INTX 2016 Survey: Consolidation of operators and content distribution technologies

Executives from the Latin pay TV industry, in an interview with PRODU, mentioned the topics of the 2016 INTX agenda in Boston: consolidation, changes in audience habits, new ways to carry out measurements, over the top (OTT) and content distribution technology, among others.José Antonio Espinal, VP and COO at Somos TV, stated that there are notorious changes in audience measurements and in technology, regarding distribution. Walter Córdova, national manager of Marketing and Services in Spanish for the US and Puerto Rico at EWTN, highlighted that there is a continuous fight between technology for TV at home and OTT technology.Javier García, senior VP and General Manager of Multicultural Services at Comcast, commented: “The industry is changing and users are, too. Last year we launched Internet Plus for that user, where technology already changed and is focused on the Internet more than on video”.For Javier Nuche, General Director of Atresmedia Internacional, the event was the window to showcase the company and position themselves as a powerful group regarding production and distribution of international channels. He added that it is important to position the group as one of the great generators of content in the Spanish language, “not as a Spanish-speaking channel, but to compete with the big content in Spanish players worldwide”.“This year I notice more consolidation, less stands from big programmers and more offers and stands with everything from OTT and technology. We are in an area that lives an important disruption,” mentioned Ignacio Sanz, CEO and general manager of ¡HOLA! TV.Roy Meyeringh, VP for Business Development and Affiliate Sales at beIN SPORTS, feels there is an intention for the signals that are based on alternative platforms to continue growing.“OTT is an opportunity for several channels to continue growing and the majors are starting with their own products. Dish has launched Sling and we are waiting to see what AT&T can bring for the end of the year that can work on their US mobile phone phone portfolio,” said Meyeringh.