Telemundo Enterprises Chair Cesar Conde is at the helm of the Spanish-language net's first-ever FIFA World Cup coverage, which "all but guarantees a record summer for the network," according to Michael O'Connell of the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Below are excerpts of a Q&A with Conde, who also serves as NBCU Int'l Group Chair, some of which have been edited for brevity and clarity:
Q: Why isn’t the absence of Team USA a big deal for Telemundo’s ratings?
CONDE: We would all have loved to have had Team USA, but at the same time, the World Cup transcends any team. We have over 10 Spanish-speaking countries competing this year, and some of the best underdog and human interest stories. There’s countries like Peru, playing for the first time in 36 years, and Panama, which is playing for the first time ever.
Q: What makes the World Cup worth the price tag when you still have to compete against Fox Sports’ English-language coverage?
CONDE: We’ve done a lot of research around soccer and the World Cup, and it’s told us pretty clearly that Hispanics, as well as non-Spanish speakers, all agree that soccer coverage is better in Spanish. It’s more authentic. It’s more passionate. It’s more engaging.
Q: How are you catering to the reality that so many World Cup viewers will be consuming the games digitally?
CONDE: We’re producing 1,000 hours of original video content just for digital platforms -- not just on NBCU-Telemundo platforms but on some key partners like Google and YouTube. We know the expectation from sports fans is that they should consume the World Cup across all platforms. And for all the success that we’ve had in the 18-to-49 demo, our real driving success is with 18- to 34-year-olds (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 6/20).
