Multicultural linear OTT service YipTV, faced with an increasing amount of competition from other over-the-top streaming services like Sling TV, opened up 17 of its linear channels to new subscribers, who can access the preview lineup for free when they sign up for the service.
YipTV also is not requiring a credit card at signup, and the time period of the 17-channel preview is "unlimited," according to a news release.
The preview lineup is about 25 percent of YipTV's total programming lineup, and features channels from across the Latin America and Caribbean regions such as NTN 24, Canal Sur, RT Spanish, RT English, Clubbing TV, One America and TBN.
Additionally, new subscribers will get access to nine of YipTV's premium-tier channels, including beIN Sports and beIN Sports e, Mi Gente, TV Quisqueya, PX TV, TYC Sports, Canal 52 MX, Hola TV and Antena 3.
YipTV widened its free preview program (previously just a 7-day preview for new subscribers) in the wake of competing service Sling TV's early-June launch of "Sling Latino." The Dish Network-owned OTT service offers several major Spanish-language channels in add-on packs ranging from $7 to $12 per month on top of its $20 base price.
A spokesperson told FierceOnlineVideo that while "YipTV is certainly mindful of OTT industry developments," the expanded preview "is more about getting its own consumer marketing efforts right than it is a response to another provider."
Over-the-top providers like YipTV and Sling TV, as well as other online video services like Yaveo, are targeting the U.S. Hispanic market for a very good reason: Hispanics watch more OTT content than most other demographics in the United States. A Horowitz Research report released last week found that of the 800 Hispanic TV viewers it surveyed, 51 percent spend at least 20 percent of their time watching OTT content.
And while OTT viewing was higher among bilingual and English-oriented U.S. Hispanics, with 92 percent and 95 percent, respectively, having access to a streaming device, Spanish-dominant U.S. Hispanics may have similar OTT viewing habits -- the only barrier is access to broadband and streaming devices, Horowitz noted.
"Up until now there has been relatively little Spanish-language content available through OTT," said Adriana Waterston, SVP of insights and strategy for Horowitz. "Now, new services like Yaveo are offering a selection of Spanish-language content and established SVOD services, like Hulu and Netflix, are strengthening their Spanish programming. We think this will energize the market."
For more:
- see the release
- and the Horowitz Research study
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