MIPCOM 2023 has finished yesterday with all good sensations: though the content market is not as before the pandemic, is healthy and growing, pushed mainly by the progressive return of major distribution to third parties, the international co-production models and the AVOD & FAST fever. Even, some key complicated sectors as SVOD original projects, are slightly beginning to move up in some territories. Above all, content business has a lot to deploy from now, with many digital streaks appearing at every quarter.

Yesterday we’ve developed in detail the market figures announced by organizer RX FRANCE. What can we add? PRENSARIO’s perception is that Mipcom 2023 attendance was at least 10% up from last year, there were more people, exhibitors and especially more acquisitions companies vs. 2022. A current tip is fewer buyers per firm, but more buying companies. Compared to before the pandemic, Mipcom has been about 30% down, especially in booth spaces. But the pre-covid picture is far away, we are in a new market.

About emerging regions, Asia has been back. China was the top attending country at Mipcom, but Japan and Korea have been strong engines. Middle East was the region with top buyer growth, cross-regional productions in Arabic language are a concrete trend. Also, some Spanish executives say there is fresh budget in Latin America and the US Hispanic for co-productions. We can confirm that there was good Latam buyer presence in Cannes, especially focused on formats, production partnerships and new AVOD/FAST ventures.

Market tips & trends we haven’t mentioned during the week? The reduction of SVOD projects continues all around the world, reinforcing the position of broadcasters as more stable partners for the big studios. Though, some sights of demand recovery are seen in Netflix and Apple, especially in Europe and the US market. Others as Disney, are waiting for their staff restructure to end.

Most of broadcasters are worried about rising costs vs. hard advertising incomes. With digital, fragmentation is inevitable. Though, some European free TV players are facing growing ad numbers, and they are buying more product due to that. Though again, in UK and Germany, many networks are not buying new productions, just renewing the existing ones. Some producers, even traditional, are struggled. The reasons, they say, are just economical: Brexit in UK, structure adequations in big groups as Prosieben Germany.

About genres, big prime time entertainment takes most of the attention of broadcasters worldwide. As many consider there are no fresh formats, some players as Fox USA, are betting on paper formats to create properties that then can sell to the world. Fox is making alliances with TF1 France, Atresmedia Spain, and good investments to make these projects real. Against producers, they keep all the rights.

About fictions, according to The Wit’s Fresh TV, "True Crime", real-stories based series and fantasy/Science Fiction, are the main recent preferred options. In scripted production, Spain continues as the powerhouse of the moment. It sells formats, it exports directors, actors and writers. Soon, Spanish studios will produce in UK or USA for the international market, with USD 4 million budget per episode. Their current focus on the US Hispanic market per half of that budget, can be reduced.

New digital streaks? Within the next two years, all the main broadcasters will launch own AVOD platforms and FAST channels. The OTT service providers will reach not only every network operator -telcos, ISPs, cooperatives- to create new AVOD platforms, but also the corporate business: banking sector, credit cards, retailers, etc. Many of these are already providing customers who reach goals, free contents as added value, including recent blockbusters as ‘Barbie’, close to theatrical.

Nicolás Smirnoff, Alberto Buitron and Francisco Ferreyra

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