In Spain, public and private linear channels continue to lose audience

Linear channels (Traditional TV) private and public have been losing audience in almost all countries. In this interview with Rafael Herrera Fernández, a professional with in-depth knowledge of content and the television industry in various countries (Spain and the Middle East), we are going to focus on Spain.

Why is it that many channels, both private and public, are suffering a considerable loss of audience?...many say that it is due to 'the weak programmatic offer and little original p roduction' In the case of RTVE, what is the cause of the loss of audiences?

This decline is a trend accelerated by the arrival of OTT platforms, multiplying the audiovisual offer exponentially. As for RTVE, if we take into account only the traditional linear channels, they are also affected by this trend. The change in the viewer's consumption habits added to the fact that the demographic profile of public channels and a large part of traditional TV is very adult. However, if we focus on RTVE with all its ramifications, it is making a lot of efforts to recover this audience with proposals such as RTVE PLAYZ or with the second life of its programs on YouTube, with a digital audience that consumes the content.

“Going back to the linear channels, I don't think the audience loss is due to a weak supply and little original production. For example, recently, the in-house production of "La promesa" has had excellent results in the afternoon slot for the public of "La 1", in addition there is an offer of fiction and RTVE contests that have a high deferred consumption. The quality has not gone down, it is simply distributed among more viewing windows”.

How is the dispute for audiences between the private and public linear channels in Spain versus AVOD, FAST, MVPDs versus OTT? And do you think they should consider launching their own FAST channels with their own content?

“Private and public linear channels in Spain are adapting to changing market circumstances and have seen that new ways of watching and doing television are inevitable. But they are finding compatible business models; for example, the sale of rights to their series to OTTs. The largest private and public channels have opted for the creation of their own OTT platform offering on-demand content, as well as original production”.

"Regarding the new AVOD and FAST services, the networks are beginning to license some of their bookstore content such as "Ana y los Siete" or "Curro Jiménez", so it is not unreasonable to think that the next step would be that become publishers of FAST channels with their own content in the near future, as is the case of “Flooxer”, Atresmedia's FAST channel.

What is the role that advertising plays in these new business highways and how fast are they growing?

Advertising spent on AVOD and FAST services is growing. In the United States, it is expected to enter more than 4,000 million dollars in 2023, with a forecast of 9,000 million dollars for 2026 and 1,400 is the minimum number of FAST channels on 22 platforms. 18% is the increase in FAST chan- nel ad impressions in 2022, and watch time is up 10% year-over-year. This indicates that the FAST have come to stay and although in Spain there is still not much habit, it is a matter of time before they become a stable and attractive offer for the viewer.

Now, let's talk about what are the advantages and disadvantages for users of these FAST channels?

The main disadvantage is the excessive supply and perhaps the same thing happens with pay TV channels; the viewer does not have time to consume more than 100 channels. And they have the challenge of offering quality programming. Quality is likely to increase if advertising grows. Right now, they are a storefront with library programs 24/7. But without a doubt, it is one of the new ways of exploiting audiovisual content. The challenge will go through an adequate and reliable measurement of said consumption.

What are the genres that continue to be the defense for linear television, and which are imposed on OTT platforms? They are live programming and the daily appointment with the latest news. When something important happens, the viewer does not go to an OTT platform, they immediately tune in to a traditional linear networks to find out. Live magazines and reality shows with a high level of production also have a high performance in audiences. And according to the "Geca OTT Barometer", fiction is the preferred genre with action, comedy and science fiction series, highlighting the large audiences of series such as "La que se avecina" or "The Good Doctor" (both with previous lives in traditional linear televisions).

Rafael Herrera Fernández, has a brilliant career and has practiced in fields such as research, programming, acquisitions, marketing and general management for the last 17 years.

JOSÉ LUIS ROMERO CHÁVEZ CEO DE 3DECK MEDYA

“Los anunciantes tratan de diversificar sus inversiones para llegar al público objetivo, pero el streaming tampoco está demostrando ser la autopista de la monetización”.

Responde en esta entrevista con la directora de TVMAS, Amanda Ospina el productor mexicano JOSÉ LUIS ROMERO CHÁVEZ, CEO de 3DECK MEDYA

Experto en el negocio de los contenidos audiovisuales a escala global y productor de gran trayectoria, responsable de la adaptación y producción de formatos de entretenimiento y ficción en distintos países en ellos, Survivor (Expedición Robinson), Family Feud (Que Dice la Gente en Venezuela y Estados Unidos-hispano), Price is Right (Atínale al Precio), American Idol, (Latin American Idol).

José Luis Romero dice que la incertidumbre de la industria sumida en un abanico de ofertas para el consumidor ha causado la merma de audiencias y de baja en las bases suscriptoras.

¿Crees que las plataformas y los canales tradicionales han bajado las inversiones en producciones originales y eso hace que los consumidores abandonen estas ofertas?

“La realidad es que la gran variedad de opciones que hoy tiene el público ha llevado a que pasamos de un esquema en el que la TV abierta para alimentar la TV por cable realizaba el mayor porcentaje de inversión en producción. Ahora, el esquema son las redes sociales y desdoblamiento digital, como Youtube, que cualquier persona con talento produce a menor costo y compite en la oferta de contenidos”.

¿Estamos asistiendo al regreso de canales con aumento de producto enlatado para una audiencia saturada? ¿Es una buena estrategia?

La competencia de ofertas como Netflix, Amazon, ViX, Disney, Paramount+, Star+ , entre otras que no están disponibles en la TV abierta han pulverizado el mercado y los anunciantes tratan de diversificar sus inversiones para llegar al público objetivo. Tanto la TV abierta como de pago han tenido que reorganizar las estrategias, identificar sus alcances y ajustar sus presupuestos porque no hay suscriptores nuevos. Este momento es muy similar al que pasamos cuando la TV de paga comenzó a ofrecer canales con comerciales y canales premium. Es parte de un reordenamiento en donde la falta de nuevos suscriptores hace que el modelo de negocio inicie su proceso de transformación.

En ese proceso para algunas compañías es más eficiente adquirir producto enlatado mientras encuentran contenidos ad-hoc. Pero, evidentemente producir contenido original es clave para retener y atraer audiencias.

¿Cómo analizas el mercado de la televisión mexicana y cuales son los canales que puntean, disputan y saben retener audiencias?

El mercado mexicano es complejo, particular y muy competitivo. Sin embargo, el desarrollo, la inversión, y la construcción del hábito entre las audiencias es muy importante; es decir, no puedes producir ciertos contenidos y de la noche a la mañana dejar de hacerlos. Todo sigue una estrategia en terminos de horario, consumo de habito, investigación y desarrollo.

El negocio de la TV abierta no es sencillo derivado de muchos cambios que se han dado a nivel de legislación en el país. Esto no sólo detonó la competencia, sino que cambió las reglas y las empresas han tenido que reinventarse para poder estar al nivel no solamente del mercado local, que lastimosamente, en su inversión publicitaria no crece, por lo cual, crecer requiere de una estrategia global.

Y ¿En cuanto a los géneros?

México tiene grandes auditorios para todos los géneros, las telenovelas, series y dramatizados unitarios; películas, reality, concursos, humor, deportes, animación, factual. Hay datos que revelan que durante el 2020 y 2021 el género más consumido fueron los noticieros y programas noticiosos. Pero también, por poner un ejemplo, programas como ‘La Rosa de Guadalupe” o series como ‘La Desalmada’ o ’La voz” son tipos de programas que atraen al público mexicano.

El CEO de 3Deck Medya Entertainment dijo que la empresa es un “One Stop Shop”, que ofrece a sus clientes y socios alrededor del mundo, un servicio especializado, con experiencia local y global probada a lo largo de America Latina, Europa y Estados Unidos. “Somos especialistas en la creación, desarrollo, producción, post y venta de contenidos, así como de experiencias innovadoras con un abanico de oportunidades que tienen como objetivo generar IMPACTO, CONVERSACIÓN y ENGAGEMENT con las audiencias, las marcas y los canales o plataformas de transmisión”.

José Luis Romero Chávez inició su carrera en 1992 en la operación de la compañía australiana Grundy Productions en la que se desempeñaba como productor ejecutivo y ‘Country Manager’. Romero, es de los pocos ejecutivos que vivió el proceso de adquisición y transformación de la compañía desde Grundy, pasando por PearsonTV hasta que se convirtiera en Fremantlemedia , después de la adquisición del grupo alemán Bertelsmann, de la división de Televisión del Grupo Pearson.

Es licenciado en comunicación, tiene dos postgrados uno en arte dramático y otro en desarrollo de contenidos para Televisión. Ha trabajado con Televisa como director de formatos para el área internacional, en donde construyó la estrategia de desarrollo, venta y supervision del área para llevar los programas de entretenimiento de Televisa al mercado internacional y produciendo locamente en más de 34 países con formatos como ‘Bailando por un Sueño’, y muchos otros.

Desde octubre de 2018 a través de su compañía ha desarrollado y producido diferentes contenidos en México y América Latina, producciones como ‘La Voz’ y sus diferentes variantes, así como ‘México Tiene Talento’, ‘Mi Pareja Puede’ y otros de ficción, entretenimiento, realities, dramáticos, concursos y eventos especiales.

"Advertisers are trying to diversify their investments to reach their target audience, but streaming is also not proving to be the monetization highway." In this interview with the director of TVMAS, Amanda Ospina, the Mexican producer JOSÉ LUIS ROMERO CHÁVEZ, CEO of 3DECK MEDYA, responds

Expert in the business of audiovisual content on a global scale and producer with a long history, responsible for the adaptation and production of entertainment and fiction formats in different countries, including Survivor (Robinson Expedition), Family Feud (Que Dice la Gente in Venezuela and United States-Hispanic), Price is Right (Atínale al Precio), American Idol, (Latin American Idol).

José Luis Romero Chávez says that the uncertainty of the industry plunged into a range of offers for the consumer has caused the decline in audiences and a drop in the subscriber base.

Do you think that traditional platforms and channels have lowered their investments in original productions and that makes consumers abandon these offers?

“The reality is that the great variety of options that the public has today led us to go from a scheme in which open TV to feed cable TV made the highest percentage of investment in production. Now, the scheme is social networks and digital unfolding, such as YouTube, that any talented person produces at a lower cost and competes in the content offer”.

Are we witnessing the return of channels with an increase in canned product for a saturated audience? Is it a good strategy?

Competition from offers such as Netflix, Amazon, ViX, Disney, Paramount+, Star+ , among others that are not available on open TV have pulverized the market and advertisers try to diversify their investments to reach the target audience. Both open and pay TV have had to reorganize their strategies, identify their scope, and adjust their budgets because there are no new subscribers. This moment is very similar to what we experienced when pay TV began to offer channels with commercials and premium channels. It is part of a reorganization where the lack of new subscribers makes the business model start its transformation process.

In this process, for some companies it is more efficient to acquire canned product while they find ad-hoc content. But obviously producing original content is key to retaining and attracting audiences.

How do you analyze the Mexican television market, and which are the channels that lead, dispute and know how to retain audiences?

The Mexican market is complex and very competitive. However, the development, investment, and habit building among audiences is very important; that is, you cannot produce certain content and stop doing it overnight. Everything follows a strategy in terms of schedule, habit consumption, research, and development.

The open TV business is not easy due to many changes that have occurred at the level of legislation in the country. This not only triggered competition, but also changed the rules and companies have had to reinvent themselves to be able to keep up with not only the local market, which unfortunately does not grow in its advertising investment, therefore, growth requires a global strategy.

And as for the genres?

Mexico has large audiences for all genres, telenovelas, series and dramatized unitaries; movies, reality, contests, humor, sports, animation and factual. There is data that reveals that during 2020 and 2021 the most consumed genre was newscasts and news programs. But also, to give an example, programs like 'La Rosa de Guadalupe' or series like 'La Desalmada' or ' La voz' are types of programs that attract the Mexican public.

The CEO of 3Deck Medya Entertainment said that the company is a "One Stop Shop", which offers its clients and partners around the world, a specialized service, with proven local and global experience throughout Latin America, Europe and the United States. “We are specialists in the creation, development, production, post and sale of content, as well as innovative experiences with a range of opportunities that aim to generate IMPACT, CONVERSATION and ENGAGEMENT with audiences, brands and transmission channels or platforms”.

José Luis Romero Chávez began his career in 1992 in the operation of the Australian company Grundy Productions in which he worked as executive producer and 'Country Manager'. Romero is one of the few executives who lived through the company's acquisition and transformation process from Grundy, through PearsonTV until it became Fremantlemedia , after the German group Bertelsmann acquired the Television division of the Pearson Group.

He has a degree in communication, has two postgraduate degrees, one in dramatic art and the other in content development for Television. He has worked with Televisa as director of formats for the international area, where he built the area's development, sales, and supervision strategy to bring Televisa's entertainment programs to the international market and producing locally in more than 34 countries with formats such as 'Bailando por un sueño” and many others.

Since October 2018, through his company, he has developed and produced different content in Mexico and Latin America, productions such as 'La Voz' and its different variants, as well as 'Mexico tiene talento', 'Mi pareja puede' and other fiction, entertainment, reality shows, dramas, contests and special events.

7- Mario Alberto Muñoz Huerta, Rosy Ocampo, Damián Villar y José Luis Romero

Atan sólo un año de haber iniciado operaciones la compañía We Love Entertainment de propiedad del creativo, productor y empresario Carlos Mesber celebra muchos éxitos.

El trabajo ha sido arduo para organizar un amplio catálogo de novedosos formatos que ha excedido las expectativas de Mesber y su equipo con los que la empresa está cumpliendo muchos objetivos y cerrando importantes acuerdos. ‘Me quiero casar’, ‘¿Quien Manda en la cocina?’, ‘Desde Cero’, ‘Faranduteka’, ‘Poderosas’, ‘Gato por Liebre’, ‘Maquinas de dinero’ y un formato que ya salió del horno para ser puesto en las pantallas ‘Sientate Conmigo’.

“ Siéntate conmigo es un programa de entrevistas a celebridades pero que van más allá de lo tradicional, es un entrada muy profunda en el corazón y la mente de los famosos”, explica a TVMAS el flamante productor y agrega que “Estamos en un momento importante, acabamos de cumplir un año y estamos muy satisfechos con todos los logros obtenidos; consolidamos una estrecha