Paris, 18 June 2020 – Reed MIDEM has pledged to use its annual MIPCOM global content market in Cannes – the biggest week in international television – to initiate an industry wide conversation around positive social change at a global level.

MIPCOM 2020 will honour Sky Group Chief Executive Jeremy Darroch with the inaugural MIP SDG Award for Climate Change and Protection of the Oceans in support of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The 4th MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Awards will amplify and honour the most compelling creators, characters and stories promoting diversity and inclusion on all screens.

As the world’s television industry comes together in Cannes this October, MIPCOM 2020 (12-15 October) and MIPJunior (10-11 October), will create a powerful forum for the industry to explore its role in delivering change for good for the world of tomorrow.

The Change for Good programme at the 36th MIPCOM will explore the impact and influence the worldwide television industry can have across a wide range of global issues, from promoting diversity and inclusion, to minimising environmental impact and fostering responsible business practices. MIPCOM will showcase best examples through the 4th edition of the MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Awards and the MIP SDG Award for Climate Action and Protection of the Oceans.

MIPCOM 2020 will be one of the first major international event for the world’s television executives to take place this year. Organisers Reed MIDEM are fully committed to delivering a focused and purposeful market to support and champion the entertainment industry as it gets back to business in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Getting back to business will be the top priority for all of us this year. We are committed to using the biggest moment in the TV calendar to support the important change agenda across diversity, inclusion, equality, respect, environmental questions and more,” said Laurine Garaude, Director of the Television Division at Reed MIDEM, which organises MIPCOM.

“As the biggest and most influential week in international television, this year MIPCOM wants to make the best use of its platform to encourage the entertainment industry to use its power for good and to celebrate and recognize the amazing work it does,” added Laurine Garaude.

Details of the official MIPCOM and MIPJunior programmes will be shared in the coming weeks but highlights of the “Change for Good” agenda include:

. 4th edition of the MIPCOM DIVERSIFY TV EXCELLENCE AWARDS dedicated to championing and promoting diverse and inclusive content and recognising positive programming across the year that embraces excellent representation in exemplary shows.

This high-profile event in the programme will be open this year to all attendees at MIPCOM. The winning shows will be chosen by a jury of prominent industry names and global charities.

Jury: Bunmi Akintonwa, CEO, Little Black Book Company; Mounia Aram, CEO, Mounia Aram Company; Sahar Baghery, Head of Business Development, Amazon Prime Video; Kay Benbow, Children’s Media Specialist; Bruna Capozzoli, Advisor & Content Creator; Patrick Connolly, SVP, Programming and Marketing, AMC Networks International; David Cornwall, Managing Director, Scorpion Television; Sallyann Keizer, Managing Director, Sixth Sense Media; Wincie Knight, Senior Director, Global Inclusion Strategies, ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI), EMEA; David Levine, GM, Disney Channels UK; Cédric Petitpas, YouTube Family & Learning Content Partnerships, Northern Europe Google UK; Sam Renke , Actress, Presenter, Writer and Disability Rights Campaigner; Shabnam Rezaei, Co-Founder & President, Big Bad Boo Studios; Nick Smith, EVP Formats, All3Media International; Deborah Williams, CEO, The Creative Diversity Network (CDN); Nacer Zorgani, Media Independent Advisor & Writer.

Charities: GLAAD; Mencap; OutRight Action International; SCOPE; Show Racism the Red Card; The Global Alliance for Disability in Media and Entertainment (GADIM). (More charities to be announced in the coming weeks).

The call for entries is now open and the deadline for submissions is 24 July 2020.

. MIP SDG AWARD FOR CLIMATE ACTION AND PROTECTION OF THE OCEANS : In support of the United Nations, and in line with the Decade of Action for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Reed MIDEM, a member of the SDG Media Compact, is launching the annual MIP SDG Award to honour media companies for their action and contribution to delivering the Sustainable Development Goals. The first Award will be dedicated to the Climate Action/ Life Below Water Goals and will be presented to Sky Group Chief Executive Jeremy Darroch in recognition of Sky Group’s track record in setting the highest standards in sustainability and responsibility and taking action on environmental issues.

Jeremy Darroch, Group Chief Executive, Sky , said: “I’m delighted to accept the inaugural MIP SDG Award for Climate Action and Protection of the Oceans, which recognises Sky’s work these last years with our Ocean Rescue campaigns. We are entering a critical decade on the long road to climate recovery and all businesses have the opportunity to accelerate progress and become part of the solution. Since 2007 we’ve campaigned for ocean health and inspired 47 million people across Europe to reduce the flow of single-use plastics into our seas. This year, we’ve announced our ambition to be net zero carbon by 2030. We need to take action now – because the world can’t wait.”

MIPJUNIOR’s official programme will be dedicated to addressing the responsibility this sector of the industry has for the next generation with an agenda built around what children’s television is doing globally to create a better future.