Smart or connected TVs are the most important devices for an operator’s future content revenue, according to new research from Irdeto, conducted at IBC 2013.
The vox-pop style survey confirmed that many in the industry see OTT entrants as the biggest threat to broadcasters and pay TV operators.
A significant 41% of respondents saw Smart TVs as being crucial to an operator’s future strategy – there is already development in this field through CI Plus – with 33% identifying tablets as the most important device for revenue growth.
“The trend research we conducted at IBC only underscores the increasing importance of compelling multi-screen services,” said Godert Burghard, VP Marketing, Irdeto. “Broadcasters and operators must move from the experimentation stage and focus on the multi-screen experience, as that’s what really drives revenue and loyalty. They must also not forget about the threat of piracy, which requires a blended approach encapsulating content windows, geographic availability and consumer education.”
A potential disconnect emerged amongst respondents regarding the multi-screen priorities of operators and what is desired by consumers. Live sports streaming and a consistent cross-device user experience are what respondents felt was most in demand by the consumer, with 24% of respondents choosing each of these options. While only 9% of respondents felt that consumers wanted personalized recommendations most.
26% indicated that personalization was most desired by operators from their multi-screen vendor.
Just 20% cited piracy as the biggest threat to broadcasters and pay-TV operators, whereas 53% were more worried about new OTT entrants.
A total of 93 responses were collected over the course of the event.
