Spain’s RTVE full throttle on HbbTV
December 20, 2011
From David Del Valle in Madrid
Following Spain’s recent formal approval of the new standard HbbTV, state-owned TV group RTVE is making a full-frontal assault on the connected TV market with the launch of several applications and the signature of agreements with electronic manufacturers to make their content available through the new smart TV sets.
RTVE’s HbbTV service includes 50,000 TV programmes and series, with access through the red bottom in the remote control, divided into different content categories (series, programmes, news, documentaries) and TV channels (La 1, La 2, Canal 24 Horas and Teledeporte). The group has made deals with several electronic manufacturers like Samsung, Sony and LG to distribute its HbbTV service through their smart TV sets. Also, RTVE’s connected TV services are being distributed through Ono’s TiVo and games consoles like XboX Live and PSP.
Other TV channels, like Canal Plus, Antena 3, Tele 5 or TV3 are also jumping on the HbbTV bandwagon. The move comes at a time when the Ministry of Industry has recently approved a formal text backed by the whole Electronic industry and TV broadcasters including 54 companies to adopt the HbbTV standard to develop new connected TV services.
Today, the HbbTV market in Spain is estimated at 2 million smart TV sets. The electronic industry forecasts that connected TV will take off in 2012 with 25 per cent of the estimated 4.5 million TV sets to be sold ready for HbbTV, according to Ametic. In the current year, 15 per cent of 4.5 million TV sets sold are HbbTV-ready but worldwide events like the Olympic Games or the Euro Cup Football in 2012 will boost the acquisition of HbbTV-ready TV sets.