

Similarly, John Alexander, theLondon-based SVP of New York-basedSonar Entertainment, commented,“AFM is good as [a] follow-up marketfollowing MIPCOM.” Several sales wereinitiated at MIPCOM and were closed atthe AFM, he said.

This year, AFM organizers added anew feature to the event — anInternational Pavilion with some seven

stands at Le Merigot Hotel, which isadjacent to the Loews and also housed afew more exhibitors.

Some old-time film executivesreported an unusual number of newcompanies exhibiting at the AFM for thefirst time. This trend is said to be due toseveral factors: executives leaving theircompanies to set up their owndistribution businesses; former contentbuyers who’ve transitioned todistribution; producers dissatisfied withtheir distributors who decide to ventureout on their own; and entrepreneurswith money — and little pastinvolvement in the industry — who areattracted to the film business.

Double Dutch from Canada is one ofthe new companies, which, in the wordsof its president Ron Möring, up untilrecently was in the DVD acquisitionbusiness and has now ventured into filmco-production, financing anddistribution.

However, for independents, thetheatrical business is a different game alltogether, considering that, in the U.S.,for example, only 250 screens are

reportedly not abiding by traditionalwindows.

When it comes to economics, one ofthe most interesting of the five-dayconference series must have been thefinancial panel about surviving the “DarkAge” that began in 2008. That was when,according to panelist Nigel Sinclair of LosAngeles-based Exclusive Media, thebottom fell out and, for a period of twoyears, buyers weren’t buying, banksweren’t lending and investors were scarce.

Today, the equity market is buoyant.Sinclair predicted that South Americawill be the next big source of capital. Inthe view of another panelist, GrahamTaylor of Beverly Hills talent and literaryagency WME, China is an importantlong-term partner, though finance ismore corporate there; Russianinvestments are more individualistic, hesaid.

Also new this year was the PR firm incharge of press accreditation andregistration. Gone is the ancestral LippinGroup, replaced by Sunshine Sachs, theNew York-based PR agency operating inHollywood since 2008.

In a letter inserted into participants’registration kits, Santa Monica MayorRichard Bloom welcomed everyone back,saying that he is “appreciative that theAmerican Film Market will return toSanta Monica through 2017.”

According to official figures, AFMended its run on November 7 with a sixpercent increase in buyers (to 1,616 from1,523 a year ago) and 35 more buyingcompanies than in 2011. A total of 753buying companies from more than 60countries were present this year.

The AFM Conferences, whichlaunched in 2011, drew audiences ofmore than 700 each day. Exhibitingcompanies at AFM were on par with lastyear, coming in at 357.


A F M R e v i e w

Film Mart Rides Tropicaland Economic Storms

Sales agent Lars Bjorck andArrow’s Steve Arroyave

Breakthrough’s Nat Abraham, MarinaCordoni

Sonar’s John Alexander

Jennifer Garnick and Jonathan Wolf of AFM organizer IFTA

The financial panel about surviving the “Dark Age” — now in the past

A view of the Buyers’ Lounge on the fifth floor of the Loews

Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:58 Pagina 14

Canvassing a few buyers’opinions of the new U.S. TVseason, the verdict wasunanimous — this offering is“solid but unlikely to produceany breakout hits.”

“Solid but not sensational” was theopinion of Dermot Horan, director ofBroadcast and Acquisitions at Irish statebroadcaster RTE. Horan noted thatElementary, CBS’s new version ofSherlock Holmes, “is doing well, [but]internationally I suspect that thosebroadcasters who have already boughtthe BBC version will not want to take it,and it is interesting to note that in theU.K., it went to Sky Living.”

Vegas, the new Dennis Quaid series,also received Horan’s nod of approval,although he cautioned, “I suspect that itmight skew to an older audience.”

For its part, CBS Studios Internationalis, “Thrilled with the performances ofVegas and Elementary [on U.S. TV] sofar.” Barry Chamberlain, EVP of Salesfor CBS Studios International, added,“We find that viewers in the U.S. arewatching [the shows] when they are on,as well as recording them to watch later.”

In fact, both series are expected to berenewed, though no official word hasbeen given yet.

Volker Lehmann, director ofAcquisitions and Co-Productions atZDF Enterprises, also pointed toElementary and Vegas as potentialhighlights in what he otherwisedescribed as, “Another average TVseason.” However, he added that the newJ.J. Abrams series, Revolution, “isperforming better than expected onNBC, but this might be due to the factthat it has hit reality competition TheVoice as its lead-in.”

Both Horan and Lehmann doubtedthat this season would produce abreakout comedy, although Lehmannallowed, “The Mindy Project looks themost promising.”

Horan and Lehmann’s predictionsseem accurate in the U.S., as in thecomedy department, there isn’t onemajor hit, though several shows evenwith modest ratings have received full-season orders.

Among them are NBCUniversal’s GoOn (airing on NBC in the U.S.), starringMatthew Perry as a sportscaster trying tomove on after the unexpected death ofhis wife; Twentieth Century Fox’s TheNew Normal (on NBC), about a gaycouple who uses a surrogate to have achild; Twentieth’s Ben and Kate (Fox),about a single mom who hires heraimless brother as her nanny; andNBCUniversal’s The Mindy Project (onFox), starring ex-Office writer/star MindyKaling as an OB-GYN withromantic/personal obstacles.

The only sitcom that’s been axed so farthis fall is NBCUniversal’s AnimalPractice (on NBC), about a surlyveterinarian. Episodes of the series

stopped airing in November.The U.S. networks tend to be more

willing to renew moderately successfulcomedy series, as they’re far lessexpensive to produce than dramas. Forthat reason, drama renewals take longer.

On the drama side, the biggest hit inthe U.S. seems to be Warner Bros.’sRevolution (NBC), set in a futuristicworld without electricity, and created byJ.J. Abrams. The show has been renewedfor a full season.

Over at the CW, Warner Bros.’s Arrowis a pretty sure bet in terms of renewal.Based on a comic book series, the showhas been garnering high ratings (thoughCW shows traditionally pull in far fewerviewers than competing networks).

The first drama cancellation of the newseason was Sony’s Made in Jersey (CBS),about a woman from a blue-collarbackground who gets a job at a white-shoe Manhattan law firm.

Though ratings have not been stellar,critics across the board have calledLionsgate’s Nashville (on ABC) the bestnew show of the season. It’s fairly safe tosay that ABC will hold off on any movesuntil the show (hopefully) attracts moreviewers.

Despite lackluster ratings, ABC hasgiven more script orders to Warner Bros.’s666 Park Avenue, about a New Yorkbuilding with supernatural occurrences,and to Sony’s submarine drama LastResort.

The rumor mill is turning out storiesthat the next possible cancellations maybe Sony’s The Mob Doctor (Fox), about awoman who is roped into working for theMafia and Warner Bros.’s Partners (CBS),about a couple of friends — one gay andone straight — who are business partners.

Interestingly, NBC — formerly thefourth-rated network among youngerdemographics — has found itself on topthis season in regards to the advertiser-coveted 18-49s, surprising both observersand the network itself. Realitycompetition series The Voice is partly tothank for that.

At MIPCOM 2012, TwentiethCentury Fox Television Distributiondebuted drama series The Americans(which will launch in January) at theWorld Premiere Screening. With a fullhouse of 700 viewers, it was one of themost successful screenings. President ofInternational Television, Marion Edwardsalso noted that Ben and Kate and TheNew Normal drew quite a bit of attentionin the U.S.

“This is an exciting time for contentdevelopers because there are so manyoutlets to produce for now, and there aremany options for those in acquisitions aswell,” said Edwards. For example, Fox isbringing original episodes of ArrestedDevelopment to Netflix.

Sony Pictures Television’s (SPT) serieshave been popular among LatinAmerican buyers. “All of our series havebeen sold to Latin America,” saidAlexander Marin, SVP of DistributionLatin America and Caribbean atMIPCOM. “The series fit the specificneeds of our clients exactly,” he said,adding, “Demand for our new slate ofscripted series has been overwhelminglyhigh [in the Latin American region.]”

SPT has sold drama The Mob Doctor toFOX International Channels LatinAmerica and Made in Jersey to A&E. TheClient List went to Sony PicturesTelevision Networks, Latin America, andLast Resort will air on AXN. Plus, ViacomInternational Media Networks TheAmericas purchased Men at Work andKathy.


F A L L U . S . T V S E A S O N

Buyers See Quality, StillWaiting For Breakthrough

Dennis Quaid stars in the new CBS series Vegas

A scene from The Mindy Project

Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:58 Pagina 16

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VIDEO AGE FULLPAGE.ai 1 02/11/2012 09:47:00 a.m.

Analysis by Dom Serafini

This decade will be decisive forthe future of local TV stationsin the U.S. Will they abandonthe airwaves for broadband?Meanwhile, what are theygoing to do with the extra

channels? What will their relationshipwith cable and satellite be like? Whatwill their relationship with the networksbe like?

Before this decade is over, OTT (over-the-top) will be the most popular formof TV consumption. Companies withthe financial and technological strengthof Apple will have their OTT STBs (set-top boxes) incorporated into TV sets,which will allow streaming of all kinds ofTV content. For this, consumers willonly need a broadband connection — beit from cable, optical fiber, Wi-Fi(wireless), satellite-based IP delivery,telephone wires (DSL) and, eventually,electrical home wires. As per last year, 65percent of U.S. TVHH used a wirelinebroadband service. Close to 70 percentof U.S. Households (HH) havebroadband and reports say broadbandcosts will decrease 50 percent a year.

However, in the next few years, thehardware industry has to streamline allthe various names of devices associatedwith screens that display any TV contentthat has passed through the Internet.

It is estimated that by 2015, 80percent of all TV sets sold worldwidewill have built-in broadband (orconnected TV) capability. Currently, inthe U.S. there are 30 million connectedTVHH.

For content providers and viewers,OTT will have little effect because it isjust an evolution, but for OTA (over-the-air) TV stations, especially in theU.S., it will be a revolution. One couldeven say that OTT will replace OTA,but not FTA –– just to be in tune withthe industry’s new plethora of acronyms.

The U.S. TV system is based on theaffiliation model. A model that –– withsubscription TV reaching up to 88.96percent of TVHH –– althoughcrumbling, is still holding on by athread. However, contrary to the“Disruptive Innovation” theory,technology doesn’t necessarily have toovertake an industry. To the contrary, itcould help it to grow.

Currently, most of the 1,777 local TVstations in the U.S. are affiliated with a

commercial network or with a publicnetwork. Each of those networks utilizessome 200 local TV stations to cover theU.S. (PBS has 350) and each providesthem up to 14 hours a day of content,with the rest of the day-parts filled withsyndicated programs and local news.

This model, which worked beautifullyfor over 60 years, has now developedsome economic glitches, but there aresolutions:• Because of subscription television andbroadband, networks no longer needaffiliate stations. Currently, only 11percent of U.S. TVHH receive TVsignals through an antenna, and thisfigure could even be as low as 9.6 percent(subscription TV figures vary). And onlyup to 10 percent of Americans lack accessto broadband. However, this figure isdisputed by the National Telecommu-nications Cooperative Association, whichstated that 48 million rural homes haveno access to broadband services.• Networks no longer need to payaffiliates to carry their TV shows (withcommercials), since they can easily utilizesubscription TV and broadband to reachtheir audience, just like anycable/satellite TV channel (e.g., ESPN,A&E, USA, TNT). To the contrary,networks are looking to be paid (reversecompensation) by their affiliates.• Networks no longer have to share 50percent of retransmission fees with theirlocal affiliates. This year, “retrans” fees tolocal TV stations will reach $1.5 billion.• By becoming subscription TVnetworks, the companies will no longerbe under the FCC’s jurisdiction. Plus,the networks will get retrans fees directlyfrom the subscription service to the tuneof $0.30 per sub per month (while localTV stations could get up to $0.25 persub). This is because of the networks’highly desirable programming.

Under the traditional model,advertising accounts for 70 percent of alocal station’s revenues, with the restcoming from network compensation andretransmission fees (nine percent).Therefore, using today’s parameters, thefuture of local TV looks bleak. Accordingto some reports, an eight percent drop ofviewership could represent up to a 30percent loss of ad revenue to a local TVstation.

However, once local TV stations losenetwork fare, they can band together to

develop original content and/or buysyndicated fare at a discount. This willreplicate the model used by theirwebsites, which are managed mainly bytwo services: Internet BroadcastingSystem and Worldnow.

Plus, some of these extra costs will beoffset by subscription services (atperhaps $0.15 per sub, due to the highlyvaluable local news). Other addedrevenues will come from renting outspectrums to Wi-Fi providers (sincefrequencies will no longer be necessaryfor the station to broadcast) to the tuneof $10 million each on average. Inaddition, local advertising will stillconstitute a major revenue source fromcar dealers, retailers and politicalcampaigns, which in 2010 brought some$2.3 billion to local TV.

To local TV stations, the digital TVterrestrial standard could becomemeaningless, since they will not have theresources to program the extra channels.Plus, to extend their reach, TV stationswill transmit in IPTV (streaming).However, the stations will not lose theirspectrum because they will need theairwave rental income to offset the costof local services, like news, weather,alerts and political debates. It isimportant that local TV stations increaseand improve their local TV coverage,both to fend off any attempt by thegovernment to auction their airwaves(e.g., The Spectrum Reallocation Bill,now before Congress), and to ensure thesteady flow of ad revenues, consideringthat, on average, 44.7 percent of localTV station income derives from news.

The IPTV transmission will also addnew forms of revenue: the on-demand,both paid and ad-supported. In 2010,local TV revenues for online serviceswere $1.34 billion. Naturally, in order tosave on syndicated programming costs,their coverage will be geo-blocked.

As for the TV networks themselves,the change will also concern the waytheir content is distributed, which willbe linear and on-demand and on anyscreen device.

South Korean broadcaster KBSoperates K-Player, an Internet platformthat allows programs to be watched onany screen. Similarly, Singapore is readyto launch Toggle, an OTT service thatdelivers content to a device of choice.

Broadband will also change the modelof subscription TV, which will transition

from being mainly a provider of TVsignals to broadband delivery. Alreadyvideo subscriptions are decreasing, whilethe broadband business is growing. Inaddition, broadband services generatebetter margins for providers than video.

With growth of broadband delivery, thelocal TV channels that could still receive acarriage fee will continue to be bundledby the subscription services, while otherswill aim to reach viewers directly with amix of ad-supported free services and on-demand pay. Interactivity will alsoprovide an extra revenue source, especiallyfor online shopping.

During the remaining eight yearsbefore broadband will fully replacebroadcast TV, local stations have onemore card to play: Their mux (or virtualsub-channels) that the digital standardallows them. Within the allottedbandwidth of 19 Mbps, each TV stationcan broadcast up to 12 video feeds (likeKAXT-CD in San Francisco). The TVstations of Trinity Broadcasting Groupbroadcast five SDTV (standard) channelseach. But even if the TV stations makeuse of only three digital channels, thepotential exists to monetize them beforethey disappear with the broadband’sIPTV standard.

Right now, many TV stations prefernot to use those extra channels becausethey’re costly to program, can potentiallycannibalize their main channel and cablewill not readily carry them. One solutionwould be to partner with European, Asianor Latin American TV broadcasters tocreate ethnic or specialized channels that,once branded, can remain as standalonebroadband channels to serve over 21million foreign-born American residentsand/or the general public. With the TVstations providing the technology,marketing and sales support and theforeign partners providing content.

The easiest programming would beSpanish-language content outside Mexico(which, having their own channels in theU.S., don’t sell programs), followed byChinese, Filipino, Indian, Vietnamese,Korean and Russian, in that order.

For the general public, subtitledmovies, easy-to-dub animation, voice-over documentaries, and sports likefootball, cycling and rugby, could be goodattractions.

But local TV stations must also becomemultimedia outlets, reaching sales,marketing and editorial agreements withlocal radio and local newspapers (whenavailable) when acquisitions are notfeasible. They will be able to offer print,radio, linear TV, VoD and the Web all ata local level, something that networkscannot do.

Interestingly, independent local TVstations in smaller markets could have abetter potential than those in biggermarkets with existing stations owned bythe networks. Currently, federalregulations allow groups to own local TVstations covering a total of 39 percent ofthe country. This means that the stationsin the remaining 61 percent of the U.S.will not be competing unfairly withstations with more resources.


U . S . T V S T A T I O N S ’ F U T U R E

Local TV to Cope with Switchfrom Broadcast to Broadband

Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:58 Pagina 18

Washington, D.C.-based NationalAssociation of Broadcasters (NAB).

In an interview with VideoAge, NABpresident and CEO Gordon H. Smithspelled out all the challenges that localTV is facing in the U.S. politically,philosophically and financially. Hemaintained that, “Naturally, it would bebetter for the long run [for telcos] tobuild fiber-optic networks, but they’remore expensive than spectrum.”

On their part, the telcos argue thatonly 11 percent of U.S. TV HH receiveTV signals through an antenna. Plus,local TV stations don’t want to use theirsub channels for multicasting and cabledoesn’t want to give them extra space tocarry them. Indeed, broadcast execsVideoAge contacted refused to talk abouttheir sub channels. Off the record, it wasmentioned that they didn’t have themoney to program them or didn’t wantto cannibalize their main channels. Itseems that there are philosophical andconceptual differences about the futureof local TV stations among U.S.President Barack Obama, hiscommunications authority –– the FCC–– and NAB. And, according to NAB’sSmith, “the picture is dark.”

In 2010, the FCC recommended thereallocation of 500 MHz of spectrum forwireless broadband use, with 120 MHzcoming from the spectrum currentlyallocated to local TV broadcasting(about 20 channels). Last February,President Obama authorized the FCC toconduct a voluntary incentive auction ofbroadcast TV spectrum.

But the 60-year-old Smith, a formertwo-term Republican U.S. Senator fromOregon, is convinced that “the FCC’sgoal is to take spectrum frommulticasting.” However, he warned, “themost important part of my job is toassure the future of broadcasting and toprotect free and local broadcasting.” Hecontinued: “We all agree that local TVstations are important, and their survivalis essential. One cannot get local newsfrom networks. Plus, politicians dependon their local TV stations for campaigns.They will never allow the demise of theirconnection with the community.”

Smith also contested the supposedlyreduced need for free-to-air frequenciesand pointed to a NAB report stating thatmore than 20.7 million U.S. householdsreceive television exclusively throughFTA broadcast signals. In fact, 3.3million (26 percent) Hispanic homes areover-the-air only. For the most part,Hispanics continue to relydisproportionately on the free and localTV that local broadcasters provide.

According to the NAB report,broadcast TV provides 14 Spanish-language network options for the U.S.Latino community. And, in addition tobroadcasting on primary channelsthroughout the U.S., Hispanic-focusedtelevision is providing a variety ofSpanish-language programming on 216multicast DTV channels. “Ethnic TVworks well in large cities,” commentedSmith, and the importance of Hispaniclocal stations is also manifested by “a largeand increasing [NAB] membership.”

Said Smith, “Apparently, thegovernment wants to develop broadbandwithout sacrificing local broadcasting,but, at the same time, it is looking totake back the stations’ spectrum, which,in effect, will put local stations out ofbusiness, with border stations both inCanada and Mexico affected the most.”

“In my view,” he continued, “theworld of tomorrow will include bothbroadcast and broadband, [but] the bigquestion is where the FCC wants to go.”

Smith proceeded to paint a brightpicture: “The future is strong [for localTV stations]. Local programming likenews, weather and sports remainsessential and free. Stations are makingmoney, especially from politicalcampaigns, particularly in swing stateslike Ohio, and increasingly they’remulticasting.”

Smith also offered an olive branch tothe authority: “The FCC is open tolicense flexibility,” he said of thepossibility of a reverse auction, wherestations ask for a price and see if telcosagree. In this case, according to Smith,“some stations may take short-termmoney and close down, but not many.”The only open question is whether thestations will be able to lease out thespectrum they’re not using.

“All is on the table and the market willdetermine the stations’ continuedviability,” he concluded. But VideoAgepointed out that a Republican president(Richard Nixon) helped create what isnow the most powerful TV industry inthe world through regulations (FinSynand Prime-access), asking Smith:Wouldn’t it be better to secure somegovernment protections for somethinglike a local TV station that is consideredvital to both the public and politicians,rather than leave its future to a marketdistorted by short-term interests?

That is something to think about,Smith replied. A related analysis is on page 18.


(Continued from Cover)

A Frank Talkwith NAB’s

Gordon H. Smith

20

The Broadband Evolution

Out of 113.3 million U.S. TVHH, 88.96 percent subscribe to a TVservice: cable, 57.1 percent; telco, 9.8 percent; satellite 22percent. Some statistics put satellite subs at 33.8 million.

Currently, fiber passes 21 million U.S. TVHH, cable broadband passes112 million TVHH wireless reaches 36 percent of Americans and isexpanding. According to IMS Research, 75 percent of IPTV worldwide HHreceive their TV over an ADSL connection, indicating how expensivefiber cable to home is.

Nonetheless, broadband providers are said to be able to meet theincreasing demand. For example, in France, where IPTV is very popular,peak bandwidth demand now reaches 40 percent of network capacity.

Gordon H. Smith (l.) with VideoAge’sDom Serafini

The imposing NAB building in Washington, D.C.

Organizers of the NAB Show areasking international TV executivesto “consider that NAB Show is

more than a broadcast technology show,because the convergence of content andtechnology has also transformed it intothe world’s dominant business-to-business media and entertainmentevent.” NAB Show is a gathering of90,000 executives and creative andtechnical professionals from 156countries.

The organizers released a statementsaying, “We invite you to thinkdifferently about how NAB Show canaugment your programming sales andacquisition strategy.” They invitemembers of the industry to join them atContent Market, a boutique event at the

Wynn Las Vegas and Encore Hotel onApril 7-9, 2013 for an event designed tofoster connections and find innovativedistribution outlets.

“From creation to consumption, noother event brings together thecommunity of media and entertainmentprofessionals — including the world’slargest gathering of broadcast executives,”said organizers. The three-day ContentMarket will allow attendees to connectwith buyers who purchase domestic andinternational content in an exclusivemeeting environment.

An invitation-only cocktail receptionand golf outing will offer additionalnetworking opportunities forparticipants. Plus, participation inContent Market includes access to NABShow’s exhibit floor. Pictured below are some of the NAB Showteam: Margaret Cassilly, Jason Stookey,Taryn Fisher

NAB’s ContentMarket

Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:58 Pagina 20

The revolutionary approachto store, manage and deliver your content

under your exclusive and complete control

Contacts

In Lugano, SwitzerlandChicca pancaldi

[email protected]

In Los Angeles, CaliforniaGary Marenzi

[email protected]

Sales & Operations office:Via Zurigo 35 CH 6900 Lugano

T: +41 91 910 76 90www.worldcontentpole.com

powered by

Online Services (providing pre, during and post-market coverage):e-Beat - Daily newsletter

Water Cooler - Weekly online featureHTML & PDF websites for both Issues and Dailies

PDF ads linked to advertisers’ websites

Don’t miss these important editorial vehicles, contact: [email protected] more information link to:

www.VideoAgeLatino.com & www.VideoAgeDaily.com

NATPE Dailies:

Sunday - Florida Media Market (“formats are us”), Parties, Honors & Celebrations, Not-to-miss events.

Monday - Hispanic television, Canada Day, U.S. Syndication biz, European buyers looking for Latin content.

Tuesday - Latin companies at Discop-Istanbul, Majors & Mini-majors at NATPE, Buyers’ reactions.

Canada Enterprises’ bid to buy AstralMedia will likely have altered any pre-planned NATPE acquisition strategies.So it’s business as usual for now for bothcompanies. Kevin Wright, SVPProgramming, Astral TelevisionNetworks, will be at NATPEaccompanied by Tory Jennings, directorof Programming, The Movie Network.They will be checking in with contentpartners to learn about their upcomingprogramming slates and plans. PerWright: “It’s a compact and efficientmarket. We’re always looking for highquality, cinematic dramas suitable forpay[-TV].”

Bell Media will be represented by itssenior programming team, whichincludes Mike Cosentino, SVP,Programming, CTV Networks.“NATPE is uniquely positioned midwaythrough the broadcast year, at a crucialtime in the network development cycle,and therefore provides a timelyopportunity to speak directly to keystudio insiders,” Cosentino said.

Barb Williams, SVP, Content at ShawMedia concurred. She will be at NATPEtogether with Phil Piazza, VP, ContentAcquisitions and Global Scheduling,who oversees acquisitions for all ofShaw’s broadcast and specialty outlets.In addition to intelligence gatheringahead of the May Screenings, Williamsfinds the sessions at NATPE valuable.“There’s always interesting things tolearn about the trends, successes anddevelopments from other broadcastersand producers from other territories,”she said.

For the large Canadian broadcasterssuch as Bell Media, Shaw, and Rogers,whose purchasing is affected by U.S.network schedules and the financialbenefits of simulcasting with them,NATPE is less of a shopping trip andmore of an occasion to find out aboutseries renewals, cancellations, and what’sin the pipeline. But they will also keepan eye out for programming for specialtyservices. Bell Media, for instance, will belooking for female-targeted qualitydramas for its recently rebuilt Bravochannel.

Hayden Mindell, director ofProgramming at Rogers MediaTelevision, will also have cableprogramming on his agenda, but hispriority for NATPE will be daytimeprogramming for CITY-TV.

Most cable-only groups will beshopping for genre-specificprogramming. Don Gaudet, recently

appointed VP, Programming andProduction for StornowayCommunications, is attending NATPEtogether with programmer VictoriaFusca. They will be looking fordocumentaries, reality shows, andmagazine shows about pets — andanimals in general — for the revampedPet Network, as well as programming forthe company’s information and dancechannels.

Beverley Shenken, VP ofProgramming for Zoomer Media, willalso be looking for genre-specificprogramming. Shenken finds NATPE’stiming fits in well with her forwardplanning. And she says the presence ofboutique suppliers, particularly from theU.S., is extremely useful in finding nicheprogramming for the channels sheprograms. Her needs for Vision TVinclude British series, great movies,documentaries and programming aboutworld faiths. For digital channel One:Body and Mind, Spirit, Love, she will belooking specifically for new age lifestyleseries with a non-Western approach.Movies with multi-faith holiday themesare also high on her list.

The Corus Entertainment team, led bypresident Doug Murphy, will include toptelevision and digital executives. High-profile movies and series are on thecompany’s wish list for pay-TV;American reality series and TV moviesfor its women’s channels; and for its kidsand family channels, reality and sitcoms,particularly, “functional families indysfunctional settings.”

Hollywood Suite is a bouquet ofmovie-driven channels founded bychairman Jay Switzer. Ellen Baine, VP ofProgramming for Hollywood Suite, findsthat NATPE allows her more time tomeet her company’s studio partners —Warner, Sony and MGM — in anatmosphere more relaxed than at the L.A.Screenings. She will also be connectingwith fellow programmers from the newlyacquired AXN brand and will meet otherCanadian independent broadcasters face-to-face to see if there are ways they canhelp each other out at this year’s NATPE.

On the production/distribution side,

companies will be looking to acquirematerial to represent in the Canadianmarket, for international homes for theirprograms, and for co-productionopportunities. Randy Zalken’s FremantleCorporation will be at NATPE for all ofthese reasons. Zalken’s sales offeringincludes over 500 hours of diverseSpanish-track programming.

For Tricon Films and Television,connecting with NATPE’s LatinAmerican client base is particularlyimportant. The company will bepromoting its slate of comedyprogramming, specifically Comedy Bang!Bang! and Bunk, as well as announcingnew projects.

Peace Point Entertainment Group willalso introduce new projects, its newthird-party catalog Stealth Media, andwill have an expanded presence atNATPE this year. In addition to thebridal fashion reality show Keasha’sPerfect Dress, president and CEO LesTomlin will launch the Superbodiesfranchise for the 2014 and 2016 Gamesin Sochi and Rio.

Montreal-based Filmoption Interna-tional will be active both acquiring andselling programming at NATPE.President Marysse Rouillad feels thatNATPE has picked up greatly in the pasttwo years, and is a cost-effective way tomeet both European and North

American clients. She will be looking fora U.S. home for Avoiding Apocalypse, aseries on climate change, and WaterfrontCities of the World.

Filmoption will exhibit as part ofEspace Quebec, the Quebec stand, whichwill house about 10 Quebec-basedcompanies. Though it will have no directpresence, the Ontario MediaDevelopment Agency is supporting fourcompanies via its Export Fund: CCIInternational, Microtainment,Shaftesbury Films, and Cookie JarEntertainment.

Last January, Canadians representedfour percent of attendees, but the Miamilocation has become an added incentiveto participate, and this number couldincrease. As one heat-seeking Canadianjoked, “Does [the fact that I] like going toMiami in January count as beingimportant?”

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 2


Canadiansat NATPE


Jay Switzer moderated a session on Canadian content at NATPE 2011 with participantseOne’s John Morayniss, Shaw Media’s Barbara Williams and CTV’s Phil King

Isme Bennie, a former Canadian broadcastexecutive, is now a media consultant

and writer

Kevin Wright, senior vice president,Programming, Astral Television Networks

Mike Cosentino of Bell Media

Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:58 Pagina 22

Contreras, who is in charge of Sales inAsia, “ATF is still one of the mostimportant markets to attend if you wantto meet all the SEA [Southeast Asian]clients, and it is equally important for usthis year as in the past.”

For Comarex, Southeast Asia “hasbecome one of our key territories,providing the opportunity to open doorsto other countries in the region and alsointernationally,” said Contreras. Thecompany has “many projects in Asiafrom the launch of [its] new telenovelachannels, productions of differentformats including dramas and realityshows such as La Academia, Contectadosand Campeon Azteca,” she added.

Canada’s Breakthrough Entertainmentis attending ATF for the secondconsecutive year and Kate Blank,director of International Distribution,reported, “We are hoping that we canbegin working relationships withbroadcasters whom we do not have theopportunity to see at other markets suchas MIPCOM and MIP-TV andcontinue to strengthen our existingones.”

Ling-Sze Gan, senior director ofInternational Content Sales, Asia Pacificfor A+E Networks, reported, “From acontent sales standpoint, Southeast Asiais a major priority for A+E Networks aswe close many volume deals for ourcontent with several countries in theregion.” For that reason, Gan noted:“ATF has always been an importantmarket for A+E Networks. The showtakes place at the end of the year and is aplatform for us to close deals before year-end and begin working on deals for thefollowing financial year.”

For Patrick Elmendorff, managingdirector of Germany’s Studio 100Media, “Southeast Asia is most definitelya very important market for ourcompany. We have long-lasting andcontinuous partnerships with variousbroadcasters and distributors in thewhole region.” Thus, it follows that“each country in the region is vitallyimportant for [the company].”Elmendorff added, “ATF is an idealplatform for us to meet our partners ona personal level, and in particular tomeet with those broadcasters anddistributors who do not attend TVmarkets such as MIP-TV or MIPCOMin Europe. On these grounds, ATF stillholds the same importance to us as inthe past.”

TV France International member-company Xilam, which is based in Paris,will also be in Singapore this year,

because as Erick Rouillé, executive vicepresident of Sales, TV and Licensing, putit, Southeast Asia is a “fast-growing batchof territories. Each year ATF is more andmore important because our turnover isgrowing each year in Southeast Asia withnew customers.” Rouillé noted that hiscompany will focus its efforts on“Indonesia, Malaysia and, of course,India above all.”

Australia-based Brendan Zauner, vicepresident of Sales, Asia for TwentiethCentury Fox International TelevisionDistribution, could not agree more. Hetold VideoAge that Southeast Asia is,“extremely important!” adding that thisis, “highlighted even more so by thecurrent negative economic conditions inEurope and the U.S. The SE Asia regionis going from strength to strength led bygrowth in India and China.”

Zauner went on to say, “The greatestchallenge is assessing which deals are theright ones for the company and ourproducts, and managing the ever-compressing windows. Growth in thedigital business, predominantly VoD andEST, means that the first window aftertheatrical release (for feature films), andformerly a position held outright byDVD, has now taken on a whole newimportance to the company. It’s no secretthat physical DVD sales are declining, sothe scramble to try and arrest declining

revenues means more pressure tocontract windows.”

For Zauner and Fox, “The pillars ofSE Asia are Korea, China, Indonesia andIndia (I’m excluding Australia and NewZealand for the purposes of focusingmore on SE Asia),” he said.

According to Fox’s Zauner, “Thecombination of surging youngerdemographics, [the] uptake of newtechnology and burgeoning middleclasses who are flexing their newfoundaffluence makes for a perfect storm ofbusiness conditions for a contentdistributor like Fox. To give you anexample, in China our digital businesshas surpassed the core FTV and basicTV business, and in Korea, the roll outof super-fast broadband combined withbandwidth is driving growth in bothtraditional and new media. A year ago,conversations in India about expansioninto the online environment were non-existent, whereas today they arecommonplace.”

Zauner assessed the importance of themarket: “Nothing replaces sitting infront of the customer for being able todrive business, so markets like ATF servea purpose.”

Yet, one potential downsideparticipants identified is ATF’s date.Fox’s Zauner noted, “The timing late inthe year presents a set of…challenges,given that many of the participants, bothcustomer and distributor, have beentraveling all year under rigorous timeconstraints. My first preference is to visitclients in their own country wherebusiness and relationships can becultivated in a relaxed manner. I find themarkets like ATF and MIPCOM a little

like speed dating, whereby it is easy tolose track of what is actually beingdiscussed and agreed upon. Remember, itis not just the market, but the follow-upafter the market that occupies significanttime parameters, so the devil is in thedetails gathered at the market,” he said.

Therefore, Zauner’s advice toorganizers to help make ATF a moreeffective event is “to try and place themarket in the context of a full year of themedia business, [as] one conversationbetween customers and content suppliersin a long line of ongoing conversationsacross a year, not a stand-alone event.Perhaps [organizers should] gain a deeperunderstanding of the dynamic that takesplace between content supplier andcustomer (or buyer) and provide anenvironment that facilitates that process.”

Studio 100’s Elmendorff concurred,saying: “From a timing point of viewsome broadcasters and distributors do notattend ATF, as it follows shortly afterMIPCOM. We would advise ATForganizers to offer attractive packages thatwould appeal to existing and potentialdelegates.”

Likewise, Comarex’s Contreras believes“ATF organizers…should provide a betterdeal and offer better facilities to buyersattending the market.”

“We hope organizers have attractedeven more buyers…this year so that wecan continue to see it as a valuable andresourceful market for years to come,”said Breakthrough’s Blank.

Rouillé of Xilam had a practicalsuggestion for ATF organizers,“Ameliorate the ATF website to set upmeetings, as we all organize our meetingsupfront before ATF.”

Participants will be kept busy this timearound with a pre-market conference onDecember 4 — a day full of sessionsfeaturing speakers such as ChristianMurphy, SVP, InternationalProgramming and Marketing, A+ENetworks, U.S.; Michelle Guthrie, APACdirector of Strategic BusinessDevelopment, Google/YouTube,Singapore; Cort Lane, VP ofDevelopment and Production, Marvel,U.S.; C.B. Cebulski, SVP, Creator andContent Development, Marvel, U.S.; andAhn Taeg Ho, MD of Future Strategy,Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation(MBC), South Korea, among others.

Keynotes during the market include,“Film Keynote: Focus on China’s FilmBusiness” and “Animation EntertainmentKeynote.” There will also be co-production case studies, and sessions on“Online Digital Distribution for BrandedContent,” “Future of TV: Going Global,Helping TV Shows Find TheirAudience,” “Kids Content BusinessMoving into Digital Interactive Media,”“South East Asia: New Filmmaker, NewMoney” and more. SA



A Lively ATFDespite Drop inLatin Presence

24

Singapore TV insiders: Tony Chow and Robert Chua

VideoAge visits TV France International’sumbrella stand in 2011

Conferences galore

Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:58 Pagina 24

Contreras, who is in charge of Sales inAsia, “ATF is still one of the mostimportant markets to attend if you wantto meet all the SEA [Southeast Asian]clients, and it is equally important for usthis year as in the past.”

For Comarex, Southeast Asia “hasbecome one of our key territories,providing the opportunity to open doorsto other countries in the region and alsointernationally,” said Contreras. Thecompany has “many projects in Asiafrom the launch of [its] new telenovelachannels, productions of differentformats including dramas and realityshows such as La Academia, Contectadosand Campeon Azteca,” she added.

Canada’s Breakthrough Entertainmentis attending ATF for the secondconsecutive year and Kate Blank,director of International Distribution,reported, “We are hoping that we canbegin working relationships withbroadcasters whom we do not have theopportunity to see at other markets suchas MIPCOM and MIP-TV andcontinue to strengthen our existingones.”

Ling-Sze Gan, senior director ofInternational Content Sales, Asia Pacificfor A+E Networks, reported, “From acontent sales standpoint, Southeast Asiais a major priority for A+E Networks aswe close many volume deals for ourcontent with several countries in theregion.” For that reason, Gan noted:“ATF has always been an importantmarket for A+E Networks. The showtakes place at the end of the year and is aplatform for us to close deals before year-end and begin working on deals for thefollowing financial year.”

For Patrick Elmendorff, managingdirector of Germany’s Studio 100Media, “Southeast Asia is most definitelya very important market for ourcompany. We have long-lasting andcontinuous partnerships with variousbroadcasters and distributors in thewhole region.” Thus, it follows that“each country in the region is vitallyimportant for [the company].”Elmendorff added, “ATF is an idealplatform for us to meet our partners ona personal level, and in particular tomeet with those broadcasters anddistributors who do not attend TVmarkets such as MIP-TV or MIPCOMin Europe. On these grounds, ATF stillholds the same importance to us as inthe past.”

TV France International member-company Xilam, which is based in Paris,will also be in Singapore this year,

because as Erick Rouillé, executive vicepresident of Sales, TV and Licensing, putit, Southeast Asia is a “fast-growing batchof territories. Each year ATF is more andmore important because our turnover isgrowing each year in Southeast Asia withnew customers.” Rouillé noted that hiscompany will focus its efforts on“Indonesia, Malaysia and, of course,India above all.”

Australia-based Brendan Zauner, vicepresident of Sales, Asia for TwentiethCentury Fox International TelevisionDistribution, could not agree more. Hetold VideoAge that Southeast Asia is,“extremely important!” adding that thisis, “highlighted even more so by thecurrent negative economic conditions inEurope and the U.S. The SE Asia regionis going from strength to strength led bygrowth in India and China.”

Zauner went on to say, “The greatestchallenge is assessing which deals are theright ones for the company and ourproducts, and managing the ever-compressing windows. Growth in thedigital business, predominantly VoD andEST, means that the first window aftertheatrical release (for feature films), andformerly a position held outright byDVD, has now taken on a whole newimportance to the company. It’s no secretthat physical DVD sales are declining, sothe scramble to try and arrest declining

revenues means more pressure tocontract windows.”

For Zauner and Fox, “The pillars ofSE Asia are Korea, China, Indonesia andIndia (I’m excluding Australia and NewZealand for the purposes of focusingmore on SE Asia),” he said.

According to Fox’s Zauner, “Thecombination of surging youngerdemographics, [the] uptake of newtechnology and burgeoning middleclasses who are flexing their newfoundaffluence makes for a perfect storm ofbusiness conditions for a contentdistributor like Fox. To give you anexample, in China our digital businesshas surpassed the core FTV and basicTV business, and in Korea, the roll outof super-fast broadband combined withbandwidth is driving growth in bothtraditional and new media. A year ago,conversations in India about expansioninto the online environment were non-existent, whereas today they arecommonplace.”

Zauner assessed the importance of themarket: “Nothing replaces sitting infront of the customer for being able todrive business, so markets like ATF servea purpose.”

Yet, one potential downsideparticipants identified is ATF’s date.Fox’s Zauner noted, “The timing late inthe year presents a set of…challenges,given that many of the participants, bothcustomer and distributor, have beentraveling all year under rigorous timeconstraints. My first preference is to visitclients in their own country wherebusiness and relationships can becultivated in a relaxed manner. I find themarkets like ATF and MIPCOM a little

like speed dating, whereby it is easy tolose track of what is actually beingdiscussed and agreed upon. Remember, itis not just the market, but the follow-upafter the market that occupies significanttime parameters, so the devil is in thedetails gathered at the market,” he said.

Therefore, Zauner’s advice toorganizers to help make ATF a moreeffective event is “to try and place themarket in the context of a full year of themedia business, [as] one conversationbetween customers and content suppliersin a long line of ongoing conversationsacross a year, not a stand-alone event.Perhaps [organizers should] gain a deeperunderstanding of the dynamic that takesplace between content supplier andcustomer (or buyer) and provide anenvironment that facilitates that process.”

Studio 100’s Elmendorff concurred,saying: “From a timing point of viewsome broadcasters and distributors do notattend ATF, as it follows shortly afterMIPCOM. We would advise ATForganizers to offer attractive packages thatwould appeal to existing and potentialdelegates.”

Likewise, Comarex’s Contreras believes“ATF organizers…should provide a betterdeal and offer better facilities to buyersattending the market.”

“We hope organizers have attractedeven more buyers…this year so that wecan continue to see it as a valuable andresourceful market for years to come,”said Breakthrough’s Blank.

Rouillé of Xilam had a practicalsuggestion for ATF organizers,“Ameliorate the ATF website to set upmeetings, as we all organize our meetingsupfront before ATF.”

Participants will be kept busy this timearound with a pre-market conference onDecember 4 — a day full of sessionsfeaturing speakers such as ChristianMurphy, SVP, InternationalProgramming and Marketing, A+ENetworks, U.S.; Michelle Guthrie, APACdirector of Strategic BusinessDevelopment, Google/YouTube,Singapore; Cort Lane, VP ofDevelopment and Production, Marvel,U.S.; C.B. Cebulski, SVP, Creator andContent Development, Marvel, U.S.; andAhn Taeg Ho, MD of Future Strategy,Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation(MBC), South Korea, among others.

Keynotes during the market include,“Film Keynote: Focus on China’s FilmBusiness” and “Animation EntertainmentKeynote.” There will also be co-production case studies, and sessions on“Online Digital Distribution for BrandedContent,” “Future of TV: Going Global,Helping TV Shows Find TheirAudience,” “Kids Content BusinessMoving into Digital Interactive Media,”“South East Asia: New Filmmaker, NewMoney” and more. SA



A Lively ATFDespite Drop inLatin Presence

24

Singapore TV insiders: Tony Chow and Robert Chua

VideoAge visits TV France International’sumbrella stand in 2011

Conferences galore

Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:58 Pagina 24

www.venevisioninternational.com

Children’s Series

Formats

Telenovelas

Music

Action Series

Extreme Video Clips

Telenovelas

Documentaries

Beauty Pageants

Teen Series

See us at NATPETresor Tower, 30th floor

visiting companies (with six listed aspress) were registered for MIPCOM,making up a total of 181 companies,from countries such as Argentina, Brazil,Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, PeruUruguay, Costa Rica, Bolivia andEcuador.

Of the 181 Latin companies, 95attended MIPCOM for the first timethis year and many new exhibitors hailedfrom Colombia and Chile, includingCanal 13 Chile and Films International.The Argentinean and Mexican pavilionsgrew with new exhibiting companies,such as Argentina’s INCAA.

Reed MIDEM, which organizesMIPCOM, reported that 180 buyersfrom Latin America were in Cannes.

In order to handle meetings with allthese buyers, exhibiting companiesbrought large contingents of their salesteams. Cesar Diaz, VP of InternationalSales at Venevision International, notedthat the “entire specialized sales team[was] on hand.” The team in attendancerepresented Eastern Europe, Africa, theMiddle East, North America, Asia, LatinAmerica, Western Europe and Spain.

Diaz reported that “The bulk of [hiscompany’s] major buyers come fromSpanish-speaking territories in LatinAmerica.” The same was true for Brazil’sRecord TV Network, as DelmarAndrade, International Sales directorsaid, “Latin American countries are ourmain market, even though we also reachbuyers worldwide.”

Caracol’s Madrid-based RobertoCorrente, International Sales executivefor Eastern Europe and Asia, found hiscompany was even busier than last yearat their new stand. To handle the packedschedule and meet with buyers fromaround the world, he said, “Our entiresales team [was] present. This is ourmain market because it has a globalfocus.” Corrente added that the“presence of buyers in Asia, Africa andthe Middle East is growing” and that themarket went “very well. In fact, evenbetter than last year.”

Likewise, Televisa Internacional’sRicardo Ehrsam, general director forEurope, Asia and Africa, was happy withhis experience this year, as he found themarket, “energetic and positive.Together with NATPE, MIPCOM is themost important international market.”He added, “We were very booked, betterthan last year, despite the Europeancrisis. I have the sense that the market iscoming back, and I’m positive that nextyear will be even better.”

Despite the difficult economic

situation in Europe, exhibitors remainedpositive. Record TV’s Andrade found asilver lining: “We cannot close our eyesto the European situation, butentertainment is extremely importantduring this time of affliction,” he said.

On her part, Stephanie Pacheco,managing director, Latin America atCBS Studios International, was busymeeting with buyers from the largerterritories at MIPCOM, including the“Pan-regionals, Mexico, Brazil, Chile,Venezuela and Puerto Rico.” WhilePacheco said the majority of the salesdelegation was in attendance, she notedthat her entire team was not present atthis market.

Indeed, exhibitors were incrediblybusy this year, but still tried to find timefor spontaneous meetings with buyers.As far as walk-ins go, Diaz was

accommodating. “When we come tomajor conventions such as MIPCOM,90 percent of our appointments havebeen prearranged with our clients.However, due to the exciting atmosphereand activity of these markets, there arequite a number of walk-ins that showup, and we are always available toaccommodate them, and we certainlyappreciate their potential business — it’swhat these markets are all about!” hesaid.

Similarly, Record’s Andrade stated,“Our agenda is full, with half an hourreserved for each customer, but walk-insare more than welcome.”

CBSSI’s Pacheco concurred, adding,“If time allows, I take walk-ins.” She hadmeetings scheduled with 26 buyingcompanies, which she said was on pacewith past years.

Like the others, Caracol’s Correntealso takes appointments, noting that hisagenda for this market was very tight.But, he said, “We are open to walk-ins ifwe are able to fit them in.”

Adding to the Latin flavor at thisMIPCOM, top-level Latin executiveshad a big presence at the market. EmilioAzcárraga Jean, chairman and CEO ofMexico’s Grupo Televisa, was honoredwith the 2012 Personality of the Yearaward, while Adriana Cisneros deGriffin, vice chairman and director ofStrategy for Venezuela’s Cisneros Group,delivered the inaugural keynote andhosted the “LATAM Global DealmakersNetworking Lunch.”

“This edition of MIPCOM [was] avery special occasion for us for thatreason,” said Venevision’s Diaz.

In its effort to give a boost to Chileantelevision content, CinemaChile, anagency for the promotion of the Chileanaudiovisual sector, launched a new entity,“MICH!TV/Deals, Content, People” atthis MIPJunior and MIPCOM.

Additionally, Disney MediaDistribution Latin America, togetherwith TV Azteca, announced theproduction of a local version of the ABCdrama series Brothers & Sisters for Mexico.Based on the original series, it will consistof 80 hour-long episodes. SA



Latins TakeMIPCOM and TVSales by Storm

26

Disney Media Distribution Latin America’s Gustavo Sorotski, Fabiola Bovino,Fernando Barbosa, Leonardo Aranguibel, Henri Ringel

Twentieth Century Fox Int’l Distribution’sElie Wahba and Ricardo Rubini with

Artear’s Walter Sequeira (center)

Stephanie Pacheco of CBS StudiosInternational

Sony Pictures International TV’sAlexander Marin

Telemundo International’s Marcos Santanawith Cisneros Group’s Adriana

Cisneros de Griffin

A large Latin American TV trade presscontingent invaded MIPCOM.

Pictured is Televisa’s press conferenceannouncing the production of two

telenovelas.

“I have thesense that the

market iscoming back,

and I’mpositive that

next yearwill be even

better.”— Ricardo Ehrsam

Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:59 Pagina 26

visiting companies (with six listed aspress) were registered for MIPCOM,making up a total of 181 companies,from countries such as Argentina, Brazil,Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, PeruUruguay, Costa Rica, Bolivia andEcuador.

Of the 181 Latin companies, 95attended MIPCOM for the first timethis year and many new exhibitors hailedfrom Colombia and Chile, includingCanal 13 Chile and Films International.The Argentinean and Mexican pavilionsgrew with new exhibiting companies,such as Argentina’s INCAA.

Reed MIDEM, which organizesMIPCOM, reported that 180 buyersfrom Latin America were in Cannes.

In order to handle meetings with allthese buyers, exhibiting companiesbrought large contingents of their salesteams. Cesar Diaz, VP of InternationalSales at Venevision International, notedthat the “entire specialized sales team[was] on hand.” The team in attendancerepresented Eastern Europe, Africa, theMiddle East, North America, Asia, LatinAmerica, Western Europe and Spain.

Diaz reported that “The bulk of [hiscompany’s] major buyers come fromSpanish-speaking territories in LatinAmerica.” The same was true for Brazil’sRecord TV Network, as DelmarAndrade, International Sales directorsaid, “Latin American countries are ourmain market, even though we also reachbuyers worldwide.”

Caracol’s Madrid-based RobertoCorrente, International Sales executivefor Eastern Europe and Asia, found hiscompany was even busier than last yearat their new stand. To handle the packedschedule and meet with buyers fromaround the world, he said, “Our entiresales team [was] present. This is ourmain market because it has a globalfocus.” Corrente added that the“presence of buyers in Asia, Africa andthe Middle East is growing” and that themarket went “very well. In fact, evenbetter than last year.”

Likewise, Televisa Internacional’sRicardo Ehrsam, general director forEurope, Asia and Africa, was happy withhis experience this year, as he found themarket, “energetic and positive.Together with NATPE, MIPCOM is themost important international market.”He added, “We were very booked, betterthan last year, despite the Europeancrisis. I have the sense that the market iscoming back, and I’m positive that nextyear will be even better.”

Despite the difficult economic

situation in Europe, exhibitors remainedpositive. Record TV’s Andrade found asilver lining: “We cannot close our eyesto the European situation, butentertainment is extremely importantduring this time of affliction,” he said.

On her part, Stephanie Pacheco,managing director, Latin America atCBS Studios International, was busymeeting with buyers from the largerterritories at MIPCOM, including the“Pan-regionals, Mexico, Brazil, Chile,Venezuela and Puerto Rico.” WhilePacheco said the majority of the salesdelegation was in attendance, she notedthat her entire team was not present atthis market.

Indeed, exhibitors were incrediblybusy this year, but still tried to find timefor spontaneous meetings with buyers.As far as walk-ins go, Diaz was

accommodating. “When we come tomajor conventions such as MIPCOM,90 percent of our appointments havebeen prearranged with our clients.However, due to the exciting atmosphereand activity of these markets, there arequite a number of walk-ins that showup, and we are always available toaccommodate them, and we certainlyappreciate their potential business — it’swhat these markets are all about!” hesaid.

Similarly, Record’s Andrade stated,“Our agenda is full, with half an hourreserved for each customer, but walk-insare more than welcome.”

CBSSI’s Pacheco concurred, adding,“If time allows, I take walk-ins.” She hadmeetings scheduled with 26 buyingcompanies, which she said was on pacewith past years.

Like the others, Caracol’s Correntealso takes appointments, noting that hisagenda for this market was very tight.But, he said, “We are open to walk-ins ifwe are able to fit them in.”

Adding to the Latin flavor at thisMIPCOM, top-level Latin executiveshad a big presence at the market. EmilioAzcárraga Jean, chairman and CEO ofMexico’s Grupo Televisa, was honoredwith the 2012 Personality of the Yearaward, while Adriana Cisneros deGriffin, vice chairman and director ofStrategy for Venezuela’s Cisneros Group,delivered the inaugural keynote andhosted the “LATAM Global DealmakersNetworking Lunch.”

“This edition of MIPCOM [was] avery special occasion for us for thatreason,” said Venevision’s Diaz.

In its effort to give a boost to Chileantelevision content, CinemaChile, anagency for the promotion of the Chileanaudiovisual sector, launched a new entity,“MICH!TV/Deals, Content, People” atthis MIPJunior and MIPCOM.

Additionally, Disney MediaDistribution Latin America, togetherwith TV Azteca, announced theproduction of a local version of the ABCdrama series Brothers & Sisters for Mexico.Based on the original series, it will consistof 80 hour-long episodes. SA



Latins TakeMIPCOM and TVSales by Storm

26

Disney Media Distribution Latin America’s Gustavo Sorotski, Fabiola Bovino,Fernando Barbosa, Leonardo Aranguibel, Henri Ringel

Twentieth Century Fox Int’l Distribution’sElie Wahba and Ricardo Rubini with

Artear’s Walter Sequeira (center)

Stephanie Pacheco of CBS StudiosInternational

Sony Pictures International TV’sAlexander Marin

Telemundo International’s Marcos Santanawith Cisneros Group’s Adriana

Cisneros de Griffin

A large Latin American TV trade presscontingent invaded MIPCOM.

Pictured is Televisa’s press conferenceannouncing the production of two

telenovelas.

“I have thesense that the

market iscoming back,

and I’mpositive that

next yearwill be even

better.”— Ricardo Ehrsam

Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:59 Pagina 26

SAVE THE DATEDISCOP WEST

ASIA/20135-7 MARCH 2013

CEYLAN INTERCONTINENTALISTANBUL TURKEY

DIGITAL CONTENT MARKET COPRODUCTION FORUM

discop.com facebook.com/discopmideast

[email protected]

we deliver new markets

Powered By

Discop Istanbul for VIDEOAGE FINAL 11.8.12.indd 1 11/10/12 3:56 PM

DISCOP ISTANBULMARCH 5-7 Istanbul, TurkeyTEL: (33 1) 4229-3224FAX: (33 1) 4229 3474www.discop.comVideoAge bonus distribution

SPORTELRIOMARCH 11-13Rio de Janeiro, BrazilTEL: (377) 9330 2032FAX: (377) 9330 2033www.sportel.org

CABSATMARCH 12-14Dubai, UAETEL: (97 14) 308 6077FAX: (97 14) 318 8607www.cabsat.com

MIPDOC & MIPTVAPRIL 6-11Cannes, FranceTEL: (212) 370-7470FAX: (212) 370-7471www.miptv.comVideoAge bonus distribution

NABAPRIL 6-11 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.TEL: (202) 595-2052FAX: (202) 775-2145www.nabshow.comVideoAge bonus distribution

HOT DOCSAPRIL 25-MAY 5Toronto, CanadaTEL: (416) 203-2155FAX: (416) 203-0446www.hotdocs.ca

CANNES FILM FESTIVALMAY 15-26Cannes, FranceTEL: (33 1) 5359 6100FAX: (33 1) 5359 6110www.festival-cannes.com

L.A. SCREENINGSMAY 16-24Los Angeles, California, U.S.TEL: (212) 288-3933FAX: (212) 288-3424www.videoage.orgVideoAge bonus distribution

THE CABLE SHOWJUNE 10-12Washington, D.C., U.S.TEL: (202) 463-7905FAX: (202) 467-6944www.thecableshow.com

WI-FI ONBOARDOnly 31 percent of U.S. domestic flights

are equipped for onboard Wi-Fi services.With 16 percent of flights, Delta providesthe largest offering of inflight Internetaccess, followed by Southwest with a distantfive percent.

Another finding, according to BTNmagazine, is that only a small percentage ofpassengers pay to log on. Gogo, the largestinflight Wi-Fi provider, has outfitted morethan 1,565 commercial aircrafts withwireless Internet service. However, Gogoreported just a 5.4 percent usage rate amongpassengers.

According to FlightView, 28 percent ofsome 600 business travelers surveyedexpressed dissatisfaction with inflight Wi-Fioperations.

ASIA TV FORUMDECEMBER 4-7Singapore, Republic of SingaporeTEL: (65) 6780 4697FAX: (65) 6588 3798www.asiatvforum.comVideoAge bonus distribution

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVALJANUARY 17-27, 2013Park City, Utah, U.S.TEL: (310) 360-1981FAX: (310) 360-1969www.sundance.org

NATPEJANUARY 28-30Miami Beach, U.S.TEL: (310) 453-4440FAX: (310) 453-5258www.natpe.orgVideoAge bonus distribution

BERLIN FILM FESTIVALFEBRUARY 7-17 Berlin, GermanyTEL: (49 30) 259-200FAX: (49 30) 259-20299www.berlinale.de

C o n f e r e n c e s & E v e n t s N e w s

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 2V I D E O • A G E28

Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:59 Pagina 28

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

5896 SS AD - VideoAge_270x360_FApathed.pdf 1 17/8/12 11:13 AM

DISCOP ISTANBULMARCH 5-7 Istanbul, TurkeyTEL: (33 1) 4229-3224FAX: (33 1) 4229 3474www.discop.comVideoAge bonus distribution

SPORTELRIOMARCH 11-13Rio de Janeiro, BrazilTEL: (377) 9330 2032FAX: (377) 9330 2033www.sportel.org

CABSATMARCH 12-14Dubai, UAETEL: (97 14) 308 6077FAX: (97 14) 318 8607www.cabsat.com

MIPDOC & MIPTVAPRIL 6-11Cannes, FranceTEL: (212) 370-7470FAX: (212) 370-7471www.miptv.comVideoAge bonus distribution

NABAPRIL 6-11 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.TEL: (202) 595-2052FAX: (202) 775-2145www.nabshow.comVideoAge bonus distribution

HOT DOCSAPRIL 25-MAY 5Toronto, CanadaTEL: (416) 203-2155FAX: (416) 203-0446www.hotdocs.ca

CANNES FILM FESTIVALMAY 15-26Cannes, FranceTEL: (33 1) 5359 6100FAX: (33 1) 5359 6110www.festival-cannes.com

L.A. SCREENINGSMAY 16-24Los Angeles, California, U.S.TEL: (212) 288-3933FAX: (212) 288-3424www.videoage.orgVideoAge bonus distribution

THE CABLE SHOWJUNE 10-12Washington, D.C., U.S.TEL: (202) 463-7905FAX: (202) 467-6944www.thecableshow.com

WI-FI ONBOARDOnly 31 percent of U.S. domestic flights

are equipped for onboard Wi-Fi services.With 16 percent of flights, Delta providesthe largest offering of inflight Internetaccess, followed by Southwest with a distantfive percent.

Another finding, according to BTNmagazine, is that only a small percentage ofpassengers pay to log on. Gogo, the largestinflight Wi-Fi provider, has outfitted morethan 1,565 commercial aircrafts withwireless Internet service. However, Gogoreported just a 5.4 percent usage rate amongpassengers.

According to FlightView, 28 percent ofsome 600 business travelers surveyedexpressed dissatisfaction with inflight Wi-Fioperations.

ASIA TV FORUMDECEMBER 4-7Singapore, Republic of SingaporeTEL: (65) 6780 4697FAX: (65) 6588 3798www.asiatvforum.comVideoAge bonus distribution

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVALJANUARY 17-27, 2013Park City, Utah, U.S.TEL: (310) 360-1981FAX: (310) 360-1969www.sundance.org

NATPEJANUARY 28-30Miami Beach, U.S.TEL: (310) 453-4440FAX: (310) 453-5258www.natpe.orgVideoAge bonus distribution

BERLIN FILM FESTIVALFEBRUARY 7-17 Berlin, GermanyTEL: (49 30) 259-200FAX: (49 30) 259-20299www.berlinale.de

C o n f e r e n c e s & E v e n t s N e w s

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 2V I D E O • A G E28

Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:59 Pagina 28

THE PUSHER

BEyonddiSRUPTion

Exhibit 10d. The VHS tape – once taunting viewers from its VCR box with its blinking red 12:00. It pushed viewers to push its buttons of PLAY, REWIND, FASTFORWARD. But today they’re all lying in dusty bins in the garage. There was no pressing STOP on advertising…Disruptors Unite!

Use promo code N13VAI for $750 registration rate(does not include membership)

NATPEmarket.com

© 2012 NATPE. All rights reserved

NATPE2013January 28-30Fontainebleau Resort, Miami Beach

50th AnniversaryCelebration

I’d like to make a case against privacy laws by starting with a general statement:Politicians and academics who represent rich people tend to justify the need for privacylaws by telling commoners that they’re designed to prevent the press and thegovernment from, for example, listening to their private conversations. Now, I doubtthat the press and the government are interested in the private life of my aunt Leah inLoughborough, England, or that of my friend Jose Vejar in The Bronx, NY. Actually,my aunt Leah would welcome some form of interest on the part of her

government so that it would know her pension is too small.No, in my view privacy laws have one main purpose: To protect the rich and the

powerful from scrutiny and accountability.In countries such as Italy, Greece and Argentina, for example, those who have

invoked the right of privacy have been mostly politicians, superstars, financiers andindustrialists.

In the recent book Privacy (Picador Paper, 194 pages), U.S. journalist Garret Keizerattempts to make the case in favor of some restrictions, but in the process brings to the surface the idea that, in essence,privacy laws safeguard offenses against honor. In Europe, laws were developed to protect honor as a form of pecking order,where all people knew their place in society. Basically, privacy was intended for the aristocrats, not for the commoners. Inaddition, according to Keizen, even though privacy laws are a “form of resistance to exploitation,” the rich have a greaterability to assert them than the poor do.

On the other hand, American laws protect privacy indirectly through laws safeguarding property; and, while in Europe,privacy is intended as a means of protecting dignity, in the U.S. it is meant to protect liberty. For this reason, the Americancivil libertarians fear that strict privacy laws would remove transparency, accountability and truth in the media.

Just recently, the Greek government indicted Kostas Vaxevanis, editor of HotDoc magazine, on the grounds of “privacyviolation” for publishing a list of 2,059 people who had foreign Swiss bank accounts (the list was provided by the FrenchFinance Ministry) and for suggesting that the Greek authority should check whether any of those accounts were set up for

tax evasion. Vaxevanis told The New York Times,“Instead of arresting the tax evaders and theministers who had the list in their hands, they’retrying to arrest the truth and free journalism.”

Granted, there can be excesses. German-Korean philosopher Byung-Chul Han argues inhis book Transparenzgesellschaft, that there aretwo transparencies, a good one that limitscorruption, and a bad one that seeks control.Indeed, institutions such as prisons, the militaryand monasteries tend to deny or limit privacy asa means of fostering greater control, but thoseare exceptions that should not affecttransparency requirements, especially for electedofficials.

For example, since 1766, Sweden has allowedits citizens to review all official government

documents. The United States passed its Freedom of Information Act in 1966 (while many countries still don’t have one)and, in 1974 enacted the Privacy Act, which also provides individuals with a means by which to seek access to and amendtheir records, and sets forth various agency record-keeping requirements.

Make no mistake: I’m not advocating for unjustified government intrusions, phishing or the mining of private data forcommercial purposes or gain. Indeed, those acts should be punished. However, in some parts of the world, strict privacylaws combined with restrictive and unfair defamation laws (covering liability, slander and vilification) could cripple the freepress to the advantage of common criminals, corrupted officials, incompetency, negligence, political patronage, abuse ofpower and financial shenanigans, among other creative ways of evading public scrutiny.

Dom Serafini

M y T w o C e n t s


MAIN OFFICES216 EAST 75TH STREET

NEW YORK, NY 10021

TEL: (212) 288-3933

FAX: (212) 288-3424

VIDEO AGE WEBSITES:

www.videoage.org

www.videoagelatino.com

www.videoage.it

P.O. BOX 25282

LOS ANGELES, CA 90025

VIALE ABRUZZI 30

20123 MILAN, ITALY

YUKARI MEDIA

YMI BLDG. 3-3-4, UCHIHIRANOMACHI

CHUO-KU, OSAKA JAPAN

TEL: (816) 4790-2222

EDITORDOM SERAFINI

ASSISTANT EDITORSARA ALESSI

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORSENZO CHIARULLO (ITALY)

LUCY COHEN BLATTER

CARLOS GUROVICH

BOB JENKINS (U.K.)

AKIKO KOBAYACHI (JAPAN)

LORENA SANCHEZ (ARGENTINA)

LEVI SHAPIRO

DAVID SHORT (AFRICA)

ERIN SOMERS

MARIA ZUPPELLO (BRAZIL)

CORPORATE ANDCIRCULATION OFFICE

216 EAST 75TH STREET

NEW YORK, NY 10021

TEL: (212) 288-3933

FAX: (212) 288-3424

PUBLISHERMONICA GORGHETTO

BUSINESS OFFICELEN FINKEL

LEGAL OFFICEROBERT ACKERMANN

STEVE SCHIFFMAN

WEB MANAGERMIKE FAIVRE

DESIGN/LAYOUTCARMINE RASPAOLO

ILLUSTRATIONSBOB SCHOCHET

FOUNDED IN 1981

MEMBER OF NBCA

(CIRCULATION)

VIDEO AGE INTERNATIONAL (ISSN 0278-5013 USPS 601-230) IS

PUBLISHED EIGHT TIMES A YEAR: JANUARY, FEBRUARY/MARCH, APRIL,

MAY, JUNE/JULY, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER/DECEMBER.

PLUS DAILIES BY TV TRADE MEDIA, INC. SINGLE COPY U.S.$9.75.

YEARLY SUBSCRIPTION U.S.$45 (U.S., CANADA, MEXICO); U.S.$60 (U.K.

AND EUROPE).

© TV TRADE MEDIA INC. 2012. THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF VIDEO AGE

INTERNATIONAL ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT IN THE U.S., U.K., AND

ALL COUNTRIES SIGNATORY TO THE BERNE CONVENTION AND THE

PAN-AMERICAN CONVENTION. SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO VIDEO

AGE INTERNATIONAL, 216 EAST 75TH STREET, SUITE PW, NEW YORK,

NY 10021, U.S.A.

PURSUANT TO THE U.S. COPYRIGHTS ACT OF 1976, THE RIGHTS OF ALL

CONTENT DONE ON ASSIGNMENT FOR ALL VIDEOAGE PUBLICATIONS ARE

HELD BY THE PUBLISHER OF VIDEOAGE, WHICH COMMISSIONED THEM.

“Your money, or your picture in all the tabloids andentertainment news shows!”

Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:59 Pagina 30

I’d like to make a case against privacy laws by starting with a general statement:Politicians and academics who represent rich people tend to justify the need for privacylaws by telling commoners that they’re designed to prevent the press and thegovernment from, for example, listening to their private conversations. Now, I doubtthat the press and the government are interested in the private life of my aunt Leah inLoughborough, England, or that of my friend Jose Vejar in The Bronx, NY. Actually,my aunt Leah would welcome some form of interest on the part of her

government so that it would know her pension is too small.No, in my view privacy laws have one main purpose: To protect the rich and the

powerful from scrutiny and accountability.In countries such as Italy, Greece and Argentina, for example, those who have

invoked the right of privacy have been mostly politicians, superstars, financiers andindustrialists.

In the recent book Privacy (Picador Paper, 194 pages), U.S. journalist Garret Keizerattempts to make the case in favor of some restrictions, but in the process brings to the surface the idea that, in essence,privacy laws safeguard offenses against honor. In Europe, laws were developed to protect honor as a form of pecking order,where all people knew their place in society. Basically, privacy was intended for the aristocrats, not for the commoners. Inaddition, according to Keizen, even though privacy laws are a “form of resistance to exploitation,” the rich have a greaterability to assert them than the poor do.

On the other hand, American laws protect privacy indirectly through laws safeguarding property; and, while in Europe,privacy is intended as a means of protecting dignity, in the U.S. it is meant to protect liberty. For this reason, the Americancivil libertarians fear that strict privacy laws would remove transparency, accountability and truth in the media.

Just recently, the Greek government indicted Kostas Vaxevanis, editor of HotDoc magazine, on the grounds of “privacyviolation” for publishing a list of 2,059 people who had foreign Swiss bank accounts (the list was provided by the FrenchFinance Ministry) and for suggesting that the Greek authority should check whether any of those accounts were set up for

tax evasion. Vaxevanis told The New York Times,“Instead of arresting the tax evaders and theministers who had the list in their hands, they’retrying to arrest the truth and free journalism.”

Granted, there can be excesses. German-Korean philosopher Byung-Chul Han argues inhis book Transparenzgesellschaft, that there aretwo transparencies, a good one that limitscorruption, and a bad one that seeks control.Indeed, institutions such as prisons, the militaryand monasteries tend to deny or limit privacy asa means of fostering greater control, but thoseare exceptions that should not affecttransparency requirements, especially for electedofficials.

For example, since 1766, Sweden has allowedits citizens to review all official government

documents. The United States passed its Freedom of Information Act in 1966 (while many countries still don’t have one)and, in 1974 enacted the Privacy Act, which also provides individuals with a means by which to seek access to and amendtheir records, and sets forth various agency record-keeping requirements.

Make no mistake: I’m not advocating for unjustified government intrusions, phishing or the mining of private data forcommercial purposes or gain. Indeed, those acts should be punished. However, in some parts of the world, strict privacylaws combined with restrictive and unfair defamation laws (covering liability, slander and vilification) could cripple the freepress to the advantage of common criminals, corrupted officials, incompetency, negligence, political patronage, abuse ofpower and financial shenanigans, among other creative ways of evading public scrutiny.

Dom Serafini

M y T w o C e n t s


MAIN OFFICES216 EAST 75TH STREET

NEW YORK, NY 10021

TEL: (212) 288-3933

FAX: (212) 288-3424

VIDEO AGE WEBSITES:

www.videoage.org

www.videoagelatino.com

www.videoage.it

P.O. BOX 25282

LOS ANGELES, CA 90025

VIALE ABRUZZI 30

20123 MILAN, ITALY

YUKARI MEDIA

YMI BLDG. 3-3-4, UCHIHIRANOMACHI

CHUO-KU, OSAKA JAPAN

TEL: (816) 4790-2222

EDITORDOM SERAFINI

ASSISTANT EDITORSARA ALESSI

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORSENZO CHIARULLO (ITALY)

LUCY COHEN BLATTER

CARLOS GUROVICH

BOB JENKINS (U.K.)

AKIKO KOBAYACHI (JAPAN)

LORENA SANCHEZ (ARGENTINA)

LEVI SHAPIRO

DAVID SHORT (AFRICA)

ERIN SOMERS

MARIA ZUPPELLO (BRAZIL)

CORPORATE ANDCIRCULATION OFFICE

216 EAST 75TH STREET

NEW YORK, NY 10021

TEL: (212) 288-3933

FAX: (212) 288-3424

PUBLISHERMONICA GORGHETTO

BUSINESS OFFICELEN FINKEL

LEGAL OFFICEROBERT ACKERMANN

STEVE SCHIFFMAN

WEB MANAGERMIKE FAIVRE

DESIGN/LAYOUTCARMINE RASPAOLO

ILLUSTRATIONSBOB SCHOCHET

FOUNDED IN 1981

MEMBER OF NBCA

(CIRCULATION)

VIDEO AGE INTERNATIONAL (ISSN 0278-5013 USPS 601-230) IS

PUBLISHED EIGHT TIMES A YEAR: JANUARY, FEBRUARY/MARCH, APRIL,

MAY, JUNE/JULY, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER/DECEMBER.

PLUS DAILIES BY TV TRADE MEDIA, INC. SINGLE COPY U.S.$9.75.

YEARLY SUBSCRIPTION U.S.$45 (U.S., CANADA, MEXICO); U.S.$60 (U.K.

AND EUROPE).

© TV TRADE MEDIA INC. 2012. THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF VIDEO AGE

INTERNATIONAL ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT IN THE U.S., U.K., AND

ALL COUNTRIES SIGNATORY TO THE BERNE CONVENTION AND THE

PAN-AMERICAN CONVENTION. SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO VIDEO

AGE INTERNATIONAL, 216 EAST 75TH STREET, SUITE PW, NEW YORK,

NY 10021, U.S.A.

PURSUANT TO THE U.S. COPYRIGHTS ACT OF 1976, THE RIGHTS OF ALL

CONTENT DONE ON ASSIGNMENT FOR ALL VIDEOAGE PUBLICATIONS ARE

HELD BY THE PUBLISHER OF VIDEOAGE, WHICH COMMISSIONED THEM.

“Your money, or your picture in all the tabloids andentertainment news shows!”

Dec 2012 14-11-2012 8:59 Pagina 30

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Hispanic TV: NAB’s Ace to At NATPE, Canadians Deter ......NATPE is member-directed and...

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