Didim Today

Organizers of the inaugural edition of DISCOP ISTANBUL today announced that more than 100 companies have already confirmed their attendance at the event, which takes place from 14 to 16 March, 2011.

Centered on the television content business in the broader Middle East, Central Asia and North Africa, this new DISCOP market has been established to become the cost effective annual business hub for content exporters, broadcasters and pay-TV platforms targeting a world region seen by many analysts as being among the fastest growing markets in the industry.

“With TV advertising expenditures to reach $3.5 billion at year’s end, major local and international players launching new channels, Google looking to boost ad revenue with Arabic content, and local mobile operators fuelling their growth with television services the broader Middle East,” states Urszula Perzanowska, Research Manager for Basic Lead, the organizers of the DISCOP markets, “is a strategic marketplace where major infrastructure initiatives are also well underway, fueling fast-paced digitalization processes in most countries targeted by our Istanbul event.”

With six months still to go, 100 companies, buyers and sellers of television content are already on board for DISCOP ISTANBUL, with 250 expected to attend the 3-day market.

Sellers include Alfred Haber, Telemundo, Venevision (USA), Bavaria Media Television, Deutsche Welle (Germany), Caracol (Columbia) and Mediaset (Italy) as well as a contingent of Russian, French, Spanish, Malaysian and Italian companies which will be grouped under national umbrellas and Turkey’s major drama producers.

To take place after the 3-day market, on 17 March, the DISCOPRO informative and networking program will focus on formats coproduction and distribution in the greater Middle East, and will include speakers from outside and inside the region.

“Turkey’s current and historic relations with the Arab world and Central Asia and its ‘no-visa’ policy towards business travelers from these regions will clearly facilitate the organization of our market”, points out Tatjana Pavlovic, DISCOP markets director, “and the fact that all major Turkish production, distribution and programming players are signed up to take part will clearly boost the power of attraction of our market in the region.”

DISCOP ISTANBUL will take place from 14 to 16 March, 2011 at the Intercontinental Ceylan Hotel in Istanbul. 1050 companies, buyers and sellers of television content have attended DISCOP events in 2010, underscoring the importance of fast-growing regional marketplaces for the future of television content business.

After 15 years of operating independently, DISCOP events have now partnered with NATPE since 2005. NATPE is a global, nonprofit organization committed to being a catalyst for the content revolution. Evolving to meet the needs of a changing media landscape, NATPE through its many activities including exclusive videos, live streaming events and vibrant annual market is at the nexus of the multiplatform content world. Moving to Miami, a major international destination, NATPE 2011, January 24-26 is where creativity meets connectivity and commerce. NATPE, Content First.

For further information contact:

Debbie Lawrence                     Cassy Salyer
The Lippin Group –                  London The Lippin Group – Los Angeles
T: +44 203 008 5406             T: +1 323 965 1990
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