Streaming Success: AWS empowers the LATAM Media and Entertainment Industry at Nextv Mexico Conference

With a total population of 660 million and $6 trillion in GDP, Latin America is a fast-growing region that is also home to some of the heaviest internet users in the world – Brazil clocks in with 9.3 hours of average daily usage and Mexico with 7.8 hours per day, compared to 7 hours per day in the United States. This growth is fueled by the internet usage of younger generations – 39 percent of daily internet users are under 25 years old – which positions the LATAM region for increased adoption of media and entertainment (M&E) products.

AWS highlights solutions for LATAM M&E industry at Nextv Mexico

In early October, media and entertainment (M&E) professionals from across Latin America (LATAM) converged in Mexico City to share trends, discuss new innovations, and network at the 2023 Nextv Mexico conference organized by Dataxis. The event offered insight into trending topics across M&E, from video specifications, advertising, and content delivery to interactive live streaming and the importance of driving viewer and creator engagement. Sports also represented a major area of focus, with rights licensing, sports betting, and fan engagement top of mind. Other themes included the importance of partners and system integrators within the M&E ecosystem and the increased use of artificial intelligence (AI), investments in bandwidth and infrastructure, monetization, free ad-supported streaming television (FAST), and digital rights protection (DRP).

During the conference, Amazon Web Services (AWS) met with customers and partners, who shared an optimism for emerging opportunities across M&E in the region. Among the key highlights, Jake Hurst, who leads Business Development for Amazon Interactive Video Service (Amazon IVS) in North and South America, participated in a fireside chat about trends in interactive live streaming.

“The continued rise of user-generated content, such as collaborative real-time live streams, shoppable video, and sports betting, has empowered AWS customers and partners to build interactive elements into their applications, creating more connected and engaged communities. We see this from customers and partners like VTEX, Simplebet, and LiveLike, who’ve transformed the experience for their users with Amazon IVS,” explained Hurst.

The conversation ranged from video production, live streaming latency, and the media supply chain to generating metadata, direct-to-consumer content monetization, and interactive live streaming. At the AWS booth, the team connected with attendees, who shared excitement for the opportunities across LATAM M&E.

“I’m thrilled with how AWS technology, including AWS Media Services, has transformed our operations. It’s allowed us to enhance our users’ experience significantly. By harnessing AWS-powered streaming solutions, we’ve managed to boost resolution, reduce latency, and ultimately provide a more seamless streaming experience. This has been a game-changer for our new mobile app, enabling us to continually push the boundaries and deliver unparalleled value to our customers,” expressed Israel Gomez, SVP Media Production, Operations, & Technology at Fox Sports México.

In Mexico alone, internet advertising is projected to reach $4.47 billion in 2023, a more than 14 percent year-over-year increase, according to PWC. In contrast, television advertising revenue is expected to drop 0.5 percent, from $1.774 billion to $1.766 billion. Over the next few years, the gap between internet and television advertising will likely continue to widen, with internet advertising projected to hit $5.613 billion by 2026, while television advertising spending will reach $1.808 billion.

Data trends indicate over-the-top (OTT) services (better known as streaming) will have sustained growth, and more than 82 percent of the LATAM population will watch a digital video at least once per month, a number second only to North America. As the shift to OTT/streaming and monetization transforms M&E business models, AWS is there to help companies capitalize on these trends and grow their businesses.

How AWS supports LATAM customers

AWS is committed to helping customers and partners across LATAM. In 2011, AWS announced the launch of the South America (Sao Paulo) region and has continued its investment with the launch of Local Zones in Latin America in March 2022.

In support of M&E and video trends, AWS Edge Services and Amazon IVS have prioritized investments in the region as well. Amazon IVS has established ten Points of Presence (PoP) locations, including Colombia, Argentina, and Chile, in 2022.

AWS reduced pricing for Amazon IVS low-latency streaming in South America by more than 30 percent in August 2023. Additionally, Amazon CloudFront has 35 Edge locations across South America and four Edge locations in Mexico, along with a Regional Edge cache in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

With the rapid expansion of the LATAM M&E industry, AWS continues to be inspired by the innovations of its customers and partners, and looks forward to helping customers across the region capitalize on trends and realize new opportunities with the cloud.

For more information about building with live interactive video, check out: https://thinkwithwp.com/ivs/

To learn more about AWS solutions for Media and Entertainment, please visit: https://thinkwithwp.com/media/