Attending two TV content markets in the same city one after the other was a unique experience that NATPE Global and Content Americas recently offered to the international TV sector. The sector had experienced two-market events before, but they were always held in different countries. One example was when MIPCOM was held October 7-11, 1985 in Cannes, France, and MIFED took place four days later in Milan, Italy. Then, in 1986, MIPCOM (October 27-31) had to do battle with The London Market, which was held three days later (November 3-7).
The 1980s saw an explosion of TV trade shows, and some were inevitably in competition with one another. American MIP or A-MIP, which was held for a few years in Miami Beach in November, was in direct competition with the International Emmy Awards in New York City, which back then was a big, must-attend event. There was also the Monte Carlo TV Market, which was held in February in the Principality of Monaco, just after NATPE in the U.S.
However, the recent back-to-back schedule of NATPE Global (January 16-18, 2024) and Content Americas (January 23-25, 2024), held in two different hotels in Miami, was a new experience — even for old timers.
Each market had its pluses and minuses. One major NATPE minus was its calendar dates, which many felt were too close to the Christmas holidays. “We weren’t ready,” said one TV executive from Argentina. That comment was heard often at Content Americas, which was held later. NATPE organizers explained that they picked up the dates from the old NATPE (whose brand they acquired after the old NATPE declared bankruptcy) without realizing that those dates had always been problematic for the European and Latin contingents, but endured since there was just one market to contend with. On the plus side, NATPE attracted a wide variety of participants and a large number of top TV executives. Plus its hotel, the InterContinental, was recognized as a quality venue.
As for Content Americas, the plusses were its calendar dates, the large number of exhibitors and participants, and a record number of content buyers from Latin America. On the minus side were the very slow Hilton hotel elevators that could hinder the market’s future growth.
Negatives for both events were that many participants from foreign countries couldn’t afford to remain in Miami for two weeks with a four-day gap between markets.
Miami-based executives were able to attend both events, while out-of-town U.S. participants returned to Content after flying home. Many overseas delegates chose just one market.
Content America’s organizers (U.K.-based publisher C21) have already announced the dates for next year’s event (January 21-23, 2025), and are considering looking into a new hotel venue, while the sector is waiting for NATPE Global organizers (publisher Brunico from Canada) to announce new dates.
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