VumaTV is on a mission to end inequality in streaming and film. With the help of its partnership with Red Bee Media to deliver a global, ad-funded streaming platform, the dream is becoming a reality
quality has always been a problem in the film and television space. From the racially selective Oscars, to the treatment of women in production – it’s a constant battle. VumaTV is a streaming service with a vision to unite people, by providing
authentically diverse, studio-quality content that celebrates culture, ethnicity, gender and intellect. Recently launching globally with support from Red Bee Media and its integrated ad-insertion partner, Nowtilus, VumaTV comes with multiple USPs, in a crowded streaming services market. These include its mission of diversity, as well as accessibility as a service – by using an ad-based, video-on-demand business model. This sets it apart from the current offerings of major players. “We started this because, to put it bluntly, there were not enough faces of diverse origins in front and behind the camera – and that was seven years ago,” describes VumaTV founder Alberto Marzan. “The diversity I’m talking about is the kind that makes
With the option of paying premium for further exclusivity, VumaTV’s audience is split into the Americas, Europe and Africa. As a result, there’s a multitude of complicated business parameters. “Most of the large competitors fail at that
A NEW DIRECTION VumaTV content is vast, varied and easily accessible
because they are servicing one, mainstream audience. That’s their bread and butter. But ours is much larger. Not just because we strive, from
somebody feel whole. Our audience demand every aspect of real life. Not just the content they watch or listen to – but simply looking at it with all the lenses off. That’s the real mission at VumaTV. ”Luckily, content is such a powerful tool now, the
RED BEE UNDERSTOOD THE TECHNOLOGY AND ANALYTICS
a geopolitical standpoint, to push for inclusivity, but also because we don’t see accessibility as a problem,” Marzan says. “Most of the users from the continent of Africa gravitate to Android. Therefore, we have to be very mindful and strive to ensure their viewer experience is just as good, if not better, than iOS.” For the business model to function, VumaTV had to find a creative way of making advertising work on its platform. Using dynamic ad-insertion technology, VumaTV provides an ad experience adapted to viewer preferences. In regards to choosing Red Bee Media to support this huge project, Marzan emphasises the rigorous nature of the selection process. “We went through two other partners that claimed to have the ability and technology. We ran two different tests with them – which failed drastically. We chose Red Bee because they understood the technology and the analytics. They are world-class experts at what they do.” VumaTV launched globally on 12 October and includes over 1200 hours of content, with films and documentaries from over 50 production houses. Find out more at vumatv.com
majority of the world chooses to learn through it. We married that with our mission, and are very bullish in terms of our ability to drive impact throughout the world.” Notably, VumaTV provides Academy Award- winning content, similar to Netflix. But it’s far more accessible – and geographical location is less of a factor.
VIDEO AT FEEDMAGAZINE.TV/LATEST-ISSUE
feedmagazine.tv
Powered by FlippingBook