The MIP Asia TV programme market will not take place this year in the December slot that it has occupied for the last six years.

The Reed Midem Organisation, which also operates the MIPTV and MIPCOM markets, said that MIP Asia will re-appear in December 2001. But it did not reveal a location for the event which has previously been held in Singapore and Hong Kong.

Midem said that the decision not to hold a market this year had been taken after analysing survey results. These indicated that while some clients had benefited from the first stages of Asian economic recovery new technologies are having a continuing turbulent impact on the traditional programme market. In a statement Midem said: "[we] wish MIP Asia to have the time to reflect on these developments by attracting new media companies who are already active, or wish to develop their activities in the Asia Pacific region."

Question marks have hung over the market ever since the Asian economic meltdown. It has also suffered from a lack of clarity over whether it should be a market for intra-Asian trade or whether it should be a bridge between Asia and the rest of the world. And its position in the industry calendar left it awkwardly straddling the gap between MIPCOM and January's NATPE markets.