Ross, who has been with Disney for 11 years, manages the company’s global kids’ TV business, a total of 67 channel feeds around the world. He is a key member of the team behind High School Musical and its sequel High School Musical 2 – which the firm says is the most watched basic cable telecasts of all time and both parts of the blockbuster Disney Channel Original Movie franchise. Rich Ross will share the reasons behind the channel’s phenomenal success during his keynote speech at Mipcom.

Other key conferences during the two-day Mipcom Junior include the Buyers’ Summit, which will bring together programming executives from international broadcasters to answer the fundamental question: what do buyers want?

The Digital Kids! Panel will look at the latest opportunities in cross-platform kids’ entertainment and social communities. The conferences speakers include leading executives from such companies as Warner Bros., BBC, SuperRTL, ABC Children, Al Jazeera Children’s Channel, ZDF, Hasbro, Fisher Price and Jetix.

Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products president Leigh Anne Brodsky will be president of the jury at this year’s Mipcom Junior Licensing Challenge. The competition will be held on October 6, and gives delegates the opportunity to put their property forward to the TV community in the hope of finding tomorrow’s licensing star.

A jury of experts, predominantly toy manufacturers, agents and broadcasters, will evaluate a total of five non-aired projects selected on the basis of their strong potential for licensing and merchandising exploitation. This year a record 47 projects, including 11 from the United Kingdom, have been entered.

On 6 October, participants are invited to attend the “Kick-off Session: Improve your Pitch” for personal guidance to perfect pitching skills. Also on Saturday, in conjunction with the “India Day” special country focus taking place at Mipcom on 8 October, Mipcom Junior will host a panel of high level speakers from the Indian entertainment industry who will discuss programming produced in India and broadcast in both the domestic and international markets.

The number of programmes screened at the 2006 edition of Mipcom Junior reached an all time record with the easy-to-use digital video library launched in 2004. 42,848 screenings were recorded compared to 39,134 in 2005. Once again this new digital technology will offer optimal screening conditions for all the programmes listed in the Mipcom Junior 2007 catalogue.

Mipcom Junior 2006 welcomed, 829 participants from 529 companies and from 52 countries. 937 programmes were presented of which 562 were new.

Mipcom Junior is organised in partnership with the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA), the French consultancy agency Kazachok, the Canadian magazine Kidscreen and the specialised magazine License! Global.