Insight on the global video delivery business November/December 2019 The DTVE Interview: Sergio Oslé Varona, Movistar+ | VideoTech Innovation Awards 2019 preview pOFC DTVE NovDec19B.indd 8 22/11/2019 16:37 Sabrina Eleuteri Benedetta Migliore Europe Area Manager Extra European Distribution [email protected] [email protected] pXX RAI DTVE Oct18.indd 1 11/09/2018 17:36 Digital TV Europe Contents November/December 2019 This issue Editor’s note 8 Content meets technology he intersection of content and technology is the topic to which most of our editorial coverage in Digital TV Europe is Tdedicated. In this issue we highlight dierent perspectives on ways in which technology can be used to enhance content distribution. First, our headline interview in this issue is with Sergio Oslé Varona, president of Spanish pay TV platform Movistar+, which is oered as part of Telefónica’s multi-play bundle. Oslé, who will speak at December’s Video Exchange Streaming in London, outlines Movistar+’s approach to content and why service providers need to be more than simple aggregators of apps. Second, December also sees the inaugural edition of Digital TV Europe’s VideoTech Innovation Awards at London’s 116 Pall Mall. 12 This will honour some of the leading-edge technologies that are transforming the business of content distribution. Our two-part 2. News digest: A round-up of recent top industry stories. preview feature highlights some of the big technology trends that 8. The DTVE interview – Sergio Oslé, Movistar: The company’s underpin the awards and includes our ll shortlist of nalists. president on its strategy to be much more than just an aggregator. Finally, we interview individual award winners Julien Signes and Sjef Pijnenburg and talk to the CEO and strategy chief of Partner 12. VideoTech Innovation Awards – Next Gen TV: Jonathan Easton Communications, whose head of TV and technologies, Ronen speaks to nominees about the emerging trends in the industry. Gutmanovitz, is also an individual award winner this year. 16. VideoTech Innovation Awards – Q&A – Julien Signes: Stuart Thomson, editor Synamedia’s video network business head on his role in creating MPEG-4 18. VideoTech Innovation Awards – Multiscreen & OTT: The nominees discuss how OTT is changing how people consume content. Issue no 348 21. VideoTech Innovation Awards – Q&A – Isaac Benbenisti and Published by: Art Director Matthew Humberstone Liran Dan: Partner Communications’ Ronen Gutmanovitz is Video Informa Tech, Blue Fin Building Tel: +44 (0) 20 7017 5336 Technologist of the year. 110 Southwark Street, London SE1 0TA [email protected] Website: www.digitaltveurope.com Marketing Executive Abigail Dede 22. VideoTech Innovation Awards – Q&A – Sjef Pijnenburg: The Editor Stuart Thomson Tel: +44 (0) 20 7017 6018 ODMedia founder on his formula for success. Tel: +44 (0) 20 7017 5314 [email protected] [email protected] Printing Walstead Roche, Cornwall 26. Tech news: All the latest industry technology news. Deputy Editor Jonathan Easton Tel: +44 (0) 20 7017 5390 28. Q&A – Ben Lavender: The DAZN chief product ocer on his career [email protected] of innovation and the sports streamer’s strategy for success. Contributing Editor Manori Ravindran 30. Event News: Upcoming events for the industry. Contributor Kate Bulkley 31. People: Recent key industry appointments and promotions. Commercial Director Patricia Arescy © 2019 Informa UK Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 20 7017 5320 All rights reserved. Reproduction without 32. Final Analysis: Kate Bulkley on the emergence of AVOD. [email protected] permission is prohibited www.digitaltveurope.com 1 p01 Contents Ed Note DTVE NovDec19B v3 JEMH.indd 1 22/11/2019 16:18 News Digital TV Europe November/December 2019 News digest News and analysis of the international digital TV business. Disney+ surpasses expectations with 10 million sign-ups While many have criticised the delayed launch, Disney’s £800 million per year deal with Sky runs until 2020, and many streaming rights are tied up in this arrangement. The UK in particular is very excited about the service which has received minimal promotion in the county. A new report from AudienceProject has found that 31% of future Disney+ users in the country plan to unsubscribe from Netix, while Amazon Prime Video and Now TV are on the chopping block for 23% and 17% of future users. Rune Werliin, chief product ocer at AudienceProject said: “The entrance of Disney+ into the battleground of UK streaming services is set to radically change the state of play. Netix’s reign could be in question, as thousands of UK consumers consider switching from its service to Disney+. By this time next year, we could be looking at a very dierent picture when it comes to digital TV subscriptions and usage.” Despite technical hitches along the way, the initial launch of Disney+ Despite the positive launch, one signicant area of concern for the edgling has proved to be very successful for the Mouse House, with the service was the large number of stolen accounts that were being sold on the company attracting 10 million sign ups within the rst 24 hours of the dark web shortly after launch. service’s availability. According to an investigation from ZDNet, thousands of accounts were In a statement, the company said that over 10 million people had signed being sold for between US$3-11 or even oered for free. These users saw up for a one week free trial across the US, Canada and the Netherlands. their account email and password changed by hackers, which in eect locked This far surpasses the expectations of analysts which had projected them out of their accounts. Disney+ would reach eigh million subscribers by the end of the year, and does One Twitter user cited by the report said that their friend was a victim and not even include Australia and New Zealand where the service launched on that they had been blocked from their three-year prepaid account. Disney November 19. had oered the lengthy membership at a discount as an exclusive perk for its In other successful news for Disney, the platform’s smartphone app was D23 fan club members. downloaded more than 3.2 million times in the rst 24 hours. Two users who spoke to ZDNet admitted to reusing passwords, suggesting According to researchers at Apptopia, the app was downloaded millions of that hackers used previously leaked email and password combinations times across its three available markets of the US, Canada and the Netherlands. to access the account. Others however said they had not, which would By contrast, the report points out, the Netix app was downloaded 140,000 indicate that their computers were infected with keylogging or other forms times during that 24 hour period in the three countries. of malware. The vast majority of downloads (89%) were done in the US, with 9% in Hackers selling accounts on the dark web is no new phenomenon, but Canada and only 2% in the Netherlands – where Disney+ had previously how quickly after launch they were made available will prove especially launched in a test phase in September. In the day after launch, the app sat concerning for Disney. The report includes screenshots from a variety of atop the charts in Apple’s App Store in the US and Canada, and is in second illegitimate online marketplaces taken only hours after the service’s launch. in the Netherlands. A spokesperson for Disney said: “we have found no evidence of a security Mobile users collectively spent 1.3 million hours streaming Disney+ across breach. We continuously audit our security systems and when we nd an the three countries. This total was more than Roku and Amazon Prime Video attempted suspicious login we proactively lock the associated user account combined, though mobile Netix users streamed 6 million hours . and direct the user to select a new password.” The success of the service will only serve to make Disney fans throughout The company suggested that rather than their servers being hacked, the the rest of Europe green with envy, with users in the UK, France, Germany, Italy nger should be pointed to data leaks at other sites and users reusing their and Spain having to wait until March 31. old passwords. www.digitaltveurope.com 2 p02-04,06 News DTVE NovDec19 V6st.indd 2 22/11/2019 16:19 Digital TV Europe News November/December 2019 Sunrise withdraws UPC Switzerland o er at €46 million cost Sunrise has o cially ended its interest in acquiring Liberty Global- move by Sunrise. The Sunrise board has been navigating a di cult situation. owned UPC Switzerland. We look forward to continuing our conversations with either the board or While both parties were keen on the CHF6.3 billion (€5.67 billion) deal, Freenet about a potential transaction that creates signi cant value for both repeated opposition from Freenet – which holds a 24.5% stake in Sunrise – sets of shareholders and Swiss consumers. There is no question that UPC ultimately proved to be its undoing. remains the fulcrum player in Switzerland’s converging telecom market.” The company had initially scheduled an EGM to approve the announced UPC issued a statement acknowledging the termination, while rea rming reduction in the size of the rights issue planned to nance the deal on that “it it is looking forward to continuing conversations with either the board October 23, but this was cancelled to leave the deal looking less-than-likely. of Sunrise or Freenet about a potential transaction that creates signi cant While announcing its Q3 results, the Swiss operator o cially cancelled the value for both sets of shareholders and Swiss consumers.” deal.