CANNES -- The potential of China, with its 340 million TV households, was the topic du jour at Mip TV Wednesday as the mart celebrated China Day.
Speaking at a panel discussion, Li Yifei, managing director of MTV Networks China, said the country's reforms over the past decade -- most notably, legislation allowing foreign investment in joint-venture production companies -- has given MTV and Viacom increasing opportunities. These include a recent deal with Shanghai Media Group and the allocation of cable rights in Guangdong Province.
The "Programming, Co-Production and Producers in China" panel was moderated by
Daily Variety chief China correspondent Arthur Jones.
Chinese viewers account for more than 20% of the worldwide audience. But David Lyle, head of the Format Recognition and Protection Assn. (Frapa) and former FremantleMedia exec, cautioned that only serious and patient players should try to do business in the country.
"It's an incredibly vibrant market, but you have to be patient. You might end up going in the wrong direction for months. If you're not prepared to stay a long time, taking small steps, don't do it," Lyle said.
Michelle Whitten, chief exec of Liberty Media's Encore Intl., which has a daily block of imported content on state broadcaster CCTV, said she "hit a couple of walls" when she first started doing business in China.
Whitten recommended doing proper market research and closely studying local habits.
"One of the biggest differences is that Chinese viewers will watch an entire 60-hour drama series straight through every day rather than watching weekly episodes," Whitten explained.
She added that China's move toward a more open market economy was reflected in the industry's growing awareness: "Companies are really honoring contracts and striving to be professional."
One of the biggest surprises, Whitten said, was the huge success of Latin American telenovelas on Chinese TV. Whitten said one of Encore's goals was to launch its own channels in the country.
Contact Ed Meza at
ed.meza@mannaa.de