According to Cartoon Network's Stu Snyder, "Technology is changing faster than a speeding bullet."

For producers coming to MIPCOM and the kids-centric companion MIPJunior conference, the strongest message ringing loudest from all microphones was this: Stick to great story-telling, since that’s what triumphs on all screens. A prominent topic of discussion however, was that more and more story-telling is happening on second screens and that digital delivery strategies are becoming increasingly important.

Two review sessions that took place on the last day of the market provided near mirror-image round-up commentaries from top industry panelists:  digital and new media are no longer the distant third cousin to television behemoths.  And yet, the panelists verified, practically chirping in unison (with varying degrees of enthusiasm), television remains the dominant market force for content.  It’s clear that like previous years, broadcast platforms remain the key attraction for MIPCOM attendees.

The essence of MIPCOM 2012 and MIPJunior, according to the review session panelists, was that no matter the genre, TV viewers truly want to go through an emotional journey, and digital audiences really want to connect and be connected. 

For folks in the business of creating and providing shows, another bottom line is this:  if you can keep your viewers connected, you can monetize.  If you can tell a good story with compelling characters, even on a shoe-string digital budget, you can keep your audience tuned in, and get great returns. 

Book publishers discuss the growth of digital platforms at MIPJunior.

If your show is for kids, it’s especially challenging.  THE MIPCOM WRAP UP session moderator James Martins refreshed our collective memories of some pithy statements made earlier in the week about second-screens experiences.  Paraphrasing transmedia guru Jim Stewartson of Fourth Wall Studios, James summed it up:  second screens don’t create attention deficit in the audience, they offer attention enhancement!

Digital is often credited nowadays as providing a tremendous marketing boom for TV shows.  And now several of these burgeoning digital and second-screen platforms (VOD, SVOD, mobile, IPTV, iPads, iPhones, etc.) are being used not only to cross-promote TV, but also to launch new brands in their own space, which then lead back to “traditional platforms” (yes - television).  Television - digital is a two-way street which is rapidly gaining traffic in the digital to television screen direction. 

Rovio's Andrew Stalbow on left - TV buyers crazy for Angry Birds.

Nice digital to television migration example:  the Angry Birds franchise from Rovio Entertainment of Finland.  This mega-darling of the digital game world is one of the early brands to go from digital to other platforms.  Powered by Angry Birds, which generated over 700 million views of animation on YouTube and over one billion game app downloads, Rovio has grown in three quick years from 12 employees to over 450 worldwide, and plans to take no chances on losing its power position and phenomenal brand success. 

Rovio’s Andrew Stalbow, EVP Strategic Partnerships and General Manager, North America, points out that staying true to the Angry Bird’s brand ethos is paramount.  Rovio’s theme and activity parks dovetail with the philosophy of fun activity for families and kids who can hang out together, participate and have fun together.  When asked how that’s going to hold true with the transition to a television platform (or several networks?) Stalbow holds his Angry Birds cards close to the vest, deftly marveling at the traditional media’s reaction to the soon-to-be-completed animated Angry Birds shorts series (2.5 – 3 minutes each). Stalbow remarked, “I was blown away by the deluge of other platforms approaching us.  Everybody here at MIPCOM seems in the acquisitions mode.”