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During MIPCOM Cannes 2026, Formatbiz met Jan Frelek, CEO of Backscreen, a technology company specialising in white-label OTT platforms, to discuss one of the industry's hottest topics: the evolution of vertical video and mobile-first entertainment. Attending MIPCOM for the first time, Frelek explained that his company provides the technology that enables broadcasters and content owners to distribute their programming directly to consumers."If you create content, you need a vehicle to deliver it to consumers. Backscreen provides that platform," he explained.

For Frelek, the main reason for attending Cannes was to better understand how broadcasters, studios and independent producers are approaching the rapidly expanding vertical video market. "We believe vertical video is still at an early stage of development, and everything begins with content creators. We are here to listen to their vision and explain how the right platform can help their content truly shine."

According to Frelek, social networks have fundamentally transformed viewing habits, educating audiences to consume short-form, vertical and mobile-first content."Ten years ago, this behaviour did not exist. Today, vertical video can account for hours of a consumer's daily viewing time," he noted.
However, he believes the next phase will be driven by professional content producers capable of delivering higher production values.
"Consumers already want vertical video, but the quality of content available on social networks is not always there. Now is the time for broadcasters and professional content creators to enter this space with premium programming."

Frelek also emphasised that launching a successful vertical video service requires more than simply adapting a traditional streaming player. "Not every OTT platform is suitable for vertical content. You need the right player, but also the right user experience, content discovery tools, metadata structure and intuitive swipe-based navigation."