At 41, MIP-TV shows vigor, maturity and opportunities.

There is no doubt that the 41st annual MIP-TV was a good market to remember. The buzz was back, as well as the "show" in showbiz. Business was booming and participants seemed to be having a blast.

The event encompassed three markets: MipDoc, MILIA and the traditional MIP for a total of seven days in Cannes, some of them wet. A traditional two-day market, at this MIP floor traffic seemed to improve on the third day, making it, in effect and for the first time in many years, a four-day market. Overall, it was a sellers' market, with a record number of 2,882 buyers, a 23.96 percent increase compared to MIP-TV '03, and with a larger appetite for programs.

There were a number of stories to report, as recorded by VideoAge Daily. First, former Beta Film executive Jan Mojto announced that he was returning to the company, having bought its assets from the German consortium of creditors to whom it most recently belonged. As a result, Beta's managing director, Jens Richter, has departed the company. In other Teuton news, EM.TV and RTV signed a sales cooperation agreement under which EM.TV will exploit the sales rights to all of RTV's children's programs in most foreign countries. However, the much heralded TeleMunchen's deal with Warner Bros. did not take place at MIP, bur much earlier and it's not, as reported, an output deal, but a "package" deal that, ultimately could be worth around $200 million.

The Chinese made a big splash with MIP-TV China Day on March 31, during which various seminars on the state of the expanding market were held. Hu Zhanfan, vice minister of Chlna's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT), made the opening presentation, which focused on the present state of the Chinese radio and television industry, its primary goals for the near future, and China's strategy for industrial development. Most relevant to foreign broadcasters was information about a recent change in Chinese policy that allows foreign investors to take minority interests in Chinese broadcasting groups for the first time. By a "stands count," China was the sixth biggest attendee at this year's MIP, with 19, and tenth by a "company count," with a total of 63 companies and 300 television executives.

As for the Latin Americans, all of the major telenoveleros were on hand and reported brisk business with Eastern Europe, Asia and even the Middle East. March 31st was also VideoAge's Latin American Programming Day and the traditional VideoAge MIP breakfast, where some 25 participants representing major companies from 10 countries basked in sunny optimistic reports on the upcoming L.A. screenings, as well as DISCOP and NATPE.

NATPE president Rick Feldman spoke about the successes of January's market, and announced that next year's event will take place from January 25-27 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Convention Center, keeping all exhibitors together under one roof.

DISCOP's Patrick Jucaud announced that telenoveleros who attend his market, taking place June 24-26 in Budapest, will get a private lunch and cocktail, and he promised exhibitors a better ratio of shows to no-shows at pre-set appointments.

Earlier, on March 30, Producer Robert Halmi, Sr. was honored with three awards, including the MIP-TV Lifetime Achievement Award, at a luncheon held at the Villa Jean-Gabriel Domergue.

The association that fights to protect format rights, FRAPA, announced a major breakthrough: German writer Mare Heinkelein has provided a definition of formats that will make FRAPA's work a lot easier. In his new book, Heinkelein argues that a format should be defined as the "making of a television program, an ordering of television elements such that a distinctive narrative progression is created," therefore automatically offering the format the same protection under existing copyright laws as other narrative forms such as drama and sitcoms.

The U.S. studios were busy setting up appointments for their L.A. Screenings in May and meeting with Chinese officials. Perhaps this MIP-TV marked the last time the industry could see NBC and MGM sharing the same booth and Universal all by itself.

Final figures showed that the number of participants increased 18 percent compared to MIP-TV 2003, hitting the 11,110 mark, a number even larger than MIPCOM last October (10,186).

MipDoc, the documentary-themed market held two days before the start of MIP on March 29, recorded 366 sellers (vs. 253 last year) and 350 buying companies (vs. 217 at the previous edition). This time saw MipDoc move from the Martinez Hotel to the Noga Hilton Hotel.

Also for the first time, MIP-TV and the 11th annual MILIA were brought together. However, MILIA was still seen as the poorer sister of the family, with only a few companies able to afford marketing and advertising. Some exhibitors who were clearly from the interactive camp opted to be with the content providers in the Palais, rather than in the MILIA tent. Set up outside the Convention Center, in the surrounding gardens, the tent housed mostly companies that were selling mobile-related technologies. On the conference side, however, the topics were well balanced with seminars on broadband--specifically via DSL lines for VoD--and interactivity on DVD, in addition to content for the mobile sector.

Also for the first time, advertising was a key issue at MIP-TV's seminars, paying special attention to product placements and advertiser-funded programs.

Finally, the "SMEG" MIP-TV bag sponsored by Chinas Shanghai Media and Entertainment Group, caused a bit of snag with British and Australian participants for whom the word "Smeg" is equated with something obscene.