Mip-tv Faces A New World Order

Massive changes that have overtaken the global television business in recent years will be mirrored more dramatically than ever before during the MIP-TV market opening today.

While program sales will still be part of the market, which runs through Saturday, the focus will be changed from previous years, with far more emphasis on Euro-U.S. co-production deals and concentration by big U.S. cable groups and studios on increasing worldwide branded channels.

Americans will bring fewer blockbuster programs while focusing on documentaries and specials that can be adapted to meet local needs. Formats for programs that can be remade with local casts and production teams are also anticipated to occupy a large part of the business done this week.

"We are introducing some format projects to the market as well as programming such as 'The World's Funniest Videos' and several nature projects. That kind of programming sells well now," 20th Century Fox International Television executive vp international TV Marion Edwards said.

Edwards echoed other senior international executives in pointing out that the timing of MIP-TV -- just before new-season shows are decided and sales open during the Los Angeles international screenings in May -- lends itself more to miniseries, movies and documentaries than to primetime programming.

Typical of bigger titles being rolled out at MIP-TV are Fox's "The Hunt for the Unicorn Killer," an NBC miniseries, and critically acclaimed HBO series "The Sopranos" from Warner Bros. International Television. NBC Enterprises is launching daytime drama "Passions" as well as U.S.-made series "World's Most Amazing Videos."

The strongest recent influence on the global market has been a marked turn against mainstream American programming by Europeans, which has resulted in a shift of emphasis to specials and format sales by Americans as well as local-market channel setups.

Italian TV networks, for example, continue to produce more of their own fare and are increasingly replacing U.S. product with domestic and European programming in primetime slots. But they still have an appetite for Hollywood movies and miniseries in which they can have creative input.

Pubcaster RAI, Italy's top network, recently closed a major deal with Paramount International Television which, along with providing RAI movies and other programming, will involve co-producing English- and non-English-language drama.

Mediaset, Italy's top private network, recently forged a strategic alliance with Germany's KirchGroup and will introduce a pan-European entity at MIP-TV.

"We want the excellence of U.S. product, but we want it in terms of strategic continental alliances involving co-financing and co-production, not just rights-rental deals," said Roberto Pace, head of drama and acquisitions at Mediatrade, Mediaset's new-product unit.

To that end, Mediaset will renegotiate its output deal with Hallmark and sculpt it into a co-production and acquisition deal. "This is natural also, because Hallmark is moving toward an editorial policy of classics and European literature," Pace said.

Mediaset and KirchGroup will aggressively pursue independent U.S. producers seeking to finance movies in the $60 million-$100 million range. "These kinds of deals are harder to make as a single network but are much easier now that we are becoming Europe's first TV group," Pace said.

As to the importance of MIP-TV, Pace said it is increasingly crucial to Europeans seeking to forge closer links.

"Starting with this Cannes, independent European producers will have at their disposal an entity that has the economic, strategic and broadcasting capacity to develop and co-finance their projects, instead of getting lost amid hundreds of stands," Pace said.

For German outlets, even big American TV movies are becoming less attractive, said Klaus Lackschewitz, head of Degeto, the acquisitions arm of pubcaster ARD.

"We are still looking to America for some action-adventure, but on the drama side, the emphasis is on co-productions," Lackschewitz said.

But while big European markets are turning away from American programs, new broadcast operations springing up worldwide, particularly in Eastern Europe, are creating a need for modestly priced documentaries and formats that will fit local viewers' needs. In many cases, American shows have been tailored so local hosts and events can be slotted in. E! Entertainment Television has become a leader in the field.

"We are looking to adapt our product for the European markets by selling them without hosts and with slower cuts that are more suitable to European sensitivity," E! executive vp international development John Helmrich said.

With a sales slate including product from the new style channel, Helmrich said more than 20% of E!'s catalog falls into the documentary category to fit the international market's changing needs.

But Helmrich said the emphasis for E! at MIP-TV will be on developing branded channels throughout the world. The next channel up and running will be its U.K. Channel.

Also looking to launch local channels is Fox Kids Network, and Columbia TriStar International Television is continuing to take an aggressive stance on worldwide channels as American companies seek to control their destiny in a global market clearly less dependent on U.S. TV product.

Nick Vivarelli in Rome and Eric Hansen in Berlin contributed to this report.