Markets

RX France (formerly Reed MIDEM) today confirmed Keynote speakers for the opening session of this Spring’s in person re-shaped MIPTV (4-6 April).

Kevin Mayer, Co-Chairman, and Co-CEO of next generation media company Candle Media and René Rechtman Co-Founder and CEO of Moonbug Entertainment will join forces to keynote at MIPTV. Candle Media’s purchase of global children’s giant Moonbug in November 2021 is one of several recent high-profile acquisitions of, and investments in, content companies.

Since its beginning in 2018, Moonbug’s digital first approach has built a worldwide family audience through globally popular shows including CoComelon, Blippi and Little Baby Bum. Promoting values such as compassion, empathy and resilience to children around the world, Moonbug’s content appears in 30 languages and on more than 100 platforms.

Founded by ex-Disney Executives Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs, with backing from private equity firm Blackstone, Candle Media’s acquisition of Moonbug followed that of Hello Sunshine, the media company founded by Reese Witherspoon (Big Little Lies, The Morning Show, Little Fires Everywhere) in August last year. In recent weeks the company has also completed the acquisition of Israeli production company Faraway Road Productions (Fauda) and taken a minority stake in Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Inc. (King Richard, Cobra Kai, Welcome to Earth).

Created as an independent, creator-friendly home for cutting-edge, high quality, category defining brands and franchises, Candle Media aims to position leading entertainment businesses for accelerated, sustainable growth in the current market and beyond by bringing together elite talent operating at the intersection of content, community and commerce.

Staged on the opening day of the market in the Palais des Festivals, the session will cover strategy and future plans of the companies along with insights and takes on wider industry trends.

RX France Entertainment Division Director & Director of MIPTV, Lucy Smith commented: “It could not be timelier to welcome René and Kevin to the Cannes stage. Moonbug has risen to become a category-leader, built on editorial values and a digital first approach, in less than four years. Whilst their new owners are presently the industry’s most high profile, acquisitive startup investing in, and supporting, storytellers whose companies can thrive creatively, commercially, and technically in a future media landscape. It will make for an enlightening and entertaining session.”
The opening session announcement follows the confirmation of Cécile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of Sky Studios, as the recipient of Variety’s International Achievement in Television Award to be presented at the market, with further high-profile confirmations to the programme to follow in the coming weeks.

The 59th annual MIPTV in 2022 incorporates both MIPFORMATS and MIPDOC into a new three-day business efficient programme, with premium high-end drama showcase MIPDRAMA again acting as a curtain raiser on 3 April.

Also returning are the International Format Awards (in association with C21Media, FRAPA, MIPFORMATS & Entertainment Masterclass), whilst in parallel, Cannes will also host the fifth season of international TV series Festival CANNESERIES (1-6 April) and Esports BAR, the world’s leading esports business event.

MIPTV 2022 looks to build on the success of, and take learnings from, last October’s MIPCOM, the television industry’s biggest global sales and development market and the first major content market to be staged in person since the beginning of the pandemic. MIPCOM saw over 4500 delegates, including 1200 buyers and 145 stands from 35 countries returning to Cannes to buy, sell, network and gain invaluable insights.

Plans for Spring also include health and safety measures successfully implemented at MIPCOM, which continue to be reviewed, updated and refined ahead of April’s market.