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Amazon Prime Video bets on a new original from Argentina
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Endemol Shine Brazil boosts is digital IPs earning on a 320%
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Wom Colombia begins its Operación Abril
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Televisa: “2021 will be the year to improve processes in the cloud”
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@julialga Juliana Algañaraz Endemol Shine Brazil
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insight The world is full of streaming video services and consumers are increasingly willing to use three or more, but that doesn’t always mean they are paying for all of them. According to a new survey by Leichtman Research Group, 82% of US households have at least one video streaming service and 51% have three or more of these services. The firm found that 69% of all direct-to-consumer services are paid in full and not shared with others outside the home. However, 27% of all SVOD services are used in more than one household. The other 4% of all SVOD services are not paid because they come with another service. As Paramount+ is already lived worldwide, Parrot Analytics analyzed where the platform will be compared to other players based on the demand for its original series, established TV franchises, and ViacomCBS’ content library. On the original demand side, ViacomCBS stacks up pretty well in its long-term potential, finishing only slightly behind AT&T, but well ahead of Comcast and Netflix in the battle for demand for library content. US households consumption of OTT platforms Source: Leichtman Research Group
% Demand for Content Libraries in US during 2020 Source: Parrot Analytics
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newslinereport digital mipTV 2021. yeAR 30 EditorS Rafael Val, María Pía Pazzaglini
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company “The audiences would benefit from the usage of AR in every environment, as they could access to different graphics or elements that strengthens the discussions. So when I think about different fields, be it healthcare, education, gaming, or retail, I see that augmented reality has already taken off in some of these areas with the use of the phone, and the promise is even greater in the future”.
LG closes its smartphone division LG will close its smartphone division around the world. The decision has already been approved by its board of directors and will take effect on July 31. The company seeks to specialize in components for electric vehicles, robotics and artificial intelligence, among others. Regarding mobile products already on the market, LG will continue to offer service support and updates.
STAFF n Noelia Santillán
Tim Cook CEO de Apple
dixit Designations & removals
Scott Kirkpatrick was appointed as EVP of Distribution and Co-Productions of Vanessa Shapiro’s production and distribution company Nicely Entertainment, with the mission to bring quality TV series and movies to global audiences and markets.
ZAG continues to grow its global consumer products team, appointing its first VP for the Latin America region, former Viacom executive Angela Cortez, to the position of VP, Consumer Products, Latin America, reporting to Kirk Bloomgarden, SVP, Global Licensing.
Tim Mutimer, Banijay Rights’ Executive Vice President EMEA, will become the new CEO of Cineflix Rights, replacing Chris Bonney, who is retiring this year. Mutimer has worked at Banijay Rights for almost eight years, five of which were as CEO.
Lorenzo De Maio today announces he will be leaving Endeavor Content, where he was Partner and EVP, to launch a new venture named De Maio Entertainment, which will be backed by an exclusive long-term partnership deal with Fremantle.
n Pablo Garcia n Rocío Scapolan n Carlos Aguillón Ochoa n Rafael Aboy n Javier Fiorellino n Ángeles Pérez Aguirre n Diego Tagle redaccion@newlinereport.net
Design Adrián Rivanera
adrianrivanera@gmail.com
CONTENts in numb3rs
Rocío Ailín Scapolan Editor website https://contenidos.news
53.5% of the demand for global original series was Netflix content, which, although a large figure, was the lowest result in our history, representing a decrease of 6.3 percentage points compared to 2019, according to Parrot Analytics.
BBC doubles its investment on art content The pubcaster will bet on new content for BBC Two, in addition to promoting the digital offer of BBC iPlayer.
TikTok lands at film festivals industry TikTok and Toho are partnering to launch a film festival aimed at finding new creative talent. The TikTok Toho Film Festival 2021 will begin accepting entries worldwide on April 12, with a closing deadline of May 31. Creators must upload their entries, which can be between 15 seconds and 10 minutes long, on TikTok. Ten finalists will be selected, and the winners will be announced between late June and mid-July, with an awards ceremony streamed live on TikTok. The Grand Prize winner will be selected by a jury that includes film directors Miike Takashi and Yamada Tomokazu and TikTok creative Shinnosuke. For its part, the audience award winner will be determined by the number of views and ‘likes’ on TikTok. There will be a finalist award in each category. Adobe will offer technical support and access to workshops. The Grand Prize winner also won USD 36,500 in support from Toho for the production of the creator’s next film between end of June and July, in addition to a cash prize of $ 2,740; while the winner of the audience award received USD 1,740.
The BBC will double investment in artistic and music content on its BBC Two channel over the next two years, and new commissions will be announced, including a documentary on blackface minstrelsy and an exploration of “forbidden” art. The British public broadcaster has further committed to creating up to eight relevant arts and music boxsets annually for its BBC iPlayer VOD service. New commissions for BBC Two include ‘Blackface With David Harewood’ (x60’) an exploration of the blackface minstrel’s origins in early 19th century America and how
he crossed the Atlantic to Britain, hosted by the Homeland actor. Content Director Charlotte Moore commented: “The BBC has always prided itself on having a world-class artistic and musical offering. The BBC wants to take advantage of that to expand the reach of artistic and musical programming and offer even more exclusive and high-end content. Impact for audiences. On top of that, we want to be Britain’s creative partner and talent platform. I’m very excited about the content we’ve commissioned and how our new approach will help reach more people.” n
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CONTENtS Fred Media
“There is a continued interest in family-friendly obs-doc series” Zoe Allen, Sales manager for Latin America, analyses the new kind of content that has become a trend during pandemic
Do you find a change in the demand of content due to the pandemic? Not a massive change as such, but there is certainly a desire for more escapist programming and content that provides a respite from the serious day-to-day news that has dominated the airwaves for the past year or so. We are seeing continued interest in our family-friendly obs-doc series. There is also interest in factual and factual entertainment shows built on authenticity, covering topics such as crafting, making, repairing, improving or converting trash into cash. Diversity and inclusivity are zeitgeist
topics that are growing in demand and, of course, traditional content like cookery and travel shows remain popular with lots of the world still continuing to work at home. Under which strategies will you be working during the next months? We are extremely lucky to be owned by a talented production company, WTFN, and it has a brilliant slate of great projects in development. One of our focus areas is to work with WTFN to help develop these projects for a local greenlight, while ensuring they will also resonate in the international marketplace. We are also working closely with third-party producers to grow new pre-sale relationships. n
DCD Rights
Abacus Media Rights
Works on the expansion of its IP ‘Dry Water’
Docuseries for worldwide audiences
DCD Rights keeps expanding its IP ‘Dry Water’ with the second season (8x60’), produced by Portocabo and SPi with the participation of RTP, HBO Spain & Portugal and TVG. Traumatized by the shocking end to the first series, Teresa picks up Fran’s investigation into the Galdóns. On the other side, ‘Outback Car Hunters’ (10x60’) shows car fanatics GT and Dave set off on a road trip in search of abandoned or forgotten classic cars (as well as other memorabilia) to buy and sell for serious profit. Over the series, they uncover and restore 20 classic cars from the USA, Japan, Great Britain and Europe.
‘The Syndicate’ (6x60’) is the main title of AMR at MIPTV. The Rollem Productions project for BBC One and Britbox shows when the owners of Woodvale Kennels announce they are selling the business to a larger company, the staff are devastated to realise they may well be out of a job. Set between Yorkshire and Monaco, the show offers a view of kennel workers spend every last penny they own to see justice done. ‘Last Man Standing: Suge Knight and the murders of Beggie & Tupac’ (x105’) is a South Central Project Limited production for BBC Two. This hard-hitting documentary from director Nick Broomfield tells the story of Suge Knight, the former CEO of legendary rap music label Death Row Records.
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“The industry is now thriving” How has Beyond Rights’ business evolved during the first months of 2021? We have been very focused on growing our factual slate to ensure we have a strong offering for MIPTV. Naturally, production was more limited last year during the pandemic, meaning competition is high for the great shows that have been made, so it has been important for us to establish why we are a great partner for producers and what benefits we can bring. I am delighted to report that we are launching programming from six new partners this market, including wildlife show ‘Aussie Snake Wranglers’ from Breakout Productions, ‘Saved and Remade’ from Red Sky Productions and ‘Countdown to War’ from Voltage TV.
Lenneke de Jong Beyond Rights
The VP Sales admits that the company looks to deep its relationships with broadcasters and platforms in Latin America.
How is the industry reacting after a year of pandemic? The industry has both reacted and responded well, and quickly and creatively, to ensure that as much programming as possible gets made and distributed. In fact, I would say that after an initial blip last year, it is now thriving. We have adapted to working remotely, attending virtual markets and making sure not only that our content gets in front of buyers when they need it, but also that we help them get it onto screen in the required timeframes. Sometimes, as live events have had to be dropped and schedule holes filled, this has been incredible quickly. Which are your goals for 2021? I am looking to both broaden and deepen my relationships with broadcasters and platforms in Latin America – and one goal would certainly be to visit. I am most keen to get a local format up and running – such as ‘Pooch Perfect’ or ‘Saved and Remade’ - and I remain hopeful of placing one of our long-running franchises locally, such as ‘Massive Engineering Mistakes’. In more general terms, our business year runs from July to June, so we are soon to close this year. Our 2021-22 goals, deriving from a new content strategy, include working with more new, like-minded producers; working more closely with our existing internal and external producer partners to create more great content that resonates internationally; and acquiring more premium factual and feature documentaries. n
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CONTENtS Tim Gerhartz Red Arrow Studios International
“During lockdown there has been a definite rise in co-viewing” The SVP Global Sales, describes the evolution of content demands and the evolution of businesses after a year working on pandemic.
What were the main titles of Red Arrow Studios International during Q1? During Q1, ‘Vienna Blood’, the period crime drama starring Matthew Beard and Juergen Maurer and written by ‘Sherlock’ writer Steve Thompson, performed strongly for us and continues to do so. Set in sumptuous 1900s Vienna and commissioned by ORF (Austria) and ZDF (Germany), it has sold widely to territories including the UK (BBC), US (PBS), France (France 3), Spain (Movistar), Finland (YLE) and Australia (SBS), plus many additional territories across Central and Eastern Europe, the Baltics, the Middle East and Asia. The conspiracy thriller ‘Departure’, about the investigation into the shocking disappearance of a passenger plane over the Atlantic Ocean, also performed well. In addition to strong international sales, it was the number one new fall series for commissioning broadcaster Global (Canada) and has also been a key launch for Universal’s Peacock platform in the US. The show’s second season, which focuses on the tragic crash of a new high-speed train travelling from Toronto to Chicago, will also deliver this year. Archie Panjabi and Kris Holden-Ried reprise their
roles, along with the late Christopher Plummer in his last ever TV role. On the non-scripted side we’ve just had huge success with the feature documentary ‘Framing Britney Spears’, part of the ‘The Weekly: Special Edition’ collection of stand-alone documentaries, produced by The New York Times and Left/Right for FX and Hulu. It’s a show that’s really captured the zeitgeist in a big way and as a result has sold extensively, with channels keen to capitalise on the massive media and social buzz the show has generated. The phenomenon that is ‘Married at First Sight’ continued to be recommissioned locally as a format but also sold incredibly well as a finished tape across a range of different versions, with ‘Married at First Sight Australia’ in particular generating record sales for us. How have content demands changed as a result of the pandemic? During lockdown there has been a definite rise in co-viewing, so we’re seeing a greater demand for primetime entertainment shows, which are exciting and attention grabbing for the whole family. A good example of this is the Florida Entertainment-produced
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CONTENtS
‘Beat the Channel’, which has been commissioned for a fourth season by ProSieben in Germany, as it consistently pulls in big numbers across a broad demographic. In the longer-term, I think we’ll see an increased demand for social experiment formats as they’ll be an important vehicle for audiences to process what the world has experienced during this pandemic in a light, easy to digest
“We’ll see an increased demand for social experiment formats as an important vehicle to process what the world has experienced”. way. For example, as those who needed particular protection during this time, including the elderly, reintegrate themselves back into society – formats such as ‘The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes’, originally a Channel 4 series from CPL Productions about the UK’s first ever restaurant staffed by people living with dementia, and the internationally successful ‘Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds’, which brings together retirement communities with preschool children, will become particularly pertinent and topical. Can you tell us about your strategy for the next few months? As a result of Covid we’ve recently placed greater emphasis on our digital marketing activities, which has been hugely successful so it’s likely we’ll continue this strategy in the coming months and beyond. For example we’ve continued to invest in, and make
more use of, our sophisticated online screening hub to showcase our slate; we’ve ramped up our digital marketing efforts across virtual events and pitches, and we have increased our directto-client newsletters and social activity. What are your goals for 2021? Our priority for 2021 is to continue focusing on our core strengths and key areas of specialisation, particularly in the area of scripted and formats. In scripted, we’ll continue to focus on providing a genuinely broad mix of high-quality content from a diverse range of storytellers, mixing US and UK drama with the best of European and international shows. In formats we’ve already got a strong a track record of launching interesting, off-beat, commercially successful formats that become the new mainstream, so expect to see more of those this year. For example, we have a fantastic new gameshow format ‘Stealing the Show!’ Based on the hugely successful original version produced by Florida Entertainment for ProSieben (Germany), the series reinvents the traditional quiz show format, as three celebrity contestants and a member of the public all compete to win the most extraordinary prize in quiz show history: the show itself! It has a completely original mechanic and prize that makes it stand out from other entertainment shows. There has been a definite rise in coviewing, so we’re seeing a greater demand for primetime entertainment shows, which are exciting, feelgood and attention grabbing for the whole family but also stand out from the crowd by offering something a little different, which gets people excited, enthused and talking ‘Stealing the Show!’ is a good example of that. n
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CONTENtS
“It’s at times like these that opportunities will arise” How can you describe your portfolio for your first MIPTV? We would describe it as unscripted and noisy with a combination of returning series ‘Border Force USA: The Bridges’ (30x60’), now in its third series and set on the Texas/Mexico border; ‘The Car Years’ (7x60’/14x30’) comparing iconic cars from the same era and stand out limited series ‘Britain’s Tiger Kings with Ross Kemp’ (2 X 60). Along with these we now have the fantastic CJZ/Greenstone catalogue of unscripted long running series: ‘Border Patrol’, ‘Dog Patrol’ y ‘Puppy School’.
Paul Heaney Bossanova
The CEO describes the strategy for the first international market for the new company.
Which are your expectations for the market? It will be pretty low key in terms of a market so BossaNova will be using it as an opportunity to open the batting with territories, regions and platforms that we haven’t yet met in our BossaNova identity. It’s at times like these that opportunities will arise. Buyers are in ‘buying mode’ at markets usually so, let’s hope. How has the industry received your launch? The industry reaction when we left TCB to start up a new business has been unbelievably positive from day one, and for that we are really grateful. We acknowledge that for an unscripted distributor to thrive in these market conditions we will need to risk more but we can also choose the right projects, which comes from the conversations we have with our buying community. They tell us what they want. We try to make those shows get off the ground and deliver for the producers in sales and for the buyers in ratings. Which is your strategy and goals for 2021? We are building, but carefully. We want to establish our business for the long term so with everything we do, with programme acquisitions for example, we want to know that that show will do a job for us and the producer, it won’t just add hours to a catalogue. We want to help our community achieve its goals by BossaNova remaining dynamic and fast moving with a team that services the producers and buyers with professionalism and intelligence and maybe even a sense of humour, where appropriate. n
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CONTENtS France TV Distribution
Records more drama sales worldwide France Télévisions’ TV series ‘Chronicles of the sun’ (520x22’ / 260x44’) is coming to Georgia’s Silknet; in addition, its format has been sold to Antenna, in Greece (185x45’). A new partnership deal has been made with Walter Presents, Global Series Network’s VOD platform. The two series Something to hide (4x52’ - Thalie Images) and The Wagner Method (3x90’ - Incognita Films) are traveling to the UK and North America. After its launch at the last MIPCOM, the “true crime” series Something to hide arrives in Spain on Cosmo TV, along with the Perfect Crimes collection(26x52’ - Elephant / Ango / JLA / Episode Prod / France tv studio / GMT). The first French series ever to be selected for Sundance (in 2020), Laetitia (6x45’ - CPB Films / L’Ile Clavel), will be launched in Spain on Filmin. This series, which is based on a news item that hit the headlines in 2011, has also been launched on SBS on Demand in Australia. As for cop shows, the dynamic duo from Bright Minds (8x52’ - JLA Productions) is coming to Japan’s
AXN Mystery Channel, and to Italian-speaking Switzerland’s RSI for Season 1. As for Season 2, it has been sold in Italy to Discovery Italy, and in Spain to Cosmo TV. Criminal Games (27x90’ - Escazal Films) is also traveling to Poland (Mainstream) and Croatia (HRT). n
Hat Trick
Inter Medya
Shows real life content with ‘Lucy the human chimp’
Trusts on the latest Turkish originals
During MIPTV, Hat Trick is focused on the commercialization of ‘Bloodlands’ (4x60’), produced by HTM Television for BBC One. Created by new writer Chris Brandon and executive produced by acclaimed showrunner Jed Mercurio. ‘Bloodlands’ is the first drama from newly formed production company Hat Trick Mercurio Television. ‘Lucy the human chimp’ (x90’) is the documentary from Keo Films for Channel 4 that shows the fascinating story of a chimpanzee raised as a human, and the woman who took on the near impossible task of helping to give her freedom. Last, ‘Screen Grab’ (6x30’) is a brand-new technology and entertainment hybrid format, produced by Simon Shaps’ production indie BEEZR. Focusing on families, the timely format highlights and solves an ever-changing array of dramatic and entertaining real-life issues all impacted by the prevalence of technology.
The Turkish distributor, Inter Medya is offering ‘The Trusted’, the life of Marashli, an ex-soldier who has left the special forces to open up a second-hand bookstore and spend more time with his sick daughter, Zelis. His life changes when the beautiful Mahur Turel walks into his bookstore. Mahur’s life is saved by Marashli that day when she accidentally gets herself into trouble. Also, ‘Last Summer’ shows an idealist Prosecutor Selim Kara receives an offer too good to refuse from the mob leader Selcuk Taskin he put into prison 8 years ago. Selcuk Taskin wants to testify against his organization in Prosecutor Selim Kara’s case’s.
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CONTENtS
“The addition of scripted content widens our universe” How has D360 business evolved during the first months of 2021? This is an exciting time for Distribution360 as we are entering the busy MIPTV period with scripted on our slate for the first time. We are well established in factual and kids’ programming, so the addition of scripted content widens our universe and will allow us to make many more connections in the international marketplace. Also, we are entering scripted with a unique offer – an innovative inter-connected sitcom project created with family audiences in mind – so we think this should make quite an impact.
Diane Rankin Distribution360
The SVP Rights & Executive Producer explains the changes made in the portfolio in order to expand its businesses.
Will you work on a new strategy during the Q2? We will naturally be rolling out our scripted strategy in Q2 but our main focus, in all genres, is to always marry the right projects with the right buyers. To do this effectively we work to stay on top of market trends and always look to share them with our producer partners, so the right content gets developed. And then we also listen to what our buyers need, what their programming challenges are and where possible, work closely with them to meet these challenges and help them reach their desired audience. Which are your goals for 2021? With a strong kids’ catalogue, a fresh and varied factual slate, and now scripted in the mix, we are keen to continue growing our business in each area, making sure we have high-quality content for a wide range of buyers. We are especially keen to broaden and deepen our contacts in the Latin American market and believe that many of our newer titles are just the ticket to help make some lasting new connections. We will also be looking to build on our work with a growing number of third party producers, in addition to our parent production company marblemedia, continuing our role as executive producers helping to raise finance and support development for key series on our slate. n
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CONTENtS
cover story
Caroline Tyre WildBrain
“Industry needs to push forward with live-action production activity” The VP Global Sales & Rights Strategy admits the effects of pandemic on kids content development.
How has WildBrain’s business evolved during the first months of 2021? Animation production has been going strong at our studio over the last year due to remote work arrangements for our team; however, live-action production saw a pause for much of 2020. Now that filming restrictions on live-action have started to ease and robust protocols are in place to keep everyone safe on set, the start of this year has seen us ramping up some activity on the live-action production side. For example, we’re currently underway with shooting in the UK on 26
new episodes of our popular live-action series ‘Malory Towers’, which we’re co-producing with King Bert following a re-commission from CBBC (UK) and Family Channel (Canada). This series really makes Enid Blyton’s Malory Towers novel series accessible and relatable for a modern audience, as well as providing ideal co-viewing content for the whole family to enjoy together. The events of 2020 really underscored the important role we have as a major player in the evolving kids’ content business, entertaining, inspiring, reassuring and educating the next generation as they navigate the world with all its adventures and challenges. As such, on the sales side, our recent priorities for both Latin America and further afield have focused on timely series, which we know will be hugely valuable to kids and their families during this time and beyond. One example is Kavaleer Productions’ ‘Alva’s World’, an animated series that gives kids a set of digital water-wings to help them navigate the online world, making it particularly relevant with many children still being at home and spending a greater amount of time online.
cover story In other animated offerings, we’ve been focusing on ‘The Brilliant World of Tom Gates’, a Sky Original TV series primarily aimed at kids 7-12 and based on the bestselling book series written and illustrated by Liz Pichon. The series recently made its highly anticipated debut in the UK and Ireland and is all about celebrating creativity and fun, which we know is much needed at the moment. For a similar demographic, ‘Dorg Van Dango’, our 2D animated series co-produced with Cartoon Saloon, is also providing audiences with lots of wacky humour and fun. The show has a standout zany style and endless gags and has already proven to be a hit with
“We’re aiming to see a lot of behind-thescenes, development and strategy activity” Nickelodeon audiences internationally. In the preschool space, ‘Chip & Potato’ sees the talented team at Darrall Macqueen bring their pre-eminence in kids’ serialised storytelling to 2D animation. In the show, Chip, a 4-yearold pug puppy, takes her first steps towards independence at kindergarten with her secret friend Potato – a cute mouse – snuggled up in her pocket for comfort. As with other Darrell Macqueen serialized shows, such as ‘Topsy and Tim and Waffle the Wonder Dog’, the series deals with everyday childhood experiences that the audience can relate to. What is your strategy for Q2? Industry needs to push forward with our live-action production activity, and that is a key for us for the coming months aswe’ll be focusing on bringing new seasons of established hit series to audiences around the world. As part of this, we’re building upon our ongoing and hugely successful pact with Mattel with ‘Fireman Sam’s thirteenth season premiering in June, and ‘Polly Pocket’ will return in July with a new third season. Shows such as these, with a well-known brand name like Mattel behind them, are proving
really popular with platforms at the moment, because they offer built-in awareness and are proactively sought out by audiences. How is the industry reacting after a year of the pandemic? The kids’ content industry thankfully seems to be a strong place right now and is seeing growth across the board. This is in part due to the rapid rise in streaming platforms and recent launch of many new players into the market, particularly in the US with entrants such as HBO Max, Apple TV+, Amazon Kids+, Paramount+ and Peacock, who are eager to fill their offerings with fresh and engaging content to draw in viewers. We’re in a fortunate position at WildBrain as we have a broad and varied slate of both animated and live-action content to meet these demands. How is WildBrain expanding in the digital space? We’re certainly seeing increased interest around digital strategies at the moment – whether that’s the creation and development of digital-first content or through the supplementation of a traditional broadcast distribution approach with a digital presence. We’re currently working very closely with our premium AVOD network and studio WildBrain Spark on accelerating our production and distribution activities in the digital space. As part of this, we’re finding wider AVOD distribution opportunities for their content that may have originally been developed for YouTube, including series such as WildBrain Spark’s original ‘Boy & Dragon’ and the short-form ‘Calliou’ YouTube series. What are your goals for 2021? We’re aiming to see a lot of behind-the-scenes, development and strategy activity, which we were able to focus on during the pandemic, get underway and really start coming to life in 2021. Also, with the world starting to open up again, we’re looking forward to a sense of normality returning and to hopefully seeing some of our colleagues and industry friends in person. n
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kids
“The non-dialogue comedies continue to be hugely popular”
Safaa Benazzouz Xilam Animation
The SVP Media Sales Distribution for Latin America, Middle East, Africa, Southern Europe and Inflight, describes the importance of virtual showcases worldwide.
How has Xilam’s business evolved during the first months of 2021? This year we’ve been continuing expand our international footprint by securing new deals with linear broadcasters all around the world, as well as building upon our existing long-term partnerships. We’ve also been busy growing and diversifying our presence in the digital and streaming world and will continue to do so for the rest of the year and beyond. On the production side, we’ve recently developed new projects in response to the varied and evolving acquisition needs of broadcasters and streamers, such as programming focused on the environment and the STEM subjects, in addition to fantastic new comedy and adventure series, which remain at the heart of our content strategy. What titles in your portfolio were the most popular during this time? Our non-dialogue comedies such ‘Oggy & the Cockroaches’, ‘Zig & Sharko’, ‘Athleticus’ and ‘Where’s Chicky?’ continue to be hugely popular as they provide young audiences and families with much-needed light relief and escapism during this time. We’ve also seen significant interest in our other beloved and iconic library titles, such as ‘The Daltons’, ‘Floopaloo - Where Are You?’ and ‘Paprika’, as they offer tried and tested content appeal for our clients. Can you describe your sales strategy for Q2? In early April, we hosted the second edition of our very own Virtual Showcase event for commissioners and buyers. The bespoke online platform we’ve built gives existing and potential channel and streaming partners an opportunity to discover our new line-up of programming whenever and wherever they are in the world. Our April event was headlined by our new preschool series ‘Oggy Oggy’, a colourful and imaginative spin-off to ‘Oggy and the Cockroaches’, which is set to be delivered later this year. n
platforms in numb3rs
Pablo García Editor website https://plataformas.news
USD 40 billions. Global AVOD market revenue figure in 2020, topping USD 32 billion per SVOD, according to research by Omdia. With the new DTC services, the total costs of SVOD are already equal to the average of pay TV.
HBO Max will be available to Directv, Sky Brasil and Oi customers Since its launch in Latam, users of these operators with an active subscription to HBO will have automatic access, at no additional charge.
ViacomCBS acquires Chilevisión With negotiations and rumors dragging on since last year, ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI) finally agrees to acquire Chilean broadcast broadcaster Chilevisión from WarnerMedia and thus reinforces its business with a new library of premium content and a channel to feed the growing demand for content in Spanish on platforms such as Paramount + and Pluto TV. The agreement will strengthen and expand VCNI’s presence in the Southern Cone of Latin America, by including the Chilevisión library, which attracted approximately 24% audience share in 2020, according to Kantar Ibope Media (FTA, total households, 6 am -2 am). “Latin America is one of the fastest growing streaming markets in the world and Chilevisión will be a key driver of our accelerated streaming strategy in the region,” said Raffaele Annecchino, President and CEO of VCNI. “Chilevisión is an extraordinary addition to our existing business in Latin America and will strengthen ViacomCBS’s position as a premier producer of Spanishlanguage content,” he added.
HBO Max, WarnerMedia’s direct-to-consumer streaming product, will be available from launch to Directv Latin America, Sky Brasil and Oi subscribers in Brazil, with other distribution partners expected to join in the future. “We are delighted that HBO Max is available through our long-standing partners Directv Latin America, Sky Brasil and Oi, which will allow millions of customers to have access to HBO Max from the day of its launch,” said Whit Richardson, president
of WarnerMedia Latin America. The premiere of HBO Max is scheduled for the end of June 2021 in 39 territories of the region, being the first launch of the platform outside the United States and will offer access to original and quality content of the iconic WarnerMedia programming for audiences of all ages, with collections from Cartoon Network and Looney Tunes Cartoons, fan-favorite brands including HBO, Warner Bros, New Line, DC, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, and Adult Swim. n
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platforms Azteca Internacional
“We continue with premieres on pay TV channels’” The Mundo es Mío channel feeds its programming grid with three new programs, which will be broadcast on weekends. “Mundo Metro”, “Frente a Todo” and “Show Business” are the three new programs that will be part of the weekend programming of the TV Azteca pay signal. “Today more than ever we continue to premiere content on each channel of our portfolio, it is a commitment to our audiences that we are not going to put aside, we continue to offer the best entertainment content for the Latino family,” said Jorge Gutiérrez, Sales Director International TV / Pay TV. From the creators of ‘Alert Airport’, “Mundo metro” is the first documentary reality of the Mexico City metro, showing a tour of one of the largest transportation systems. For its part, “Frente a Todo” tells life
“OTTs have cannibalized pay TV”
stories of people who faced an impossible and managed to emerge victorious. A set of stories that will inspire the audience through each experience, in which ordinary people will demonstrate how to get out of any situation that comes our way. And finally “Show Business”, one of the most interesting and fun programs of the show, where the viewer will be part of exclusive interviews with great personalities of international entertainment, who will show a face that few know. n
CNN Brazil announces the departure of Douglas Tavolaro The journalist, executive director and founding partner of CNN Brasil, Douglas Tavolaro will leave his executive position, after selling his shareholding to the Menin family -controlled by Rubens Menin and owner of MRV Engenharia and Banco Inter-, which now owns 100% of the Brazilian news network.
Solange Correa, Senior Multiplatform Content Consultant at Entel Chile, said that today the end customer decides what to see instead of having a grill with a hundred signals. “I see this streaming war as good in appearance because it allows the end customer to decide what they really want to see and not deliver a grid of 150 channels, which consume little. Now you can offer products tailored to what consumers want to see and demand, “she said. This “entry of OTTs has cannibalized pay TV,” exclaimed the executive who leads them to the same dilemma of being the carrier’s content provider and at the same time its competitor.
CNN Brazil published a note in which “it thanks Tavolaro and recognizes the importance of him since the project was conceived.” The replacement of Tavolaro, who will be dedicated to publishing projects in the United States, will be announced in the coming weeks and the management transition will take place over the next three months.
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platforms
Apple
Plans to migrate your business from hardware to services Upon turning 45 years in the market, the executives of the technology giant consider that augmented reality will be a fundamental part of the future of the company.
From Mac computers to iPhones and now to services such as the App Store, Apple celebrated 45 years with the aim of continuing to reinvent itself and guarantee itself a position of prevalence in the future after having revolutionized all the sectors in which it has intervened. With a market for computers and telephones increasingly saturated in which gaining market share requires huge investments and efforts, the company founded by Steve Jobs is focusing its strategy on taking advantage of the clientele that it already has “captive”. Now they seek that the purchase of an iPhone, an iPad or a Mac is not just another decision, but rather that it means a lifestyle, a physical gateway to an intangible world: consumption of music, television, games and news, among others. through Apple TV +, Apple Card, News +, Apple Arcade and, of course, the jewel in the crown, the already veteran virtual store App Store. In the past five years alone, the company has doubled the revenues corresponding to the services segment, which with USD 53,768 million billed in 2020
is already the second largest source of business for the company, only behind the iPhone and ahead of others. flagship products like Mac computers and iPad tablets. Also another of Apple’s specific plans is around augmented reality (AR) and mixed that have not yet been fully focused, but its CEO, Tim Cook, suggested that the technology will be an integral part of the future of the company. The Apple executive pointed out that augmented reality is already taking off in areas such as health, education, retail and games: “The promise of augmented reality is even greater in the future. So it’s an important part of Apple’s future, ”he said. Apple is working on creating augmented reality content on Apple TV +, with the feature scheduled for release in 2021 and will allow viewers to access optional AR content such as characters and objects from SVOD shows. Apple has also redoubled its contributions in the world of health and personal care, like other axes, through its Apple Watch smart watch and the subscription sports service Fitness +, among others. n
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platforms
Telefónica
Dualidad en el nuevo escenario del mercado audiovisual Gonzalo Arrisueño, Content Manager para Hispanoamérica de Telefónica, indicó que el negocio de banda ancho fue increíble la demanda con una conexión estable y continua, por sobre encima antes de la pandemia. “Estamos viendo un mayor consumo en video por el incremento de demanda de datos fijos y móviles y además hubo una mayor oferta de productos. Pero también el encendido tradicional de la TV tuvo un leve crecimiento respecto a años anteriores”, dijo el Content Manager de la telco en un panel de Punta Show Online 2021. Desde la mirada de Telefónica, el video se advierte una concentración de proveedores de contenidos, ya sea de programadores de TV paga, OTT, TV abierta, donde el fuerte es la diversificación de los negocios para mantener la rentabilidad. “Los agregadores tradicionales de contenidos están migrando sus negocios a OTT. Este camino que se ha tomado en las principales compañías de entretenimiento como Disney, WarnerMedia, ViacomCBS o Discovery, es ir directo al consumidor ¿Cuánto tiempo durará esta dualidad o comportamiento híbrido entre ser proveedor de canales de TV paga y SVOD?”, se preguntó Arrisueño. En esta coyuntura, el directivo de Telefónica señaló que los impactos en la oferta actual son dónde estará el contenido premium, diferencial o estrenos en la TV Paga, incluso en los deportes; mientras el ventaneo tradicional se quebró y aceleró con la pandemia. En tanto, el driver de contratación de un empaquetado de telecomunicaciones pasó de los canales de TV hacia la cantidad de megas. Allí reside cómo continuará la relación entre proveedor/cliente en esta
El Content Manager de la telco se pregunta cuánto durará este comportamiento híbrido de los programadores entre ser proveedor de canales de TV paga y DTC.
industria cuando “el servicio de TV paga no es rentable por sí solo sino sirve como parte de una oferta de players”, arremetió Arrisueño, ya que es un negocio con una alta presión de costos de contenidos sobre el ARPU, ya que no se valora la TV paga como antes y, con inclusive reducción de costos, ya que no es viable seguir así. “Mientras los carriers estamos en medio, los proveedores de contenidos quieren exprimir al máximo el negocio de TV paga y por otro lado exploran el D2C. Los carriers no vamos a pagar las dos fiestas”, indicó Arrisueño. n
22
platforms Prende TV
“A new era of transformation begins at Univision” The US Hispanic network launched its new free platform with 40 live channels along with 10,000 hours of VOD content. Univision officially enters the streaming race with the launch of its free and ad-funded platform PrendeTV, which broadcasts live 40 streaming channels of programming and various genres in Spanish along with 10,000 hours of VOD content, based on the content libraries of Univision and Televisa along with partnerships with Banijay, Blue Ant Media, Calinos, Caracol, Cisneros, Filmrise, Globo, Nelvana and RCN. It will soon add Disney, Lionsgate and MGM movies in the coming weeks. In addition, the platform will continue to expand its offer in movies, drama series, reality shows, children’s programs, popular soap operas and sports programming.
“The launch of PrendeTV ushers in a new era of transformation at Univision and we expanded our current dominant position in US Hispanic broadcasting to the ad-supported VOD streaming market,” said Pierluigi Gazzolo, president and CEO of Transformación. from Univision. “In addition to our exclusive programming from Univision and Televisa, we have brought together the best content providers, brands and distribution partners to create an unparalleled service for Hispanics in the US,” added the executive. n
Claro Brasil reaped 1 billion of streaming VOD in 2020
Globo got rid of its stake in Claro
According to a report from the operator, the NOW library closed 2020 with 74.000 titles and more than 200 million streaming VODs in the fourth quarter alone. The sum of the figures published quarter by quarter slightly exceeds one billion streaming. In volume of securities, the growth was significant compared to 2019, the year closed with 60 thousand titles in the collection, an increase, therefore, of 23,33% year-on-year. The number of transmissions remained stable.
Grupo Globo sold its small stake in the operator, less than 5%, which in the past served to give the programmer limited powers in relation to decisions on pay TV content, but which still referred to a past in which the largest Brazilian media group had a relevant presence.
The growth in the fixed broadband base was a result of the investment. In the last year, Claro expanded its FTTH presence to 11 new cities, reaching a coverage of 1,6 million homes.
More than a corporate layoff, Globo’s departure marks the complete transformation of its opera-
ting model by offering content to telecommunications companies and the pay TV market itself. With the approval of the SeAC Law in 2011, the group of businessman Carlos Slim definitively assumed the operations of Pay TV and Globo maintained a residual stake in Claro.
23
platforms
VTR+
Strengthens its offer with Warnermedia content Faced with the growing consumption of content through streaming, the Chilean telecommunications operator VTR reinforces its value proposition of its platforms with quality products and international recognition, as it has recently done with WarnerMedia, to bring the universe of great HBO series or children’s content from Cartoon Network, towards VTR+, accessible to all digital customers of the operator with no extra cost. “Consumption shot up 85% in the last year, quite exponential. Faced with international trends, we are preparing prematurely for this radical change in consumption with a new value proposition with two different stages, consumers who will continue to do so in a traditional linear way, with relevance to sports, news and local. But the genres of cinema and series and children were migrating to these new platforms”, declared the manager of content and advertising of the operator, Cristian Novoa. He also explained that in 2020 there was an explosion of consumption both in the linear world - it had been falling in terms of consumption - with a recovery of an additional 20% of growth, and a consumption boom associated with all content on demand. A general growth behavior in the number of minutes and hours of audiovisual entertainment. Faced with this trend, the company worked on the launch of VTR +, which allows access to content curation quickly and intuitively, as well as a good experience. Although the differential is that you can access quality content and first invoice. “That is why we launched an agreement with HBO that allowed us to strengthen and offer a strong value proposition. This year we seek to incorporate all the premium content from first windows with other diverse ones, through agreements with various
The Chilean operator’s platform seeks to incorporate premium content from the first windows of the large production houses to generate a powerful offer for the customer.
large production houses, which allow us to have a powerful content offer for the customer ”, clarified Novoa. Regarding the streaming market, the executive commented that “the challenge is how this industry adapts, where there are many players and it is unlikely that the market can coexist with 15 available applications, which will surely be concentrated,” he added. n
technology in numb3rs
Noelia Santillán Editor OnLine section newslinereport.com/tecnologia
1.000 channels can easily be managed with a single architecture with playout automation commands. In the early 2000s, channel origination transformed from the centralised control of a range of disparate, hardware devices towards software-defined integrated playout architectures.
The future of playout automation
Cloud-based automation
Nowadays, broadcasters expect playout centers to be capable of managing tens or hundreds of channels and, for that, flexibility is the key.
While traditional on-premises playout architectures are still powering broadcasters worldwide, other media organizations are looking at a move towards virtualized or hybrid environments. Andy Jassy, CEO of AWS, recently said that the pandemic has accelerated cloud adoption by several years. Fortunately, these considerations have become more achievable with today’s next-gen solutions. For broadcast and media, the cloud offers a way to elastically scale. While they might not migrate their entire facility, the cloud allows media companies to build capacity at times when they need it. For example, Versio Automation of Imagine Communications enables cost-effectively launch new channels in the cloud, perhaps for key sporting events, or just to experiment with pop-up channels. Versio Automation is a cloud-optimized, schedule-execution engine designed to drive playout in a pure Versio modular playout-based ecosystem, providing a control interface that allows to coordinate the management of all the components needed for channel origination. Cifra: In the early 2000s, channel origination transformed from the centralised control of a range of disparate, hardware devices towards software-defined integrated playout architectures. These deliver practical economies, channels can be deployed easily and released or repurposed when not needed.
In the early days, the automation system provided real-time control of a range of devices from multiple vendors, including VTRs and robotic tape libraries, as well as video servers, graphics devices, switchers, etc. “Today we expect playout centers to be capable of managing tens or hundreds of channels. Broadcasters who are accustomed to the reactivity of traditional automation systems will likely want to maintain on-premises channels. But they will also be attracted by the elasticity of the cloud and the reduction in CAPEX and
OPEX brought about by smaller, on-site installations requiring less floor space, power and air conditioning. Flexibility is key, and this is where Imagine stays ahead of the market, bringing unrivalled automation heritage”, said Gareth Wills, Product Manager at Imagine Communications. “This is where hybrid capabilities are an important consideration. Imagine customer systems may, for example, be a hybrid of ADC automation controlling a mix of legacy hardware and Versio software, on premises and in the cloud”, added. n
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tecnología
Pebble
Pebble Control: accelerate IP network provision
New IP connection management system leverages power of NMOS protocols for quick and simple establishment of uncompressed IP broadcast networks.
Pebble announce the launch of Pebble Control, a self-contained, scalable, and easy to configure IP connection management system built specifically to enable broadcasters to make the leap to an all IP facility without the need to deploy a bespoke enterprise solution. Leveraging full support for the NMOS (Networked Media Open Specifications) suite of protocols produced by the Advanced Media Workflow Association to facilitate networked media for professional applications, Pebble Control operates on web-based UIs and has been designed to deliver immediate benefits to even the smallest IP facility. It interfaces with NMOS-enabled devices from multiple vendors on the
network and is easily reconfigurable for when interconnections change or when devices are added or removed, essentially providing plug and play capability for IP networks. “SMPTE ST 2110 has been a game-changer for the rollout of uncompressed IP networks in broadcast and is invaluable for the way that it specifies how to transport and synchronise video, audio, and ancillary data. But it doesn’t cover how devices on a network can be discovered or connected, which is where the NMOS suite comes in,” explained Miroslav Jeras, Pebble’s CTO. “We are seeing an increasing amount of proprietary approaches in the market, but the goal has to be to make interoperability simpler rather than putting barriers in the way, which is why NMOS and Pebble Control make such a compelling argument for broadcasters looking to establish IP native workflows”, added Pebble is additionally making deployment as easy as possible with comprehensive online help and a series of tutorial videos available, meaning that IP routing and switching is within the grasp of any broadcaster looking to transition to IP. “The transition to IP is gathering pace, but there are still numerous small traps that exist for broadcasters that want to establish all-IP workflows. Pebble Control takes one of those traps off the board, and by leveraging the interoperability of the NMOS suite of open standard protocols makes uncompressed IP deployments quicker and simpler than they ever have been”, said Jeras.n
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tecnología
Caracol Television chooses VLink One of the leading television networks in Colombia, chooses a RTS solution for TV production. flexibility from anywhere in the world. VLink has allowed broadcasters across the globe to work remotely during the COVID-19 crisis, as well as continue onsite operations while observing social distancing protocols. Caracol’s eight VLink licenses connect to their existing ADAM and ODIN hardware via an RTS TM-10K Trunkmaster, allowing VLink to intelligently integrate and operate like another RTS matrix in the system. RTS technicians trained the Caracol team virtually, further ensuring COVID safety. VLink is now used exclusively for Caracol’s news programming, including its primetime news broadcast, and provides seamless simultaneous communications between hosts, reporters and technicians. n
For the last 20 years Caracol has relied upon intercom solutions from RTS, starting with ZEUS matrices and evolving over time into their current stateof-the-art system setup, which includes ADAM and ODIN digital intercom matrices, KP-Series keypanels, ROAMEO DECT-based wireless beltpacks, and now VLink, a unique virtual intercom solution. VLink is a user-friendly smartphone/tablet app that mimics an intercom user station. It enables remote users to interface with RTS intercom matrices via the Internet, allowing a new degree of control and
Sony
New 4K live production switcher The new entry-level switcher XVS-G1 supports 4K 1080p production powered by CPU, FPGA and GPU engines. The new XVS-G1 switcher is optimized for live production needs including news, entertainment, sports, as well as houses of worship, corporations and educational institutions. “Sony’s switchers have a long history and reputation for their reliability and functionality,” said Julio Lam, Sr Marketing Manager of Sony Professional Solutions Latin America. “The new XVS-G1 builds upon that legacy in a compact and modular form factor that adds musthave features such as a clip player, 4K capability, 1080p support, GPU
processing and HDR conversion, at a lower price”, added. One of its distinguishing features is its hybrid structure which pulls together a central processing unit (CPU), with a graphics processing unit (GPU), and a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). FPGA hardware enables high-speed processing at high resolution 4K(UHD) and wide color gamut, high dynamic range (HDR) imaging, and ultra-low latency. High-density, high-resolution video processing using the latest software technology provides versatility and expandability while enhancing creative possibilities. The XVS-G1 system comes with an optional clip player, for the first time in a Sony live production switcher. There are four channels in HD mode and two channels in 4K(UHD) mode n
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tecnología
Elías Rodriguez, Televisa
‘2021 will be the year of working in the cloud’
The general director of Technology and Operations declares that the company continues to strengthen the technological part by automating its channels.
“One year since the coronavirus was declared a pandemic, we had to faced something that no one had planned. This made us react and used our best technological weapons to continue operating as best we could. We used all the technology that we already had it, but we weren’t used to it. Now, working remotely has become part of our day. It’s wonderful because certain processes are accelerated”, commented Elías Rodríguez, general director of Technology and Operations of Televisa. Also, he added: “Televisa was prepared to face the pandemic. We have always tried to be at the forefront, even with technology that will be out in five years” About the next steps of the company, Rodríguez said: “We have not stopped innovating. Also, we have just made new agreements with some brands that allow us to have the best technology. For a year, we did not stop working.
The ‘News’ have not stopped, and they were supported by the greatest tools”. “We had already brought remote editing years ago, but it required a special bandwidth. The width has to be very stable to do post-production. For this reason, we look for technologies that have an algorithm or software that allows us to do more processing in less bandwidth”, alleged. “In Sports, after activating the virtual E-League, we already started with some face-to-face things, supporting ourselves with interactive tools that we already developed. ‘Drama’ continues normally, since we work with technology as Avid Media Composer and Adobe Premier. We automate the channels with AMTEC, and we also acquire new tools, which we will release shortly”, added. About the future of the industry, Elias Rodriguez, concluded: “Remote workflows will continue growing up, and they are here to stay. We will experience a digital acceleration, since most technology companies are working in artificial intelligence. We hope that the production of all the content can have the entire process in the cloud”. n
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tecnología AMC NETWORKS INTERNATIONAL
Relies on VSN for automated image management VSNExplorer MAM, handles the import, conversion, processing and export of images to the different clients, for which it is necessary to manage the metadata associated with each image hosted in AMC Networks International Southern Europe’s system. Each type of content contains a series of specific fields and a specific relationship with its corresponding channel, series or season. On the other hand, process monitoring is carried out from another VSNExplorer component, Workflows viewer. “By integrating the BMS, VSN’s solution is automatically managing the artwork catalog and executing automated processes, such as selecting the images associated with the VoD delivery, burning images, executing format adaptations and publishing the images according to predefined naming conventions. The implemented solution clearly increased
our overall operational efficiency concerning the VOD delivery process”, said José Nabais, CTO, AMC Networks International Southern Europe. Through its integration with the local system, and despite the fact that VSN’s MAM is optimized for cataloging, previewing, editing, retrieving and archiving video content workflows, it was possible to adapt these types of workflows to the image formats required by AMC. n
Nokia and TV Azteca
Test 5G for TV Broadcasting
Nokia recently completed a trial with Mexico’s TV Azteca that looked into video transmission uses with 5G standalone and edge computing. Among the things the trial was looking for was improvements in latency reduction and overall efficiency, flexibility and cost, Nokia said. “5G technology has the potential to transform the broadcast industry, thanks to its reduced latency and cost benefits. This trial has shown that TV Azteca can transmit events live, in real
time and without compromising quality, giving them a competitive advantage in the market and demonstrating the opportunities that come with embracing 5G”, said Marcelo Entreconti, head of Enterprise, Latin America at Nokia. The trial used 100 MHz spectrum in 3.5 GHz frequency with Nokia 5G technology for core and radio access (RAN). TV Azteca tested the transfer of raw HD/4K video from cameras to its encoding server for the subsequent distribution without the need for additional infrastructure. The tests showed that 5G connectivity enabled more agile camera deployment and repositioning during live events that can create a more dynamic viewing experience. It also showed how flexible video streaming can improve operations communication, security, fleeting monitoring and automation. n