Pablo Mancuso: It is not easy to find a business that has survived for so long
In his new position as general director of International Distribution at Condista, Pablo Mancuso will be responsible for the market outside the US, giving continuity to the company’s work.
For Mancuso, in 2024, they will have to be “very creative” and, at the same time, “combative” to “take care” of their current business, which continues to generate revenue and can still be “profitable”. To do this, you need to look for portfolio products “that can create a difference, help clients with current transitions, such as entering the FAST world or not and how to do it. “We come in some way to open developable new business windows,” said the executive who will continue to be based in Mexico.
He emphasized that all this comes from the heart of what they do. “That’s why I say take care of the business. I think that all of us in the distribution business should take care of it because otherwise, we all lose. Many changes and mergers occurred, but as an industry, we never stopped being a community.”
He said he knows Condista very well on a human level. His father was a close friend of Jorge Fiterre Sr.
“It is still a challenge because we are in a moment of business transition, in that mix of a company that has been in the industry for many years, that is very recognized, has good human capital, and is in a new stage. It is interesting to see the challenge from the traditional distribution point of view, which is Condista’s strength, and how we adapt to the changes we are already experiencing today,” he said.
GOOD POSITIONING IN A COMPLEX CONTEXT
For Mancuso, Condista is well positioned regarding the complex context for everyone. “From big players such as Disney to smaller ones, we all in the industry are, in one way or another, somewhat stressed because we are in the middle of the whirlwind.”
He highlighted that there are positive elements within the change. “My feeling is that there is a rearrangement of the media ecosystem; business is not working even for large platforms that have already concluded they are not profitable. Some remain as solitary leaders, others not so much anymore. Opening new distribution windows with the trendy FAST, a market already addressed by Condista but with the benefit of operating in both the US and Latin America. In the US, FAST is a more attractive business, but in Latin America – with less healthy indicators than the US – we are waiting for it.”
Speaking on behalf of pay TV, he highlighted it continues to have a differential value proposition. “There are still many subscribers, and it continues receiving content not found elsewhere. Let’s not forget that pay TV has been doing business for about 60 years. It is not easy to find a business that has survived for so long. Look at the number of startups and new projects present today in the US, where most of the companies bankrupt are less than 10 years old. An ecosystem rearrangement is taking place; it is not comfortable; it is not easy, but there is still a value that Condista continues to exploit and has the opportunity to expand.”
He added that fresher products are required. “Nowadays, just talking about linear channels falls short, it doesn’t add much value, but working on a portfolio that includes platforms, linear content with more rights and value, multi-platforms, seeing what additional revenue can come from the primary screen. I see Condista well positioned because it has several of these initiatives running. A great value is that Condista knows the operator’s pain, and that is a good way to help him,” he concluded.
