IT may not steamroll traditional platforms overnight as many predicted, but new media is certainly digging its heels into the international market.

Traditional platforms will still be the real deal in Cannes April 16-20 at MIPTV 2007 from a revenue perspective, but market attendees - from major players to niche distributors - agree that emerging platforms are the most significant trend at work in the international marketplace right now.

"There is nothing comparable to the power of television to bring new ideas, new brands and new content to people," says CHUM Television's SVP of content Roma Khanna. "That being said, times are changing and especially among younger audiences there is an opportunity to build brands and awareness on these multiple platforms. A year ago this time we were talking to a lot of people, but now we're actually doing deals."

Mobile devices are a natural fit for CHUM's MuchMusic or FashionTelevision content, which can be digested in smaller segments, says Khanna.

But CHUM is not just looking for deals that take traditional properties into the new media arena. The company recently acquired multiplatform rights to Happy Tree Friends - short Flash animations from California-based Mondo Media, which started on the web, and moved to TV.

At this year's market, Khanna says she's as likely to meet with new media companies as traditional broadcasters.

Another company looking to make new media deals at MIPTV is London-based distributor Fireworks International. While the company focuses primarily on one-hour drama and half-hour kids live action, it is actively staking its new media territory.

This year, Fireworks is looking to sell Heavy Worldwide. The U.S. broadband site includes user-generated content and clips produced in-house. Discussions with international buyers will include rolling out Heavy sites in new territories or selling its programming on a linear basis, says Kathryn Rice, VP European sales and acquisitions.

"New media is an active market. It may not be growing as fast as people thought, but it definitely is an expanding area," she says.

For the most part, however, fears that new media will threaten the viability of traditional platforms have been allayed.

"At some point in time, [emerging platforms] will be monetized and they will make you money, but it's a long, slow process," says Ted Riley, executive managing director of international content distribution for Alliance Atlantis. "New media is not going to dislodge any of the mainstream media outlets, it will just embellish them. But it's going to be a subordinate revenue source for the next 10 years."

Drama

At MIP, AAC will continue to focus on its CSI brand, despite the sale of the company to CanWest Global and Goldman Sachs, pending regulatory approval.

"We're basically in a holding pattern, waiting to see what goes down," says Riley, adding that in terms of deal-making, the company "hasn't slowed down at all."