By: Brad Auerbach
When it comes to news, speed to market has taken on more importance than accuracy for some business strategies. That has led to some iffy propositions. But the tension for traditional broadcasters is a fear of becoming an afterthought for consumers. The conundrum for broadcasters that desire to maintain journalistic integrity is how to balance the pressure of providing nearly on-demand delivery against a traditional ‘news at 6pm’ TV schedule.
Grabyo is providing Univision a solution.
Grabyo’s cloud-based video-editing and live production platform will enable Univision to better connect millions of fans with broadcast-quality content across web and mobile devices. The partnership between these two industry leaders will have Grabyo powering all of the broadcaster’s live and near-live social and digital video content.
I spoke with Mike Kelley, President of Grabyo Americas, about his company’s recent announcement. He is “excited to be working with one of the biggest broadcasters in the world. Grabyo will deliver Univision’s video content via social media channels. Univision told us about their need to get out faster, which is fundamental to their digital first strategy.”
Kelley explained Grabyo will provide live feeds for Univision’s news and sports offering, with a broadcast feel, through Facebook Live, Periscope and YouTube as the main channels. He noted that Instagram has no third party integration, yet.
Univision Network is one of the leading networks in the U.S. regardless of language. It is the most-watched Spanish-language broadcast television network in the country, and available in approximately 90% of U.S. Hispanic television households. I asked if this partnership risks Univision’s traditional broadcast viewership numbers. Kelley clarified that the partnership raises no issues about cord cutting, because Univision is available both free to air and via paid (cable or satellite). “The world is heading to social media, and this puts Univision content where the world is heading. Because discovery on social media occurs much faster, content can be fed along the lines of your previously disclosed interests.”
The potential downside, of course, is the potential loss of serendipity and a louder echo chamber of familiarity.
Kelley described some of the nuts and bolts of the initiative. Grabyo’s Studio and Producer products will be employed across all of Univision’s digital teams (news, sports and entertainment) to create and distribute the most relevant video content quickly and efficiently, without having to engage the broadcast studio teams and equipment. By amplifying the speed to market Univision while not draining existing broadcast resources, Univision aims to engage a broader set of engaged viewers on social media, thereby drawing further interest to the company’s broadcast offerings. Live video for breaking news is practically de rigeur in today’s news environment.
Source: Forbes
