New York -- Online and mobile access to programming is even more important for Hispanic television networks, a panel of top media executives said at the Multichannel News/B&C Hispanic TV Summit Wednesday.
ESPN Deportes VP of programming and business initiatives Freddy Rolon, Jr. said the sports network puts a big emphasis on offering Hispanic viewers several options to receive its programming either online, on television, via mobile devices and even via radio.
Rolon added that Hispanic households typically have fewer TVs so making content available on tablets and phones is essential to keeping the audience. He added that it is the network's responsibility to ensure that its content is available to its subscribers wherever they are.
"If you make it hard for your consumers to find your content, they'll find it in ways you may not want them to," Rolon said.
Telemundo Media VP of digital production and development Jose Nestor Marquez said that networks should also pay attention to how and which content is produced online. He added that it isn't enough to make programming available -- he likened it to just taking a network's content and seeing how many hours it can cram in iTunes.
"It would behoove us to think what would be the best story ideas that fit this new viewing culture," said Marquez.
Each one of the panelists lauded the importance of social media, especially as a way to tap into viewers immediate wants and needs. Marquez added that it also could be a tool to guide a show before it goes into production, using social media to "inform content."
