//// SPECIAL REPORT / TRENDS
BY FABRICIO FERRARA
The OTT ‘Titans War’ takes shape With the merges of Disney/FOX, AT&T/Time Warner and Comcast-NBCUniversal/Sky, the market has started to altered its landscape giving a new dynamism to the whole ecosystem. Even when we are talking about some-
cialists
consulted
A NEW GLOBAL ORDER ARISES
thing that started about a decade ago,
for
this
report.
to each fusion, a larger one follows with
The
widening
the goal of not losing footprint. So far
broadband, the ar-
it seems that these three big heads, Dis-
rival of 5G and the
ney, WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal will
growth
dominate the global market, although the
nected devices and
Where? Global coverage
changes and recent confirmations (added
SmarTVs will only
How? Direct to Consumer
to some rumors) suggest that they are not
make this expan-
alone in this market. Both on the major
sion not stop, although not all can survive
the shares of NBCUniversal from General
and independent sides, more announce-
in a crowded market. ‘It will be 2 or 3, but
Electric. It was the first major acquisition
ments are expected in the coming months.
there will be a market for others: some USD
and merger of means on a planetary scale.
The OTT market global adds every moment
350 million are waiting for them, and many
The historical context was another: Com-
more players and content offer. It has grown
want to have a place there’, a senior indus-
cast was the leading cable provider in the
by 25% in the last years and it is projected
try executive expects.
USA at that time, and managed channels
in
of
con-
Who? Content producers, telecommunication and tech companies What? Original and exclusive contents When? 2019 and 2020
to continue like this for the next 4-5 years: it is expected that 40 million new subscrib-
such as E! Golf Channel and Versus, which
Comcast
ers will be added. ‘The good thing is that
At 2009, Comcast surprised the indus-
it will not stop growing’, agreed the spe-
try with the intention of buying most of
later became part of NBCUniversal’s signal portfolio. This acquisition was finally confirmed two years later and meant a series of inter-
THE OTT FUTURE, BY COMPANIES (2019)
nal changes within the conglomerate that were taking shape in recent years with, for example, the definitive absorption of Telemundo by NBCUniversal. The operation of the second Hispanic network in the USA and all its international distribution business (Telemundo Internacional) remained in the hands of the corporate structure. Sky’s case is interesting: in September 2018,
Comcast/NBCUniversal
exceeded
21st Century Fox’s offer for a stake in the British operator’s control for USD 38.8 billion. In this way, Fox ceded its 39% stake in this company to Comcast for USD 15 billion, which will allow it full control, and was left out of The Walt Disney Company’s orbit. The telco won the battle and kept the European giant that has 23 million customers throughout that continent. And it has already reorganized the company from Osterley, London, where it merged its operations with NBCUniversal into two business units: linear channels and content sales, confirmed Sky CEO Jeremy Darroch. He is doing the same in Germany, where he also 28 PRENSARIO INTERNATIONAL
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