Claire Macdonald, the executive director of NATPE Global, has confirmed that while there were talks about combining NATPE Global with the competing Content Americas, ultimately, nothing came to fruition, so NATPE is now set for January 16-18, 2024 at the InterContinental Miami. Content will follow, taking place January 23-25 at the Hilton Miami.
Macdonald (pictured above) spoke via Zoom with VideoAge‘s Water Cooler while she was in London attending Content London, one of the five trade shows organized by C21, a competing group that also organizes Content Americas.
Brunico, the Toronto, Canada-based group that acquired the NATPE brand, organizes a total of six TV market-related shows, including NATPE Budapest and the Banff TV Festival.
As for the successful NATPE Budapest, Macdonald said she was happy about the recognition that the CEE region gave to the market and that as of November some 60 buyers had already confirmed their participation in the June 2024 event.
Macdonald addressed some issues that she found most concerning to NATPE Global, including the January dates (which are very close to the end of the Christmas holidays). She said that NATPE Global replicated what the previous NATPE had done for many years, but that the company will evaluate future dates based on participants’ responses.
Another issue that Macdonald addressed was the bad feeling left by NATPE in 2022 and 2023 (before the brand was acquired by Brunico) when it first canceled its Miami market virtually overnight, and later canceled another proposed event in The Bahamas. “Our NATPE Budapest recognition and Brunico’s reputation for customer satisfaction and favorable experience will eliminate those feelings,” she said.
As for the fact that two competing markets held back to back will take a toll on non-Miami based executives, Macdonald acknowledged that some participants will choose one market, while others will attend both. She noted that at NATPE Global companies will find global partners at that event, while at Content, the focus is on Latin America.
“We already have 500 buyers and more than 50 exhibitors from 54 countries, including Europe and Asia,” she said. “In addition to all major U.S. studios, we have delegations from Spain, Brazil, Colombia, Florida, and a WAWA pavilion.” (The last entry is in regard to the women’s international TV organization.)
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