After the sale of 75% of Snap to Hemisphere Media Group, Ariel Tobi, founder of Snap, becomes Senior Distribution and Programming VP at Hemisphere.
“Hemisphere saw in Snap a company that integrates distribution, production, co-production and new media. And this is the foundation of every media group. They are a great partner for any company because they operate in the US, a territory that many Latin American producers would like to be part of,” he said.
He is enthusiastic about having a solid platform to generate alliances and international expansion. “When the time to negotiate comes, we will have very important cards, because we will be offering a VOD and pay TV in US Hispanic (PantaYA and Cinelatino), a free TV in Colombia (Canal Uno), a free TV in Puerto Rico (WAPA TV),” he comments.
Likewise, there is an agreement with MarVista to co-produce content, both in English and in Spanish, but always with Latino appeal. “The guideline is that you can make Latino content without it necessarily being in Spanish. Narcos is a Latino product spoken in English,” mentioned Tobi.
Hemisphere is the main shareholder, while Tobi and MarVista (partner of Snap), the minority owner. The commercial area is under the responsibility of Karina Etchison, in the Hemisphere office in Coral Gables. Tobi will arrive between July and August. The office in Buenos Aires will remain operative (traffic, legal, purchases, administration). “For the level, we are aiming at, it is necessary to go play in the main market, that is currently the Miami-Mexico-Colombia triangle,” maintained Tobi.