Hispanic TV Summit remains relevant despite changes

Joe Schramm, managing partner & president, Schramm Marketing Group, company that has organized the event since its origin comments: “When we first started the Hispanic Television Summit in 2002, the focus was primarily on Spanish language programming from broadcast and cable/satellite TV. The marketplace was concerned with how networks were negotiating to be distributed on cable or satellite, and then how they would attract Hispanic consumers to subscribe to pay-TV.”

He adds that the conversation has dramatically changed, especially in the past five years to focus in three areas: 1.) Technology which has allowed for TV and video to be distributed on multiple platforms, not just cable, and satellite, 2.) An increase in the kind of content that Hispanic audiences watch, including programs in English or Spanish or both and 3.) An increase in options where advertisers may place their media investment.

Schramm explained that the focus of today’s media marketplace is best defined by the advertisers and their media buying agencies who are enjoying a sophisticated marketplace that has not previously been available to them. “They now have: larger Hispanic audiences, watching more programs, more often and on more devices, and more options for reaching specific segments within the Hispanic audience,” he detailed.

Today, he points out that the main challenges for the industry are: sustaining the viability of broadcast TV including the impact of re-transmission issues on cable and satellite; evaluating the profitability of mass distribution of content across digital and traditional platforms; maximizing advertising investment to ensure the most cost-effective media placement that will also drive results; measuring audience behavior, and influencing viewer behavior; addressing the public’s understanding of piracy of content, and the impact piracy is having on the entire industry; and developing programming content that is effective at attracting consistent, repeat loyal viewers.

Regarding the future of Hispanic TV, Schramm points out it is bright because TV is moving from mass-market to smaller segments or individual experiences.