# MIPCOM Closes Cannes Edition With 10,100 Delegates, Down About 500 From Last Year

> MIPCOM closed its Cannes content market with 10,100 delegates and 3,150 buyers, as chief Lucy Smith pointed to consolidation, AI and vertical storytelling.

- Published: 2026-10-14T15:31:25+00:00
- Section: Business
- Author: News Desk
- URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-14/mipcom-cannes-delegates-attendance
- Source: [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/tv/articles/content-market-conference-mipcom-attracts-142839825.html)

## Key takeaways

- MIPCOM drew 10,100 delegates in Cannes, about 500 fewer than last year, with 3,150 buyers.
- Delegates came from 104 countries, down from 107, and MipJunior attendance was 600.
- Event chief Lucy Smith said consolidation, AI and vertical storytelling are reshaping the entertainment industry.

[MIPCOM](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/000inpc/mipcom), the annual content market and conference in Cannes, closed its 2026 edition with 10,100 delegates, about 500 fewer than last year, including 3,150 buyers. Lucy Smith, the event's chief, gave the figures as the market wound down on Wednesday, [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/tv/articles/content-market-conference-mipcom-attracts-142839825.html) reported.

## MIPCOM's Cannes Numbers and Smith's Disruption Warning

Buyers made up 34% of the total delegate number, down about 150 people from last year. Delegates came from 104 countries, against 107 last year, and MipJunior attendance was 600, of which 165 were buyers, versus 700 and 190 buyers last year.

At a press conference, Smith said, "I think what we have all seen here this week is the global entertainment industry experiencing extraordinary disruption. Consolidation is reshaping the traditional entertainment landscape, and at the same time, though, we're seeing creators, brands, technology companies and digital platforms becoming key actors of the content economy, bringing new sources of entertainment, new sources of investment, new audiences and new ways of doing business."

Smith said vertical storytelling and microdramas are challenging established formats while AI changes how content is made. She said MIPCOM's strategy is to strengthen its position as an international marketplace for content while bringing in the companies, investment, technologies and business models transforming entertainment, through brands, AI, verticals and creators.

Fox Television Network president Michael Thorn joined Fremantle's Jens Richter and actors Brooks Nader and Stephen Amell for a Tuesday discussion on the return of "Baywatch." Fox Corporation will report its first quarter fiscal 2027 financial results via a live audio webcast on November 2, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. ET, PR Newswire reported.

## MIPCOM's AI Forum and BrandWorks Launch

MIPCOM launched the inaugural MIP AI Entertainment Forum at MIPCOM Cannes 2026, headlined by UTOPAI Studios, with a keynote by chief executive Cecilia Shen on AI-native entertainment and next-generation studio models, according to [akta.pro company records](https://akta.pro/company-data). The event also launched MIP BrandWorks, a curated B2B marketplace connecting brands and agencies with studios, creators and rights holders for brand-funded content and IP development. YouTube expanded from prior partner to core growth partner status for the 2026 edition, with a broader programme of keynotes, workshops and panels led by Pedro Pina and Justin Connolly.

## How MIPCOM Built Toward the 2026 Edition

In September 2026, Deadline reported that MIPCOM was pivoting to focus on creators, brands and AI, with YouTube and Dhar Mann Studios leading the shift and a new MIP AI Entertainment Forum and MIP BrandWorks planned. Tubefilter reported the same month that MIPCOM 2026 would carry a convergence theme, bringing together traditional and digital creators for vertical series, branded content and generative AI. In July 2026, Tubefilter reported that MIPCOM Cannes would give microseries and vertical storytelling a major presence at its October trade show.

## What Comes Next for MIPCOM

Fox Corporation's first quarter fiscal 2027 results webcast is scheduled for November 2, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. ET.

## Companies in this story

- [MIPCOM company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/000inpc/mipcom) · website: http://www.mipcom.com
- [All3Media company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0002zli/all3media) · website: http://www.all3media.com
- [BBC Studios company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0000fvs/bbc-studios) · website: https://www.bbcstudios.com

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