The verdict is in: MIP London was a successful TV conference event… and a less successful TV marketplace. This, of course, isn’t news to MIP London’s organizer, RX, which is said to be actively looking for remedies that, according to some, could consist of offering free accommodations to international content buyers beginning two days prior to the start of the London TV Screenings. The rationale here is simple. Since 700 or so buyers are already paying for airfare and hotels to attend the London Screenings and the concurrent BBC Showcase, the offer of two or three days of free accommodations from RX would likely entice them to come a little early and also attend MIP London.
Meanwhile, executives at the IET Building — where most of MIP London was held (in addition to the adjacent Savoy Hotel) — are hoping that reps for RX will soon confirm the same approximate dates for next year’s MIP London with the proviso that the event begin at least two days earlier than the London Screenings (as soon as that event’s dates are announced).
But back to the event’s success as a conference, but not a market. Indeed, MIP London had as many conferences (40, plus screenings and presentations) as there were exhibitors (51) during the three-day event that concluded Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
And while the conferences were overflowing with participants, the sales floors (located on three floors of the IET building and one floor of the adjacent Savoy Hotel) were sparsely trafficked. The widely held belief is that MIP London was meant to leverage the 700 international buyers who flock to attend both the London Screenings and the BBC Showcase.
“It is not a sales market,” said Bomanbridge’s Sonia Fleck, who flew in from her home base in Singapore. Fleck, who was at MIP London with a table (like all other exhibiting distribution companies), explained: “I’m at MIP London to reconnect with a spectrum of clients,” and, since she also attended the London Screenings, added: “the Screenings are important for our producers.”
The London Screenings are also important to international buyers, many of whom were enticed to attend MIP London with the promise of free hotel accommodations if they registered on site at the IET building. RTE Ireland buyer Dermot Horan did not take advantage of this offer, but he still managed to attend MIP London on Sunday, opening day, and held six meetings. However, he said, starting on Monday he’d be super busy with the BBC Showcase and other screenings.
Equally busy at MIP London was Javier Quevedo Pérez, from the Content Distribution arm of Spain’s RTVE, who was spotted running to meetings at the Savoy, while his exhibition table was at the IET Building.
Also attending MIP London but not exhibiting were Sabrina Eleuteri from Italy’s RAI.com and Darrin Holender from Los Angeles-based Multicom.
YLE Finland buyer Johanna Salmela was also spotted at the Savoy Hotel. She managed to participate at MIP London even though she was mainly in the city for the London Screenings events, which feature 36 content distribution companies, scattered about London. The Screenings, which will end on Friday, February 27, attract a large number of buyers from all over Europe, with most of them offering drinks or a party at the end of their screening day, like Boat Rocker Studios did at The Wigmore bar on Monday.
Pictured above, from top, l. to r.: TLN’s Aldo Di Felice at MIP London’s Sunday opening party, RTE Ireland buyer Dermot Horan, Bomanbridge’s Sonia Fleck, Multicom’s Darrin Holender, Global Agency’s Izzet Pinto during a presentation, Boat Rocker’s Mellany Welsh and Jon Rutherford at their London Screenings’ party.
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