LatAm 2015 | Page 9

Hispasat distribution for Mexico cinemas S panish satellite telecommunications operator Hispasat has announced a longterm agreement with the Mexican satellite service provider Spacenet to distribute movies and live shows over the country’s main movie networks. As a result, the more than 500 Mexican movie theatres covered by Spacenet’s services will be able to receive topquality content with added speed and efficiency, thanks to the power of Hispasat’s satellite Amazonas 3, which will assign a transponder to this service. The two companies have consolidated a two-year-old relationship for the distribution of audiovisual content in theatres, a relationship which in 2014 made it possible to show the Brazil Football World Cup matches on screens throughout Mexico. Thanks to this agreement, it is expected that a broader and broader range of live events will be broadcast over this platform, and that both producers and independent theatres will be able to benefit from this flexible form of audiovisual distribution. Spacenet and Hispasat are also working on extending this service to a number of movie theatres in other countries throughout Latin America. Satellite is shaping up to be a highquality alternative to the traditional movie distribution model with the process less material-based, eliminating hardware and achieving a drastic simplification of the logistics as well as the time it takes to bring movies to theatres. Satellite also heightens security during shipment, as the risk of equipment loss or breakage is no longer an issue. By simply installing a small antenna, theatres can now receive movies directly from distributors in a short period of time. Ignacio Sanchis, chief commercial officer at Hispasat, said the agreement marked the culmination of a long-term collaboration relationship with Spacenet in the field of content distribution for movie theatres. “Hispasat takes great satisfaction in being able to use the numerous capacities and the versatility of its satellites to provide novel services which add value to all kinds of companies – in this case, those related to the movie industry – and which bring culture and entertainment closer to all citizens, along with many other activities related to our daily life. the next step is, together with Spacenet, to put these benefits within reach of movie theatres and private citizens in other countries in Latin America”. Telefónica TV lags in LatAm Telecommunications company Telefónica remains Latin America’s fifth largest pay-TV group, according to research from group has launched OTT VoD services in Argentina, Brazil and Chile. According to Dataxis, between Q4 2007 and Q3 Dataxis. As of Q3 2014, the Spanish company ranked behind America Móvil, DirecTV Latin America, Televisa and Clarín. As of Q3 2014 Telefónica had 3.19 million pay-TV subscribers in the region. This figure also includes the company’s OTT paid accounts. Telefónica’s traditional