28 May-June 2017
NEWS & VIEWS
Content remains key differentiator despite emergence of new platforms
BY SHAWN LIEW
BALI – Set against the picturesque backdrop of Bali , the mood was relaxed and convivial as some of the world ’ s pre-eminent content creators and distributors gathered for APOS 2017 , which took place on the Indonesian island of Bali from April 25-27 .
But it was all business when the conversation shifted to how an emerging world of video and broadband is impacting the traditional TV business .
Make that a world of apps , as Andy Bird , chairman , Walt Disney International , suggested . “ In such a world , curated and personalised content will be key ,” he said . “ Disney Live [ streaming service ] is our first step towards that journey .”
Disney is also taking advantage of its high brand affinity in Asia to become digitally mobile , and to build a digital ecosystem in order to create digital touch points , Bird added .
Localised and compelling content was a theme many of the APOS 2017 delegates identified . To enable the creation of more local content tailored to specific markets in Asia , a Cartoon Network studio based in Asia is in the pipeline , revealed Gerhard Zeiler , president , Turner International .
He said : “ There are more opportunities for consumers today to get the content they want . We need to own and control content and decide with our partners how access to content is shaped . Single brands are still important , but they need to be relevant .”
For Discovery Networks , there are two key priorities in Asia — how to be a digital “ first ” and local content . Last year , the company took a minority stake in VS Media , a multi-channel network that serves digitial natives across Greater China .
By Q4 2017 , expect more than 200 hours of original content to be available in India , said Shavkat Berdiev , VP and general manager , South-east Asia , Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific .
This is in addition to 16 local productions Discovery Network is involved with in South-east Asia , as the company aims to reach out to 300 million more viewers in Asia .
An era of disruption is transforming the paradigm of content , observed Sang Gill Lee , EVP and chief strategy officer , CJ E & M . Within this sphere , three trends are prominent , according to Lee . Viewers are experiencing multiple experiences that are IT-enabled , business models are becoming diversified , and value chains disrupted .
“ Who , then , has control over platforms ?” Lee asked , while outlining CJ E & M ’ s key ethos : “ We do not see ourselves selling content . We make our business from lifestyles and culture – we create aspiring content for distinguished experiences .”
Viewers today have a plethora of options to choose from . While this may keep them consuming content , it is potentially a double-edged sword , as Brian Sullivan , president and COO , Digital Consumer Group , Fox Networks Group , suggested . “ Finding the programmes they want is currently putting a high burden on consumers . We need to make this a much
APOS 2017 examined how an emerging world of video and broadband is impacting the traditional TV business .
simpler experience .”
Also , nobody should doubt that power has gone to consumers , said Sullivan , who urged the re-invention of business models to address what they want . “ Can we create great content and get the content to consumers in the way they want ?”
Technology , he added , is a key enabler to achieve this , although content remains the true differentiator . Moreover , without owning the rights to put content together , technology is , for all intents and purposes , redundant , Sullivan concluded .
In a disruptive environment , there is tendency for people to focus on what they need to change . Can the reverse be more effective — focusing on what you do not have to change ?
Posing this question , Peter Tonagh , CEO of Foxtel , said that the company ’ s business has always been about storytelling , and will remain so , even as they continue to adapt to what he described as “ an era of convenience ”.
“ Currently , 85 % of viewing is still on linear TV but this is transitioning , and what consumers are demanding for content is vastly different than even a few years ago .”
Mobility is also having a considerable impact on how content is consumed . For that , a videosharing website might have played a role in shaping this trend . Robert Kyncl , chief business officer , You- Tube , declared : “ We put TV on the phone .”
Mobile consumption today , he said , makes up 65 % of watch time globally . In Asia , that figure leaps to 85 %, which brings real relevance to YouTube ’ s strategy — ” focus on the user , always place the user first ”.
Earlier this year , YouTube also announced the launch of its own streaming TV service . For US $ 35 monthly , the standalone overthe-top ( OTT ) service offers live streams of broadcast and cable TV programming from ABC , CBS ,
NBC and Fox .
Also pushing ahead with its foray into the video domain is social media titan Facebook . When it was launched in 2004 , Facebook started as a desktop service , before shifting to mobile , chronicled Nick Grudin , VP of media partnerships , Facebook .
Today , there are 1.8 billion users worldwide , with Asia continuing to be the company ’ s fastest-growing market . “ Video is playing a bigger and bigger role and is Facebook ’ s next big shift ,” explained Grudin . “ People want to be informed and entertained at the same time .”
With the launch of Facebook Live last year , a fifth of all videos consumed on Facebook is now ‘ live ’; one of the key objectives of the company , said Grudin , is to act as a platform for communitydriven content . For example , warmup videos before a football match from Spanish club Real Madrid have proved extremely popular , he added .
|
n MAY
May 16 - 19 KOBA 2017 COEX Exhibition Centre , Seoul , South Korea www . kobashow . com
May 23 - 25 BROADCASTASIA2017 Suntec Singapore www . broadcast-asia . com
May 23 - 25 COMMUNICASIA2017 Sands Expo and Convention Centre , Marina Bay Sands , Singapore www . communicasia . com
|
n JUNE
June 7 - 9 IEEE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM Calgary , Italy www . birtv . com
n AUGUST
August 23 - 26
BIRTV 2017 CIEC , Beijing , China www . bts . ieee . org
|
n SEPTEMBER
September 15 - 19 IBC 2017 RAI Amsterdam , The Netherlands www . ibc . org
n OCTOBER
October 10 - 12
APSCC 2017 Tokyo , Japan www . apscc . or . kr / sub3 . asp
|
October 10 - 12 IEEE BROADCAST SYMPOSIUM ( BTS ) Keybridge Marriott Arlington , VA , USA www . bts . ieee . org /
October 12 - 14 BROADCAST INDIA 2017 Bombay Exhibition Centre Goregaon , Mumbai , India www . broadcastindiashow . com
October 26 - 29 CASBAA CONVENTION 2017 www . casbaa . com Venue to be announced
|
n NOVEMBER
November 15 - 17 INTER BEE 2017 Makuhari Messe , Tokyo , Japan www . inter-bee . com
n DECEMBER
IABM ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CONFERENCE & AWARDS 2017 UK www . theiabm . org Date and venue to be announced
|
White Paper @ www . apb-news . com
v How to improve targeting of VoD
In the first iteration of what will be a recurring series , the Genius Digital Data Spotlight white paper examines how operators can maximise the video-on-demand ( VoD ) opportunity by utilising their data more efficiently . Using this data , Genius Digital outlines how its customers have seen significant uplifts in VoD revenues and usage through improved and more personalised targeting .
|