In the following interview with ttvnews, Mariana Hidalgo, Programming Director at NTV Chile, shares what content they want to add to their catalog in the international market.
In an industry as evolving as the entertainment industry, it is imperative to stay one step ahead of the latest trends and know what the international market demands regarding content.
To this end, ttvnews presents the Buyers: What are buyers looking for? initiative to learn first-hand about the programming needs of buyers around the world.
This time, we spoke to Mariana Hidalgo, Programming Director at NTV Chile:
What kind of content would you say worked best for the company in 2024?
Some of the shows that really clicked with the audience are the ones that stand out from what other kids’ channels are doing. At this point, we kinda brought back something that feels new, but honestly, it’s old-school TV — live shows for kids. We’ve got two: one’s all about fun, the other is a weekly news show.
The cool thing about going live is that kids from all over the country can tune in at the same time, share, and be part of something together. One of the shows is Efecto N, mainly for kids between seven and twelve. But honestly, it pulls in a way wider crowd than just that age group. It’s got live games, for sure — all wrapped in fun educational stuff.
And since it’s live, kids can call in, connect, share how they’re feeling that day. They even help create content that goes on air. Plus, they can come in, play, and there’s a live audience too, Monday through Friday. The other one that’s been getting a lot of buzz is the NTV news show.
It lets kids really exercise their right to information — covering topics that show children and teens not just in vulnerable situations, but more importantly, in spaces where they’re leading and making things happen.
What kind of content is your audience asking for the most right now?
For preschoolers, animation always works. Everybody knows that, and we definitely focus on that age group too. But we’ve also seen that kids really get into shows that break the routine.
Stuff that makes them pause, get moving, try new things. And ratings have been surprisingly strong for programs that encourage yoga, physical activity, or even dancing with a soccer ball. That kind of content — not just cartoons — has landed really well on NTV. Then you’ve got the family cultural block — documentaries, factual shows, cultural magazines. TVN has carved out a spot there too and built its own loyal audience.
How do you balance entertainment with educational content?
We don’t just look at numbers. We actually work with the audience when we’re creating content. In a lot of NTV shows, we invite kids to be part of the creative process through different communities we’ve built around each program.
Where do you see the biggest growth potential for the company, and how does that show up in your programming strategy?
Honestly, just the fact that we’ve got 15 hours of programming for kids and teens is a huge opportunity. If you think about it from an adult perspective, that might feel like too much airtime — but kids and teens are always changing, and when you keep up with their rhythm… You realize you can experiment.
We’ve seen that we can try out new things directly with the audience. I wouldn’t call it an advantage, but it does give us a chance that not everyone has. We can test what works and what doesn’t — right there with them.
