The imminent explosion of cable television systems in Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador and Central America, is shown as one of the most important evidences of the seventh meeting of TEPAL, annual convention of the Organization of Associations and Companies of Paid Television of Ibero-America, which was held in Caracas last April. The event was a business center between the large technology providers, programming distributors and a representative number of cable operators who left, after two days of intense work, many smiles of satisfaction.
The growth of the sector was evidenced in the growth of TEPAL, an organization and in particular, an event, which is becoming increasingly important for pay television in Latin America.
The exhibitors were pleased with their achievements, as significant purchase volumes were recorded in terms of technology needed to assemble the networks. Likewise, the investors made important negotiations with the programming companies whose tables were permanently full of new subscribers. Behind the scenes, representatives of the organizations that bring together Latin American television held meetings to define how to face the problems of the sector in the different regions.
It was learned that in both Argentina and Colombia, restrictions have been placed on the dissemination of news, to the point that concepts of freedom of expression were included in the regulations for television in these countries. Venezuela, for its part, has particular problems with piracy through different forms of illegitimate use of the signal, which they are facing jointly through police agencies. New developments were offered in a few months.
The prosperous Argentine cable television company, which is in a thriving process of rearrangement, faces new needs, and is that after years of analog signal, they must address an urgent process of technological change towards digital television, which translates into large investments. The new directions of pay television in that country also imply a cultural change in terms of subscriptions, moving from standard rates, to the concept of premium and pay per view services.
Channel News
HBO Olé was present with its seven channels, including its new E! Entertainment and Mundo Olé, as an impressive platform that welcomed attendees from all over America on the Venezuela Típica night.
Luca Bentivoglio, president of Warner Channel, spoke of two important novelties for the coming months, such as the deployment of channel resources in the promotion of Batman and Robin, the film, thanks to a contest for all latin America in which the winners of various locations will be offered a premiere of the film in the company of 100 friends. A strong Superman, square in its build according to the aesthetics of the nineties, was another of the launches of the channel, reinforcing the image of Warner as a channel that meets the expectations of all ages, with its new and its old heroes always renewed.
For its part, FOX representing its three channels Canal Fox, Fox Kids and Fox Sports, told TV & Video Latin America the exclusive of sports signals including finals and semifinals, which allow it today to broadcast 110 hours per month live. As for Fox Kids, they are satisfied to be reaching 3 million homes within months of its launch. Alexander Marin, regional director, and Aaron McNally, director of programming, when talking about their market said: "The child does not differentiate between cartoons and acted programs, only they know what they want to see. The child is a world concept, as long as adults do not vitiate them. We are here to create a global concept."
During Tepal 7, the cable signal for all of Latin America of TELEFE of Argentina was also launched. With eight million households receiving the signal in their country of origin, the channel has more than 60% of its own programming (sold so far in the form of isolated programs) with products such as Hola Susana, El Show del Video Match, Chiquititas, and Perla Negra, among others. This channel is emerging as successful thanks to an audience already knowledgeable about its programming.
Family Channel is also scheduled to launch in July. With programming aimed at the whole family, without violence, includes the North American superstar of the children Barney and his friends with exclusivity for cable and satellite until 2003, except in Mexico. For teenagers there is the Hip TV block with the series USA High, recently acquired from NBC. They also offer the Casa Club TV, a channel dedicated to the home with recipes for cooking, gardening, crafts, fashion and psychology.
In the segment of news channels could not miss CNN en Español with its 24 hours of programming. TeleNoticias recently signed a contract with United Airlines for its inflight entertainment service, providing the edition of four hours of special programming: Live with Jaime Bayly, America Speaks and More Life. CMT , for its part, revealed the incredible success achieved in Brazil, where the existence of rodeos make the channel's country programming popular.
LocoMotion was present with the launch of four programs: Denver, the Last Dinosaur, The Dinky Dog, Cool McCool and The Red Baron, the latter more aimed at adult audiences to show that animation "is no longer a matter of children".
Receptivity also had the proposal of Bravo, Films & Arts, with its programming of international and classical cinema, theater, jazz and documentaries and who during the month of May offered the exclusive coverage of the Cannes Festival.
Nickelodeon, was presented triumphant with three million subscribers just four months after its launch thanks to the signature with Cablevisión and PCTV of Mexico. Cinecanal expressed through its marketing director, Rolando Figueroa, that from June they will constitute the first Super Premium channel, available through the Multichannel for all addressable system, in order to watch the favorite movie at the most convenient time and date for the subscriber. The first country to enjoy this option will be Mexico, starting on May 13.
The pulse of technologies
If there was a sector that was able to capture the probable growth of the Latin American cable market, it was the technical one, which, by virtue of the demand of the attendees of the event, was in a position to confirm that a strong growth of pay television is approaching in terms of thousands of kilometers of cable that will be laid in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Central America. At the same time, there was a great emphasis on the promotion of anti-piracy products.
Sergio Nigro, of TCA Service Group, from Argentina, did not stop for a moment to meet the information demands of cable operators who have shown interest in solving through the appropriate technologies to different budgets, their problems of connection and growth of networks, "in Venezuela it is impressive, everything is to be done," he said.
Vladimir Velickovich, regional director of General Instruments, spoke with TV & Video Latin America, showing us his CFT 2200 terminal oriented to addressable intelligence or addressability capable of turning the TV into a provider of new interactivity services, internet access, pay per view, preview , electronic guides, stock exchange, etc. It is a very high security equipment to prevent piracy.
Super Cable s.r.l. from Argentina, offered aero-retractable connection equipment, which works at room temperature. After opening offices in Brazil and Miami, they are preparing to open a new branch in Venezuela. Eagle Comtronics offered its specialty in products to secure TV signals, or negative and positive coding traps for CATV, SMATV and MMDS channels. Also present were PPC, Philips, Broadband Communications, Lindsay Electronics, Amtech and Alpha Technologies.
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