With a theme of “Where Now Meets Next,” the National Association of Television Program Executives is tapped Jeff Zucker, chief executive officer of NBC Universal, to keynote its annual conference and exhibition, being held Jan. 28-31 at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas.
“Our 2008 conference and exhibition represents the first NATPE of the digital world,” said Rick Feldman, president and CEO of the organization. “As traditional programming migrates to new platforms and original material is being developed specifically for broadband and mobile delivery, NATPE is in the perfect position to bring together the leading-edge players in this new environment under one roof in an intimate atmosphere that offers valuable accessibility for our attendees.
“We’re delighted that an accomplished visionary of the caliber of Jeff Zucker will open our conference. Jeff’s contributions to NBC Universal and our industry are significant, and his keynote address will be an ideal opening showcase for what will be a dynamic and stimulating NATPE 2008.”
Although longtime attendees CBS and Sony have both pulled out of this year’s events, Mr. Feldman noted that NATPE continues to be the only market for domestic deals and that the international contingent, which makes up a third of the conferences’ participants, continues a strong run in both the formatting and off-net business.
“This is a supply-and-demand business, and NATPE will continue to be there delivering unparalleled access to not only content but platforms as well, whether it’s domestic television, the international marketplace or somewhere in the digital spectrum,” Mr. Feldman said. “In addition, our speaker lineup is already shaping up to be one of our strongest, and I look forward to hearing what they have to say.”