Discop Middle East to kick-off in Istanbul in 2011

NATPE/Discop is launching a TV market in the Middle East. The companies, which entered a strategic alliance in 2007, organise the Discop market in Central and Eastern Europe and Africa and the NATPE market in the US, will launch Discop Middle East from next year.

The event will take place in the Ceylan Hotel in Istanbul, Turkey, in mid-March 2011. It will run for 3 days and organisers said they expect about 250 buyers to attend.

“With the launch of Discop Middle East, we are now in a position to deliver content licensing opportunities in several geographical zones that are becoming increasingly important for clients affected by the downturn in more developed markets,” said Discop founder Patrick Jucaud.

He added: “Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Sub-Saharan and North Africa, and the Middle East are regions that are benefiting most from  the continued expansion of widespread low-cost digital technology, the mobile revolution and fast-growing broadband penetration”.

NATPE has enjoyed recent success with its African events, but its flagship US show has struggled as the TV industry itself endured tough times and the US syndication business, which used to be the focus of the show, fell away.

The event will shift to Miami next year for the first time, a move sure to please the Latin American delegates who still attend in healthy numbers.