Event Coverage
Disney’s Rich Ross to deliver keynote at Mipcom Junior
MUMBAI: Disney Channel Worldwide president Rich Ross will present a keynote address on the second day of Mipcom Junior, the specialist international screening marketplace and conference for children’s programming and merchandising.
The 15th edition of Mipcom Junior will be held from 6 – 7 October at the Carlton Hotel, Cannes.
Ross, who has been with Disney for 11 years, manages the company’s global kids’ TV business, a total of 67 channel feeds around the world. He is a key member of the team behind High School Musical and its sequel High School Musical 2 – which the firm says is the most watched basic cable telecasts of all time and both parts of the blockbuster Disney Channel Original Movie franchise. Rich Ross will share the reasons behind the channel’s phenomenal success during his keynote speech at Mipcom.
Other key conferences during the two-day Mipcom Junior include the Buyers’ Summit, which will bring together programming executives from international broadcasters to answer the fundamental question: what do buyers want?
The Digital Kids! Panel will look at the latest opportunities in cross-platform kids’ entertainment and social communities. The conferences speakers include leading executives from such companies as Warner Bros., BBC, SuperRTL, ABC Children, Al Jazeera Children’s Channel, ZDF, Hasbro, Fisher Price and Jetix.
Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products president Leigh Anne Brodsky will be president of the jury at this year’s Mipcom Junior Licensing Challenge. The competition will be held on October 6, and gives delegates the opportunity to put their property forward to the TV community in the hope of finding tomorrow’s licensing star.
A jury of experts, predominantly toy manufacturers, agents and broadcasters, will evaluate a total of five non-aired projects selected on the basis of their strong potential for licensing and merchandising exploitation. This year a record 47 projects, including 11 from the United Kingdom, have been entered.
On 6 October, participants are invited to attend the “Kick-off Session: Improve your Pitch” for personal guidance to perfect pitching skills. Also on Saturday, in conjunction with the “India Day” special country focus taking place at Mipcom on 8 October, Mipcom Junior will host a panel of high level speakers from the Indian entertainment industry who will discuss programming produced in India and broadcast in both the domestic and international markets.
The number of programmes screened at the 2006 edition of Mipcom Junior reached an all time record with the easy-to-use digital video library launched in 2004. 42,848 screenings were recorded compared to 39,134 in 2005. Once again this new digital technology will offer optimal screening conditions for all the programmes listed in the Mipcom Junior 2007 catalogue.
Mipcom Junior 2006 welcomed, 829 participants from 529 companies and from 52 countries. 937 programmes were presented of which 562 were new.
Mipcom Junior is organised in partnership with the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA), the French consultancy agency Kazachok, the Canadian magazine Kidscreen and the specialised magazine License! Global.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
