Rafael Urbina of TelevisaUnivision: “We Launched 6 Vertical Microcontent Series On Our Vix Platform”

Rafael Urbina, President of Streaming and Digital at TelevisaUnivision, spoke with Ríchard Izarra from Miami in a new edition of #PRODUprimetime. During the interview, the Venezuelan-American executive shared details about the launch of ViX’s new vertical-format microcontent.

This announcement marks a new era in content production and consumption in Latin America, with TelevisaUnivision once again leading the way in adapting to industry changes.

Urbina also discussed topics such as ViX’s video podcasts, the robust pipeline of original content for 2025 and 2026, and the platform’s profitability—which was achieved in less time than expected.

MICROCONTENT

With the launch of microcontent, ViX now offers more digitally native vertical-format content, targeting younger generations. “Gen Z is used to faster, shorter, and more shareable content. We’re excited about this new launch, now available in the app on both iOS and Android,” said Rafael Urbina.

“We’ve already launched the first six microdramas. In fact, they’re not just microdramas or micro-telenovelas—they’re microcontent. We’ll have drama, comedy, reality, documentaries, but we started with drama because that’s where we have our strongest competitive advantage. The episodes are 1 minute long, and we’re producing between 60 and 100 episodes per series,” he explained.

He added that these microcontent productions are being made 100% at San Ángel, using new and emerging talent from Televisa’s Artistic Education Center. The goal is to bring fresh young faces to the screen—both in front of and behind the camera.

LONG-FORM AND HORIZONTAL CONTENT

During the interview, Urbina emphasized that despite the microcontent launch, ViX will continue to produce long-form, traditional horizontal content.

“This year we’ll be producing more than 50 ViX original titles. The windowing strategy in both Mexico and the U.S. has worked very well for us. Long-form content is our strength and will remain so. These microcontent pieces are an addition to what we already offer, to further strengthen our connection with audiences and new consumers,” explained Urbina.

He also shared with PRODU that ViX reaches more than 50 million people per month, with strong demand for long-format content.

ViX’S HYBRID MODEL AND MICROPAYMENTS

The platform, reaching 50 million people, is operating under a hybrid model of premium subscriptions and integrated advertising.

“We believe the hybrid model is the key to success. A paywall subscription service would limit access to a very narrow segment of the population, which doesn’t reflect the reality of our market. That’s why we believe there must be a free content tier,” Urbina said.

He also mentioned they’re experimenting with add-ons and micropayments now that microcontent has launched. “The idea is to deliver as much content as possible to as many people as possible, in a sustainable way. In emerging markets, we need to be more creative.”

“To explain a bit more about how micropayments work—they’re designed for mass audiences who may not be able to access all premium content. We’ll offer, for very low prices, access to certain episodes, a soccer match, or unlimited programming for a day. We’re exploring how to develop this. It’s worked very well in Asia,” he added.

VIDEO PODCASTS

Ríchard Izarra also brought up ViX’s recently launched video podcasts. Urbina confirmed they’re investing heavily in this area.

“We launched recently and we’re putting a lot of effort into it. Podcasting is growing rapidly. We still have a lot to develop and a lot of content to add and produce so the business continues to scale. We see a lot of potential.”

He also announced the launch of ViX Música, aimed at giving Hispanic creators a platform where they can be discovered.

RECORD-BREAKING PROFITABILITY

Urbina noted that ViX achieved profitability in just over two years, with very competitive profit margins, rivaling streaming giants like Netflix, which has a 15-year head start in the market.

“We recently reached profitability—I think it was a record time for a streaming service, especially since many are still losing money for their parent companies. ViX now accounts for 20% of TelevisaUnivision’s revenue, something that was unthinkable just months ago,” Urbina said.

“The mark I’ve brought to TelevisaUnivision is one of taking risks and experimenting. Also, the addition of Daniel Alegre, who came from Google, brings an entrepreneurial and innovative vision. The microcontent launch is an example of that,” concluded Urbina.