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Mipcom 2018 to honour China

China has been named as the country of honour for the 2018 edition of programming market Mipcom, which is being held in Cannes next month.

Laurine Garaude

The announcement comes after a report revealed that China is now the second largest television market in the world, slotting in behind the US after overtaking the UK.

According to the report from IHS Markit, China spent US$10.9bn on TV programming in 2017, compared with the UK’s spend of US$10bn.

“In recent years, we have seen the growth in Chinese shows being presented at our events for sale to international broadcasters and an increase in cross-border partnerships between Chinese and international producers,” said Laurine Garaude, director of Mipcom organiser Reed Midem’s television division.

“We anticipate that the trend towards Chinese content being exported to international territories will speed up over the next two to three years and we are very keen for Mipcom and MipTV to be part of that process.”

The IHS Markit report shows that Chinese TV broadcasters spent US$6.4bn in total last year, while the territory’s online giants Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent invested US$4.5bn in programming. Original content accounted for 49% of shows aired in China, with the rest being made up of acquisitions (46%) and sports.

“The Chinese television and entertainment sector has a special place within the Mipcom and MipTV community going back to 2004, when MipTV welcomed the largest ever delegation of Chinese TV executives at an international television market,” added Garaude. “As Mipcom 2018 country of honour, China will be showcasing its wide range of programming destined for international television channels.”

The Mipcom country of honour programme will include conference panel discussions on the Chinese market during MipJunior and Mipcom, showcases of the latest Chinese programmes, a Chinese-themed welcome reception on the opening night, a look into the hottest shows from China in the popular Fresh TV presentation, and the event’s largest ever China Pavilion.

“China has now emerged as a major producer and consumer of film and television,” said Ma Li, director general of the International Cooperation Department of the National Radio and Television Administration, People’s Republic of China. “We have confidence and the capacity to play the leading role at Mipcom, present to the world great Chinese stories and work with our colleagues around the globe to usher in a better future.”

Previous Mipcom countries of honour include Japan, Russia, Turkey and Mexico.

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