Thaindian News

Chennai, Feb 21 (IANS) For the first time, there will be a separate pavilion dedicated to the Indian entertainment industry at the world’s biggest entertainment business fair, the NABShow 2008. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has been showcasing technology for cinema, television and radio for 80 years in the US.

The business fair showcases the industry from 163 countries and has 27,000 foreign participants. It generated revenue of over $51 billion last year.

Last year, it had 1,600 film and broadcasting technology companies at the NABShow, five of them from India.

“This year at Las Vegas, there will be an exclusive pavilion devoted to the Indian entertainment industry,” Margarette Cassily, vice-president, international business and convention operations, NAB said here.

Cassily and Chris Brown, executive vice-presidents of NAB are touring this country to woo India’s Rs.500 billion entertainment industry.

“We are pleased to have an opportunity to interact with India’s vibrant industry and communicate the importance of the NAB show in every continent around the world,” Brown said.

“This time, the NAB fair is not just about broadcasting, a huge spectrum of new media platforms will also be showcased,” Cassily said.

Technologies like 3D, IPTV, UltraHD and others will help Indian broadcasters and film producers to do business with the largest content owners in the world, she said.

There are 19 different conferences that will take place April 11-17, with participants able to focus on their individual areas of interest.

However, Brown emphasised: “The NAB show starts with content, not gadgets and provides the industry the best opportunity to showcase content to buyers across emerging platforms.

“Why we have the focus on content this time is because we all know the dynamic content coming out of this region,” Brown said and added NAB has strong partnerships with the Japanese, Chinese and Korean entertainment industry.

“Digitalisation of content and delivery platforms in the audiovisual entertainment space is leading to increasing reach to wider audiences,” Brown told IANS.

“It can also be the way India can curb audio and video piracy,” he added.

Mass conversion of content has not only lowered costs but changed the delivery paradigm worldwide, Brown noted.

The Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC) is facilitating the Indian entertainment industry’s presence at the NAB fair, with concessions, exhibition space and entry tariffs to the concessions.

For the first time, IACC will be taking a media delegation to NABShow 2008, Farokh Balsara, IACC president said here.

The visitors are interacting with the Indian entertainment industry in Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad.

NDTV has been participating at the fair for several years. Chennai-based Real Image Media, Mumbai-based Sa Re Ga Ma India Ltd and Soundarya Rajnikanth’s Ocher Studio are expected to be among this year’s participants.