NBCU’s Lazarus To Kick Off NATPE Virtual Miami

The National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE), the global business association for content producers, distributors, streamers and buyers across all platforms, today announced that the conference portion of the first international television event of the year will begin with NBCUniversal Television and Streaming Chairman Mark Lazarus as opening keynote. Lazarus will be joined on stage by Hoda Kotb, co-anchor of NBC News’ Today and co-host of Today with Hoda & Jenna, who will moderate the fireside conversation. Due to circumstances surrounding the ongoing pandemic, NATPE Virtual Miami 2021 will be held entirely online as part of the organization’s growing NATPE Virtual slate.

The conference portion of NATPE Virtual Miami will take place Jan. 19-22, with the Marketplace open Jan. 19-29. Attendees to the conference can expect four days of programming channels each with a different theme (Business, Audience, Content, Production). On each of those days, there will be programming blocks with different tracks. Every day will commence with The Big Opening, which includes the conversation with Lazarus, followed by Station Groups, Streaming, and Series. NATPE Miami viewers will be able to easily tune into conference programming that meets their interests on a daily basis as if it were a TV network.

The packed line-up includes top content industry executives from AMC, A+E, Avalon, Canal+, CW, DirecTV, DMR, Eccho Rights, Endemol Shine, Entertainment Studios, FilmRise, FOX, Hearst Television Group, ITV Studios, LiveLike, Neilsen, Netflix, Premiere Digital, PBS, StudioCanal, Telemundo, Tubi, RMVISTAR, Starz, Universal Television, Univision, ViacomCBS, Vrio, The Walt Disney Company, Whip Media and many more. Jay Leno, Kevin Eubanks, and Robin Roberts are among other notable names on the program. For more details on the executives speaking and for a look at the programming agenda, visit www.natpe.com/miami/agenda.

NATPE President-CEO JP Bommel said: “This past year has been extraordinary by any imaginable measure and I want to reflect on the lives we have lost in our beloved industry and send loving thoughts to the family and friends of those, to this day, are still affected. While it wasn’t possible to meet in person this year, we went to task to overcome video conferencing fatigue and provide a unique “one click” experience where fresh content from all over the world will be showcased. The conference itself will provide endless opportunities for creativity and connection.”