Tag: Latin America

Paramount+ Set to Launch First-Ever Mobile-Only Subscription Plan April 18 — in Latin America

The Paramount+ subscription streaming service is set to launch a mobile-only “basic plan” in select Latin America countries, beginning April 18.

The move emulates a similar strategy taken by Netflix in 2019 offering less-expensive access to content on mobile devices such as cellphones, tablets and laptops in India and Malaysia, followed in 2021 by Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and other African countries.

The mobile-only tier will launch in Brazil for $2.83 (14.90 reais) monthly or $25.30 (133.90 reais) per year; and $4.13 (79 pesos) or $37.50 (709 pesos) annually in Mexico.

“This new offering is part of our broader strategy to scale Paramount+,” Marco Nobili, EVP and international GM for Paramount+, said in a statement. “With mobile entertainment consumption increasing around the world, a mobile-only option will make our slate of programming more accessible to our audiences in mobile-first countries.”

Global video app streaming revenue is projected to reach $115 billion by 2026, according to Statista, up from $72.2 billion in 2021.

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Digital TV Research: Netflix to Lose Latin America Market Share as U.S. Competitors Arrive

Netflix was one of the first subscription streaming services to launch operations in Latin America in 2011, but now its market reach there is under siege by incoming U.S. streaming competitors.

Data analysis from Digital TV Research suggests that Latin American SVOD revenue will reach $8.54 billion by 2027, up from $5.01 billion in 2021. Yet, Netflix will account for 41% of the 2027 total, down from 72% in 2021. Netflix’s revenue will peak at $3.73 billion in 2023.

 

 

Indeed, seven U.S.-based platforms (Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Star+, Paramount+, Apple TV+ and HBO Max) will account for 90% of the region’s paying SVOD subscriptions by end-2027.

“Netflix will introduce AVOD-SVOD tiers [one for Brazil and another pan-regional one for the Spanish-speaking countries] in 2024, with SVOD revenue and ARPUs falling slowly as some subscribers convert to cheaper packages,” analyst Simon Murray said in a statement.

Murray contends Disney+ is likely to introduce similar ad-supported subscription tiers in 2024. The platform is expected to follow its U.S. example by converting its current subscription tier to AVOD-SVOD and charging more for SVOD-only. This will push up ARPU.

Latin America will have 139 million gross SVOD subscriptions by 2027: up from 75 million at end-2021.

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Tubi Expanding in Latin America

Tubi Aug. 11 announced it would expand its ad-supported VOD footprint in Latin America this month with launches in Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala and Panama. The five new territories join Tubi’s current offering in Mexico, where the platform debuted in 2020.

Tubi’s library in the region will be localized in Spanish-language and available on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV as well as Google TV and other Android TV OS devices, in addition to LG TVs, Samsung TVs, Microsoft Store on Windows, VIDAA Smart OS on Hisense TVs, as well as Amazon Fire TV Stick devices and Roku TV and players in select countries. Consumers can also watch Tubi content on the web.

Movies, including The Green Hornet, Hellboy, American Psycho, Gridiron Gang, Snatch, Machete, Hook, The Other Guys, The House Bunny, The Social Network, Obsessed and La Bamba, as well as TV series including “L.A.’s Finest” and “Masters of Sex” will stream for free on Tubi in all five new territories.

Additionally, regionally produced TV series will soon be available, including Mexico’s “Bienvenida Realidad,” “Atrapada” and “El Sexo Debil;” as well as local versions of popular series such as “The Nanny,” “Bewitched,” and “Married With Children.”

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“We’re eager to expand deeper into Latin America after the stellar success of Tubi in Mexico, which has seen tremendous growth in such a short amount of time,” Adam Lewinson, chief content officer for Tubi, said in a statement.

Over the last year in Mexico, Tubi has seen total viewing time (TVT) grow 60% year-over-year and Total Viewers grow 40% year-over-year. Partnered with TV Azteca, one of the two largest producers of Spanish-language content in the world, Tubi serves as the free streaming home in Mexico to TV Azteca’s popular titles.

Report: U.S. Streamers to Help Up Latin American SVOD Revenue to $14 Billion by 2027

After a sluggish start, consumer adoption of subscription streaming VOD in Latin America is proliferating. Revenue from SVOD for 19 Latin American countries will double from around $7 billion to $14 billion by 2027. This growth comes despite the poor economic situations in most countries.

Driving the surge are seven U.S.-based platforms — Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Star+, Paramount+, Apple TV+ and HBO Max, which will account for 90% of the region’s 145 million paying SVOD subscriptions by end-2027.

“Latin America is usually the first stop in international expansion for the U.S.-based SVOD platforms,” Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said in a statement. “How platforms adapt in the region acts as a template for further global expansion.”

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HBO Max Launches Platform Supporting Latino American Creatives

HBO Max is launching a platform to support Latino American entertainment creatives in front and behind the camera. Dubbed “Pa’lante! Promise,” the initiative marks a partnership with WarnerMedia’s “OneFifty” artistic studio focused on curating, developing and investing in Hispanic American series, films, shorts and podcasts.

Founded on the vision of empowerment, “Pa’lante! Promise” underscores the media company’s growing “ambicultural” movement that seeks to elevate Latino stories and voices on HBO Max adapted to American customs.

The projects will premiere on HBO Max within the next year. The films cover a wide range of genres, including short content, unscripted, documentary films, and feature narratives.

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“Visibility and opportunity is everything,” Jessica Vargas, director of multicultural marketing for HBO Max and HBO, said in a statement. “The Pa’lante! Promise and OneFifty is a great example of a network creating a platform where Latin creatives and their work are supported and elevated, through promotional campaigns that resonate with our audience in an authentic way.”

Axel Caballero, head of OneFifty and VP of artistic and cultural innovations, said cooperation between the Latino creative units through promotional campaigns has thus far 11 produced original short films, series and movies.

Titles include dark comedy short film The Son Who Can’t Play Trumpet, about a Latino celebration party that escalates after a father pressures his grown son to play the trumpet for his guests.

Dramedy “A Love Supreme” is a single camera series about relationships, friendships, breakups and makeups of Latinx childhood friends from Uptown, Nueva York City.

Bi-lingual dramedy L.A.tinas, about four Hispanic women living in Los Angeles, who enjoy the city to its fullest while trying to juggle their Latin heritage and pursuing their American dream.

Sci-fi movie Harvest showcases a futuristic world where white people, animals and water have nearly disappeared. A Native Latina and an Afro-Latina must decide if they should save their child with an illegal heart transplant harvested from the bodies of migrants.

Other content includes the January 2022 short drama, Acuitzeramo — about a gay man who must confront his late partner’s estranged son who was unaware of his father’s homosexuality.

Animated short Anacronte, arriving Sept. 15, is a 3D non-dialogue short film that personifies humanity’s struggle against the forces of misfortune.

Documentary A La Calle (Sept. 15) is about Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s alleged oppressive regime and the prominent figures opposing the government.

Short drama Rosa on Oct. 1 is about a part-time florist who runs an illicit operation of shipping the bodies of deceased immigrants back to their home countries.

Young adult drama series “Nina Furia,” (Oct. 1) is a poignant series about the everyday lives of a group of Nicaraguan students exiled in Costa Rica.

Feature drama Son of Monarchs (Nov. 2) is about a New York City biologist who returns to his hometown in Mexico and undergoes a personal transformation in the butterfly forests of Michoacán.

Short comedy The 90-day Plan (Nov. 1) is about two young teenagers plan to rob a Bank of America by using Hollywood heist films as their guide.

“This slate captures the vision of amazing artists,” said Caballero.

South America Projected to Reach 131 Million SVOD Subs by 2026

Driven by subscription streaming video pioneer Netflix, in addition to Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+ and HBO Max, South America is projected to reach 131 SVOD subscribers by 2026, according to new data from Digital TV Research. That compares with 76 million subs by the end of this year.

Brazil will remain the market leader, with 49 million subs by 2026, followed by Mexico with 32 million.

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“Five U.S.-based platforms will account for 91% of the region’s paying SVOD subscriptions [over the next five years],” Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said in a statement.

Netflix will continue to lead the market, but its market share will fall. Disney+ will have 33 million subs by 2026, with HBO Max boasting another 10 million. The region continues to attract U.S. players. Paramount+ launched in March, followed by Max in June and Disney’s Star+ in August. Discovery+ is also in the region.

Disney Launches Star+ Streaming Service in Latin America

Disney Aug. 31 announced it has launched its new general entertainment and sports streaming service Star+ in Latin America. The service includes local fiction and non-fiction content, in addition to live sports from ESPN, content from 20th Century Television and 20th Century Studios.

Star+ is available as standalone $10.49 monthly service ($105 annually), or as part of Combo+, a bundled offering with access to Disney+ for $13.99 monthly.

Subscribers can stream the platform on a wide selection of supported mobile and connected TV devices, up to four devices at the same time, up to 25 on-demand downloads across 10 devices, customized recommendations, the ability to set up seven different profiles, and parental controls.

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“Star+ confirms our commitment to generate relevant and varied offerings by providing our audiences with access to fully personalized content tailored to their tastes,” Diego Lerner, president of The Walt Disney Company Latin America, said in a statement.

Unique to Star+ is original content created in and for Latin America. The regionally produced originals begin streaming Aug. 31 and address themes related to Latin American popular culture in both fiction and non-fiction formats begin streaming Aug. 31.

Titles include “Santa Evita,” “No Fue Mi Culpa,” and a new season of “Impuros”; comedy, with series such as “El galán.” “La TV cambió,” “él no” and “Los protectores”; dramedy, with productions such as “Terapia alternativa” and “El encargado”; thrillers “Insania” and “Horario estelar”; biopics “Ringo and Pancho Villa.” “El centauro del norte”; and docu-style reality shows, with productions such as the new season of the renowned documentary series “Bios,” “Vidas que cambiaron la tuya.”

Star+ ushers Latin America streaming access to ESPN featuring a collection of live shows and events from European soccer leagues; UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Spain’s LaLiga and Copa del Rey, England’s Premier League and FA Cup, Italy’s Serie A and Coppa, Portugal’s Liga Portugal Bwin, Germany’s Bundesliga and DFB Pokal cup, and The Netherlands’ Eredivisie.

The platform will also feature some of America’s top soccer competitions like CONMEBOL Libertadores, Copa do Nordeste, CONCACAF League, Copa de Oro CONCACAF, CONCACAF Champions League, CONCACAF Qualifiers Qatar 2022, Liga MX, Liga MX Femenil, BBVA Expansión MX league, Argentina’s LPF, and MLS.

The sports offering also includes the tennis Grand Slam (Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, US Open), as well as the ATP, WTA, and Abierto Mexicano tournaments; rugby with Los Pumas, URBA, Sanzaar, Seis Naciones, SLAR, and The Rugby Championship; NBA and NCAA basketball; motorsports with Formula 1 and MotoGP; boxing, UFC, and Bellator MMA; golf competitions like the PGA Tour, The Masters, The Open, PGA Championship, and Ryder Cup; cycling competition Tour de France; NFL football and NFL Red Zone; extreme sports with X Games; surfing from the WSL; LMB and MLB baseball; and hockey from the NHL.

In turn, Star+ will feature local versions of ESPN staples such as SportsCenter, as well as original productions created in Latin America, such as ESPN Knockout, and ESPN Equipo F, among others.

The platform also includes new Star+ exclusive international original productions, with star-studded casts and renowned figures behind the scenes. Some of the much-anticipated titles include comedy thriller “Only Murders in the Building,” starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gómez; “Love, Victor,” “Big Sky” and “A Teacher.” Original series that are global hits are also available, such as all seasons of “This Is Us” and “The Walking Dead,” including the double-episode finale that premieres today. Biographical drama “Pam & Tommy,” starring Lily James and Sebastian Stan, and “Y: The Last Man,” the new FX drama series based on the graphic novel by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra will also be included in the platform at a later time.

Finally, Star+ includes all 20th Century Television productions, such as award-winning series “The Simpsons,” with all seasons available in one single platform for the first time. Fans can also watch titles such as “Family Guy,” “Futurama,” “Bob’s Burgers,” and Solar Opposites premiering in late September.

HBO Max Rolls Out in 39 Territories in Latin America and the Caribbean

HBO Max June 29 rolled out in 39 territories in Latin America and the Caribbean, marking the streaming platform’s first launch outside of the United States, and kicking off its global expansion. Max has made a commitment to produce 100 local originals in Latin American over the next two years, in addition to offering subscribers access to its catalog of brands and programming. Later this year, soccer fans in Brazil and Mexico will be able to stream matches of the UEFA Champions League.

With this launch, subscribers of the HBO Max ad-free plan in the U.S. will be able to access the platform while traveling throughout any of these 39 newly supported territories, and Latin American subscribers will also be able to access the platform while traveling in the U.S. The platform’s international rollout will extend to Europe later this year.

“With today’s launch, we are introducing our global platform and providing a brand new user experience to millions of fans across Latin America and the Caribbean,” Johannes Larcher, head of HBO Max International, said in a statement.

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To celebrate the launch, Max is offering new subs through July 31 a 50% discount on the $14.99 regular monthly plan for as long as they maintain their subscription without interruption.

“This past year with its unprecedented health and economic crises has been challenging for our fans from Tijuana to Tierra del Fuego,” said Luis Durán, GM of HBO Max for Latin America.

Max is available for subscription at HBOMax.com, via participating digital stores and through various distribution partners in the region. It’s accessible from supported smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and compatible streaming devices.

  • The standard plan offers families access to three simultaneous users, five personalized profiles, content downloads (up to 30 titles), video in high-definition and some titles in HD and 4K, on all compatible devices.
  • The mobile plan offers access to the same content catalog, but is designed for an individual experience with content downloads (up to 5 titles) enjoyable in standard-definition on compatible smartphones and tablets.

Max is also available from any of the following internet browsers: Firefox, Chrome, Safari (for Mac users) and Edge (for Windows users). The platform is accessible at launch across a range of supported devices, including: Android TV, Android phones and tablets (OS 5+ or later), Chromecast and Chromecast built-in devices; iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD; LG Smart TVs (web OS 3.5 or later); Roku devices and Roku TV models (OS 10+); Samsung Smart TVs (2016 models and later); and Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

HBO Max Launching in Latin America and Caribbean June 29

SVOD service HBO Max will be available in 39 territories in Latin America and the Caribbean starting June 29 with catalog and Max Originals plus live sports in Brazil and Mexico later this year.

“Our launch in Latin America and the Caribbean is the first step in our global rollout of HBO Max,” Johannes Larcher, head of HBO Max International, said in a statement. “We are thrilled that fans across the region will soon be able to enjoy HBO Max and its amazing collection of content. WarnerMedia is one of the most popular and trusted sources of entertainment across Latin America, and we are very excited that our global journey starts here.”

The platform will offer Warner Bros. movies at no additional cost 35 days after being released in theaters in Latin America, with titles such as Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical In the Heights, Space Jam: A New Legacy starring LeBron James, The Suicide Squad directed by James Gunn and starring Margot Robbie and John Cena, and Dune starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya and directed by Denis Villeneuve, among many other films. Recent premieres such as Tom & Jerry, Mortal Kombat, Judas and the Black Messiah and Godzilla vs. Kong will be available on HBO Max in 2021.

HBO Max will have exclusively new local original titles produced in the region with stories such as “Pop Divas,” a competition for the pop genre crown hosted by Pabllo Vittar and Luísa Sonza; the documentary series “PCC Secret Power”; the astrology show “Astral Journey” hosted by Giovanna Ewbank; a competition with the best stylists in “The Cut, Last Bravas”; a Mexican series about women’s soccer with screenwriters such as José Javier Reguilón, Luis Gamboa, Paula Rendón and Helen Santiago; “Love Spells,” a comedy starring Gabriela de la Garza; and the action comedy “Bunker,” among other titles.

Later this year, soccer fans in Brazil and Mexico can see matches of the UEFA Champions League.

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HBO Max will offer two subscription plans, starting from $3 (U.S.) per month; prices per plan and country can be found on HBOMax.com. The standard plan offers access to three simultaneous users, five personalized profiles, content downloads and video in high definition with some titles in 4K, across all supported devices. The mobile plan offers access to the same content catalog with a single, standard-definition stream on supported smartphones and tablets. Subscriptions for recurring periods of three or 12 months will also be also available with a discount of up to 30%.
HBO Max will also offer a seven-day free trial period and an option where users will be able to sample some of the best series and documentaries at no cost.

The platform will also be available through partners such as AT&T Mexico and regional partners such as DirecTV Latin America, Sky Brasil, DirecTV Go and Grupo América Móvil, which will offer HBO Max to their subscribers.

Those users who have an existing HBO linear subscription through participating distribution partners such as Claro Video (Mexico), Claro (Brazil), Claro (Latam), Oi (Brazil), Tim (Brazil), TotalPlay (Mexico), Vivo (Brazil), VTR (Chile), will have access to HBO Max at no additional cost. Additional distribution partners that will offer HBO Max will continue to be announced in the upcoming weeks.

Existing HBO Go users will receive instructions before the launch on how to access HBO Max.  As of HBO Max launch, the current HBO Go service in Latin America and the Caribbean will be discontinued.

“HBO Max is a platform built in Latin America for latinoamericanos,” Luis Durán, GM for HBO Max in the region, said in a statement. “In this context, our catalog delivers on the intensity and the passion of our region, our plans deliver on the experience users expect, and our prices deliver on our promise to entertain every member of the family. Our goal is to transform the streaming experience in Latin America, one word, one shot, one pixel at a time. And we are just getting started.”

Disney’s Star+ to Bow Aug. 31 in Latin America

Star+ will launch in Latin America on Aug. 31 as a standalone streaming service that will offer a full slate of ESPN content, including live events from the top leagues and sports shows; series, animated comedies, movies and documentaries; and regional and international original Star productions, including exclusive content, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution announced May 14.

“Star+ will offer a never-before-seen customized experience and will expand our connection with the different audiences,” Diego Lerner, president of The Walt Disney Company Latin America, said in a statement. The strength of the content, that will include all of ESPN, makes Star+ a unique and relevant offering with its own identity that will become a recognized digital service, independent from Disney+. Having said that, its arrival will represent a service that is complementary to Disney+ and it will consolidate The Walt Disney Company’s presence in Latin America’s streaming market. With Star+, we will also reinforce our constant commitment of over 20 years to develop, produce, and offer local content that represents the taste of consumers of the whole region, producing original content with well-known local production companies and talents, to tell stories that connect with Latin American audiences. We will do so through different genres, addressing original fiction stories, and social and historic themes that are relevant and of general interest.”

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The service will be available on Internet-connected devices and users can subscribe separately or as part of a bundled offer with Disney+.

The service includes exclusive premieres of general entertainment TV series and movies from The Walt Disney Company’s content studios, including Disney Television Studios, FX, 20th Century Studios, STAR Original Productions, National Geographic Original Productions and more, and the streaming service for live sports from ESPN. From dramas to comedies (including all seasons of “The Simpsons”) and thrillers for adults, Star+ also features exclusive original programming from the Star general entertainment brand, along with a collection of regional original productions from Latin America.