NEW YORK—NBC News Now has expanded its international distribution into Latin America with launches in Mexico and Brazil on Samsung TV Plus.

The deal to make NBC News’ 24/7 streaming news network available for free through Samsung TV Plus makes it the first U.S.-based news channel available on the platform in those territories.

NBC News reported that the expansion follows NBC News Now’s record performance in the third quarter and during the week of the U.S. presidential election, but did not provide specific data beyond reporting that on Election Day, NBC News Now delivered its best day on record with over 100 million views.

NBC News Now is fully distributed across every free, ad-supported streaming platform in the U.S., as well as on NBCNews.com and the NBC News app, the company said. NBC News Now, which launched in 2019, already has international distribution in Europe in the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, France, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.

LONDON—New projections for the Latin American SVOD market show that revenues will increase for the region to about  $8.54 billion by 2027, up from $5.01 billion in 2021, as subscribers grow to 139 million in 2027, according to a new report from Digital TV Research.

The report notes that Netflix will continue to dominate the SVOD market in Latin America, but that Netflix revenue will peak at $3.73 billion in 2023 and that its revenues will decline, reducing its share of total SVOD revenue from 72% in 2021 to 41% in 2027. 

Simon Murray, Principal Analyst at Digital TV Research, explained: “Netflix will introduce AVOD-SVOD tiers [one for Brazil and another pan-regional one for the Spanish-speaking countries] in 2024, with SVOD revenues and ARPUs falling slowly as some subscribers convert to cheaper packages.” 

Disney+ is likely to introduce similar tiers in 2024. The platform is expected to follow its U.S. example by converting its current subscription tier to AVOD-SVOD and charging more for SVOD-only. This will push up ARPU, the report projected. 

Digital TV Research is predicting that Latin America will have 139 million gross SVOD subscriptions by 2027, up from 75 million at the end of 2021. 

Seven U.S.-based platforms (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Star+, Paramount+, Apple TV+ and HBO) will account for 90% of the region’s paying SVOD subscriptions by end-2027. 

For more information on the Latin America SVOD Forecasts report, please contact: Simon Murray at simon@digitaltvresearch.com or at +44 20 8248 5051 

Netflix is adding millions more subscribers to its initial test of password-sharing options. The streaming giant is rolling out the new fees to battle the scourge of households worldwide that are using accounts covered by other subscribers. In March, when it announced its plans, the company claimed that more than 30 million households are sharing passwords, blaming the practice for slow subscriber and revenue growth now and for the near future. 

In May, it rolled out its “add extra member” plan to subscribers in Chile, Costa Rica and Peru but the test resulted in confused subscribers who, among other problems, had difficulty deciphering the definition of “household” or understanding what options they were eligible for. 

In the latest expansion, Netflix is adding Argentina, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Subscribers in these countries will be offered an “add a home” feature.  

New subscribers will be allowed one Netflix account—whatever subscription—to watch the service on any device, For an additional $2.99 per month (219 pesos in Argentina), subscribers can watch in additional homes with Basic members being allowed to add one extra home, Standard up to two extra and Premium up to three extra. 

Subscribers will be able to watch Netflix out of home but just on laptops, tablets or smartphone. An additional feature that allows subscribers to control where their account is being used—and remove homes at any time from their account settings page—will added soon.

In a blog post, Chengyi Long, director of product innovation for Netflix said “We value our members, and recognize that they have many entertainment choices. So we’re working hard to make great TV shows and films, and to be as thoughtful as possible about how we charge for use across multiple homes. We will not make changes in other countries until we better understand what’s easiest for our members.”

BURBANK, Calif.—HBO Max has taken a notable step forward in its plans for international expansion with its first launches outside the U.S., a move that makes the service available on June 30 in 39 territories in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“Over our first year since launch, fans in the U.S. have chosen HBO Max as one of their favorite streaming platforms,” said Johannes Larcher, Head of HBO Max International. “With today’s launch, we are introducing our global platform and providing a brand new user experience to millions of fans across Latin America and the Caribbean. There couldn’t be a better place to begin our global journey, as WarnerMedia has been a favorite and trusted source for compelling and entertaining content for the whole family.” 

HBO Max has committed to producing 100 local originals in Latin America over the next two years. Later this year, soccer fans in Brazil and Mexico will be able to enjoy matches of the UEFA Champions League.  

With this launch, subscribers of the HBO Max ad-free plan in the U.S. will also be able to access the platform while traveling throughout any of these 39 newly supported territories, and Latin American subscribers will also be able to access the platform while traveling in the U.S.

To help market the launch, HBO Max offering Latin American fans a 50% discount off the regular monthly plan for as long as they maintain their subscription without interruption.

The platform is offering two plans.

Consumers can subscribe to the Standard Plan which offers families access to 3 simultaneous users, 5 personalized profiles, content downloads (up to 30 titles), video in high-definition and some titles in HD and 4K, on all compatible devices.

Alternatively HBO Max is offering a Mobile Plan, which offers access to the same content catalog, but is designed for an individual experience with content downloads (up to 5 titles) enjoyable in standard-definition on compatible smartphones and tablets.

BURBANK, Calif.—WarnerMedia is expanding the international footprint of its HBO Max service with planned launches in 39 Territories in Latin America and the Caribbean starting June 29th.

The services will be available with two subscription plans: Standard and Mobile starting from US $3 per month. Prices per plan and country will vary. 

The services will include content from brands such as HBO, Warner Bros., Max Originals, DC and Cartoon Network as well as Warner Bros. movies, at no additional cost, 35 days after their release in theaters in Latin America, the company reported.

UEFA Champions League matches live-streamed in Brazil and Mexico

“Our launch in Latin America and the Caribbean is the first step in our global rollout of HBO Max,” commented Johannes Larcher, head of HBO Max International. “We are thrilled that fans across the region will soon be able to enjoy HBO Max and its amazing collection of content. WarnerMedia is one of the most popular and trusted sources of entertainment across Latin America, and we are very excited that our global journey starts here.”

The territories include: Anguilla, Antigua, Argentina, Aruba, B.V.I., Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks and Caicos, Uruguay and Venezuela.

The Standard plan offers families access to 3 simultaneous users, 5 personalized profiles, content downloads and video in high definition with some titles in 4K, across all supported devices.

The Mobile plan offers access to the same content catalog, but has been designed for an individual experience with a single, standard definition stream on supported smartphones and tablets, with optimized image quality.

The platform will also be available through partners like AT&T Mexico, a leading mobile operator in Mexico, and regional partners such as DirecTV Latin America, Sky Brasil and DirecTV GO, and Grupo América Móvil which will offer HBO Max to their subscribers.

Those users who have an existing HBO linear subscription through participating distribution partners such as Claro Video (Mexico), Claro (Brazil), Claro (Latam), Oi (Brazil), Tim (Brazil), TotalPlay (Mexico), VIVO (Brazil), VTR (Chile), will have access to HBO Max for no additional cost. 

More distribution partners will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

CINCINNATI—GatesAir has appointed Felipe Luna as managing director for the Caribbean and Latin America (CALA), the company announced today.

Luna, who will work under the leadership of GatesAir managing director, International, Rich Redmond, will manage all sales and business development initiative in the region and oversee the company’s in-region sales team and partner network, GatesAir said.

“We are lucky to welcome Felipe back to the GatesAir family, where his industry knowledge, sales expertise and emphasis on customer relations will help GatesAir expand on its regional momentum throughout the Caribbean and Latin America,” said Redmond.

Luna joined Harris Broadcast (GatesAir’s predecessor) in 2002 and spent 12 years as a regional director for the company. Before that, Luna was an account and sales manager with Electro Equip Telecom for six years.

Prior to rejoining GatesAir, Luna focused on business development outside of the broadcast industry. He located to Miami and joined the Hayman Woodward law firm as business development director.

“CALA remains a dynamic and exciting market with strong business opportunities, as many countries are just beginning their digital TV transitions,” said Luna.

“My goal is to amplify our level of service throughout the region and deliver turnkey over-the-air solutions that solve problems and create new revenue opportunities for our TV and radio customers,” he said.

ESPN this week says it was the first sports broadcaster to air a live sporting event in 4K in Latin America, with the airing of Liverpool FC's 5-2 home victory over AS Roma, the first leg of a home-and-away UEFA Champions League semifinal, in 4K. The live telecast was available on DIRECTV Channel 4000 in Argentina and Peru.

[Read: ESPN Brings Olympics To Latin America Audiences]

ESPN’s coverage in 4K continues Saturday, May 26 with the UEFA Champions League Final live from Kiev, Ukraine.

Guillermo Tabanera, senior vice president and general manager of ESPN Media Networks in Latin America said, “We are proud to be the first to showcase a sporting event in 4K in the region. Our mission is to offer the best viewing experience for fans with the highest quality content on any available screen. Our inaugural 4K broadcast achieves that.”

LOS ANGELES & BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA—Thanks to a new multi-year partnership between Verizon Digital Media Services and Pontis Technologies, Latin America broadcasters will have access to OTT and content delivery network (CDN) services.

The agreement will have the Uplynk Video Streaming service and Edgecast Content Delivery Network from Verizon Digital be integrated into the Pontis CloudTV platform, which will allow viewers in the region to experience live, linear and VOD streams on mobile and connected devices.

The Uplynk service uses one simplified workflow to ingest, format, insert targeted ads and optimize OTT delivery. Meanwhile, the Edgecast serves as the foundation to deliver content to its interconnection partners and points of presence infrastructure; recently, Verizon Digital launched six new points of presence in Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, Chile, Peru and Argentina.

SAN JOSE, CALIF.—Latin America will get a taste of UHD thanks to telecommunications operator Claro Chile working with Harmonic to offer an end-to-end UHD delivery demonstration through Claro Chile’s distribution network. The UHD demo channel that will be delivered on Sony UHD TV sets will be the first in Chile, according to Harmonic’s press release.

Still from NASA TV UHD

To help power the demonstration, Claro Chile is utilizing Harmonic’s Electra X3 media processor, featuring live, full-frame, full-GOP UHD encoding. The X3 is powered by Harmonic’s PURE Compression Engine and enables high video quality at minimum bandwidth, says Harmonic.

Content for the demo channel will come from NASA TV UHD, which Harmonic launched with NASA in November of 2015. The press release stipulates that the demo channel will be available for the next few months, but does not give a definitive time range.

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA—A recent channel partner agreement with Pontis Technologies will extend Imagine Commuinications presence in Latin America to eight countries. Pontis will integrate and support Imagine’s end-to-end products in Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela.

The agreement focuses on Imagine’s networking and distribution systems, including its encoding and transcoding portfolio, and CloudXtream’s cloud DVR and Dynamic Ad Insertion systems. It will also make its new SelenioNext Just-In-Time transcoder available as well.

Imagine and Pontis have already been working together for the last several months.