Local TV in Ecuador. Current context and perspectives. Case of study Zona 7
Globalization, technological advances, digitalization and digital convergence place local TV in a scenario in which the near is converted into a competitive resource faced with the immense TV offer existing nowadays. In this sense, looking at the study of local TV in Ecuador entails to think about the current situation and the future of local TVs. These media are able to generate their own audiovisual communication and reinforce their identity, both vital elements to strengthen the audiovisual industries. This thesis shows a x-ray of the contemporary context and perspectives of the local TV in Ecuador. The study focuses in the Zona Sur, which includes three provinces: Loja, El Oro and Zamora Chinchipe. The chosen geographic area has interesting features, as in them three regions converge. This particularity open the panorama to observe the diverse cultural stereotypes, likes and preferences of citizenship towards the programming offer of local TVs. This is exploratory-descriptive work, through the study of cases. Several research instruments were used to pick up the information: interviews with TV local managers and non-participative observation; programming and web analysis; interviews to public experts, audience, academics and professionals and focus groups with audiences placed in Zona 7. The conclusions determinate that the local TVs act as a strategy tool of proximity and of contribution to social, cultural and economic development of small localities.