Agustín Elissondo, custumer service director of BB-BUSINESS BUREAU, one of the conference speakers.
Andina Link 2013 realized last week in Costa Rica. The event is a commercial link between international TV companies and technology, with cable operators in the region. Some 65 exhibitors from international television channels and technology attended the 11th edition of Andina Link 2013, in order to participate in professional training and close important business contracts. It is a booming market expected to reach 4.4 million viewers of pay TV in 2018 .
But the truth is that in Central America, the average piracy rate reaches 17%, totaling more than 588,140 Illegal connections to TV. Guatemala is the country where it reaches a higher rate (22%) while Panama is the country in the region with less existing illegal connections (8 %). The question is, how to achieve such growth is expected that is announced with great fanfare?. It will dawn and we’ll see.
More than 300 cable TV operators attended the event for the supply of new channels and transmission technologies and cable television – dominant in the region for the distribution of pay TV content with a 81.3% market-the sector that is modernized and ready to take the final step to digital TV, faces serious challenges.
The main challenge facing programmers is the sub-report, (i.e., undeclared paid by cable operators). The average sub-report in Central America reaches 57%. In countries such as El Salvador , Guatemala and Nicaragua this percentage ranges between 52% and 54%.
This gives large economic losses for programmers who have asked to updated figures reflect the reality in the industry. While the challenge for programmers, is to achieve that their contents be present in the widest possible screens and multi-platforms.