Mipcom unveils Spanish focus

Telemundo's Santana joins speaker lineup

By JOHN HOPEWELL

MADRID — Telemundo Intl. prexy Marcos Santana, one of the TV industry’s biggest ambassadors for Latino product, will deliver his personal vision of Spain’s TV market and burgeoning production sector at Mipcom’s major territory conference spread this year, “Focus on Spain.”

Catalonia’s TV3, a pubcaster pacemaker in Spain, will host one of the panels, “Animation From Spain: Sharing Expertise.” Catalan capital Barcelona is home to many of Spain’s key toon production houses and animation remains Spain’s biggest TV export staple.

Focus on Spain feature three other panels: “Market Overview,” “Spanish Fiction: New Business Models and Business Opportunities,” and “Fresh Fiction From Spain.”

Though stalling 2000-05, Spanish TV exports have risen 21% from 2005-07 to Euros 35 million ($55.6 million) last year, thanks to second-phase growth, driven by the creation of new sales companies, the launch of new boutique broadcasters and a generational makeover in show-runners and management.

"Focus on Spain" is organized in partnership with Spain’s ICEX export board and its Fapae producers’ assn., with the support of pubcaster RTVE.

Mipcom runs Oct. 13-17.