Conferencia con Fernando Medín de Warner Bros. Discovery
Syndication, the launch of the Warner Bros. Discovery streaming platform, the recognition of pay TV and the relationship that the company has with its distributors in the region, were some of the issues that Fernando Medin, president and general director of Warner Bros. Discovery for LatAm and US Hispanic brought up during the one-on-one conversation in the framework of Content Americas, moderated by John Hopewell, editor of International Features for Variety.
“Warner Bros. Discovery is a unique company for a number of reasons: first, it’s global, it has a large scope throughout the world; combined with being on all platforms: streaming, theatrical, linear, free to air, consumer products, syndication. Our vision is that we have to be where the consumer is, if we think about it as a hand, each finger has to touch the consumer. This allows our brands and content coming from various sides. I can’t identify another company that has the portfolio, the number of programming genres we have: fiction, non-fiction, news, sports,” he said.
Medin noted that the expected launch of the streaming service that will combine all the company’s properties is estimated for the end of the first half of the year.
He also highlighted the importance of the company’s bookstore, which is a source of income through syndication for digital platforms. He indicated that it is impossible for all streaming services to feed on 100% original content and the Warner Bros. Discovery catalog is very vast.
He commented that a global streaming platform must have an ideal mix between local, regional and global products. “You have to establish what the perfect mix is. This mix is the element that everyone is trying to get the perfect balance between what appeals and makes consumers subscribe and what allows us to maintain a viable and sustainable business,” he pointed out, and indicated that Latin America has great advantages: US content is well received and also that of other markets.
He added that one of the great advantages of Warner Bros. Discovery is that it historically knows how to work with the distribution partners in the region: be it the operators, the telcos. “We cannot lose sight of the fact that Latin America is a very low-banked territory and with very low credit card penetration as well. The commitment to go directly to the consumer and the possibility of a direct-to-consumer that reaches a level of penetration that transcends the economic social class A and AB, in certain territories, is a huge challenge. You have to have the support of a partner that has been selling pay TV, broadband connection and others for many years,” he said. Many D2C in the region have seen the need to go to pay TV operators, because they are unable to reach segments B and C, he concluded.
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