NATPE Budapest is back in the Pest section of the Hungarian capital after a two-year hiatus. VideoAge journalists last attended the 28th edition of the Central and Eastern European (CEE) market back in June 2019. It showcased 100 exhibiting companies catering to some 500 buyers and 1,500 total participants. This year, the dates were changed from June 25-27 (when it was held in 2019) to June 27-30, which is problematic for some buyers because the event now collides with the start of the summer holidays.
The venue remains the same. The event once again takes place at the InterContinental Hotel. And of the U.S. studios only Paramount Global Content Distribution and NBC Universal Global Distribution are screening at the Puskin Cinema, while A+E and Lionsgate are screening at the InterContinental.
What has changed, though, is the number of exhibition companies, now set at 117. And the number of buyers is lower, set at 345. The mood is also different, since it’s been adversely affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Nonetheless, Senay Tas of Turkey’s Global Agency expects “that a lot of people will attend this year since it has not taken place for some time, so the prospect is good.”
For Tas, the war in Ukraine has not affected the TV business in CEE. “To my knowledge it has not so far and I believe that it will stay like that,” he said.
As for the scheduled events, today starts with the A+E Screenings, and the Buyers’ Reception. The market will open tomorrow at 10 a.m., just after the start of Paramount’s screenings, which will be followed by the Ukrainian screenings at the InterContinental, and the opening party. Wednesday will feature the Lionsgate screenings (followed by a cocktail), and the YLE screenings. The day will conclude with a NATPE Budapest closing party sponsored by Turkey’s Kanal D.
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