ibc_ibc 31/08/2014 13:18 Page 10
EY: Fundamental changes needed to
future-proof broadcasters
ccording to
consultancy firm EY,
for almost a century,
the UK television industry
has been transforming and
renewing itself continually
to meet ongoing shifts in
technology, demand and
society. But today, the
forces at play are so
disruptive they may throw
into doubt the very notion
of ‘television’ as a distinct
medium. Speaking at the
Edinburgh TV Festival, EY
warned broadcasters to
drive fundamental operational changes
in order to be prepare for the future.
“Broadcasters need to do more than react
to today’s challenges,” advised Martin
Holyoake, EY media and entertainment
partner. “Audiences are increasingly assuming
the role of editor over their own media choices
— and the implications that this shift brings is
significant for the way content is sourced,
produced, distributed and consumed.”
“Put simply, there’s never been a more
exciting time to be in the UK television
industry, or a more uncertain one. An everexpanding array of channels, platforms,
devices, experiences and choice has created a
world where the viewer is firmly in control.
For the industry, such an unprecedented state
of flux inevitably creates a mix of risk and
opportunity – giving rise to uncertainty and
excitement in equal measure,” he suggests.
EY proposes five steps for broadcasters to
prepare for the future of TV:
ways to engage audiences at
different times in the lifecycle can
result in greater impact with the
audience. In our experience,
cross-platform engagement can
result in an uplift of at least 25%
audience impact.
A
Place the audience at the centre
Audiences will look for content on their own
terms, so it should be at the centre of the
distribution model. To reach the audience
wherever it wants to be found, and via
blinkx partners
Forensiq for fraud
detection
Internet media platform
blinkx has announced a
partnership with Forensiq, a
specialist in fraud detection,
implementing Forensiq’s
technology and processes to
combat fraud in real time.
The partnership follows the
16 ADVANCED TELEVISION
whatever device, requires an optimised and
tightly managed digital supply chain. This is
vital for providing insight into what content or
content rights are held, and how this content
can be distributed to the audience at the point,
time and place of need.
Take a more efficient approach to
production and sourcing
Intensifying competition for content demands
a more efficient approach than ever to
production and sourcing. Content production
is strategic as well as a creative process. In our
experience, savings of between 15%-20% can
be made in production through challenging
entrenched processes and bringing techniques
such as LEAN to content production. This can
be re-invested in better, or more on-screen
content.
Innovate through cross-media content
When audiences become part of the content,
they cease to be passive voyeurs and become
active participants. This kind of cross-platform
experience is increasingly important in
shaping the story arch for content – with
companion experiences, synchronous activity
and dual screening rising rapidly. Exploring
announcement of global
deals with Integral Ad
Science and Nielsen.
“We look at verification as
not just a ‘viewability’ piece,
but a combination of three
very separate elements that
include ad viewability, brand
safety and fraud detection,”
said Donald Hamilton, UK SVP
of advertising at blinkx. “As
an industry, we must treat
Understand your friends and
foes
The traditional structure of the
UK television industry is in
unprecedented flux. New
channels, new OTT players and
new producers are looking to
gain a foothold. All the major US
studios are here – and they’re now being
joined by a raft of new entrants. Within this
shifting ecosystem, companies need to take a
close and careful look at partnering
opportunities as they present themselves.
Searching successfully for the right
collaborative tie-ups may mean looking
beyond the usual suspects.
Make it personal
Major generational and behavioural shifts –
enabled by technology - have created new
consumption patterns as audiences are freed
from traditional viewing constraints. From a
consumer’s point of view, a provider’s ability
to deliver a seamless, personalised user
experience is a fundamental differentiator.
And for providers themselves, it is a way to
add value to the audience and ultimately
retain viewers. A personalised experience
demands a firm grasp of data – specifically
data needs to be aggregated to create a single,
unified view of each member of the audience,
the availability of data needs to