In light of the French government's recent ban on indoor events with more than 5,000 people, Reed Midem decides to cancel the long-running international TV content market.
Reed Midem has just announced that MipTV 2020, one of the entertainment industry’s premier content markets, scheduled to run March 30 – April 2, has been canceled because of concerns over the international coronavirus outbreak. MIPDoc and MIPFormats, originally set for March 28-29, have also been canceled. Series 3 of CANNESERIES, the Cannes International Series Festival, normally running alongside MipTV, has been rescheduled to run during MIPCOM, October 9-14. MipTV 2021 is set for April 12-15, 2021; MIPDoc and MIPFormats will run April 10-11, while Season 4 of CANNESERIES will be held during MipTV in April 2021.
In an official statement, Paul Zilk, Reed Midem Chief Executive, said, “In the current context, many of our clients have expressed concerns about travelling at this time. Rescheduling MipTV in the coming months is not feasible, so the most appropriate course of action is to cancel MipTV for 2020.”
Zilk went on to note, “The well-being of our clients, partners and staff is our priority. We are grateful to clients for their support and constructive input during this challenging period. We look forward to welcoming everyone to MIPCOM in October 12-15 and we are delighted that CANNESERIES will be at our side again this year.”
Reed Midem reportedly waited to finalize their decision until the French government officially requested the cancelation, which meant they could then file insurance claims. The news comes on the heels of the French government’s ban on indoor gatherings of more than 5,000 people. Last year’s MipTV attendance was almost 10,000. This past Friday, the first case of Covid-19 in Cannes was reported.
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
