Sony’s cable/sat network AXN Latin America can now be seen everywhere, and on demand in the region via its new VOD platform AXN Play.
More than a hundred hours of programming are available on AXN Play, allowing auds to catch up on earlier episodes of such hit shows as “Hannibal,” “Scorpion,” and “Helix.” AXN Play will also offer the latest episodes of “Criminal Minds,” “CSI Cyber,” “Hannibal” and “Crossing Lines” after they air on AXN Network.
AXN Play apps for smartphones and tablets are due to launch during the fourth quarter of 2015.
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AXN Play and the recently launched Canal Sony Play are available to subscribers of the following operators in Latin America and the Caribbean: DirecTV pan-regional; Dish in Mexico; TCC, Nuevo Siglo and Montecable in Uruguay; Telefonica of Coyhaique, Telefonica del Sur and GTD-Manquehue in Chile; Cable Onda in Panama, and TV Cable in Ecuador. SPT Networks Latin America is in talks with other operators in the region to further expand the reach of both VOD platforms. AXN Network is now available to 48 million subs in 33 markets in Latin America.
“As consumer habits continue to change in Latin America, especially among young adults, services like AXN Play and Canal Sony Play are the next logical step in the evolution of our business,” said TC Schultz, SPT’s executive VP and general manager for Latin America and Brazil.
However, the success of these platforms is predicated on the ability of viewers to pay for high-speed broadband internet, and for cable or satellite pay TV services that offer the VOD option.
According to Carlos Blanco, research head of Buenos Aires-based research org Dataxis Latin America, the region currently has more than 60.4 million broadband households, but there are only 5.46 million high-speed broadband households.
There is indeed ample room for growth given the current 67 million pay TV households in the region.
Dataxis has identified TV Everywhere services in 11 markets in South America and Mexico. Fox Play, with a potential reach of 72.6% of Pay TV subs, dominates the market followed by ESPN Play, which can reach 67.5% of the pay TV households in the region.