Asia-Pacific Broadcasting (APB) @ConnecTechAsia Show News - Day 3 | Page 33

@ConnecTechAsia2018
www.apb-news.com
28 June 2018
THURSDAY 33
The future of broadcasting starts now
BY MIKE WHITTAKER
Asia-Pacific is ground zero for the
future of broadcasting. Entertainment
is booming in parallel with the media
landscape becoming more and more
fragmented as consumers continue
to blur the lines between traditional
and digital media channels. Today,
consumers do not care how they
get their favourite content — as
long as they get compelling stories,
high-quality productions; delivered in
a way that is convenient, gives them
control, and is cost-effective.
Viewers in Asia-Pacific are at the
forefront of the “and-and” trend.
They want both linear and over-the-
top (OTT) content. In this region, OTT
TV revenues are predicted to triple
in less than five years, but 77% of
Asia-Pacific consumers still watch an
average two hours of broadcast TV
daily as a supplement to their online
viewing habits.
As the lines between traditional
and digital content continue to blend,
industry players must focus on using
technology to make content king,
and deliver it to consumers in the
right way. To do this, three actions are
key for media businesses — root out
as much data as possible; creatively
leverage it to tell the best stories;
and build up powerful partnerships
to be strategic about the needs and
opportunities of tomorrow.
Step 1: Uncovering the data
New technology around data, arti-
ficial intelligence (AI) and machine
learning can help media companies
understand what stories viewers most
want to see and how they are inter-
acting with it; but first, businesses
must get their hands on the data. This
can be easier said th an done for those
in the broadcasting industry still rely-
ing on legacy systems or technology.
Our media facilities, architectures,
apps and distribution networks need
to be architected to capture data at
all points of the chain.
Step 2: Putting the numbers to
work
Real insight requires not only having
data in hand, but also putting it to
work. The smartest businesses in
broadcasting are already investing
in the next generations of analytics
capabilities in order to understand
why some content shine above the
rest and get back to the roots of
great storytelling. Do viewers want
more drama, comedy or sports? Is
long-form or short-form proving
most popular? Broadcasters need
to adopt a data-driven approach.
Analytics can help show broadcasters
the way forward, as well as enabe
them to extend the content’s reach
and stickiness via social media so it
is discoverable on multiple platforms.
Step 3: Building powerful
partnerships
Technology alone can only take a
business so far. Within a fragmented
TV landscape, orchestrating mutu-
ally beneficial partnerships is key
to delivering the highest quality,
most engaging viewing experiences
to consumers — so they get what
they want to watch, how they want
to watch it. Traditional broadcasters
now have the unique opportunities
to work in collaboration with a new
set of partners and introduce new
services and experiences to consum-
ers. In this way, a broadcaster can
transform into a multi-platform video
business that is positioned to capture
more opportunities in the future,
and provides value-added service to
viewers who want more access to the
most fantastic narratives from around
the region and the globe.
The future of broadcasting is
bright, with more opportunities than
ever before for every player to take
advantage of emerging technology,
especially where data is concerned.
Combine the innovative spirit we
have in Asia with collaborative part-
nerships, and there is no doubt that
broadcasters in Asia can continue
to deliver the best to viewers across
the region.
Mike Whittaker is CTO of Fox Networks
Group Asia, and is an APB panellist.