With convergence and new technologies, television channels today have multiple distribution options, each with its own content and technical specificity. And this is just the scenario that Canal Capital is taking advantage of to reach more and more audiences and fulfill its mission of reflecting the culture of Bogotá and contributing to education.
Dario Montenegro, general manager of Canal Capital, told TVyVideo+Radio that today they continue to use the traditional HD content channel and are also in DTT. There are other distribution channels in which they have advanced, such as the Conexión Capital platform, which will host all the channel information, content and streaming for 24 hours that it already operates. In addition, they will have another signal with news content focused on Bogotá.
Today Canal Capital is not seen as a television channel but as a content generator, which requires more filmmakers than cameramen, more web journalists, comunity mannager. With this objective, it carried out the integration of an automation system that has options for different distribution channels.
"From the technological point of view, each distribution channel has special characteristics, in terms of recording, formats, with systems that allow transmitting from cell phones throughout the city. We are changing the creative process, we no longer make TELEVISION programs, we create stories that expand to different distribution channels or platforms, which is known as transmedia content," he explained.
He recalled that the change in the production process within the Canal was somewhat difficult because the processes had to be changed as they were historically done. Going from having a giant camera with assistants, mobile unit, antenna and other things, to a cell phone, is an important cultural change, but they have advanced a lot.
Digital audiences grow
The digital renewal of the Canal began two years ago, in which it has been able to change the production processes that do not affect the quality of the products that are issued, but to lower the costs in the production for digital, which makes it even quieter.
In Canal Capital the digital audiences are superior to those of the open signal. Today they have video views with very interesting numbers with any story they publish. In digital they play with targeting specific audiences such as young people, women, adults, and being able to strengthen these niches.
Part of the innovation with these new platforms was the launch of a web series made only for digital networks, which has had a very interesting response. Alejandro Escobar, transmedia manager of the Canal, explained that DTT without limits is a series for young people up to 25 years old. It is the first series of its kind to be held in Colombia. It is interactive and users can choose the story from the vision of each of the three protagonists.
One of the successful cases of transmission on digital platforms carried out by Canal Capital is with the coverage of the Rock Al Parque music festival, which takes place every year in Bogotá. The Channel managed to broadcast each of the three stages at the same time live and for 8 hours a day on the three days of the festival. And its users could choose which stage or band to watch.
With this experience they managed to optimize resources, because when the transmission was made only for open signal, they always had three mobile units on site available but only one was operating. Today all three work at the same time and also allow to produce complementary content.
Today one of the challenges facing the Channel is the monetization of digital content. The advantage of Canal Capital is that it obtains resources from the Fund for the development of an anTV television that gives an air while they find an optimal model. They are studying models of automatic monetization, from person to person, among others.
For the choice of equipment and brands they have had a discussion of where they should aim. Today they do not have a clear direction but they are investigating what is better for the production models they are applying.
"The technological issue today is uncertain, before it was much simpler and clearer. And we as a public channel cannot go wrong in the choice of technology," concluded Darío Montenegro.
