Lucy Smith, the head of MIPCOM, provided a sneak peek into the upcoming MIP London event, scheduled for February 2025, to the attendees present in Cannes.
MIP London is being positioned as an international marketplace that caters to multiple genres and facilitates networking. This event, which comes in the aftermath of MIPTV’s demise, is slated to be held at the Savoy Hotel on the Strand and IET venues from 23rd to 27th February next year. It aims to draw over 250 companies from as many as 36 countries.
Smith elaborated that MIP London will primarily concentrate on unscripted, FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV), and children’s content. After engaging in discussions at MIP Junior earlier in the week, Smith revealed that they have already secured commitments from several significant entities, including BBC Children’s and Education and Sky, to host a children’s co-production summit in London that will cater to the UK and Europe. Smith, the executive of RX France, hinted at more details being released soon.
Smith also disclosed that the attendance at this year’s Cannes conference has dropped by 500. Based on the feedback received, the focus is now on steering MIP London into the “era of co’s.” Smith stated, “We are looking at co-exclusivity, co-branding, collaboration, and collectives. We are also in a position to facilitate connections between people more efficiently. We plan to introduce a central database that hasn’t been available so far. During the week of screenings, we will also offer an online and on-site screenings library, which we know is highly valued by many.”
Smith further noted that February has already seen London emerge as the most significant content week in the first quarter. With events such as London Screenings scheduled from 23rd to 28th February, they view it as an opportunity to capitalize on the business activity already taking place in the UK capital during that month.
Smith observed that over the past few years, MIPTV has seen a decline in the number of companies that deemed it an important enough event to attend and invest in. She said, “We heard that companies were increasingly having to choose between MIPTV and the BBC showcase and London TV screenings.”
“The last MIPTV had 3,500 delegates. We all know that this is not really sufficient for a mid-market of this caliber,” she said. “We felt it was time for a radical change. We believe in change and evolution. So, we decided to introduce a new and additional event to create a central hub at such a busy time in the calendar.”
She continued, “Over a year ago, I personally spoke to the founding partners of the London TV Screenings. The first thing they said was that this was clearly not a rival event. We consulted them before announcing our plans to launch this event. They understood the business reasons behind this decision… I think the influx of companies during the events in London that week was already happening. There were already 29 distributors this year.”
When asked about the value MIP London can offer to people on a budget in a notoriously expensive city, Smith explained that this event is very different from Cannes and is not a major exhibition. They will provide plug and play solutions for anyone who wishes to attend, and the early bird registration, priced at £450 ($583), is already open. This will provide access to all their venues in central London.
“I want to be very clear about the fact that these are not comparable,” Smith emphasized. “We didn’t move MIPTV to London. This is a new conference, networking, and screening event with an international marketplace. We’re bringing more business, more companies, more opportunities. We firmly believe that the value is there.”
“We want to broaden the scope and create a marketplace that goes beyond just the buyers and the sellers,” the RX France added. “It’s about having more people conducting more business.”
FAQs
What is MIP London?
MIP London is an international marketplace that caters to multiple genres and facilitates networking. It is scheduled to be held in February 2025.
Where will MIP London be held?
MIP London will take place at the Savoy Hotel on the Strand and IET venues.
What will be the focus of MIP London?
MIP London will primarily concentrate on unscripted, FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV), and children’s content.
What is the cost of attending MIP London?
The early bird registration for MIP London is priced at £450 ($583), which provides access to all their venues in central London.
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