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Univision builds local, national reach with video-centered mobile site

Spanish media company Univision is increasing its mobile push with a new mobile site that lets users catch up on their favorite television shows and video clips.

Univision introduced a mobile site to help the company reach more consumers. Kargo is powering the Univision mobile video site.

"While we are seeing a fast shift of users from feature to smartphones, there is still a large percentage of our audience using feature phones that are looking for great video content," said Kevin Conroy, president of Univision Interactive Media, New York.

"Our goal is to expand our mobile reach, drive greater engagement and continue to improve how we serve our users," he said.

Univision is a media company serving Hispanics in the United States. 

Mobile translation
The new mobile site - http://videos.univision.com ? is designed to build on the company?s existing mobile sites.

Via the new initiative, users can access video clips from Univision, such as short video clips and full-length television shows.

Univision?s videos are primarily news-driven, but there is also lifestyle content including health, beauty, music and horoscopes.

The site is divided by sector to let users browse videos by category.

Each article shows a short blurb of editorial content that correlates to the video.

Univision is also using the mobile Web to build up its social media efforts. Icons are prominently placed next to each video to let users share content via Facebook and Twitter.

Univision?s mobile video site is ad-supported and includes pre-roll video advertisements before Univision content is played.

The number of advertisements lets marketers place targeted advertisements with Univision?s niche demographic.

Univision?s mobile site also gives a unique opportunity for marketers looking to reach multicultural users because advertisements are in both English and Spanish, and marketers can choose to tailor their messages to one group.

?The goal of creating the Univision mobile video portal was to provide Univision with a mobile platform that allows Univision to offer its extensive library of video content to all Univision fans and mobile users, regardless of the type of phone a user might have,? said Harry Kargman, CEO of Kargo, New York.

Cross-platform media
The mobile site is Univision?s latest effort to ramp up its local and national reach.

In 2010, the company launched 72 local TV and radio mobile sites that targeted local Hispanic communities.

Univision is spreading its efforts across three main channels ? Web, broadcast and mobile.

However, video content poses a challenge to creating a mobile site, per Mr. Kargman

For example, frame rates need to be adjusted to match different networks and Wi-Fi speeds.

?As of today, all video is played on the phone's native video player,? Mr. Kargman said.

?This poses a huge challenge, as each native player has different transcoding requirements as well as other nuances that require custom, on-the-fly changes,? he said.

?Overall, the above need is to come together into a user experience that is available for on-the-go consumption, so the video itself needs to be edited with this challenge in mind.?

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York