NATPE Brings The Future Of TV To Miami Beach
MIAMI BEACH (CBSMiami) - Miami Beach is the center of the television world this week as TV program creators, distributors, network gurus and TV station programmers meet to decide what you might see on TV in the next 2 years.
They've gathered for NATPE, the annual convention of the National Association of Television Programming Executives. Think of it as a shopping mall for TV programmers. A convention like this is where shows like Dr. Phil and The Doctors got their start, as program creators shop around shows from rough ideas to near finished product.
Their hope is to find a market for that idea that will end on your TV set.
The three day conference was officially kicked off Monday at the Fontainebleau Hotel.
"It's a marketplace for professionals buying and selling television shows all over the world," said Rick Feldman, CEO of NATPE. "There are about 5 thousand people from 65 countries."
There are meeting rooms and lecture halls where the latest trends and topics in TV are dissected, and, of course, private places where deals get done. CBS has it's own place at a cabana by the pool.
If producers are at the convention to sell their programs, stars and would-be stars are in Miami Beach to sell themselves.
Ann Hollowell has a regional cooking show in the South, but she wants to be the next Paula Deen, without quite so much butter. From the 24 stations carrying her cooking show, she'd like to move to the next level.
"We are looking to go nationwide with our show," Hollowell said.
The convention has some home-town producers looking to break through. Mark Feidel is pitching a show called, "The Hollywood Judge."
"It's a courtroom show," said Fiedel. "It's "TMZ" meets "Judge Judy" and all the litigants are celebs."
By Wednesday, producers like Feidel should have a good idea if they have a potential hit or if they need to back to the dugout and come up with another game plan.
