The second day of the event maintained the positive energy that has characterized it, with engaging conferences, keynotes, showcases, and exchanges that invite the industry to build a better reality together.
By Luis Cabrera, from Dubrovnik, Croatia
“The only certainty is constant change,” stated Jens Richter, CEO of Commercial & International at Fremantle, during his keynote address, and this sense of uncertainty is the cloud that has hung over the content production and distribution ecosystem for several years now. However, under the Dubrovnik sun, the industry is seeking alliances that will allow it to build on solid ground, even on ground that is constantly shifting.
“Yesterday we had a panel where we discussed long-term alliances, and we firmly believe that in such a competitive market we must be even closer,” commented Rodrigo Nascimento, Director of the International Business Center for EMEA at Globo. “I think the most important thing is to have an open mind, based on the portfolio we possess, being capable and flexible enough to understand and support our partners, so that we can achieve something beneficial for both parties.”
This sentiment was echoed throughout the event, with content distributors emphasizing the importance of being flexible when engaging with stakeholders in the region: “We try to be as helpful as possible to our buyers,” said Handan Özkubat, Director of Turkish Drama at Eccho Rights. “We want to make sure that when they visit us, they find all the content they need.”
Other distributors of premium series, such as OGM Universe, currently enjoying great success with Deep in Love, and SIC International Distribution, which brought titles like Vitória and Azul to the market, share this view.
Mistco, for its part, shared that the current state of the industry has led to increased interest in its vast library: “We have a huge library, a very diverse catalog,” commented Aysegul Tuzun, CEO of Mistco. “All kinds of Turkish productions are very well received in the region.”
A Space for Intuition
María Valenzuela, Senior Media Executive, moderated the engaging panel that opened Tuesday’s conference agenda. Participants included Avi Armoza, CEO of Armoza Formats; Natalija Gorščak, Chair of the Board of Directors of RTV Slovenia; Henrik Schneider, General Manager of Antenna Entertainment CEE; Stella Litou, CEO of RTL Croatia and Pro Plus Slovenia; Arnaud Verlhac, CEO and co-founder of eClutch, owned by iKOMG Company; and Bartosz Witak, General Manager and SVP for CEE, MENA, and Turkey at BBC Studios.
The panel, titled “The Leader’s Decision Making: Intuition vs. Strategy,” offered an interesting perspective on the debate surrounding how to use the deluge of data available today to generate or support content strategy, and what role intuition still plays in that process. Stella Litou shared that while there is more “data” today, it’s not that it wasn’t used in decision-making before: “It has always been a key element since the beginning of the industry,” the executive affirmed. Natalija Gorščak shared that the process of determining strategy still leaves enormous room for human experience: “Data is there to support strategies that are being developed, not to generate them from scratch.”
In addition to panels dedicated to the hybrid future of TV content distribution and the work of operators in the region, Tuesday featured two important keynote addresses, one by Sam Barnett, CEO of Central European Media Enterprises (CME); and another by Jens Richter, CEO of Commercial & International at Fremantle.
Other highlights of the day included the breakfast hosted by the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, which once again played a major role with a dedicated pavilion. Audiovisual From Spain also participated for the first time, showcasing its presence in the new Adriatic Market Area. Yesterday, they organized their own showcase with dedicated spaces for the Spanish companies in attendance: Atresmedia Sales, Movistar Plus Internacional, Mediterráneo, RTVE, Ártico Distribution, and Secuoya Studios.
The Walt Disney Company and Paramount Global Content Distribution also held showcases.
The day culminated in a party at the Hotel Palace Dubrovnik, overlooking the beach, sponsored by Eutelsat, IKO Media Group, Mediatranslations, UniqCast, and Videomite.
