The company is developing a content licensing area that includes its renowned IPs, original co-productions, production services, and spin-off development with strategic partners.

*By Luis Cabrera, Ana Paula Carreira, and Fernando Moreno, from Miami, USA.

With two major free-to-air TV players leading the way -Telefe and Chilevisión- and an ecosystem of platforms to distribute its content, Paramount Global is in an excellent position in the region. Currently, the company is focusing on building a robust content licensing area in partnership with strategic allies.

Darío Turovelzky, Executive Vice President of Broadcast and Studios for Latin America, shared this during the first day of Content Americas in an interview with ttvnews.

“We are strongly focusing on content licensing, which includes spin-off content from the Telefe and Chilevisión grids, content from our renowned IPs to create new productions, original co-productions, and production services that range from set building to production hubs. These five pillars are supported by the incredible team we have at the company,” said Turovelzky.

According to Turovelzky, Paramount considers itself a “generator of experiences” within an integrated operation. “We are much more than a TV channel. While we draw strength from free-to-air TV—Telefe with a 45% audience share and Chilevisión with a 28% share in a highly competitive market with four channels vying for the top spot—this positions us in a very privileged place.”

Turovelzky highlighted the company’s ability to create high-quality content. “We know how to monetize it in a 360-degree approach across all its dimensions. We have the capacity to amplify communication in a scalable and exponential way, all within an integrated business model vision, reaching all possible audiences across the different platforms we operate,” he emphasized.

He also pointed out the infrastructure between Telefe and Chilevisión, including 19 studios equipped with the highest technology in Latin America. “Having production services across the entire chain puts us in a very strong position.”

Strategically Playing with Content

The Telefe and Chilevisión executive emphasized how having two free-to-air TV players in their portfolio allows them to find interesting commonalities. “Sports, news, fiction, and entertainment are significant pillars, combined with acquisitions. These areas share common ground across both territories, despite their differences. For example, the Gran Hermano production hub is in Argentina, operating for five months for the Argentine audience and then for the Chilean audience. The same has happened with Escape Perfecto and Manos Arriba Chef. We try to create synergies and leverage the ability to manage content strategically,” he explained.

Timeless IPs Always Work

“On the other hand, we have timeless IPs with thousands of hours of content, from Muñeca Brava, Chiquititas, Monte Cristo, and Resistiré to 100 días para enamorarse. These are pieces of content that have always performed well. Having this catalog to create new series, remakes, movies, and animations is spectacular because these stories are ingrained in the collective memory across many territories.”

Co-Productions and Original Content

For Turovelzky, while the company could exclusively work with its platforms like Pluto TV or Paramount+, it also collaborates with third parties. “We produce all kinds of content—scripted, non-scripted, documentaries, and shows. Fiction, entertainment, sports, and news are essential to us. In the last two years, producing fiction with 60, 80, or even 100 episodes, as we used to, requires a very high-quality standard. Since we are always innovating and pushing for more, we can’t deliver anything below what audiences have come to expect,” he noted.

He mentioned El Primero de Nosotros, a 60-episode fiction created for Telefe and Paramount+, which was successful on both platforms. “We are producing fiction, even when it seems like an acquisition. For instance, Margarita on Telefe feels like a Telefe production with 40 episodes. We’re also developing content in the style of comedies we used to create with Underground, Telemundo, like 100 días para enamorarse or Graduados. One of our upcoming projects is a fiction series called El Extraño de Pelo Largo. Fiction is essential to us, but we need the right strategic partner to achieve the quality standards audiences now expect,” Turovelzky concluded.

A Year of Outstanding Performance

2024 was an excellent year for the network in terms of performance. “For both Telefe and Chilevisión, audience-wise, Telefe achieved one of the highest audience shares in its history, reaching 45%—a record in Argentina’s free-to-air TV industry. Telefe has maintained its leadership across all time slots and days of the week for 13 consecutive years,” he highlighted.

According to the executive, the key is that television reflects their leadership. “At Paramount, our teamwork in planning, organizing, inspiring, and motivating drives our success—not just for free-to-air TV content but for the entire ecosystem. This includes our digital hub with streaming, social media, free-to-air TV, cable, Pluto TV, and strategic partnerships with platforms like Disney+, Max, and DirecTV,” he concluded.

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