Broadcasting in Brazil Global vs Local Outlook Analysis¶
Global vs Local outlook¶
The broadcasting value chain, both globally and locally in Brazil, is undergoing a profound transformation driven by technological advancements and shifting consumer behavior. At a global level, the dominant trends include the rapid ascent of Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming services, significant investment by these platforms in original content production, the exploration of diverse monetization models such as SVOD, AVOD, and freemium, and the overall migration of audiences towards digital platforms. This is accompanied by increasing global competition for premium content, including live sports rights.
In parallel, Brazil exhibits many of these same trends but with distinct local characteristics. While globally streaming is widespread, Brazil maintains a historically strong and still dominant position for free-to-air television, commanding a significant majority (71%) of the audience share in major markets as of late 2024. [Value Chain Analysis - Abstract, Reception & Consumption] However, the local market is also experiencing a rapid convergence towards digital, with online video consumption accounting for a growing portion (20.1% in December 2024) of the total TV audience. [Value Chain Analysis - Reception & Consumption, Volumes and Sizes]
Key national broadcasters like Globo, Record TV, and SBT remain major players locally, leveraging extensive in-house production capabilities, particularly for genres like telenovelas, and vast terrestrial transmission networks. [Value Chain Analysis - Abstract, Players Analysis, Value Chain Definition - Content Production] Brazil also boasts a large and active independent production ecosystem, significantly supported by local incentives and funding from bodies like ANCINE and EBC, which fosters national and regional content creation. [Value Chain Analysis - Abstract, Players Analysis - Independent Production Ecosystem, Value Chain Definition - Content Production, Value Chain Definition - Monetization]
The local regulatory environment in Brazil is notably complex and service-specific, with ANATEL overseeing telecommunications and broadcasting infrastructure and ANCINE regulating the audiovisual market, including mandatory national content quotas. [Value Chain Analysis - Abstract, Regulation, Bottlenecks and Challenges] This contrasts with potentially more unified regulatory approaches in some global contexts and adds a unique layer of complexity for both local and international players operating in Brazil. Furthermore, persistent content piracy, particularly through illegal IPTV services ("gatonet"), poses a significant local challenge that impacts revenue streams across the value chain. [Value Chain Analysis - Abstract, Bottlenecks and Challenges] Infrastructure gaps in certain remote areas also remain a specific local hurdle for ensuring equitable access to digital services. [Value Chain Analysis - Bottlenecks and Challenges]
Monetization locally still heavily relies on advertising for traditional broadcasters, with television capturing a substantial share of total media investment in 2024. [Value Chain Analysis - Monetization, Volumes and Sizes] However, subscription revenues from both traditional pay-TV (though declining in volume) and growing SVOD services are increasingly important. [Value Chain Analysis - Monetization] National players are actively adapting by launching their own digital platforms and exploring hybrid models, mirroring global trends but often leveraging their existing free-to-air footprint for cross-promotion. [Players Analysis - Global Streamers in Brazil, Value Chain Analysis - Players Analysis, Strategic Priorities and Investments Analysis] Telecom operators are also playing a significant local role by bundling streaming services with their connectivity offerings. [Value Chain Analysis - Abstract, Players Analysis - Telecom / Pay-TV Operators, Strategic Priorities and Investments Analysis]
In summary, while global trends like digitalization, streaming growth, and evolving business models are clearly impacting Brazil, the local market retains unique characteristics such as the enduring strength of free-to-air TV, a complex national regulatory framework emphasizing local content, pronounced infrastructure disparities in certain regions, and a significant challenge from piracy.
Trends detailing¶
| Value Chain Stage | Global Trends | Local (Brazil) Trends | Similarities | Differences |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content Production | Increased investment in original content by global streamers; Growth of independent production houses. | Strong in-house production by major national broadcasters (Globo); Large independent ecosystem fostered by local incentives (ANCINE, EBC). | Importance of original and diverse content; Role of independent producers. | Scale of in-house production by national giants; Strong government support and quotas for local content. |
| Transmission & Distribution | Shift to IP-based distribution (streaming); Reliance on CDNs; Development of advanced broadcast standards. | Coexistence of terrestrial, satellite, cable, and IP distribution; Ongoing migration to advanced digital standards (TV 3.0 based on ATSC 3.0). | Increasing importance of digital delivery; Adoption of new broadcast technologies. | Continued reliance on traditional terrestrial broadcast; Complexity of managing multiple legacy and new platforms. |
| Reception & Consumption | Growth of streaming consumption on various devices; Decline in traditional linear TV viewership in some markets. | Enduring dominance of free-to-air TV; Significant and growing online video consumption; Piracy via illegal set-top boxes is a major factor. | Shift towards multi-platform viewing; Increasing consumption of online video. | High enduring audience share for free-to-air TV; Major impact of piracy on pay-TV and streaming; Infrastructure disparities affect access. |
| Regulation | Discussions around regulating digital platforms; Focus on competition and consumer protection. | Complex, service-specific licensing and regulation (ANATEL, ANCINE); Strong emphasis on national content quotas; Increased efforts against piracy. | Government oversight of the media landscape; Adaptation of regulation to digital age is being discussed. | Highly segmented regulatory bodies and rules; Specific mandates for national content; Dedicated legislative efforts against piracy. |
| Monetization | Growth in subscription revenues (SVOD); Emergence of AVOD and hybrid models; Diversification of revenue streams. | Advertising remains backbone for traditional TV; Growing subscription revenue from SVOD; National players exploring hybrid AVOD/SVOD models. | Increasing importance of subscription revenue; Exploration of advertising in digital spaces; Need for diverse revenue streams. | Heavy reliance on traditional TV advertising; Specific challenges in monetizing digital audiences without cannibalizing TV ad revenue. |
References¶
- Audiovisual brasileiro projeta crescimento de 5% até 2025 – Estadão Blue Studio. https://www.estadao.com.br/bluestudio/dino/audiovisual-brasileiro-projeta-crescimento-de-5-ate-2025/
- Avaliação da OCDE sobre Telecomunicações e Radiodifusão no Brasil 2020 – OECD. https://www.oecd.org/brazil/avaliacao-da-ocde-sobre-telecomunicacoes-e-radiodifusao-no-brasil-2020-b26b9525-pt.htm
- Mercado Audiovisual Brasileiro – Agência Nacional do Cinema - ANCINE - GOV.BR. https://www.gov.br/ancine/pt-br/dados-e-indicadores/mercado-audiovisual-brasileiro
- About us – Globo | Investor Relations. https://ri.globo.com/about-us
- EBC abre inscrições para produção de conteúdo na TV Brasil | Radioagência Nacional. https://radios.ebc.com.br/radioagencia-nacional/ebc-abre-inscricoes-para-producao-de-conteudo-na-tv-brasil
- ATSC 3.0 Transmission Technology Recommended for Brazil's TV 3.0 – ATSC.org. https://www.atsc.org/news/atsc-3-0-transmission-technology-unanimously-recommended-as-final-ingredient-for-brazils-tv-3-0-project/
- Cenp-Meios: Mercado inicia 2024 com crescimento de 23% – Meio & Mensagem. https://www.meioemensagem.com.br/mercado/cenp-meios-mercado-inicia-2024-com-crescimento-de-23
- Até dezembro de 2024, consumo de vídeo online representou 20,1% da audiência de TV – TELA VIVA. https://telaviva.com.br/11/03/2025/ate-dezembro-de-2024-consumo-de-video-online-representou-201-da-audiencia-de-tv/
- Kantar Ibope atualiza a medição de audiência para 2025 – Meio & Mensagem. https://www.meioemensagem.com.br/mercado/kantar-ibope-atualiza-a-mediacao-de-audiencia-para-2025
- O peso econômico do audiovisual no Brasil – TELETIME News. https://telesintese.com.br/o-peso-economico-do-audiovisual-no-brasil-segundo-dados-da-mpa/
- Streaming alcança 20% de audiência no Brasil – Poder360. https://www.poder360.com.br/midia/streaming-alcanca-20-de-audiencia-no-brasil-diz-jornal/
- Raio X da Radiodifusão Brasileira – ABERT. https://abert.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Raio-X-da-Radiodifus%C3%A3o-Brasileira.pdf
- DTH – PLUG Consultoria. https://plug.com.br/servicos/dth/
- Brazil Set to Redefine Broadcasting with TV 3.0 – TVTechnology. https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/brazil-set-to-redefine-broadcasting-with-tv-30
- Brazil | Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2024. https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2024/brazil
- Legislação do setor de radiodifusão - Fórum SBTVD. https://www.forumsbtvd.org.br/legislacao/
- O poder do conteúdo local - Parrot Analytics. https://www.parrotanalytics.com/pt/insights/o-poder-do-conteudo-local
- Brasil Telecom Market Analysis | Industry Growth, Size & Report Insights. https://www.MordorIntelligence.com/industry-reports/brazil-telecom-market