NATPE is now a Mobile, Latin American, Multi-Platform, Interactive Television and Content show. Courtesy of NATPE.

NATPE (National Association of Television Programming Executives) has been the marketplace for the trading of television shows to domestic and international outlets since May of 1962. The evolution of NATPE has been put into high speed in the last several years in order to establish a new direction.

The Financial Syndication Act of 1994 deflated the syndication market, which was NATPE's prime function. NATPE brought television stations, station groups, networks and producers together to fill those local access times with unique and popular programming. Oprah, Dr. Phil, Jeopardy and Judge Judy can thank today's version of syndication for their success. But prior to 1994, animation was a huge seller and reigned equally next to live action at NATPE. Stations bought up anything new and unique for their kid audience, knowing Mattel, Hasbro and General Foods would follow with lucrative ad dollars for the local market.

The evolution is apparent. NATPE is now a Mobile, Latin American, Multi-Platform, Interactive Television and Content show. The conference, which took place January 28-31, is smaller now; as in years past, it was held in the Mandalay Bay Convention Center -- the hotel in Las Vegas. Animation and kids entertainment is scarcer in KidsTown Pavilion on the convention floor because it is being wooed away by other markets.

Techno Talk
NATPE is redefining itself with multi-platform technology. NATPE MOBILE++, presented by Achilles Media, Ltd. and NATPE, is the preview event. This one-day conference has for the last few years presented the true meaning of "convergence." Last year it was predicted that the mobile phone would be our television remote control 10 years in the future; this year there was an announcement that there are smart phones that are providing remote control capabilities right now. NATPE MOBILE++ sets the tone for NATPE's future.

NATPE MOBILE ++ concentrated on the technology and not on the content. Yet content producers such as Kate Holowach of Canada's Rantdog Inc. said she was there to find co-production partners and outlets for her original animated show, Rantdog, which is already playing on ShockwaveAtomFilms.com and MTV in the United States. MOBILE++ didn't provide an immediate answer to her need, but it did give her an idea of the technology she will have to produce for now and in the future.

Techno talk was not limited to NATPE MOBILE ++ -- it was the subject of more than half the panels and seminars. From interactive audience and mobile content, to IPTV and the TV marketplace, NATPE helped attendees immerse themselves in digital.

Content producer Kate Holowach was at NATPE to find co-production partners and outlets for her original animated show, Rantdog, already playing on ShockwaveAtomFilms.com and MTV in the U.S. Courtesy of Rantdog Inc.

Viva Latin America
At the same time NATPE has also become the biggest and best place for Latin American stations, networks and producers to congregate. In years past, it was whispered that NATPE was the Latin American marketplace, but this year is was the very reason many animation companies attended.

Gianluca Bellomo, general manager of Cartoon One of Italy, and sponsor of KidsTown Pavilion, said this was Cartoon One's first time presenting with a booth. They went all out, not only sponsoring the Pavilion, but also including DVDs in all the attendees' bags in the hope their properties would attract "American" buyers, including Latin America and the U.S. Cartoon One has many international co-productions ready for sale, including School for Vampires, a hit on French, German and Italian television; Red Caps, which is being supported by UNICEF and will be ready in November; and Buttercup Wood, a CGI/HD co-production with Hong Kong's Agogo.

Agogo's Steven Ching attended NATPE to support his co-productions with Cartoon One and Cookie Jar. In addition to Buttercup Wood, Agogo is co-producing Kung Fu Dino Posse with Cookie Jar and Cartoon One, and Nanoboy with Cookie Jar and Scrawl Studios of Singapore. Ching has had booths at NATPE in past years, but this year hoofed it between Cookie Jar, located at a table in the Canadian Pavilion, and Cartoon One. Toper Taylor, the CCO of Cookie Jar, was leading his slate with Magi-Nation, currently airing on Kids' WB! and CBC.

Toei Animation was pitching the #1 show in Japan, Pretty Cure, which is being supported by a girls' card game by Bandei. Kaz Yamashita, director, general administration and licensing for Toei, said season one of Pretty Cure was already sold to Televisa in Mexico and that he was selling it to the rest of Latin America. He also hoped the rest of his slate, including Master Hamsters and Gegege No Kitaro, would sell to international markets, including Latin America. He said NATPE, where his targets included Televisa, Globo and Telefey, was not as effective for reaching the U.S. market as it was for Latin American markets. He said he can reach the U.S. networks through email and FTP.