Natpe Budapest shifts to August

Natpe Budapest International has been moved to August for this year

Natpe has pushed its annual Budapest conference back to August amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

Natpe Budapest International is shifting from its traditional spot at the end of June to August 25-27 at the InterContinental Hotel in the Hungarian capital.

Natpe Streaming Plus, originally scheduled for July 28 in LA, has also been put back to September 15.

JP Bommel

The move is an unusual one. With much of Europe and the US in various forms of public lockdown to stop the spread of Covid-19, events on the television industry circuit have mostly chosen to cancel altogether rather than try to find dates later in the year.

MipTV in Cannes, Series Mania in Lille, the LA Screenings, Monte-Carlo TV Festival, Banff World Media Festival and, announced today, the Edinburgh TV Festival, Realscreen West and Annecy, are among the high profile events to have given up on 2020 altogether, offering online alternatives with a promise to return in 2021.

Natpe’s annual flagship event in Miami, however, is still scheduled for January 19-21, 2021 at the Fontainebleau Resort in Miami Beach, Florida.

JP Bommel, president and CEO of Natpe, said: “Our first thoughts and prayers go to the Natpe community of those affected by this devastating crisis. From a business perspective, Natpe recognises that the industry faces unprecedented marketplace challenges; we want to be part of the solution and bring to bear experiences that will help our constituency continue to do business to their fullest potential.”