TV Show Exudes Energy

By Heidi Genoist -- Tradeshow Week, 2/7/2005

Las Vegas¡ªOfficials of the Natl. Assn. of Television Program Executives seem to have put the troubles of the past few years behind them ¡ª but they're far from patting themselves on the back.

NATPE 2005, Jan. 25¨C27, featured 365 exhibitors occupying 85,000 net square feet of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Although this year's showfloor was 6,000 sq. ft. smaller than last year's at the Sands Expo & Convention Center, it held a dozen more exhibitors. And production companies took another 160 suites in THEhotel, Mandalay Bay's new upscale tower. That compares with only 120 suites at the Venetian in 2004.

Even more heartening than the show's overall stability in size was the enthusiasm it generated. The opening session, featuring media mogul Ted Turner, was overflowing with attendees. The crowd then moved on to the exhibition, where the entrance was packed and a steady stream of attendees flooded the floor.

"It's great," said Susan Kantor, senior vice president of marketing and creative for 20th Television. "We've had a consistent flow of people through our suite."

NATPE had not reported attendance at press time, but said registration was trending toward double-digit growth over last year.

Even single-digit growth would be remarkable for a show that some thought a couple years ago might not be around today. Industry consolidation and political turmoil in the association caused the show to lose a staggering 381,000 net sq. ft. from 2001 to 2003.

In his remarks during the opening session, NATPE President and CEO Rick Feldman ticked off a long list of accomplishments; for instance, drawing executives from 69 countries to the show, and featuring 200 industry leaders in the conference.

But, he added, "That's the good news." On the bad-news side: the FCC has created an environment of uncertainty, and ongoing consolidation is shrinking the industry.

NATPE is far from being in the clear.

So Feldman ¡ª whom NATPE Co-chair Stephen Davis, president of Granada America, credited with putting in a "Herculean effort" to reshape both the event and the association ¡ª has an eye on the future, including new growth areas.

"We will continue to reflect the more modern, broader definition of a TV program executive, and we understand that syndication now takes many forms," Feldman said.

Nick Orfanopoulos, NATPE senior vice president of conference operations and sales, told Trade-show Week, "We're repositioning ourselves as the content marketplace. We're the place to come for content, regardless of what the platform for delivery may be."

Hence, new additions were introduced, like NATPE Mobile ++, a pre-show event on Jan. 24 that addressed the business opportunities for wireless, mobile and digital distribution. Orfanopoulos said the event was so successful that next year it will be expanded to a full day, along with a pavilion on the showfloor.

The same day as Mobile ++, 20th Television and Verizon Wireless announced an agreement to produce a series of 26 one-minute dramas, or "mobisodes," to be broadcast to Verizon Wireless customers' mobile phones.

One of several new technology exhibitors, Multicast ¡ª an Atlanta-based Internet broadcaster ¡ª used the show to launch Martha Stewart Living Television Online.

"For the cost of a pilot, why not own your own channel?" said the company's executive vice president Jason Colin Jones, addressing the question of broadcasting's accessibility to those just starting out.

Documentary-makers Kristin Russell and David Bousquet were at the show to tout their first production, Explore Cinema Tours, and said they were getting a lot of interest in the project.

When asked if the cost of their 10¡ä¡Á10¡ä booth was daunting for a young pair just out of college, Russell said, "It was a drop in the bucket compared to what we put into making this (TV) show."

Still, longtime participants, weary from recent industry troubles, will continue to keep an eye on the show. Kantor praised Feldman's performance, but noted, "NATPE has to continue to take the lead in expanding conversations ¡ª like one on the international market."

NATPE '06 is scheduled to take place Jan. 24¨C26, again at Mandalay Bay. Orfanopolous said the association is negotiating contracts with the venue for '07 at beyond.