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22-06-2008

Attendance and pace pick up at DISCOP East

By FNE Staff

    The regional TV market DISCOP East saw some 20% growth in attendance, with an estimated 1,050 buyers among some 2,000 attendees. The market, which ran June 18-20, saw a parallel increase in business, in response to an additional 30 new platforms and 350 thematic channels.

    New at this year's event was a live daily show presented by C21TV, which featured DISCOP East General Manager Patrick Jucaud and a panel of buyer and sellers from across the region in a debate and discussion on the merits of acquired programmes versus local production.

    The Hollywood Reporter quoted BBC as selling over 300 hours of drama and factual entertainment, noting that sales in the region have doubled in the last two years. Bavaria Media Televison concluded sales of approximately 1,000 hours of packages to Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. World Screen reported that DISCOP had added a sixth floor of exhibition space to house what Jucaud said was "a 120 percent increase" in production and distribution companies attending from Central and Eastern Europe. Business included Endemol's sale of formats in Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania, and AETN International's sales to Poland, the Ukraine, and the Czech Republic. Variety reported sales by All3Media Intl. in Croatia; Ecosse Films in Bulgaria; and Zodiak Intl. in Poland.