| MUMBAI: In a bid
to create greater awareness about the Indian television and media industry to
companies from abroad that are looking to do business with it Reed Midem, which
organises the MipTV and Mipcom television trade events in Cannes, France has announced
that India will be the country of honour at Mipcom which takes place from 8-12
October 2007. The initiative is called Spotlight On India.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com
Reed Midem president, DG and CEO Paul Zilk says that the organization is working
with Ficci on a comprehensive programme to showcase what India has to offer. “Our
aim is to take the awareness about the Indian media industry to the next level.
Often international firms that want to enter the Indian market and do deals do
not how to go
about it. Our aim is for Mipcom to open a window of opportunity
for these firms and for Indian content producers to forge partnerships in areas
like co-production.” There will be a series of
conferences, networking events, screenings to help the Indian media industry get
exposure. There will be an India themed opening reception. Reed Midem is hoping
to get Indian film and TV stars to attend Mipcom. Reed Midem is talking to Frames
about having an Indian pavilion. After all Reed Midem’s experience has been
that when a country has a
pavilion the firms benefit a lot. Last year there
were 100 Indian firs at Mipcom. This year that number is expected to possibly
quadruple. That is what happened when China was the country of honour a couple
of years back. Italy will be the country of honour at next month’s MipTV
trade event. The UAE was honoured last year.He says that the Frames convention
has assured Reed Midem that the Indian media industry is robust, dynamic and has
a lot of talent. In terms of next month’s MipTV he says that an online data
base MipWorld has been created. This allows those register for the event to look
up the different companies and see what they are selling. There is also a search
function. Zilk says that in Paris there is a team of 300 people. Also hundreds
of local French people are involved before and during the event. Before the event
each exhibitor is contacted to find out the requirements and how they can best
be met. In terms of organising more media events Reed Midem is looking at
organizing a trade event in Asia and an announcement would be coming forth later
this year. | 
