One theme that came up again and again at Borrell’s Local Online Advertising Conferrence in New York City earlier this week was three nasty letters for TV execs: OTT or Over The Top television.
There is a growing number of consumers watching video content on-demand, using popular sources like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Amazon, and the like. More and more, we’re moving away from “real time” viewing, and gravitating to the convenience of watching what we want, when we want, on whatever device we want.
That last piece refers to the growing number of screens in our lives – specifically, smartphones and tablets, smartwatches, as well as “smart” televisions. Not only has the content exploded, so have the distribution outlets.
As the world moves to on-demand, those must-see, real-time events on television become even more important. These are the moments when event producers, networks, and owners will do whatever it takes to capitalize on it. The Oscars is a case in point, but even its impact has diminished in recent years. This year, viewership dropped nearly 20% from lackluster numbers the year before.
For a few weeks, that will all change as NCAA hoops invades our lives, our workplaces, and even our wallets. It’s about brackets, bragging rights, and basketball – as big an institution as any other tournament in sports.
So when the NCAA announces all the different places you can watch the games, everyone’s paying attention. And this year, the outlets and platforms are more plentiful and diverse than ever. Perhaps the executives would prefer the games be consumed on their flagship network television channels – CBS, TBS, and TNT – but that’s not the way it works in an era when the toothpaste is most definitely out of the tube.
As we are well aware from our Techsurveys, “cord cutting” is proliferating. And a conversation with any human being under 30 in this country likely would reveal an aversion to pay TV in favor of homemade suites of bundles and packages custom tailored to each viewer.
So, to make it easy, here’s the new “Sweet 16” – a list of 16 sources and platforms where the games can be watched, first listed in Multichannel by writer Jeff Baumgartner:
- Apple (iOS( mobile devices
- Android mobile devices
- Apple TV
- Apple Watch
- Amazon Fire TV
- Chromecast
- Roku players
- Roku TVs
- Web browsers
- Xbox One gaming consoles
- Virtual reality via Intel’s True VR in the Oculus store
- Virtual reality via Intel’s True VR in the Google Play store for Samsung Gear VR and Google Daydream
- CBS
- TBS
- TNT
- truTV
The NCAA and the big networks realize their content is in place, but now the distribution means everything. And when it comes to monetization, it stands to reason that some of these outlets are clearly more lucrative than the others. But the desire to make the games available everywhere and to everyone overshadows all other considerations.
This platform agnostic approach is an acknowledgment of how so much has changed about the way in which millions of sports fans watch this tournament – and content in general.
On a day when bankruptcy and restructuring are capturing radio’s news headlines, the story bubbling under revolves around how radio executives will identify and invest in new distribution outlets for their content, their personalities, and their podcasts. Whether it’s in the car dashboard, on Amazon or Google smart speakers, or on millions of mobile devices via apps, the trajectory of audio usage is forever changing.
Rather than lamenting these changes or hoping for a “Cinderella” upset for terrestrial broadcasting, owners and senior execs would be wise to address how content on new devices and platforms will be created, presented, and monetized – today, and in a rapidly approaching future.
It starts with an understanding of the platforms your audience uses, prefers, and depends on, as well as their availability of devices – from AM/FM
radios to mobile phones – at home, at work, in the gym, on vacation, and in the car. And on that note, I can tell you that as our analysis of Techsurvey 2018 rolls out – more than 500 stations across North America strong – we’ll have that data for you, right down to your format.
The NCAA tourney is a reminder to media executives that while the content has to be in place, the importance of distribution – mangaing and marketing it – grows with each passing year – and every three-point basket.
Best of luck to your team and your bracket.
And enjoy the games on your TVs, your phones, your tablets, your watches, and or your gaming systems.
The clock is running down and we’re out of time-outs.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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