Making the content streaming connection
Posted on Apr 15, 2018 by FEED Staff
The Media + Network State of the Industry survey reveals a sector at home with the streaming world and ready for the next big thing.
Words by Niall Hunt, digital content lead, TV Connect.
We only need to pause and take a look around to see the remarkable shift in content distribution and consumption that’s taken place. In an era where cord-cutting is the buzzword of the moment, streaming technologies are coming out on top.
Showcasing these trends and insights is Media + Network’s flagship video distribution show, TV Connect, which takes place May 9 – 10 at London’s Olympia exhibition centre. As we prepare for two days of panel sessions, custom tech tours and connected entertainment hubs, it helps to understand the current state of video distribution. We need to get a clear picture of the industry of today if we’re going to determine content delivery strategies and best position businesses for tomorrow.
With the Media + Networks State of the Industry survey, TV Connect gathered responses from 300 people working across multiple industry sectors – ranging from OTT, broadcast, content creation, and cable. Released ahead of the TV Connect show, the survey identified the trends, innovators and challenges shaping the industry’s future.
The Online Boom
In the survey, a boom in original content and next-generation programming emerged as a key trend. With streaming giants investing more and more in original content, new industry standards are being set in terms of creativity and production. As expectations grow, content distributors, regardless of sector, are required to not only meet this expectation – but exceed it in order to stay ahead of the game.
Also benefiting from these new content creation processes are broadcasters. In the survey, broadcasters emphasised that a rise in 4K/UHD content, SVoD and OTT has meant traditional content distribution processes are being reinvented. By offering a hybrid, on-demand model, broadcasters are now adopting a 360-degree approach to improve viewership, grow audiences, and ensure programming is monetised.
In terms of technology, the cloud comes out on top. Deployed across several industry sectors, cloud-based technology is opening new opportunities for workflow management and content delivery. Creating an efficient distribution model where the delivery cycle is streamlined, more scalable and reliable, the cloud becomes an ideal choice as multi-platform delivery and multi-screen viewing grows.
“The main challenge content delivery faces across every industry sector is piracy and security.”
Innovation and its Discontents
Digital disruptors, like Netflix, Amazon and YouTube Red, were all viewed by survey respondents as key innovators in content distribution. Leading the game though was Netflix with survey participants naming the SVoD platform as the top innovator in content creation. By investing more in the quality of content, Netflix has grown its subscriber base to its advantage.
However, this year, the survey concludes general support for VR and AR companies, such as augmented reality platform Magic Leap. Operating at the crossroads between innovation and technology, the support for Magic Leap demonstrates a giant step toward hybrid distribution models and technology, and an industry-wide open attitude toward immersive content creation and delivery.
Echoing the results from last year’s survey, the main challenge content delivery faces across every industry sector is piracy and security. Driven by professional pirates operating with smart, complex strategies, piracy continues to have an unwelcome presence in the content delivery industry. New solutions which tackle piracy and aid secure content delivery are something we, and the industry, expect to see developing faster than ever before.
Returning to Olympia London, TV Connect 2018 gives show attendees an industry front seat to discover the trends and innovations that are set to switch-up content distribution. Find out more by the TV Connect’s website: https://tmt.knect365.com/tv-connect/
