The international TV sector is preparing for another faceoff this June, with Canada’s Brunico (NATPE Budapest) vs. the U.K.’s C21 (Content Warsaw). A judge would probably rule that the two parties involved be kept far away from each other. And indeed, one is now in Budapest, Hungary, while the other has moved 858 kilometers away, and settled in Warsaw, Poland. The calendar dates are also a safe distance apart: June 3-6, 2024 for Content Warsaw and June 24-27, 2024 for NATPE Budapest.
This is a big improvement over last year when the two markets battled each other in the same Hungarian capital during the same month. After the shows were over, NATPE declared victory and Content moved to Warsaw for this year’s event, not minding the setback because it had already declared victory with its Content Americas in Miami in January 2023. It again “declared victory” in January 2024 when its show attracted more participants than NATPE Global.
The dust seemed to have settled when Brunico, in a surprising move in March 2024, announced that in 2025, NATPE Global in Miami will merge with its other trade show, Realscreen Summit, and said that the event will take place February 3-7, 2025. The market will be bigger and will have calendar dates that are more favorable to Latins and Europeans who tend to take vacations up until the first week of January, leaving little time for early market preparations.
Now the ball is again in center field, as would-be attendees wait to find out how Content Americas will solve its hotel capacity and slow elevator problems, which were caused by the large crowds in attendance.
Back to the CEE, both sides are promising stellar events. Officially, Content Warsaw replaces Content Budapest, “as Warsaw is considered a more appropriate location for an effective CEE event.” Content’s CEE Screenings will run across the three days, “allowing distributors to showcase their programming to buyers from across the CEE region,” said the official website statement. On Wednesday, June 5, Content Warsaw “will host a cocktail to celebrate 100 leading executives from channels, platforms, and producers who are redefining the content business across Central and Eastern Europe. In addition, there will be a range of parties, lunches, and dinners around the event, along with the opportunity to build and customize branded events by our trusted content and media partners.”
For its part, NATPE Budapest highlighted its “by the numbers,” which were given as 375 buyers, and 110 exhibitors from 55 countries. The event is still taking place in its traditional InterContinental Hotel. The NATPE programs calls for an opening night party on Monday, June 24, a Tuesday boat party, and a Wednesday closing party.
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