Atresmedia preps new kids channel and Lat-Am moves

Spanish media group Atresmedia, owner of channels Antena 3 and La Sexta, plans to expand to Latin America this year, and also hopes to replace one of the digital-terrestrial channels it was forced to close in 2014 with a kids channel, its CEO has said.

Group CEO Silvio González told local newspaper El Economista Atresmedia was open to various investment options in the Latin American audiovisual industry, including buying existing radio or TV channels or applying for broadcasting licences.

He said that the group was interested in expanding in countries with a stable regulatory and legal framework and in making acquisitions if the price is right.

González said that Atresmedia is interested in developing channels for pay TV platforms, both for Spanish-speaking audiences in the US and for Latin America. The company already distributes three pay channels in Latin America – Hola TV, Antena 3 Internacional and Atres Series – with 21.5 million subscribers, including 18 million in Latin America and the remainder in the US.

González said that Atresmedia would also look to expand its online presence in Latin America with the development of new multichannel networks.

For the domestic Spanish market, González said that Atresmedia planned to launch a new kids channel in 2016, replacing one of the three digital-terrestrial channels it was forced to drop last year after the Supreme Court ruled that the process by which channel licences were awarded was flawed.