Water Cooler

By Leah Hochbaum Rosner

With less than a week to go before the start of the 45th annual NATPE, the first big television market of the year, television executives the world over are packing their bags for Las Vegas. VideoAge spoke with Rose Marie Vega, vice president, International Distribution, HBO Enterprises-Spain, Portugal and Latin America, about why HBO chose a suite over the floor and how the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike is affecting everyone.

VideoAge International: So HBO will be in a suite. Why?

Rose Marie Vega: Suites deliver more comfortable meeting rooms. It’s a more elegant, quieter setting in which to do business. Plus, it’s easily accessible. I’ve got a full schedule of meetings lined up.

VAI: How will the Writers Guild of America strike affect HBO at the market, if at all?

RMV: Unlike many others, I’m lucky to be able to say that I have 43 episodes of In Treatment, a captivating new series about a therapist and the patients he treats, available immediately. Each episode is 30 minutes of pure drama. But we’re all just going to have to wait and see. If the strike is over soon, the industry might be able to pull it out for the L.A. Screenings in May. If not, many just won’t be able to deliver.

VAI: Has anything positive happened as a result of the strike?

RMV: Of course. It’s been a plus for reality television — they’ve certainly benefited — but reality programming can only go so far.

VAI: In view of the fact that studios (specifically their domestic divisions), opted out of the market entirely, or are choosing to take on a lower profile, why is NATPE still an important event for HBO to attend?

RMV: In recent years, NATPE’s become more of an international market than a domestic market. We have a huge range of programming, including premium movies, series, late-night programming and documentaries. In addition to In Treatment, which will be seen on HBO Latin America during the first quarter of 2008, The Wire’s been getting a lot of press. It’s available throughout Latin America for free-TV. To paraphrase the slogan, we’re not TV, we’re HBO. We have something for everyone.

VAI: What are you looking forward to at NATPE?

RMV: I’m looking forward to seeing old friends and reconnecting. But HBO is known for redefining television, so I’m also looking forward to showing everyone just how much we have to offer.

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By Leah Hochbaum Rosner

As the Writers Guild of America strike moves into its 11th week — with no new talks scheduled between the warring factions — U.S. and international TV execs are preparing to tackle other challenges at the 45th annual NATPE market. And while some U.S. studios have made headlines by choosing to opt out of the convention, Craig Cegielski, svp of Programming and Sales for Santa Monica, California-based Lionsgate, is actually looking forward to the event. Cegielski feels that his company, which is bringing a number of series to the event, including Weeds (which airs on Showtime) and Mad Men (on AMC), is in a unique position since it essentially operates as an indie, but has had huge success with its series. VideoAge spoke with Cegielski to learn why he believes NATPE is a “market of opportunity.”

VideoAge International: How will the WGA strike affect Lionsgate at NATPE?

Craig Cegielski: It won’t. We've already completed production on new seasons of our shows Mad Men and Weeds, so we’ll be able to continue our business as usual. We can produce programming year-round.

VAI: Will you be in a suite or on the floor?

CC: Up in the suites. We might end up making a move next year, though. NATPE still holds incredible opportunities to meet with domestic and international buyers. There’s definitely an advantage to being on the floor if you’re not a destination. But we are a destination. We’ve never had a problem. We’ve always had a very busy suite. There may, however, be some action on the floor that you don’t get in the suites.

VAI: In recent weeks, there’s been some talk of NATPE’s decreasing significance in the industry. Why do you feel it’s still an important market for Lionsgate to attend?

CC: For us, NATPE’s always been a great place to introduce product to Latin America since [Latin American buyers] don’t necessarily travel to MIP-TV or MIPCOM.

VAI: A number of studios have either dropped out of NATPE or have opted for lower profiles at the market. Why do you think this is? And will NATPE be able to survive sans studio support?

CC: The studios are doing two things: they’re reevaluating their spend during a strike environment and they’re also making a conscious decision based on the current environment. I don’t believe it’s a foretelling of NATPE’s future. NATPE’s kicking off the year for all of us. It’s giving us an opportunity to restate our business plans and showcase our content. I expect that we’ll conclude business we started at MIPCOM, as well as begin talks about international co-productions.

VAI: So you expect NATPE to be a lucrative market for Lionsgate?

CC: We’ve always been able to turn markets of opportunity into markets of pure strategy. We’ll be at NATPE showcasing our wares to buyers. The rest will just fall into place.

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By Leah Hochbaum Rosner

As NATPE nears, television executives are readying themselves for three days of buying, selling and, perhaps, gambling — the market does, after all, take place in Las Vegas. This year’s event, which will be held January 28-31 at the Mandalay Bay Resort, expects a who’s who of industry insiders, including PorchLight Entertainment’s president of Worldwide Sales, Ken DuBow. VideoAge spoke with DuBow about what it is about NATPE that makes PorchLight keep coming back and what NATPE leaders could do to make it better.

Video Age International: At a time when some companies seem to be opting out of NATPE, why do you feel it’s still an important market for PorchLight to attend?

Ken DuBow: I’ve been coming to NATPE since 1980, so I’ve watched it transform quite a bit. I hope to see U.S. cable buyers and North and South American broadcasters at the market. I am not, however, holding out much hope for Europeans or Asians. NATPE has always been very productive for us as a development market for finding new productions. We’re hoping for good sales in North and South America, but I have no expectations for anywhere else in the world.

VAI: Why has NATPE fallen from grace in recent years?

KD: Large distributors don’t need NATPE because it’s so compacted, and so few decision-makers attend. At the same time, the market’s not good for smaller exhibitors, either, because people get distracted by the big guys who do attend. NATPE has never been able to replace MIP-TV or MIPCOM in terms of importance. It just doesn’t fall at the right time of year.

VAI: Will PorchLight be on the floor or in a suite at NATPE?

KD: On the floor. Being in a suite is really a waste of time for a small company. Plus, you don’t get to see people. You’re like Tom Hanks on the island [in the movie Cast Away] talking to [his volleyball,] Wilson. When we’re on the floor, we’re among other companies. NATPE is such a quick market. It’s three days and people only stay for two of those days.

VAI: A number of studios have opted to stay home this year. What do you think will happen to NATPE if the studios ever decide to drop out altogether?

KD: If the studios decide not to support it, NATPE won’t work at all. Sony Domestic’s not going this year, but they’ve each had their turns. I don’t know why NATPE was never able to take a world stage. Reed Midem [organizers of MIP-TV and MIPCOM] outmaneuvered them because their markets have always been driven by big domestic studios.

VAI: Is there any way to fix what ails NATPE?

KD: The permanent Las Vegas location is a big turn-off to a lot of foreigners. Something should be done about that. Also, I don’t have any time to attend sessions. The sessions definitely up the number of people in attendance at NATPE, but not the number of buyers. And the most important thing at a market is buyers. NATPE needs to bring more of them.

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