Four Conference Sessions to Feature Digital Advances and Experts

Toronto, Cannes, March 31, 2016 – Digital entertainment advances take centre stage this year at MIPTV the world’s content market, held annually in Cannes. From April 4-7, 2016, media moguls and digital delegates will once again descend from around the world on this small port town to cut the deals and shape the trends for TV and interactive entertainment in the year ahead. And Canada’s Bell Fund will host the opening day’s conference, with its focus on all things digital.

“From Virtual Reality to E-Sports tournaments to new devices such as Wearables, 2016 promises to be a banner year for digital audiences and creative entertainment,” said Catherine Warren, Bell Fund board member and president of FanTrust Entertainment Strategies. “MIPTV is a global stage where the glamourous business of television meets novel digital dealmaking – and the Bell Fund’s exclusive sponsorship celebrates this mash-up of industries and individuals from across cultures, continents and virtual collaborations,” said Warren, who is also hosting the Digital Talks on April 4, 2016.

Conference participants will hear from experts on four digital panels throughout the day, in the Palais des Festivals, Cannes: The Power of Fans, E-Sports, Live Streaming and 360 Digital Experiences. Speakers include executives from media powerhouses such as Machinima, Twitter and Endemol Shine. The full line-up of sessions and speakers appears here.

“The Bell Fund is a longstanding partner and ideal sponsor for our 2016 Digital Talks. They bring a wealth of knowledge at the nexus of TV and Digital Media, from financing to professional development and research,” said Laurine Garaude, Director of the TV Division, host organization Reed MIDEM.

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About the Bell Fund (www.bellfund.ca)

The Bell Fund provides grants to Canadian independent producers who develop and produce engaging, interactive cross-platform digital content  for Canadian broadcasters to complement and enhance associated television programs. Since 1997, the Bell Fund has invested more than $165M in 1700+ Canadian digital media projects, television programs, development grants, co-productions and support for research and professional development. The Bell Fund also undertakes training, research, business development and promotion for the digital media industry.

The Bell Fund receives annual contributions of approximately $16.5 M from Bell TV as part of its broadcast distribution undertaking (BDU) contributions to the industry. In addition, the Development Program is supported by the interest generated by a $10M endowment, and contributions from Aliant. The Bell Fund is incorporated as a not-for-profit organization, governed by an independent Board of Directors representing various sectors of the television and digital media industry.

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About MIPTV

MIPTV is the world’s biggest TV and digital content market powering the unlimited potential of extraordinary stories. In April, professionals from across the TV and digital entertainment ecosystem gather in Cannes, France, to forge partnerships, seal distribution deals, network with their international executive peers, and attend high-level conferences and keynotes. MIPTV is also a key venue for early-stage development and financing deals, content acquisitions and programme sales. And with the MIP Digital Fronts – the premier global digital content market – empowering the new digital content era and bringing together the new online video ecosystem with the TV industry, MIPTV anticipates and shapes the future of entertainment. www.miptv.com

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