Multiethnic TV Awards: Comcast’s Mendiola Says Multicultural Services Are Big Business.

Exec Stresses Focus on Quality, Not Quantity of Content for Growing Communities

By: Andrea Morabito (Broadcasting & Cable)

It’s become common knowledge that while the general pay TV universe in the United States has topped out at about 84%, the growth opportunity is in the multicultural community, which is expected to grow from about 35% of the U.S. population to about 50% by 2035.

“The areas where the market is growing is in the multicultural aspect of the business,” said Rubén Mendiola, vice president and general manager, multicultural video services, Comcast Cable at B&C/Multichannel News’ Multiethnic TV Leadership Awards program here Wednesday morning.

In a keynote conversation moderated by B&C executive editor Dade Hayes, Mendiola said Comcast is creating specific products targeted to multicultural populations that have been very successful, including a microsite for black entertainment TV and Brazilian triple play that it will be expanding to other communities.

“What is really important is not to have hundreds of channels, but content that really makes a difference,” he said.
Along those lines, Comcast launched the Xfinity Latino entertainment channel last year to its more than 20 million subscribers, and Mendiola called it the most advanced channel in the company for its ability to curate content and give targeted viewing suggestions

“Just telling everyone what is available I think has been a game-changer,” he said.

Courtesy of Broadcasting & Cable / Multichannel News