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Mario Pergolini Declares Television Dead, Champions Digital Platforms and AI for Elderly Loneliness
🇦🇷 Argentina /Technology

Mario Pergolini Declares Television Dead, Champions Digital Platforms and AI for Elderly Loneliness

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Interview Named sources Context piece
  • Argentine media figure Mario Pergolini believes traditional television is dead, advocating for content to migrate to digital platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
  • Pergolini, known for anticipating media trends, also discussed his entrepreneurial ventures, including ATO, a device designed to combat loneliness in the elderly.
  • He reflected on his public career, emphasizing the need to protect his private life and acknowledging the inherent challenges of journalism.

Mario Pergolini, a prominent figure in Argentine media for three decades, declared that traditional television is dead. He argues that current television, under its traditional paradigm, appeals to a limited demographic and that content must become hybrid, integrating television production with the immediacy of digital platforms.

I am the founder of the phrase that television is dead. I really believe that it is.

— Mario PergoliniPergolini's strong assertion about the demise of traditional television.

"Audiences no longer come to us," Pergolini stated, explaining the necessity of migrating formats to spaces like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, where consumption has definitively shifted. He believes content must embrace digital immediacy to reach audiences effectively.

Pergolini also discussed his entrepreneurial vision, which previously led him to develop the world's first globally streamed program. His current focus includes ATO, a device aimed at combating the growing epidemic of loneliness among the elderly. This project stems from his personal experience after his mother's process of becoming blind.

Audiences no longer come to us.

— Mario PergoliniPergolini explaining the shift in audience behavior and the need for digital migration.

The technology behind ATO uses natural language and artificial intelligence models to offer conversational companionship, aiming to provide more than just technical interaction. Pergolini shared a poignant story about his mother's frustration and anger after losing her sight, highlighting the profound emotional impact of such life changes and the need for meaningful connection.

It's an epidemic of loneliness, it's tremendous.

— Mario PergoliniPergolini describing the societal issue his new venture, ATO, aims to address.

Reflecting on his own public life, Pergolini acknowledged his active role in the media ecosystem but stressed the importance of safeguarding his private sphere. He defended his decision to protect his children and marriage, calling the media business "a business of vanity." Despite the criticisms inherent in journalism, he accepts them as "part of the game."

I can't do anything to make you see again. We tried everything. I understand you're angry, but tell me what makes you angriest.

— Mario PergoliniPergolini recounting a conversation with his mother after she lost her sight, illustrating the inspiration for ATO.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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