MIP Had Int'l TV "Rocking" & "Rolling" on the Croisette.

The digital revolution, channel and window proliferation, and industry consolidation, which continue to perpetuate an increasingly competitive television market, were mirrored at the international trade fair's 38th incarnation of MIP-TV in Cannes last month.

During the seven-day event there were 28 cocktail receptions, 11 conferences - five of which took place during the three days of MipNet - and five press luncheons. MipDoc, the documentary market held at the Martinez hotel from March 31 to April 1, was followed by the traditional MIP on April 2, which included the fourth annual MipNet conference. Over 11,000 executives from 2,853 companies and 92 countries attended the markers. A total of 1,233 companies exhibited, up 4.3 percent from last year.

Among the highlights, the German TV industry was spotlighted with a conference featuring the country's "Big Four" producers and broad casters, as well as a gala dinner with 12 of Germany's most popular TV stars. At this MIP, Germany increased its participation to 110 exhibiting companies, up from 76 last year.

Asian countries showed a remarkable comeback at MIP this year, indicating an improvement in the region's economy. The total number of Asian participants increased by 13 percent, with 357 companies, which includes 37 new buyers. Asia's exhibiting companies increased by 13.6 percent to 117.

April 3, opening day for MipNet, was also a big day for dotcommers worldwide. According to Business Week, it was "Back the Net Day." That same day, Napster reps took to the streets of Washington, D.C. to protest the music Web site's new governmental restrictions.

Meanwhile, at the MipNet session, keynote speaker Didier Bellens, CEO of Luxembourg's RTL Group, stressed that while new media technologies are still subject to traditional business strategies, they will change the relationship between broadcasters and their viewers. Bellens explained, "The audience will become consumers, not only of television content, but of a wide variety of other services and products."

"While some in the television industry may see new media technology as a threat to traditional broadcasting, it can also be seen as a golden opportunity to further increase and diversify the revenue stream," Bellens continued.

The MipNet session, "Streaming TV: From Narrowband to Broadband," brought together new media executives to discuss the potential impact of digital technologies on content providers. Panel moderator, Jean Rognetta, editor of Silicon.fr, noted that broadband is inevitable. Ken Papagan, president of DelmarMedia.net said streaming should not be just "another way to distribute television and effectively have a lower-grade VOD system, but rather [it should be] an adjunct to television," in order to fully realize the potential of convergence.

MIP spotlighted sports program ming on April 4, focusing on one of the world's most popular sports with the "Soccer, Television's Number One Sport" panel hosted by Soccer Player of the Century and former Brazilian Minister of Sports, Pele.

Jacques Braun, international manager of Mediametrie, called soccer the world's number-one format, based on the analysis of 64 markets. "Although we've seen very successful formats [that] can change the market share of a country, none have outdone soccer, contended Braun. However, as moderator Daniel Pautrat of D.P. Consulting pointed out, soccer's broadcast success has also resulted in staggering licensing fees.

The impending actors' strike weighed heavily on the minds of many MIP-TV participants, especially within U.S. studios. The contracts for the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists expire on June 30. Many distributors already have their pilots "in the can." Ted Riley, president of Alliance Atlantis TV Distribution, noted that all of Alliance's pilot programs are already wrapped up. Joel Denton of Hallmark Entertainment said, "It all depends on how long the strike lasts. We will have fewer shows. We'll put money in the development of shows, but not a lot [of money] for any big shows that are ready to go."

But the biggest news at this year's MIP was that powerful U.S. talent agencies will be jumping into the international pool. N.S. Bienstock came to MIP as part of its expansion into program development. its shift from pure talent representation to program development "is the same as ICM's, CAA's and William Morris'," according to Bienstock's recently appointed head of Program Development and Packaging, Rob Miller.

Miller was at MIP to see how this progression could be turned into programming deals for the agency's clients. In addition to news-anchor heavyweights, the agency represents a number of producers who want to sell programming domestically and internationally. Miller feels Bienstock needed to expand because "many producers don't have the contacts at the networks ... we provide a service to the producer to basically market and sell their programming."

Since studios and other large inter national distributors were focusing on the L.A. Screenings (see separate story) most of the Cannes action took place among smaller companies.

For example, Roberto Giovalli, the former "enfant prodige" of Italy's Mediaset, was placing another project: tacking TeleMonteCarlo (TMC) onto the Italian entertainment map. Giovalli, a former programming executive for Canal Plus' pay-TV service Tele Piu and Mediaset's Italial, is now heading TMC1, which recently became part of Telecom Italia. Telecom Italia, Italy's largest phone company wrestled the problematic and troubled two-network system away from the claws of the eco nomically troubled Cecchi Gori Group. On June 24, Giovalli will unveil not only a new name for the network, but a "preliminary" schedule aimed at get ting five percent of the Italian TV uni verse. The fully revised schedule will appear in the fall.

The engagement between the Italian Mondo TV and the Teutonic Igel Media was announced earlier, but the marriage was finally consummated in Cannes during MIP-TV. Newlyweds Orlando Corradi of Mondo and Igel's Stefan Dragert discussed their new rela tionship. Mondo TV acquired 30 per cent of Igel Media in exchange for plac ing parts of its programming library (522 episodes) on the Igel distribution pipeline for ten years. Igel will sell Mondo's extensive library throughout Europe, excluding Italy. Igel manage ment is retaining 25 percent, while the remaining 45 percent floats in the market. Both companies are publicly traded.

The transaction was valued at over 8 million euro, with four million euro representing Mondo's program commitment, and the balance the value of Igel's one million shares. Igel has a strong relationship with several broad casters, such as Germany's WDR, while Mondo has relations in the Far East. Corradi and Dragert also announced that the two companies will be involved in co-productions and joint acquisitions.

The next appointment in Cannes is for MIPCOM, which will be held October 8-12, preceded by MIPCOM Junior, the screenings event for children's programming, on October 6 and 7.