Old, New and Next: Digital Media Delivery Options for TV

As alternate TV delivery and distribution methods become more and more popular among audiences, one question is will they become more lucrative for providers?

TV watching on the Internet is growing; so too, the ubiquity of ‘TV Everywhere’ solutions which promise the best of TV content in the most convenient of packages – anywhere, anytime, any screen. Monetization has not proven to be as convenient – so far

Throughout the opening sessions at nextMEDIA, the Canadian industry event for digital content acquisition, creation and distribution, both business and technical options for mainstream TV delivery were discussed, debated and demonstrated.

An early panel presentation featured moderator Mark Greenspan of Achilles Media, producers of the event, discussing options for free and paid digital content delivery, with David Purdy, Vice President and General Manager Television Products of Rogers Cable; Ian Caminsky, Head of Business Development, YouTube, Google; and Avner Ronen, CEO and co-founder of Boxee.

Ian Caminsky, Head of Business Development for Google’s YouTube video portal, described new ways of monetization that are proving rewarding for content owners and distributors, while at the same time being accepted by online viewers.

YouTube, for example, is offering to its content holding clients ‘branded’ areas on its site, where opportunities for sponsorship and brand extension exist alongside desired content. As well, sponsor pre-, post and mid-rolls advertisements are being integrated into the content – and being accepted by online viewers.

As well, Caminsky showed, clickable animated overlays that do not interfere with viewing are placed on top of video content, often with an integrated or complimentary message to other on site advertisements.

Caminsky noted that he is working on more content deal in Canada, and discussing the options with broadcasters and content owners here. So far, YouTube is popular for its short form video, but Caminsky noted that long form would appear in Canada within the next few months. YouTube XL also offers movies.

Dave Purdy used the occasion to mark the official launch of Rogers’ new video portal (in beta version), called Rogers On Demand Online. It offers to Rogers customers online access to the same content they get on TV. Acknowledging that TV viewers “are no longer slavishly adhering” to a fixed broadcast schedule, Purdy said that ‘catch-up’ viewing would be a prime motivator for TV viewers.

A prime motivator for the content partners is the ability to monetize the online access, Purdy said. Display ads, pre-and post-rolls, even regular commercial breaks (albeit with fewer thirty second spots) are among the monetization tools being used.

Purdy talked about the important e of authentication in the online media world, and said he was confident that Rogers could immediately authorise and allow access to TV content, based on a Rogers’ customer’s existing account information and subscription package.

The Rogers’ IP-based service will move to mobile devices in 2010, Purdy said, describing a long ramp up of new features, new content partners and other developments he is anticipating.

Avner Ronen takes another approach to online content; his company offers downloadable software that can act as a kind of TV guide, providing access to not just broadcast content, but a user’s own computer-stored media, as well as online listings, other networks and portals.

He clearly feels the transition from traditional TV to the Internet as a main distribution platform will continue, and online will be mainstream within three to five years.

Ronen talked about the different screens on which the content is viewed, giving them all a vital role in the media future. The 10 foot experience involves watching widescreen TV at home; a three foot experience means watching a smaller computer screen on the desktop, while the one foot experience means gazing at an iPhone or other smartphone device.

Each screen can best be used for a particular kind of content, a particular kind of viewing, and a particular form of monetization – that’s the promise of so-called TV Everywhere initiatives.

In terms of controlling that content, and monetizing it, Ronen had a evocative if not slightly painful metaphor to share – the industry is ‘slicing the salami as thin as possible’ he said as it tries to wring the last penny from its multiple offerings, while continuing to control access to content in new ways.

Part of that control lies in the content itself – one could conceivably now access the same TV content on a Rogers portal, a broadcaster’s home site, through posted clips found on a Hulu or a YouTube, and rights holders must address the multiple streams. Part of the control lies in the delivery platform - Purdy begged off on some discussions in this vein, noting he was not ‘the Net Neutrality guy’ - raising issues about bandwidth usage, network management and options for speed and throughput delivery of content.

For more information, visit www.nextmediaevents.com.

For more Mediacaster Magazine coverage of this topic, please see:

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