Upfront News and Views: National Geographic Channels Go Big with Miniseries

Venue: The lower level of Ma Peche restaurant on W. 56th St. near 5th Ave. Press, talent and executives from National Geographic Channel and sister service Nat Geo Wild faced each other for lunch around long, picnic-fashioned tables. For a more immersive experience, videos, logos and graphic slides were projected on three of the room's four walls. While the atmosphere and ability to nosh with talent was welcome, the inability to move about and spend time at other tables was not. The space was way too cramped. Ma Peche's chefs kept the delicious food coming, served family-style. My pick: vegetable rice cakes (tasted more like gnocchi) with mushrooms over lobster rice. Grade: 3 Jacks for the room/5 Jacks for the food