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CANNES -- A reduced studio presence at this year's MipTV has raised fears that the venerable international TV market could be heading for a NATPE-style collapse. The U. S. Studios are the supertankers that drive the global TV business -- their big budget series and Hollywood blockbusters draw top-notch buyers from around the world. Following in that slipstream are the independents, the off-network producers, the niche, cable and digital channels. But this year, the majors have cut back, many sent skeleton crews to MipTV while their A-teams stayed home to prepare for the L. A. Screenings next month. Fox Television Studios essentially gave MipTV a pass, sending just one registered delegate to the market. A number of Warner execs worked out of the studio's U. K. Production subsidiary Shed and Sony did the same, piggybacking on the stand of its U. K. Outfit TwoWayTraffic. “Studios are the main drivers of any market. The U. S. Majors drive clients to attend and that benefits the smaller companies, the independents that also come, ” said Armando Nunez Jr., president of CBS Studios International. Nunez added that if the majors continue to stay away from MipTV it could “affect the whole dynamic of the market...This has happened before, look at NATPE. ” Attendees worry MipTV could be heading for a tipping point. If the studios stay away and bigger international buyers follow, the April market goes from being a must-attend to a questionable entry in the expense column. “It's an issue for us, ” said a top exec at a major international distributor. “If this continues, we will be pressing (MipTV organizer) Reed Midem to renegotiate their package fees because we don't think we should pay as much if the caliber of buyers is less. ” The timing of MipTV has always made it a troublesome market for the studios, who are focused on wheeling out their brand new lineup at the L. A. Screenings in May. For the big four, the MIPCOM market in October is the prime focus. But despite tell-tale signs of a slow market -- the half-empty hotel lobbies, the no-reservation-required restaurants and unexpected delegate-upgrades- organizers maintained that MipTV is in no danger. “The U. S. Studios are very important for us, no question but we are very international, ” said Anne de Kerckhove, director of Reed Midem's entertainment division. “We aren't NATPE. 60 - 70 percent of our attendees are from Europe. Asia is showing double digit growth. BBC is stronger than ever at this market. So while the major networks are important to us, they aren't the only ones. ”

Airbus once again showcases its cabin innovations at this years’ Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany. The leading manufacturer presents a market research mock-up of a space-saving rear lavatory and galley concept for the A320 Family for the first time. Called Space-Flex, the concept makes more efficient use of the volume at the rear of the cabin. The result: Two lavatories plus a galley can now be accommodated in this space, offering airlines the possibility to install up to three more revenue-generating seats in the cabin and/or to improve seat pitch. One of the Space-Flex lavatories provides full access for ‘Persons with Reduced Mobility’ (PRM) through a simple conversion process: An industry first on a single-aisle aircraft. Another key to cabin flexibility, the A350 XWB enabling platform, is impressively demonstrated at the Airbus booth. Standard interfaces designed to accommodate a wide variety of operator needs and cabin furnishings based on modular designs combine to facilitate the customization of the cabin and allow airlines to reconfigure their cabin in service more easily than before. The A380 display underlines the unmatched passenger appeal of the world’s biggest passenger aircraft. With more than 40 aircraft in service, the A380 is getting overwhelmingly positive passenger feedback and brings operators higher load factors and increased revenues. Airbus’ SPICE galley project (ace nnovative atering quipment) has been making steady progress during 2010. After revealing the operational prototype at last years’ Aircraft Interiors Expo, Airbus will present the progress of user trials performed at a full-scale test facility in Toulouse, demonstrating full cabin service for up to 200 passengers. The space-saving catering system improves crew working conditions at the same time as saving hundreds of kilograms of weight and generating space for additional revenue seats. Airbus space-efficient concepts go beyond new products. Airbus Upgrade Services will present its range of retrofit solutions and services. Cabin experts and students or young talents can inform themselves about career opportunities at Airbus and personally talk to human resources representatives. The Airbus stand is located in hall 7, booth number 7D20.

BEDFORD, Mass., April 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- VideoIQ, the leader in video surveillance innovation, today announced a new series of surveillance innovations and features to be available with VideoIQ’s iCVR cameras and encoders. The newly available solutions include advanced forensic capabilities, mobile monitoring solutions for iCVR-HD cameras and ATM vestibule monitoring. The new features will be debuted in VideoIQ’s booth #9074, at The International Security Conference & Exposition – also known as ISC West –the largest event in the U. S. For the physical security industry, held April 5-8, 2011 at the Sands Convention and Expo Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The VideoIQ iCVR line of cameras and encoders deliver real-time threat detection while eliminating the need for external third party Network Video Recorders (NVR) and Digital Video Recorders (DVR), dramatically simplifying system complexity and costs while reducing bandwidth consumption by over 90%. And with 100% self-calibrating adaptive analytics, customers achieve the greatest accuracy and lowest false alarm rate in the industry while eliminating the need to manually calibrate the system over the lifetime of the device – further reducing system costs and complexity. The newly announced features include: Forensics – The newly launched "real-time forensic" capabilities allow users to create an advanced, real-time visual search for objects and people of interest. Security professionals can drill down into archived video, searching for a level of specificity that they were previously unable to pursue, arming them with additional detail to investigate incidents more rapidly. VideoIQ’s advanced forensic capabilities will be available in Summer 2011. Mobile – Security professionals can have their real-time video and alerts from iCVR-HD cameras streamed directly to their iOS mobile devices, allowing them to monitor and respond to situations whenever and wherever they are. Extended mobile support is immediately available with version 3.1 of VideoIQ’s View and iCVR-HD firmware. ATM Vestibule Monitoring – New ATM vestibule monitoring allows banks and other financial service institutions to be notified of loitering and respond in real-time through 2 way audio, eliminating a potential security situation for their customers. ATM Vestibule Monitoring is immediately available with version 3.1 of VideoIQ’s View and firmware. "A clear picture is no longer enough to protect critical assets and infrastructure, " said Scott Schnell, president and CEO, VideoIQ. "With our new forensic and mobile capabilities, security professionals have rapid access to not only real-time alerts where ever they might be, but for the first time revolutionary search tools to speed up investigations and ATM vestibule monitoring to prevent potential disruptions in their business. "

This year, INTERPHEX was filled with hundreds of innovative exhibitors, but seven companies stood out as leaders of industry as winners of the Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA). MedImmune received an award for Project Execution for its Manufacturing Center Expansion, Building 636, in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The large-scale mammalian-cell culture manufacturing facility is “probably in the top 10, in terms of size, ” according to a representative at MedImmune. The facility is designed for a wide range of output, the range follows a range of. 5 to 7 grams per liter. “What we did was actually work with our vendors for the various pieces of equipment to get them integrated into how we were going to approach automation, very early in the design process. ” Product integration was implemented early and that allowed the start up of the facility to have an efficient schedule. F. Hoffman-La Roche designed a device called MyDose that won in the Process Innovation category. MyDose is a single-use infusion device that is a new platform for automatic drug delivery of high volume drugs to patients. The device can attribute its innovation to its distribution process. The drug is delivered through the device by adhering it to the patient, and when activated, a sterile needle penetrates the abdominal wall and administers the drug. Merck and Co. Was awarded the Facility Integration award for its Global Clinical Supplies Manufacturing, Packaging, and Warehouse Expansion. The expansion of the GMP facility was designed to enhance its core drug product development, manufacturing and packaging capabilities. Several CGMP clinical manufacturing and packaging warehouse areas were consolidated into this one facility, increasing productivity and efficiency. Other winners at FOYA included Novartis Vaccines who won for Equipment Innovation, for its “Mars Project, ” Pfizer Health AB, which earned the Operation Excellence award for “Project Pegasus, ” a Bio-7 manufacturing facility and Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland GmbH, which won in the Sustainability category for their “SPRING and E-MAP” projects. Shire HGT earned an honorable mention for their Project Atlas, Building 400, the company’s third cell-culture facility.

NEW YORK CITY-Introduced as “the best-known salesman for Brooklyn” by Michael Kerr, president of the Associated Builders and Owners of Greater New York, Brooklyn borough president Marty Markowitz took to the podium Tuesday with an idea to sell: More affordable housing. “There remains a critical need to expand the stock of affordable housing in Brooklyn and New York City generally, ” said Markowitz in opening remarks at the start of this year’s BuildingsNY and GreenBuildings NY conference, sponsored by ABO. In Brooklyn and throughout the city, Markowitz said, the next generation of multifamily development will require “thoughtful rezoning” of areas currently zoned for manufacturing. Several such rezonings have occurred already, and the borough president predicted that two recent ones in Brooklyn—Fulton Street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section and Ocean Hill—would soon be followed by RFPs from the city for housing development. Noting that affordable housing is “leveraged by market-rate housing, ” Markowitz recounted a number of projects that he has championed and which will lead eventually to thousands of new affordable housing units being built in his borough. Among them is the 227-acre Gateway Estates mixed-use development in East New York, which will include nearly 2, 200 affordable units along with a retail center, single-family homes and a public school. When Forest City Ratner Cos. ’ much delayed, $4.9-billion Atlantic Yards project in downtown Brooklyn is completed, Markowitz said, it will offer a comparable number of affordable apartments along with 4, 000 units of market-rate housing. Markowitz also cited CPC Resources’ redevelopment of the former Domino Sugar refinery along the Brooklyn waterfront, which is slated to include 660 affordable housing units out of a total of 2, 200 apartments when the site is recast as the New Domino. “Only in Brooklyn can we turn sugar into sweet affordable housing, ” Markowitz quipped. Coney Island’s transformation will also bring about new residential stock, and there’s also the pending re-use of the former Greenpoint Lumber Exchange, he said. The borough president also urged his BuildingsNY audience to turn their attention to an underserved constituency: Retirees, who could be housed in active adult housing with on-site gyms and other amenities. Citing the growing ranks of Brooklynites who are segueing into their 60s, Markowitz said, “Rather than their moving out to New Jersey, I want to keep them in Brooklyn. ” At the other end of the age spectrum, Markowitz asserted, “The movement of young people out of Manhattan and into Brooklyn continues. ” He joked that while it was once the dream of young adults to leave Brooklyn behind for the bright lights of Manhattan, now it’s the other way around. None of the projects that have brought about, or will bring about, new housing have been easily accomplished, said Markowitz. “There are none without conflict--anti-development fever is powerful in this town. ” Somehow, though, the city manages to get the projects accomplished, he added, although the process is lengthy. Markowitz recalled a visit to Istanbul in which that city’s mayor showed him the startling before-and-after contrast brought about by the redevelopment of one part of town. The transformation was accomplished in just six months, he said, a time frame unheard of here. “They don’t have ULURPs, community boards and everything else you have to go through to get things done here, ” he said.

Preliminary unaudited attendance figures for International Vision Expo East,held this past weekend at the Jacob K.Javits Convention Center in New York City,show a seven percent increase in attendance over 2010 figures.A final complete third-party audit of International Vision Expo East will be available in approximately six weeks. “This year’s 25th anniversary show was incredible,”said Tom Loughran,vice president for Reed Exhibitions.“For three solid days our showfloor was buzzing with the energy and international style that can only be found in New York.It was clear that this was the place to be for those looking to debut or discover the latest trends in eyewear,advances in eyecare technology and best-practices in business.” “We are extremely pleased with our experience at Vision Expo East this year,”says Victor Melendez,Vice President of Luxottica USA.“The welcoming atmosphere of our new booth drew a steady flow of traffic and the interactive areas for Ray-Ban and Persol attracted sizable crowds.Together,these elements created a wonderful environment for us to network and connect with customers,who responded with very positive feedback.This was a great showing for the year in which we will celebrate our 50th Anniversary!” According to Peter Friedfeld,Executive Vice President of ClearVision Optical,“Vision Expo is clearly the preeminent event in Vision Care in the market,and it has become the meeting place for all things related to our industry.”He added,“The new layout made it easy for attendees to navigate and spend time with existing vendors and meet with new suppliers.The quality of the attendees at the New York Vision Expo continues to grow and we had excellent meetings with our customers,as well as opening up many new accounts.Friday was a powerful day for all,probably the strongest opening day in many years.” For some,the show also provided an opportunity to engage in other networking events and activities,including the New York City Half Marathon.“I was thrilled when I found out that the marathon and Vision Expo East were on the same weekend,”said Tara Barchers,an optician with Heritage Family Eyecare.“Being in the industry I understand that there’s more to vision care and eye health than glasses alone.Participating in the marathon gave me the unique opportunity to be a part of something bigger by helping thousands of runners and spectators to make the connection between eye health and overall health-such an incredible experience!”Barchers ran the marathon wearing a custom race t-shirt from Thinkaboutyoureyes.com,a public awareness campaign designed to educate Americans about the importance of vision health and comprehensive eye exams. This response was echoed by many other exhibitors as well,noted Loughran.“Our on-site feedback and attendance figures confirm that the Vision Expos remain the optical event for the Americas and are quickly gaining steam from International attendees,”he said.“With 565 participating exhibitors,and more than 300 hours of CE,our selection of products and continuing education found at the show is unmatched.This is your one-stop-shop for education,products,trends and solutions.” Ken Bradley,President,Eschenbach Optik of America,Inc.,agreed.“Vision Expo East was a successful show for us this year in terms of our primary meeting objective,which is to obtain leads for our company.Helping to increase traffic was the new Passport Program that drove people to our booth who hadn’t originally intended to do so.In addition,the continuing education program updated ECPs on macular degeneration and low vision(conditions for which our products are designed),thereby making them more likely to search out products to help their patients with these conditions.” Next year,the conference for International Vision Expo East will be held March 22-25,2012,and the exhibition will be held March 23-25,2012,at the Jacob K.Javits Convention Center in New York City. International Vision Expo East has show dates confirmed with the Jacob K.Javits Convention Center through 2015 and will continue to hold the event each year in the March/April timeframe.

Location South Wharf, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Arabian Construction Week, one of the most significant construction events in the Middle East region, opened in Abu Dhabi on Monday. The three day event, run in conjunction with INTERMAT Middle East, is being held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre (ADNEC) and was opened by HE Engineer Ahmad Mohammed Shareef, Undersecretary of the Department of Municipal Affairs, Abu Dhabi. The Arabian Construction Week consists of three dedicated trade shows - Green Building Middle East for sustainable construction solutions, Future Build Middle East for Innovative construction products and Civil Engineering Middle East highlighting major infrastructure developments. Several summits are also being held, including The Building Smart Summit, Green Building Summit, Infrastructure Summit and the Climate Control Summit. The Abu Dhabi Department of Municipal Affairs will host two workshop Series – Building Codes & Regulations and Environmental Health and Safety Management Systems. The Emirates Green Building Council will host a focus day on the theme ‘Abu Dhabi: Regulations & Assessment Tools – Their Application and Implementation’. The event runs until March 30.

MUMBAI: A delegation of the Indian Film Exporters Association (IFEA), comprising Ganesh Jain (President), Hirachand Dand (VP), Sivkumar Damani, Rameshkumar Duggal, Ajay Suri, Nikhil Tanwani and Nandkumar Bele (Secretary General), is currently attending the Hong Kong Film and TV Market being held in the premises of the ongoing Hong Kong International Film Festival. The Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (FILMART) is being held from March 21 to 24. This is said to be one of the premium places for buying and selling films of different languages.

Mar 22, 2011 (LBO) - China plans to make it easier for Sri Lankan exports to the country to clear customs and be distributed to local markets, according to the island’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce. "China is planning to provide favourable policies for custom clearance and inland transportation for exports coming from Sri Lanka, " it said in a statement, without giving details. The assurance was given by Huang Shah, Vice Chairperson of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, at a meeting with Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen. China will also allocate a special area for Sri Lanka in the forthcoming Kunming international trade fair and will give 100 free booths for Sri Lanka, Huang said. The fourth South Asian Countries’ business forum and trade fair will be held from June 05 to 10 at Kunming, a known transportation hub in south-western China, located within the Yunnan Province. Bathiudeen said China is now the second largest supplier of goods to Sri Lanka. “Today China has become an important market for Sri Lanka with Sri Lankan exporters able to enter the Chinese market under the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement. " The South Asian Countries’ trade fair is an annual trade fair organized in parallel to the China Import and Export Fair known as the Kunming Fair and is limited to South Asian countries.

The Hong Kong International Jewellery Show has reported a record number of exhibitors at its 2011 show, with jewellery brands hoping to cash in on the lucrative Chinese market and showcase their goods to an international audience. The show opened on March 4 with a record 2, 800 exhibitors from 46 countries and regions. It runs until March 8 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Permanent secretary for commerce and economic development Andrew Wong, chairman of the Hong Kong Trade and Development Council (HKTDC) Jewellery Advisory Committee and the Fair Organising Committee of the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show Lawrence Ma and HKTDC executive director Fred Lam officiated the ceremony to both local and international press. Speaking at the launch, Ma said: “With the global jewellery market back on its stylish feet, these are promising times. The upswing is driven, in good part, by the Chinese mainland and its growing appetite for jewellery. Last year jewellery sales on the mainland totaled some $30bn (US). And the mainland is expected to become the world’s biggest market for luxury goods over the next decade. ” He added: “There is no better place to tap this vast consumer market than Hong Kong. No better time than right now. ” Ethiopia is taking part in this year’s fair for the first time, and Italy has become the fair’s official “partner country” and has the largest international pavilion at the show with 120 exhibitors. Other pavilions include: Brazil, Chinese mainland, Columbia, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Phillipines, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and the United States. There are also buying missions from leading retailers including Argentina’s Diamonds DC and Jose Peskin e Hijos SA, Brazil’s Amsterdam Sauer, Folic and Vivara; Canada’s Ann-Louise Jewellers and Sears Canada Inc; Japan’s GSTV; Paraguay’s Luxor SA; Saudi Arabia’s Farsi Jewellery; The United Arab Emirates’ Joy Alukkas