MILIA: Technology, content meet business. (Webcasting Magazine).

Technology has always looked toward the future; the perpetual question is, how do we get there, particularly in this volatile market? MILIA, the World's Interactive Content Marketplace taking place in Cannes, France, February 4-8, could offer a potential answer.

In the burgeoning yet still infant interactive technical industry, the nine-year old MILIA is considered a veteran event and is careful to keep up with the times and trends. However, one aspect of the conference remains the same: in spite of the ever-changing nature of the market, organizer Reed Midem (who also runs MIPTV and MIPCOM), maintains a consistent structure which is key to the event's success. MILIA brings together high-level executives from all around the globe and hopes to increase its numbers from last year's 7,000 participants from 750 exhibiting companies from over 50 different countries.

Yet digits are not MILIA's primary concern. "The exact numbers are not important," explained Paris-based Laurine Garaude, MILIA's executive director. "The way the conference functions is what matters. People come to MILIA to target businesses. It's a strategic event: all the top executives are in one place for our five-day marketplace. We're not just an exhibition. MILIA is a place where deals are made."

Deals at MILIA are different than at other trade shows. Since content is often being sold across multiple platforms, deals can be quite complicated. To assist in the deal-making, MILIA has organized a program called the Digital Buyers Program for Interactive TV, Wireless and Broadband Participants. Coordinator Ferhan Cooke explained: "The kinds of dealmaking that take place at MILIA depend on the sector in which they happen. For example, there are still international CD-ROM licensing deals where European or American CD publishers sell rights to Korean companies, etc. Those are fairly strightforward. Then there are game developers who sell to wireless and broadband networks. There are technology and service companies creating interactive TV applications and trying to license their services to international satellite and cable operators. This last example is quite recent since iTV is very new, but I believe this year there will be some application licensing at MILIA. The deals usually involve revenue sharing an d per-subscriber royalties down the line. Upfront licensing fees are harder to achieve. But in this new business there are all kinds of different deals going on. There are cross-media deals where a TV program and its Web component may be licensed by a broadcaster or distributor from a developer as a format. This is a new area and there may be some co-production or prototype upfront funding in exchange or partial worldwide rights. To bring content buyers and sellers together we insituted the VIP club for iTV and Wireless Content, which takes place throughout the five-day conference."

In fact, MILIA is one of the largest international exhibitions dedicated to the creation and delivery of interactive content, combining deal-making with serious networking opportunities. The conference kicks off with the two-day Think Tank Summit where decision makers from around the world exchange information on industry trends and business models. This edition's keynote speakers include Brian Farrell, CEO of U.S. games publisher and developer THQ.Inc. The summit will focus on the role of entertainment content development and its relationship with new entertainment platforms and distribution technologies.

The following exhibition will reflect the growing importance of iTV, which has gained incredible momentum as the roll out of set-top boxes and broadband continues. In addition to an exclusive iTV section which will include companies like Microsoft and Open TV, a dedicated networking event titled "The New Digital Buyers Club" will be held on February 6.

"It's a complicated arena," Garaude elaborated. "It's really important to identify the people who make the acquisition decisions. We go beyond a regular trade show in terms of helping participants forge long lasting connections. We host a lot of events like networking parties and cocktails. We focus on bringing together content people with those in the new delivery broadband, iTV next-generation and content that is interactive. Our current focus is next-generation entertainment: gaming, and especially iTV, which is currently more advanced in Europe. Fourteen million European households already have iTV, and we project 75 million more will have it by 2005. We know forecasts can go in different ways, but if you look at the U.K. and France, iTV is moving quickly. U.S. content developers need to come to Europe to forge deals."

MILIA helps participants navigate the muddy technological waters. "More and more people are developing content for multiple platforms. The transactions are very complicated and until the market matures things are not set in stone. That's why people need to meet at the international level. At a certain point in a negotiation you need to meet people face-to-face when you want to cut a deal," Garaude said.

The eighth annual New Talent Competition continues to be a popular event. "Our jury of experts pick 15 of the best and most innovative interactive projects. This allows emerging talent to be recognized and tapped."

The current international climate definitely influenced some aspects of MILIA. "With the War on Terrorism and the recession, we felt it was important for the U.S. to have a strong presence. We have always had a number of international pavilions: Singapore, Canada, Australia, Italy. This year we will unveil the American Pavillion at the trade fair. It will be a place to find U.S. companies like Microsoft, Intel, Hasbro Interactive."

Other topics to be discussed and dissected at the event include the battle for the sitting room: which device will consumers point their remotes at in 2005? How to get funding for projects; how to make content pay; broadband comes of age; the realities of interactive advertising; and how to bring big brands across platforms. "There is a need to exploit successful brands beyond normal channels," Garaude concluded.