The Spanish HbbTV service LOVEStv: When technology facilitates new strategies for survival

Abstract

Behind the acronym of various technologies, media business strategies seek to survive the force of new entrants. From the perspective of the social construction of technology, the aim of this article is to analyze, in the context of an internationally growing trend of alliances, the cooperation between the Spanish public corporation, RTVE, and the two main private groups, Atresmedia and Mediaset, in the form of the HbbTV offer, LOVEStv. The idea behind LOVEStv is not only to protect traditional television from the incursion of other companies which distribute audiovisual content but also to offer functionalities previously unavailable in linear television. HbbTV is being used to bring “old” television even closer to the Internet environment for this ongoing process to be progressive and non-disruptive. In addition to the documentary analysis, the present study includes statements from the main strategic leaders of both RTVE and the private groups, the HbbTV Association, and the technological partner.