EVENTS/PAY TV
Celebrating its 25 years the event closed with important sponsors, including Arris. There was a strong shift towards technology providers and excellent academic courses. This time, with the support of SCTE of the United States, through Steven Harris, with a master class of first level.
For about 5 years, the biggest absentees on the floor of exhibitors are the big channels, content programmers. There are fewer and fewer programmers but in this edition, were Disney-ESPN, Televisa, Azteca Internacional, RCN, Ty C Sports, D.W. and RT.
AMC Networks, was one of the delights of the event with a creative stand of the premiere A Very English Scandal, a mini-series produced by the BBC with Hugh Grant and Ben Wishaw. They also announced the opening of their offices in Colombia headed by Christian Vanzini, distribution Manager for the Andean region.
In its stand, RT from Russia offered a cocktail for the launch of its series Estados Unidos: Sueños y Pesadillas, starring former Colombian model and writer Virginia Vallejo -one of the lovers of the drug trafficker, Pablo Escobar, exiled in the United States. Program presented together with the Spanish journalist Nicolás Sánchez O’Donovan, its premiere is next April.
Deusche Welle from Germany with its highly attractive stand and the most creative of the fair, promoting its Fuerza Latina program, announced its satellite change ahead of the launch of its HD signal, which will be the next step.
Atresmedia of Spain through its MBA Networks representative Matilde Boshell was also one of the busiest cable operators thanks to the magnificent programming of its catalog.
RFI and France 24, had important meetings throughout the fair in their usual stand.
PROGRAMMERS OUTSIDE THE EXPO
HBO returned this year to fulfill its agenda with the Colombian cable operators and the Andean region, on a yacht in front of the Convention center. While Fox Networks held its meetings at the Casa Epica Hotel. This indicates a need in the business modality of the Expo and market fairs, which must conform to the new times and to the needs of its exhibitors, who finally, are the ones that nourish the finances of the events.
Turner was not inside the exhibitor’s floor, but it offered a presentation on a Caribbean afternoon on the terrace of the Convention center at the best rythm of the local band of Cartagena, Bazurto All Stars enjoying a good aguardiente.
Discovery had its VIP room, which showed the new image of Animal Planet.
IMPORTANT EXHIBITORS
Internexa held meetings at its stand offering its services for the processes in the imperious and urgent digital transformation.
Signal TV, directed by Hortensia Espitaleta, celebrating the 10 years of its channel distribution company. Among his represented is the AZ TV pay package and held meetings in its business room together with Jorge Gutierrez Razo, from Azteca Internacional who promoted the FunBox children’s entertainment signal.
MBA Networks of Matilde and Carlos Boshell accompanied by Mar Martínez-Raposo of Atresmedia and Robert Gold with their new commitment to the documentary genre, Curiosity Stream.
Disney & ESPN with its affiliated sales team, as well as Televisa Networks, with its new representation with Total Media announcement that they made at a cocktail party in the Calle de las Damas, inside the walled city.
Another important announcement was that of LACISP and Netfunny, with the cameras of ISPs in Latin America, with a closed agreement to create an entity that will bring them all together: LACISP, which will be based in Andina Link.
In the adult segment, the DTH’s success with a modality in which the public controls its spending led to new projects such as Netfunny, a prepaid OTT for strata 1 and 2. The initiative is led by Germán Walteros and starts with products such as Hotflix (from Britel) in the adult segment.
The event was attended by big operators such as TigoUne with Daniel de Simone, DirecTV, TuVes with Konrad Burchardt, Henry Reyes of Cable Bello/HV Television, Global Net and others.
Rincon Technology was showcased with its Rincon Rocks party at the Intercontinental Hotel to close with its customers the 25th edition of Andina Link.
TVMAS has been present for 20 years as Media Partner congratulates Luz Marina Arango and her organizing team in her 25 years of ANDINA LINK.