Independent streaming video in Mexico: its socio-economic role and challenges

Abstract

The following article analyses independent streaming video platforms available in Mexico to identify their socio-cultural and economic role as well as the challenges they face. In order to do so, the research mapped the platforms available in the country to produce original statistics and to conduct a qualitative research. The latter was based on the thematic analysis of documents such as platforms’ websites, news reports with testimonials of platform managers as well as a few original interviews conducted to platform managers, audio-visual producers and distributors. It was found that independent platforms have several roles, first of all, to democratize audio-visual distribution, second, to provide better financial returns to producers, third, to offer more diverse audio-visual content and, fourth, to help to preserve audio-visual works. However, in the current environment of market concentration by major platforms, independent platforms face challenges to be well capitalized, to promote themselves and be known by audiences as well as to have a plain level field of competition vis à vis major platforms. Therefore, the article suggests general guidelines where future academic research and policymaking could contribute to foster independent platforms and address the three challenges mentioned above.