NATPE ANNOUNCES RETURN TO MIAMI FOR 2012 CONFERENCE

Press Release from NATPE

LOS ANGELES, May 3, 2011 – NATPE, the premiere media marketplace, returns to Miami Beach in 2012 for its annual market and conference, to be held at the Fontainebleau Resort from January 23 to 25, NATPE President and CEO Rick Feldman announced today. The organization has committed to returning to South Beach for two markets through 2013.

“Moving to Miami in 2011 was a great success for the international community we serve and we received overwhelmingly positive responses from those who attended,” said Feldman. “We saw a big increase in attendees from the United States, Europe and Latin America and every indication has been that a considerable amount of business was done.”

NATPE 2011 experienced significant growth in the key attendee categories. Final numbers revealed that a total of 4,850 top media executives from 70 countries attended – a 35-percent increase from 2010. The number of both exhibitors and buyers grew as well: 272 global exhibiting countries were represented, up 20 percent from the previous year; and 780 content buyers and acquisition executives were on hand, representing a remarkable 116-percent jump from 2010. The conference program included 250 influential speakers in 50 sessions, special events and networking opportunities.

Even those who were not present in Miami were able to benefit from NATPE’s panels through a series of live streaming events that drew phenomenal tune-in numbers. Over three days, online viewers watched via 488,051 streams. Sessions about digital content proved to be the most popular, including YouTube In Demand Brand Stars, which claimed a whopping 125,004 streams; Anatomy of a Hit Web Series, grabbing 99,364 streams; TV Goes Social, with 77,736 streams; and New Guard of Digital Deal Makers, which drew 72,598 streams.

NATPE’s commitment to supporting the buying and selling of great content is reflected in the prominent roster of experienced executives serving on its Board of Directors. Chris Grant, President, Shine International, and Jordan Levin, CEO, Generate, serve as Co-Chairs, and newly elected members of the 2011 NATPE Board are Rob Barnett, Founder and CEO, My Damn Channel, New York; Cesar O. Diaz, Vice President of Sales, Venevision International, Miami; David Ellender, Global CEO, FremantleMedia Enterprises, London; Bob Friedman, President, Media and Entertainment, Radical Media, New York; Greg Lipstone, SVP & Head of International TV and Media, ICM, Los Angeles; John Morayniss, CEO, Entertainment One Television, Los Angeles; Scott Sternberg, President, Scott Sternberg Productions, Los Angeles; and Elizabeth Tumulty, Executive Vice President, Distribution, The CW Television Network, Burbank.

Returning members of the NATPE Board are Lisa Berger, EVP, Entertainment Programming, E!, Comcast Entertainment Group, Los Angeles; Paul Buccieri, CEO and President, ITV Studios, Inc., Los Angeles; Luis Fernandez, President, Entertainment, Univision Studios, Univision Network, Miami; Phil Gurin, President, The Gurin Company, Los Angeles; Gary Lico, President & CEO, CABLEready Corporation, Connecticut; Jim Packer, President, Worldwide TV Distribution, Lionsgate, Los Angeles; Neal Sabin, Executive Vice President, Weigel Broadcasting, Chicago; Hans Schiff, Agent, Creative Artists Agency, Los Angeles; Eric Schotz, CEO & President, LMNO Productions, Los Angeles; Peter Tortorici, CEO, GroupM Entertainment Worldwide, Los Angeles.

The 2011 NATPE Executive Committee includes Mr. Feldman, Mr. Grant and Mr. Levin along with member representatives Kevin Beggs, President, Programming and Production, Lionsgate, Los Angeles; Emerson Coleman, Vice President, Programming, Hearst Television Inc., New York; Stephen J. Davis, President, Hasbro Studios, Los Angeles; Bruce David Klein, President & Executive Producer, Atlas Media Corporation, New York; Barry Wallach, President, NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution, New York; and Eminence Gris Lew Klein, President, NATPE Educational Foundation, Pennsylvania.