How Brazil’s TV 3.0 will help “close the gap” between broadcast and digital streaming

Carlos Octavio, Director of Corporate Strategy and Architecture at Globo, describes TV 3.0 as a transformative vision that combines the strengths of traditional broadcast television with the advanced features of digital streaming. He emphasises that TV 3.0 is not just about higher-quality video and immersive audio - it’s about fundamentally enhancing the viewer experience by integrating personalisation, interactivity, and dynamic content management. Octavio has been with Globo for 24 years, starting in IT, and working across various roles related to architecture, infrastructure, and applications. Currently, he is responsible for strategy, data governance, and partnerships and describes himself as an ‘orchestrator’ of the company’s TV 3.0 strategy.

Octavio explains that TV 3.0 aims to deliver a seamless hybrid model, where the line between broadcast and streaming is blurred. “The viewer won’t have to think about whether they are consuming content through broadcast or streaming,” he says. Instead, the focus is on providing a high degree of personalisation by knowing who is watching and delivering content tailored to their preferences, even enabling advanced features like dynamic ad insertion (DAI).

He also highlights the potential for interactive features - but in a way that respects the viewer’s choice. If someone wants a passive, lean-back experience, they won’t be bombarded with interactive prompts. However, for those who want to engage more actively with their TV, whether through e-commerce or interactive content, TV 3.0 will offer a frictionless, intuitive interface.

Merging broadcast with digital

“We are aiming to bring high personalisation, advanced segmentation, and DAI into broadcast” Carlos Octavio, Globo

Despite the rise of streaming, free-to-air TV remains the primary way of accessing video in Brazil because of the geographic challenges of enabling universal broadband penetration in the country. Octavio explains that TV 3.0 is intended to enhance free-to-air TV by integrating digital features and improving the viewer experience. Globo is also advocating for regulatory changes to ensure that free-to-air channels maintain prominent placement on smart TVs, preventing them from being buried behind paid apps.

Globo’s goal is to bring the features of streaming - personalisation, interactivity, and advanced content management - to broadcast TV. “We are aiming to bring high personalisation, advanced segmentation, and DAI into broadcast, closing the gap with digital streaming services,” says Octavio.

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One of the most critical technical decisions underpinning this transformation is Globo’s adoption of the ATSC 3.0 standard, modified to suit the Brazilian market with features like MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) for greater channel capacity and the LCEVC codec for more efficient video compression. While this shift in technology provides the foundation, it is the viewer experience that stands at the heart of Globo’s vision for TV 3.0.

Personalisation

In the age of streaming, viewers have become accustomed to content tailored to their tastes, and Globo is keen to replicate this on free-to-air TV. Personalisation on TV 3.0 is not simply about recommending shows; it is about recognising viewer preferences and shaping the entire television experience around them. Octavio explains that Globo will be able to create a ‘logged-in experience’ where viewers can access their preferences, favourite shows, and even preferred payment methods directly through their TV.

By integrating user profiles, Globo plans to introduce features like advanced segmentation, allowing the broadcaster to deliver content and ads tailored to specific audiences. The same viewer who enjoys sports in the morning might prefer movies in the evening, and TV 3.0 will adapt to reflect these shifts in behaviour. For advertisers, this means DAI, where ads can be tailored to the individual watching, not just broadcast to a broad demographic. “We are already using DAI in two markets,” says Octavio. “With TV 3.0, we will be able to do this over both IP and over-the-air broadcasts, ensuring that personalisation doesn’t rely solely on broadband.”

Seamless across platforms

“The key is to offer options but not overwhelm the viewer with distractions” Carlos Octavio, Globo

What sets TV 3.0 apart from earlier attempts to bring interactivity to broadcast is its emphasis on a seamless, intuitive user experience. Traditionally, attempts to merge digital features with TV have resulted in clunky, disjointed experiences where viewers were forced to navigate multiple devices and interfaces. Globo’s solution is to make interactivity and content switching as frictionless as possible.

“You put the consumer at the centre,” says Octavio. “It doesn’t matter if they are receiving it through the air or through the internet. At the end of the day, they will consume the content that they like.”

With TV 3.0, broadcast television will be right inside the TV OS, which means users won’t need to leave their TV to access another platform, like Globo’s OTT service, Globoplay. Viewers can jump seamlessly between free-to-air channels and Globoplay content, all within the same interface. “This kind of flexibility will become a core part of the viewer experience,” says Octavio.

TV 3.0’s personalisation also extends to interactivity. While many platforms have introduced interactive features like quizzes and polls, these have often been intrusive or out of sync with what the viewer wants. Globo’s approach emphasises respect for the viewer’s preferences. “Some viewers may want to sit back and relax without being bombarded by prompts to engage, and others may want to interact with their content,” says Octavio. “The key is to offer options but not overwhelm the viewer with distractions.”

This seamless integration of e-commerce is part of a broader strategy to create an ecosystem around the viewer. With TV 3.0, Globo aims to bring all the viewer’s digital and broadcast experiences into one unified platform, allowing them to watch, interact, and shop without friction. “We want to create an ecosystem where users can flow effortlessly between different Globo properties, and beyond that, between different types of content,” says Octavio.

Data-driven insights for more tailored content

The introduction of TV 3.0 also brings with it a treasure trove of data-driven insights, allowing Globo to better understand and serve its audience. Unlike traditional panel-based measurement systems that rely on small sample sizes, TV 3.0 enables a census-based measurement system that tracks millions of connected TVs in real-time. “We’re currently tracking around 16 million TVs, which gives us a much more accurate picture of our audience than any panel-based system could,” Octavio notes.

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This real-time data will allow Globo to tailor content not only to national audiences but also to regional markets. Brazil is a vast country with diverse viewing preferences, and Globo’s ability to capture granular data will enable it to offer localised programming and regionalised content more effectively. This could mean customising advertising, scheduling content that resonates with local viewers, or even delivering real-time sports alerts specific to certain areas.

Experience management

Octavio is quick to point out that while technological advancements like UHD and immersive audio are important, they are not the defining features of TV 3.0. The real breakthrough, he argues, lies in experience management - the ability to curate a fluid experience across different types of content and platforms. “It’s not just about higher picture quality,” Octavio says. “It’s about creating a better overall experience for the viewer.” Globo plans to do this by focusing on creating a holistic, seamless journey for the viewer across different platforms and types of content.

According to Octavio, experience management is about curating the overall television experience in a way that makes it intuitive, engaging, and fluid. This includes integrating different types of interactivity - whether it’s through broadcast or digital platforms - while allowing viewers to navigate effortlessly between live TV, on-demand content, and interactive features like e-commerce. He stresses that the goal is to make the viewer’s experience across all platforms feel unified and natural.

He likens this to what content management systems have done for organising media, but at a more advanced level. In TV 3.0, the system manages the entire viewer experience - whether they are interacting with free-to-air television or using an OTT platform like Globoplay, allowing for personalised interactions and content tailored to their preferences.

This holistic approach ensures that viewers are not merely consuming content but are engaging with an integrated ecosystem that enhances their overall experience.

He also mentions that this shift will require a learning process for more traditional programming departments, as experience management introduces a new way of thinking about how to engage viewers across various formats and platforms. Ultimately, Octavio sees experience management as essential to making TV 3.0 more than just a technical upgrade, but a true evolution in how viewers engage with television. By combining the strengths of free-to-air TV with digital features, Globo seeks to keep broadcast television relevant in an increasingly digital world. Ultimately, Globo envisions TV 3.0 as a modern television ecosystem that adapts to viewers’ needs, ensuring that TV remains a vital, competitive, and engaging medium in the evolving media landscape.

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