Event Coverage
Top CEOs tackle TV future at Mipcom 2005 Superpanel
MUMBAI: Audiovisual content market Mipcom will launch the very first Mipcom CEO Superpanel to be held, on Tuesday, 18 October. The theme for the Superpanel is, The Changing Landscape of Television – The Threats and Opportunities – and will unite some of the most prominent leaders in the global TV and digital media industries.
The team of top-level executives participating in the Superpanel represent a wide range of sectors that play a key role in today’s TV industry. They will share their views on the critical developments facing the fast-changing audiovisual landscape, and focus on how traditional television networks and companies are facing up to the opportunities and threats posed by the proliferation of such new applications as internet TV, mobile 3G and Video-On-Demand.
Central to the Mipcom conference programme the Superpanel will bring together former BBC Director General and current HIT Entertainment Chairman Greg Dyke, Roger Lynch, CEO of UK-based Internet Protocol Television company Homechoice/VideoNet, Yun-Joo Jung, CEO of Korean national broadcaster KBS, Robert Dowling, President Film and Performing Arts, VNU Business Publications and Publisher/Editor of The Hollywood Reporter and Abe Peled, CEO of UK-based digital pay television solution provider NDS.
The Superpanel will be hosted by the renowned media analyst and Chairman of APAX Media Advisory Board Neil Blackley. “The broadcast free-to-air TV industry has seen a proliferation of channels and the development of the enabled base of VCR/DVDs and game consoles. All of this has created massive competition for the eyeball and fragmented audiences,” notes Neil Blackley. “The changes now underway with Internet TV, mobile 3G and VOD are possibly even more profound. The two key questions are how serious are these changes for the networks and how are they dealing with them?”
“The CEO Superpanel is a new Mipcom initiative which aims to facilitate the flow of information and opinions,” says Reed Midem CEO Paul Zilk. “I’m honoured to welcome such a distinguished group of industry leaders to Mipcom. Their vision of the future of audiovisual entertainment, and of the opportunities brought about by the convergence of TV and digital technologies, is of crucial importance to our delegates.”
Mipcom will be held in Cannes, France from 17-21 October and over 11,000 television and digital content executives are expected at attend this year’s event.
In addition to the CEO Superpanel, the four-day Mipcom 2005 conference programme, presents a total of 27 panels and will draw attention to the rapid growth and evolution of audiovisual entertainment. Approximately 100 high-level conference speakers will provide solid, in-depth information on High Definition, Mobile TV Content, New Formats, Digital Technologies and the Merchandising & Licensing market.
Other highlights from Mipcom’s 21st edition include three prestigious keynotes from Endemol’s Peter Bazalgette, Howard Roffman from Lucasfilm Licensing and Dan Romanelli of Warner Bros. Worldwide Consumer Products. Also high on the agenda are the first Mobile TV Screenings and Awards, the Mipcom DVD Awards and Gustavo Cisneros, Chairman and CEO of the Cisneros Group of Companies will receive the Mipcom 2005 Personality of the Year Award.
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.
