NATPE President & CEO Rod Perth announces that prominent investor Mark Cuban will serve as the opening keynote speaker at the organization’s milestone 50th anniversary market and conference.

NATPE today announced that more than 250 companies from 50 countries are confirmed to attend the inaugural NATPE Budapest content market.

Rick Feldman, who has served as President and CEO of NATPE for the past nine years will segue, as planned, from his post at the end of his contract on April 30 into a three-year consultancy with the organization. NATPE has retained Korn Ferry to administer an executive search to select a new operating chief for NATPE.

NATPE, the premiere media marketplace, returns to Miami Beach in 2012 for its annual market and conference, to be held at the Fontainebleau Resort from January 23 to 25, NATPE President and CEO Rick Feldman announced today.

Homerun Ent., for the first time, is offering The Visual Effects Society's one-hour televised awards special at NATPE, reports C21MEDIA. The awards show, held to highlight the best in visual effects in film, TV, animation, commercials and videogames, is being offered for international broadcast after February 26, 2009.

The show will be held in Hollywood on February 21.

Nickelodeon Latin America announces a slate of new original programming at the 2009 National Association of Television Program Executives Conference (NATPE) in Las Vegas.

The line-up will include new series THE MIGHTY B!, THE PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR, SPEED RACER, JIMMY TWO SHOES, BACK AT THE BARNYARD, TRUE JACKSON VP, and THE ELEPHANT PRINCESS on Nick, in addition to NI HAO, KAI-LAN and BEN AND HOLLY'S LITTLE KINGDOM for Nick Jr. Latin America.

Cookie Jar Ent. is gearing up for NATPE next week with a variety of new programs as well as three kids' favorites. Offerings include new original animated series including high-flying METAJETS and preschool-targeted NOONBORY AND THE SUPER 7 as well as the exciting adventures of JOHNNY TEST, HURRAY FOR HUCKLE! and evergreen CAILLOU.

METAJETS (40x22):

Imira Ent. heads to NATPE with a raft of deals already in place for LOLA & VIRGINIA and VITAMINIX with U.S. and Latin American broadcasters.

Imira's hit animated series LOLA & VIRGINIA (52x12) has scored further deals with Canal Once in Mexico following Brazil's SBT renewal of the show. The Brazilian broadcaster has also picked up licensing and merchandising rights with New Star, taking home entertainment rights for the territory, and Quality Films picking up the home entertainment rights for Chile. LOLA & VIRGINIA is now seen in more than 100 territories worldwide.

Leading up to NATPE later this month, MarVista Ent. has closed program sales deals for a number of its titles spanning reality, animated and feature films to major global buyers.

MarVista has cleared its animated feature THE ZULA PATROL: ANIMAL ADVENTURES IN SPACE: THE MOVIE to Turkish Radio & TV Corp. (TRT).

MarVista Ent. is set to deliver a broad portfolio of programming including animated features and animated educational children's series to NATPE 2009 (Booth #1017).

MarVista will bring two animated features and an animated, educational children's program. Join the Zula Patrollers on their ecological adventures in the animated feature THE ZULA PATROL: ANIMAL ADVENTURES IN SPACE: THE MOVIE, or embark on an adventure recovering ancient glowing stone with Twig, the littlest Wompkee and her band of brave friends, in THE HIDDEN TREASURE OF WOMPKEE WOOD.