(This summary has been automatically generated with AI, its content may differ from the original video in Spanish)
Streaming, TV, and Radio in Colombia: Regulatory Shifts and Market Realities
In a wide-ranging conversation, Felipe Augusto Díaz, Commissioner at Colombia’s Communications Regulation Commission (CRC), discusses the country’s evolving audiovisual landscape, highlighting recent regulatory studies, market challenges, and the future of media in Colombia.
Rethinking Regulation in a Convergent Ecosystem
Since 2019, the CRC has adopted a convergent regulatory framework, extending its mandate beyond traditional telecommunications to include audiovisual content, postal services, and non-banking money transfers. This shift required a deep analysis of Colombia’s audiovisual ecosystem, culminating in a comprehensive study of the pay TV and streaming market.
Díaz emphasizes that the aim is not to alarm industry players but to gather information to enable smarter, evidence-based regulation. “A regulator should never be disconnected from market realities,” he notes. The CRC’s study is not punitive but exploratory—seeking to identify potential market failures and ensure regulation facilitates, rather than stifles, investment and innovation.
Pay TV, Streaming, and Market Asymmetries
One key finding of the study is the coexistence of traditional pay TV services with over-the-top (OTT) platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime. The CRC’s research shows a complementary consumption pattern rather than outright substitution. Interestingly, in Colombia, OTT growth is limited less by internet access and more by financial exclusion—only about 56% of the population is banked, restricting access to subscription-based services.
In response, many pay TV providers have integrated OTT offerings into their billing systems, allowing unbanked users to access streaming content via bundled packages. This aggregation, or carrier billing, enables broader reach for OTT platforms and helps traditional operators remain relevant in a changing media landscape.
The CRC also examined previously unregulated segments such as wholesale content packaging and the distribution of private broadcast channels. The study’s findings suggest the need to reassess whether regulation should address asymmetries that may disadvantage smaller or regional players.
The Role of Community TV and Local Dynamics
Colombia’s unique community television model also plays a crucial role. These providers serve cultural and educational goals and are allowed to purchase content packages to remain financially sustainable. Although these operators often compete with larger commercial entities, the CRC has not formally designated any operator as dominant. However, it has mapped 110 municipalities where potential competition risks exist, warranting closer scrutiny.
The CRC is now applying a structured methodology—including market concentration indices (e.g., HHI), spatial analysis, and stakeholder consultation—to determine whether ex-ante regulation is necessary. As Díaz explains, “We are not assuming problems exist—we’re building a tool to detect where they might arise and responding accordingly.”
Beyond TV: Open Broadcast and Radio Resilience
The CRC’s focus is not limited to pay TV. An upcoming study will examine open broadcast television, which remains vital in Colombia. Despite the rise of streaming, Díaz notes that 98% of Colombians still consume television, with open broadcast playing an essential role in rural and underserved regions.
Radio also remains remarkably resilient. A recent econometric study by the CRC found that radio advertising retains strong audience engagement—more so than television advertising. These findings reaffirm radio’s importance in disseminating content, especially where digital access is limited.
Postal Services and Mobile Portability: Other Regulatory Fronts
The CRC has also implemented significant reforms in the postal and telecommunications sectors. In the mass mailing market, the Commission eliminated minimum pricing requirements after finding they hindered market efficiency. On the mobile front, Colombia has made notable advances in portability, now allowing users to switch providers within 24 hours. The CRC recently imposed restrictions on win-back campaigns to reduce aggressive customer retention practices and shift competition from price to quality.
Díaz highlights that Colombia now has over 90 million mobile lines in a country of 50 million people—indicating market maturity and a need for more sophisticated regulatory tools.
Looking Ahead: Regulatory Innovation and Participation
In closing, Commissioner Díaz underscores three key points:
- Upstream Market Monitoring: The CRC is analyzing upstream connectivity markets to detect bottlenecks that could distort competition in retail services.
- Quality-Focused Clustering: Municipalities are being grouped into clusters based on service quality, with tailored investment targets to close regional gaps.
- Stakeholder Engagement: The CRC invites broad participation in its regulatory consultations. A public comment period is currently open, with a key hearing scheduled for May 23.
“Better debates make for better regulation,” Díaz says. “We want the industry to engage, provide insights, and help shape a regulatory environment that fosters innovation and fair competition.”
