Even the downturn in the global economy did not deter the television industry, in its usual large numbers, from attending MIPTV which took place in Cannes, France, last week. Preliminary attendance figures released by Reed MIDEM for MIPTV 2008 at a Press conference on 9 April revealed there were 13,285 total participants at MIPTV 2008, up slightly on the 13,224 attendees recorded prior to the market’s end last year. A total of 4,540 companies from 111 countries were in attendance.
Paul Johnson, Reed Midem director of television, noted that the figures for the year reflect “the stability the market has achieved,’ in the wake of the US writers strike, the economic downturn in the US and the host of mergers and acquisitions in the industry’.
Johnson also announced that Spain will be the country of honor at MIPCOM 2008 (13 – 17 October). A further boost to the event is the confirmation that Michael Eisner, the ex CEO of the Walt Disney company, will be the first MIPCOM conference keynote speaker.
