TV Globo, one of Latin America’s largest broadcasters, has carved out a strong position in its home territory of Brazil, the most populated area in the region with almost 200 million people. Octavio Florisbal, CEO of TV Globo, talks about the developing broadcast environment in the Brazilian market and how TV Globo is looking to make more of an impact in international markets — especially the United States where it announced a major new initiative this year.
VIA SATELLITE: What are the most significant technical challenges facing TV Globo and its long-term plans?
Florisbal: We are facing many technical challenges right now. There is the move from analog TV into digital TV, as well as the transition from SD to HD. We are also seeing the transition from broadcast technology into IT technology. There is also the move from mono-media broadcast into multimedia — Internet, mobile, broadband, broadcast, etc.
VIA SATELLITE: Will you need more satellite capacity to support more HD content?
Florisbal: We will need more satellite capacity in the near future to distribute our various feeds. We are already producing 100 percent of our prime-time content in HD and growing our overall programs into HD. All the new equipment and systems are implemented in HD as well as all of the new satellite feeds. Brazil is a continental size country and the best and the most appropriate way of distribution of our content is by satellite: locally, regionally and countrywide.
VIA SATELLITE: What are your plans to develop the TV Globo proposition outside of Brazil?
Florisbal: We are distributing specific content channels in Portuguese around the world. Globo TV International was the first Brazilian channel to be broadcast abroad via satellite, cable and IPTV with digital quality, 24 hours a day. Since launching in 1999, the channel has acquired 570,000 premium subscribers in 115 countries on five continents. In addition to this, we have an exclusive premium channel for Brazilian football, PCF International, which has more than 200,000 subscribers in 22 countries.
During NATPE, in April this year, Globo TV International presented a new strategy to the U.S. market. A partnership with consultants Tony Fantozzi and Dick Robertson, former executives of William Morris and Warner, will contribute to the new distribution strategy for North America. The consultants will explore new co-production deals on English speaking channels, an important and competitive market, where TV Globo hopes to have more presence.
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