Thursday, November 27, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Televsion Set from Sezmi based on TV 2.0 integrating traditional , digital and internet TV
From Digital TV News
The first complete TV 2.0 offering that seamlessly integrates traditional television with movies and Internet video, optimized for on-demand viewing and is personalized for the viewer
BELMONT, Calif. — Sezmi Corporation (formerly known as Building B, Inc.) today unveiled a next generation television offering that includes many industry firsts. Sezmi also announced that it is commencing trials in pilot markets in preparation for commercial launch with broadband service providers and national retailers later this year.
Sezmi is designed to address fundamental shifts in consumer television viewing behavior and is the first television offering that is:
A complete TV 2.0 solution: Sezmi delivers all television content, including broadcast and cable network programming, movies and Internet video, in one simple package, unlike Internet-driven offerings that do not include traditional television.
Optimized for on-demand viewing: Sezmi embraces the migration of consumer TV viewing away from appointment-based viewing and gives consumers the flexibility to watch what they want, when they want. Sezmi’s primary user interface organizes content as program lists (e.g., My Top Picks, My Genres, My Channels) that dramatically simplify the browsing and discovery of television content.
A seamless integration of live, stored, on-demand and Internet video: Sezmi removes the artificial barriers between content from different sources and provides a single and consistent interface across live, stored, on-demand and Internet video.
Personalized and tailored to the individual viewer: The Sezmi remote control has unique buttons for individual members of the household. Each user is presented with a personalized homepage-like screen that organizes a line-up of content that is specifically matched to the user’s routines and preferences.
Extending the benefits of social networking to the TV: Sezmi subscribers can share playlists with friends and family, contribute to community ratings of shows and benefit from community recommendations.
Designed for self-installation: Sezmi is a simple, out-of-the-box wireless product that provides consumers a high quality television experience in minutes.
“Consumers are waiting for the television industry to catch up and meet their demand for flexible, advanced and personalized features in their television service, just like they’ve come to expect with the Internet, wireless communications and digital media,” said Kurt Scherf, vice president and principal analyst with Parks Associates. “With the impending digital transition, the consumer shift to on-demand viewing, high definition, Internet video, and other disruptions, now is the time for a true television alternative to emerge. From what I’ve seen, Sezmi’s differentiated approach, leadership and industry relationships makes it a strong contender to fill this void.”
“Sezmi focused on the television consumer and built an entirely new television offering from the ground up to meet the needs of viewers that want a premium experience at an affordable price,” said Buno Pati, Sezmi co-founder and chief executive officer. “We have rallied support across multiple industries and are excited to work with our partners to offer a new and differentiated TV choice to consumers.”
A Unique Approach to TV 2.0
“To deliver the full range of content that consumers expect at an affordable cost we had to create a network that overcame the limitations of broadband and better aligned with mass market content consumption,” said Phil Wiser, Sezmi co-founder and president. “Our integrated solution seamlessly combines the efficiency and scale of broadcast delivery with the interactivity and access of broadband. As a result, we are able to deliver a next generation television experience to a much larger group of consumers, and we can do it today.”
Sezmi has developed the FlexCast™ video distribution technology that combines terrestrial digital broadcast television with existing broadband infrastructure to cost effectively deliver video content. The system utilizes available capacity in existing digital television broadcast networks and creates a private, secure broadcast transmission for content. The resulting platform provides a breakthrough television experience without the need to upgrade existing broadband infrastructure.
Sezmi has also developed a cutting edge, smart antenna indoor reception system that makes both its private broadcast and existing terrestrial TV broadcasts accessible in an unprecedented manner. This network-attached reception system can be placed in any location in the home and requires no user adjustments.
A Multi-Industry Opportunity
Sezmi is working with leaders in the broadcast, broadband, content and advertising industries to create an entertainment platform that delivers enhanced value and new opportunities as the TV industry navigates through the major disruptions it is facing.
Sezmi affords broadcasters the opportunity to realize significant returns on their digital investments through a proven subscription television business model and targeted advertising. Sezmi has entered into agreements with broadcasters in its initial launch markets.
“Sezmi’s innovative platform enables broadcasters to enhance their core service, while creating new revenue opportunities,” said Colleen B. Brown, President and CEO Fisher Communications. “Advertisers continue to tell us they want this type of measurable targeting to generate greater efficiencies on television and as broadcasters, we need this type of audience intelligence to more effectively connect our viewers with new programs.”
As an end-to-end television service that incorporates an integrated broadcast solution, Sezmi is the ideal triple-play video companion to voice and data services offered by broadband service providers.
“Sezmi creates a unique opportunity for Internet service providers and telecommunications companies looking to offer customers a differentiated triple play with its on-demand, personalized and affordable video service,” said Jeff Gardner, president and CEO of Windstream Communications. “Unlike IPTV, Sezmi’s innovative service utilizes the existing broadband network and does not require a significant capital infrastructure investment.”
Sezmi enables content companies and advertisers to capitalize on current industry disruptions to create new business opportunities. Content providers are able to reach additional viewers, enhance their brands in an on-demand environment and drive higher CPMs through targeted advertising. Sezmi creates a unique opportunity for content companies to engage with viewers and strengthen their brands as consumers migrate towards an increasingly on-demand experience.
“Advertisers are demanding Internet-like efficiency with TV advertising. They want to target the right customer with the right ad, and have accurate data on viewer response,” said Tim Hanlon, Executive Vice President of Denuo Group, a Publicis Company. “Sezmi is a breakthrough service in this area. For the first time, advertisers will know exactly who—whether it’s mom or dad or the kids—watched their commercial. Sezmi will enable improvements in advertising effectiveness and ultimately increases marketing ROI, two important goals in today’s cluttered ad landscape.”
Sezmi has established partnerships with broadcasters, broadband providers and content companies to commence technical trials in preparation for commercial launch across several major U.S. markets later this year.
The first complete TV 2.0 offering that seamlessly integrates traditional television with movies and Internet video, optimized for on-demand viewing and is personalized for the viewer
BELMONT, Calif. — Sezmi Corporation (formerly known as Building B, Inc.) today unveiled a next generation television offering that includes many industry firsts. Sezmi also announced that it is commencing trials in pilot markets in preparation for commercial launch with broadband service providers and national retailers later this year.
Sezmi is designed to address fundamental shifts in consumer television viewing behavior and is the first television offering that is:
A complete TV 2.0 solution: Sezmi delivers all television content, including broadcast and cable network programming, movies and Internet video, in one simple package, unlike Internet-driven offerings that do not include traditional television.
Optimized for on-demand viewing: Sezmi embraces the migration of consumer TV viewing away from appointment-based viewing and gives consumers the flexibility to watch what they want, when they want. Sezmi’s primary user interface organizes content as program lists (e.g., My Top Picks, My Genres, My Channels) that dramatically simplify the browsing and discovery of television content.
A seamless integration of live, stored, on-demand and Internet video: Sezmi removes the artificial barriers between content from different sources and provides a single and consistent interface across live, stored, on-demand and Internet video.
Personalized and tailored to the individual viewer: The Sezmi remote control has unique buttons for individual members of the household. Each user is presented with a personalized homepage-like screen that organizes a line-up of content that is specifically matched to the user’s routines and preferences.
Extending the benefits of social networking to the TV: Sezmi subscribers can share playlists with friends and family, contribute to community ratings of shows and benefit from community recommendations.
Designed for self-installation: Sezmi is a simple, out-of-the-box wireless product that provides consumers a high quality television experience in minutes.
“Consumers are waiting for the television industry to catch up and meet their demand for flexible, advanced and personalized features in their television service, just like they’ve come to expect with the Internet, wireless communications and digital media,” said Kurt Scherf, vice president and principal analyst with Parks Associates. “With the impending digital transition, the consumer shift to on-demand viewing, high definition, Internet video, and other disruptions, now is the time for a true television alternative to emerge. From what I’ve seen, Sezmi’s differentiated approach, leadership and industry relationships makes it a strong contender to fill this void.”
“Sezmi focused on the television consumer and built an entirely new television offering from the ground up to meet the needs of viewers that want a premium experience at an affordable price,” said Buno Pati, Sezmi co-founder and chief executive officer. “We have rallied support across multiple industries and are excited to work with our partners to offer a new and differentiated TV choice to consumers.”
A Unique Approach to TV 2.0
“To deliver the full range of content that consumers expect at an affordable cost we had to create a network that overcame the limitations of broadband and better aligned with mass market content consumption,” said Phil Wiser, Sezmi co-founder and president. “Our integrated solution seamlessly combines the efficiency and scale of broadcast delivery with the interactivity and access of broadband. As a result, we are able to deliver a next generation television experience to a much larger group of consumers, and we can do it today.”
Sezmi has developed the FlexCast™ video distribution technology that combines terrestrial digital broadcast television with existing broadband infrastructure to cost effectively deliver video content. The system utilizes available capacity in existing digital television broadcast networks and creates a private, secure broadcast transmission for content. The resulting platform provides a breakthrough television experience without the need to upgrade existing broadband infrastructure.
Sezmi has also developed a cutting edge, smart antenna indoor reception system that makes both its private broadcast and existing terrestrial TV broadcasts accessible in an unprecedented manner. This network-attached reception system can be placed in any location in the home and requires no user adjustments.
A Multi-Industry Opportunity
Sezmi is working with leaders in the broadcast, broadband, content and advertising industries to create an entertainment platform that delivers enhanced value and new opportunities as the TV industry navigates through the major disruptions it is facing.
Sezmi affords broadcasters the opportunity to realize significant returns on their digital investments through a proven subscription television business model and targeted advertising. Sezmi has entered into agreements with broadcasters in its initial launch markets.
“Sezmi’s innovative platform enables broadcasters to enhance their core service, while creating new revenue opportunities,” said Colleen B. Brown, President and CEO Fisher Communications. “Advertisers continue to tell us they want this type of measurable targeting to generate greater efficiencies on television and as broadcasters, we need this type of audience intelligence to more effectively connect our viewers with new programs.”
As an end-to-end television service that incorporates an integrated broadcast solution, Sezmi is the ideal triple-play video companion to voice and data services offered by broadband service providers.
“Sezmi creates a unique opportunity for Internet service providers and telecommunications companies looking to offer customers a differentiated triple play with its on-demand, personalized and affordable video service,” said Jeff Gardner, president and CEO of Windstream Communications. “Unlike IPTV, Sezmi’s innovative service utilizes the existing broadband network and does not require a significant capital infrastructure investment.”
Sezmi enables content companies and advertisers to capitalize on current industry disruptions to create new business opportunities. Content providers are able to reach additional viewers, enhance their brands in an on-demand environment and drive higher CPMs through targeted advertising. Sezmi creates a unique opportunity for content companies to engage with viewers and strengthen their brands as consumers migrate towards an increasingly on-demand experience.
“Advertisers are demanding Internet-like efficiency with TV advertising. They want to target the right customer with the right ad, and have accurate data on viewer response,” said Tim Hanlon, Executive Vice President of Denuo Group, a Publicis Company. “Sezmi is a breakthrough service in this area. For the first time, advertisers will know exactly who—whether it’s mom or dad or the kids—watched their commercial. Sezmi will enable improvements in advertising effectiveness and ultimately increases marketing ROI, two important goals in today’s cluttered ad landscape.”
Sezmi has established partnerships with broadcasters, broadband providers and content companies to commence technical trials in preparation for commercial launch across several major U.S. markets later this year.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Television and Education
I believe the following would definitely be the applications of television sometime in the future:
Web-enabled TVs that students can use for watching programmes and at the same time post comments about the programmes to the transmitting station/company. This would very well help meet the expectations of students and reduce communication costs.
Programming content developed or feedback for these given by students themselves and becoming a part of regular broadcast
Method: Blogs, forums, interviews, polls, videos, chat etc.
Content: Today's teaching methods, practical perspectives of academic teachings, inputs for Discovery, NGC programmes of business and leisure treks, sports coverage at schools, universities, coverage for different competitions (GK, painting, Maths-Physics Olympiads etc.), students being able to send their videos, photographs to be shown on TV.
Consensus for TV programmes obtained at KG (cartoons), primary-secondary schools (Football, travel), universities (exploration and university tours so that future students may watch university-specific programmmes and then decide whether to apply there or not) etc.
Method: Blogs, forums, interviews, polls, videos, chat etc.
A boon to distance education:
Classes can be broadcast on TV channels thus making it possible to have world-wide reception.
For example, MBS obtains its own TV channel and transmits its distance MBA lectures, content, participatory comments, schedules, announcements etc. through this channel.
Different MBA lectures form the TV programmes (or the TV content, in other words), a completely different and disruptive business model for management education.
Not just the MBA but also true for other courses such as engineering, commerce, diploma etc.
Different universities forming their own channels for transmission.
So education no longer restricted to the physical confines of a university.
For distance learning:
3-D TVs, eye-pieces (TV goggles - miniaturization) available that enable the students to see what is going on in their class
They can see the professor and also the students sitting next to them. This can be through smalls icons on the TV screen, which when clicked show you the face of the person sitting next to u and a brief profile with contact information of that person for networking opportunities.
Experience of being present in a classroom which is in fact present thousands of miles away.
Web-enabled or some advanced interactive TV sets (just like PCs) would improve participation of different entities
Classroom education can be enhanced in this manner. Corporates no longer have to travel for their company presentations or guest lectures. They can do so on the TV itself. Corporates, professors, students, staff and other parties can effectively engage in 2-way communication. Corporates can see who is attending their lecture and answer individual queries that get fired from participants. This can also provide for a chat session for participants to bounce ideas and clear doubts.
Vivae (oral exams) can be conducted through a 2-way TV. Companies can conduct their interviews with students through such a facility, thus cutting down costs of travel, lodging-boarding, and not being present in the office for other important tasks.
Having universities/schools even close to a TV environment/city (like the MediaCityUK) can significantly boost the creative capabilities of students, making them able to think more holistically and become well-rounded personalities. Students learn a lot from TV, they build their vocab and knowledge thru watching diff programmes, places, accents, cultures, politics etc. There r downsides as well but this experience is unique and central to all the efforts of education.
Comments?
Web-enabled TVs that students can use for watching programmes and at the same time post comments about the programmes to the transmitting station/company. This would very well help meet the expectations of students and reduce communication costs.
Programming content developed or feedback for these given by students themselves and becoming a part of regular broadcast
Method: Blogs, forums, interviews, polls, videos, chat etc.
Content: Today's teaching methods, practical perspectives of academic teachings, inputs for Discovery, NGC programmes of business and leisure treks, sports coverage at schools, universities, coverage for different competitions (GK, painting, Maths-Physics Olympiads etc.), students being able to send their videos, photographs to be shown on TV.
Consensus for TV programmes obtained at KG (cartoons), primary-secondary schools (Football, travel), universities (exploration and university tours so that future students may watch university-specific programmmes and then decide whether to apply there or not) etc.
Method: Blogs, forums, interviews, polls, videos, chat etc.
A boon to distance education:
Classes can be broadcast on TV channels thus making it possible to have world-wide reception.
For example, MBS obtains its own TV channel and transmits its distance MBA lectures, content, participatory comments, schedules, announcements etc. through this channel.
Different MBA lectures form the TV programmes (or the TV content, in other words), a completely different and disruptive business model for management education.
Not just the MBA but also true for other courses such as engineering, commerce, diploma etc.
Different universities forming their own channels for transmission.
So education no longer restricted to the physical confines of a university.
For distance learning:
3-D TVs, eye-pieces (TV goggles - miniaturization) available that enable the students to see what is going on in their class
They can see the professor and also the students sitting next to them. This can be through smalls icons on the TV screen, which when clicked show you the face of the person sitting next to u and a brief profile with contact information of that person for networking opportunities.
Experience of being present in a classroom which is in fact present thousands of miles away.
Web-enabled or some advanced interactive TV sets (just like PCs) would improve participation of different entities
Classroom education can be enhanced in this manner. Corporates no longer have to travel for their company presentations or guest lectures. They can do so on the TV itself. Corporates, professors, students, staff and other parties can effectively engage in 2-way communication. Corporates can see who is attending their lecture and answer individual queries that get fired from participants. This can also provide for a chat session for participants to bounce ideas and clear doubts.
Vivae (oral exams) can be conducted through a 2-way TV. Companies can conduct their interviews with students through such a facility, thus cutting down costs of travel, lodging-boarding, and not being present in the office for other important tasks.
Having universities/schools even close to a TV environment/city (like the MediaCityUK) can significantly boost the creative capabilities of students, making them able to think more holistically and become well-rounded personalities. Students learn a lot from TV, they build their vocab and knowledge thru watching diff programmes, places, accents, cultures, politics etc. There r downsides as well but this experience is unique and central to all the efforts of education.
Comments?
Monday, November 24, 2008
Looking at the future in 3D
From the Toronto Star: http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/542151
If the ``wow'' factor is a guarantee of success, Spatial View will be huge. The interior of the company's Front St. headquarters is crammed with electronic devices – flat-panel plasma televisions, PCs, video-game monitors, fixed-image monitors and hand-held devices – all projecting images, animations and videos in three dimensions. Instead of being overwhelming, the illusion is intriguing. It makes one wonder why everything isn't in 3D.
Spatial View chief executive Beat Raemy is planning for the time when everything will be in 3D.
"It's a natural progression, first we had black-and-white images, then colour, then high-definition and next will be 3D; we see in 3D, so why is our media 2D?" he said in an interview. "It might not be here tomorrow, but it is coming."
That's why Raemy's in the business of making 3D easier. Spatial View's primary industry is designing and manufacturing devices that allow existing products to display 3D images, animation and videos – without the use of those pesky cardboard glasses.
Spatial view is offering a new twist on very old technology. Stereoscopy – the concept of showing each eye a slightly different image to produce a 3D effect – was invented in 1840. The concept became faddishly popular in movie theatres in the 1950s with the advent of disposable glasses with blue-and-red lenses that allowed each eye to see a slightly different image.
Since those early days, 3D has come and gone in mainstream media and has shown some success recently; this year's Journey to the Center of the Earth grossed more than $101 million (U.S.) in Canada and the United States despite middling reviews.
"3D is coming; Samsung has already sold more than 2 million 3D-ready TVs and the Americans are building 3D-capable cinemas as fast as they can," said James Stewart, president of Toronto-based Geneva Films, which has worked extensively in 3D.
"There's even a TV network in Japan that broadcasts in 3D part of the time and James Cameron's next film, the $250 million Avatar, will be in 3D."
But people have always complained about the goofy glasses. That's why Spatial View has eliminated the need for them. The company has developed clear filters that fit over the top of an existing video screen to separate the images, so each of the viewer's eyes receives a slightly different image.
"People aren't aware that you can get the same sort of experience on a flat-panel display without wearing glasses," said Brad Casemore, Spatial View's vice-president of business development.
"This is an issue that we're tackling with our industry partners – the likes of NVIDIA, IBM and Adobe."
"It started back in Germany, a professor friend of mine developed the concept, but he knew nothing about business," Raemy explained. "So, we bought it from him and started Spatial View."
Although some R&D is still carried out in Dresden, Germany, Spatial View's world headquarters is located in Toronto and it has recently opened offices in Halifax and San Francisco. The company employs about 30 people worldwide.
"They are on to something very good," said Stewart. "What's happening in the 3D world is happening very quickly and they are at the front.''
And the company's research continues to be forward thinking.
Spatial View has developed software that allows a PC's built-in camera to track the viewer's eyes in order to adjust the picture so the 3D effect is optimized. That evolved into a two-camera system that tracks the users' fingertip, allowing it to be used as a video-game controller.
"It's still in development," said Raemy. "But we do play with it a lot in the office."
Spatial View also currently offers a variety of wholesale products adapted to fit over standard PC monitors for PCs from manufacturers including Dell, HP, Sony and Lenovo. The screen slides on to the monitor to display content in 3D and slides off for normal display. The same can be done for commercially available TVs and laptops.
While Spatial View products are already available on shelves at Mediamarkt – a large European electronics retailer – Raemy hopes to convince PC makers to bundle his products with theirs.
He has his eyes especially fixed on Apple Inc., a company he said consumers associate with innovation.
"We're going to Macworld with a strong presence," he said.
One thing he'll want to show off is a small overlay the company has developed for the iPhone that "gives the man in the street 3D capability in his hand," said Raemy.
He's convinced Stewart. "As a filmmaker, I wondered who'd want to watch something on such a small screen," he said. "But the iPhone is actually driving the market; its tech is so good and it's hooked into your credit card the way a TV never could be – it just makes it all so easy."
But Spatial View is not limiting itself to consumer applications. Pharmaceutical sales representatives often have to carry cumbersome models with them because of the three-dimensional nature of molecules.
"We're talking with some of them to replace those models with 3D-capable laptops," said Raemy.
He has also received interest from the oil and gas industry – ``everything they do is in 3D," he said – as well as the automotive industry, which uses 3D when it comes to rendering and designing new products.
Raemy realizes Spatial View will only go as far as the content allows it to. And he's depending on younger consumers to drive that by creating new ways to use the technology.
"There are plug-ins for Flash that allow you to create in 3D," he said. "Kids these days are used to creating much of their own content and they want to create in 3D, watch in 3D and play in 3D."
Stewart maintains the 3D content market is still in its infancy, but is about to take off. "Once they start watching live sports and live news in 3D, people will not want to go back," he said. "They'll want everything to be in 3D."
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Television and Participation
"Interaction" and "television" are two words you would definitely not use in the same sentence today. Maybe not even in the next 3 years, but it is coming...eventually. In an online world where you can put your comments to almost anything, it seems odd that something as social as the television has not yet embraced this concept.
When Tweens are able to comment on their friends' Facebook pictures, give feedback to a YouTube video or express their thoughts and views on news articles, television, in comparison, seems like just another antiquated medium for media. The need for participation and association in today's youths is very high in all aspects of media. They want to be heard, they want to be seen, they want to be involved.
The television industry will eventually have to adopt some form of interactivity with their programs if they want to stay relevant in today's social media environment. A possible solution might be to expand the capabilities of the current television digital boxes which includes a way to interact with other viewers who are using the same service. A social portal for television in fact. With a wireless keyboard peripheral, viewers can submit comments after each show and see other people's thoughts and views instantly. There could be forums dedicated to each show where fans can interact. When shows are running, there could be a section on the bottom of the screen that shows viewers' comments about what is being played on the screen.
THIS would be active participation for television. And I believe that this evolution in Television 2.0 will happen.....eventually.
When Tweens are able to comment on their friends' Facebook pictures, give feedback to a YouTube video or express their thoughts and views on news articles, television, in comparison, seems like just another antiquated medium for media. The need for participation and association in today's youths is very high in all aspects of media. They want to be heard, they want to be seen, they want to be involved.
The television industry will eventually have to adopt some form of interactivity with their programs if they want to stay relevant in today's social media environment. A possible solution might be to expand the capabilities of the current television digital boxes which includes a way to interact with other viewers who are using the same service. A social portal for television in fact. With a wireless keyboard peripheral, viewers can submit comments after each show and see other people's thoughts and views instantly. There could be forums dedicated to each show where fans can interact. When shows are running, there could be a section on the bottom of the screen that shows viewers' comments about what is being played on the screen.
THIS would be active participation for television. And I believe that this evolution in Television 2.0 will happen.....eventually.
OLED TV - Future of Television Sets
Experts predicts that OLED TV will replace plasma and LCD TV in 10 years.
Check out the video
Check out the video
Google Enabled Televisions Coming Soon
Google Enabled Televisions Coming Soon
Posted using ShareThis
Update. : The above news was from Jan 2008.
Here is the demo of Panasonic Viera Cast launched this year.
Posted using ShareThis
Update. : The above news was from Jan 2008.
Here is the demo of Panasonic Viera Cast launched this year.
Will Google own a TV Network
Will Google own a TV Network. It seems to be in the future in another 3 years. Google is enhancing it services in different areas like launching the Google Mobile Operating system to maximise its reach on Google products and advertising to mobile users.
Similarly they already increased their reach on TV viewers with the launch of You tube.With its youtube channels ,it is able to reach millions of users on videos related to news , tv shows , sports etc..With the partnership with Panasonic it is planning to launch a TV which can connect to internet and to watch Youtube videos.This might increase the popularity of video blogs and update their social networking page status with programs they are watching.
They are already into providing internet services and cable service provider by partnering with a cable tv network. With the launch of Google TV ads , it is getting into the TV advertising field. And to increase their reach and control on Google TV ads, it might be buying or launching a TV network.
Related articles
Google TV ads
Watch shows through Google TV
Google TV Will Let Advertisers Select Programs, Produce Own Ads
Google TV ready to add Cable Partners
Google a TV player in next 3-5 years
Similarly they already increased their reach on TV viewers with the launch of You tube.With its youtube channels ,it is able to reach millions of users on videos related to news , tv shows , sports etc..With the partnership with Panasonic it is planning to launch a TV which can connect to internet and to watch Youtube videos.This might increase the popularity of video blogs and update their social networking page status with programs they are watching.
They are already into providing internet services and cable service provider by partnering with a cable tv network. With the launch of Google TV ads , it is getting into the TV advertising field. And to increase their reach and control on Google TV ads, it might be buying or launching a TV network.
Related articles
Google TV ads
Watch shows through Google TV
Google TV Will Let Advertisers Select Programs, Produce Own Ads
Google TV ready to add Cable Partners
Google a TV player in next 3-5 years
Has TV Had Its Day?
UK TV ad spend is expected to fall by 30% between 2007 and 2010 in real terms, and is closer to 19% when the changes are measured with inflation included according to a report by Enders Analysis.
By the end of this year, TV ad spend is expected to have fallen to £3.3bn, from £3.5bn last year. By 2009, TV ad spend is predicted to have fallen to £2.9bn and by 2010, to £2.8bn.Online growth and the appeal of online media, as well as the analogue to digital broadcast shift, are all structural changes cited for the decrease in TV national advertising revenue by Enders.Further structural change could follow as the funding gap between the BBC and the commercial broadcasters grows, fuelled by poor economic conditions and a gradual shift to more personalised media consumption in the digital age.
Reports rightly point to Internet advertising spend overtaking the £3.5 billion spent on ‘traditional TV’ for the first time next year; however in a sense, it is actually TV which is taking over the internet.
New formats and viewing occasions are being created where previously these options simply didn’t exist. Through the development of ITV’s online video service, 4OD and BBC’s iPlayer consumers are now devouring online video with a phenomenal appetite. Project Kangaroo is a much anticipated joint venture between ITV, Channel 4 and BBC Worldwide which will see the creation of a single site where consumers can search and enjoy content from all three broadcasters. The launch was scheduled for September 2008 but due to scrutiny from the OFT this has been delayed till later 2008, possibly early 2009. This will undoubtedly put the traditional players in a position of strength as they can combine content in one place for users to select what they watch, where they watch it and how they access it.
The scale of growth, and the ubiquity of audience, means that there are real, substantial and tangible commercial opportunities in this area, harnessing the known entertainment capacity of TV to the bespoke, dynamic, interactive functionality of the web.
2008 could well be seen as a watershed year for television as a whole, a year when the nation’s favourite form of entertainment gave definitive proof of its health in a new media landscape and demonstrated its ability to evolve and offer outstanding value for money.
By the end of this year, TV ad spend is expected to have fallen to £3.3bn, from £3.5bn last year. By 2009, TV ad spend is predicted to have fallen to £2.9bn and by 2010, to £2.8bn.Online growth and the appeal of online media, as well as the analogue to digital broadcast shift, are all structural changes cited for the decrease in TV national advertising revenue by Enders.Further structural change could follow as the funding gap between the BBC and the commercial broadcasters grows, fuelled by poor economic conditions and a gradual shift to more personalised media consumption in the digital age.
Reports rightly point to Internet advertising spend overtaking the £3.5 billion spent on ‘traditional TV’ for the first time next year; however in a sense, it is actually TV which is taking over the internet.
New formats and viewing occasions are being created where previously these options simply didn’t exist. Through the development of ITV’s online video service, 4OD and BBC’s iPlayer consumers are now devouring online video with a phenomenal appetite. Project Kangaroo is a much anticipated joint venture between ITV, Channel 4 and BBC Worldwide which will see the creation of a single site where consumers can search and enjoy content from all three broadcasters. The launch was scheduled for September 2008 but due to scrutiny from the OFT this has been delayed till later 2008, possibly early 2009. This will undoubtedly put the traditional players in a position of strength as they can combine content in one place for users to select what they watch, where they watch it and how they access it.
The scale of growth, and the ubiquity of audience, means that there are real, substantial and tangible commercial opportunities in this area, harnessing the known entertainment capacity of TV to the bespoke, dynamic, interactive functionality of the web.
2008 could well be seen as a watershed year for television as a whole, a year when the nation’s favourite form of entertainment gave definitive proof of its health in a new media landscape and demonstrated its ability to evolve and offer outstanding value for money.
Is Mobile TV becoming mainstream
Many mobile operators are providing mobile TV services in different countries. South Korea was the first to launch the service in 2005. Japan and Hongkong followed. In UK Vodafone and Virgin launched mobile tv services in 2006. You can subscribe to different channels by subscribing for a monthly package. Check out Vodaphone mobile TV Services and Virgin Launch
In US , Sprint , AT&T and Verizon are providing Mobile TV Services.
In US , Sprint , AT&T and Verizon are providing Mobile TV Services.
Does You Tube Hold the Key to the Future of TV?
News Corporation and NBC Universal are attempting to upstage YouTube through a video site called Hulu. It only shows professional television shows and films but is forecast to draw level with Google’s You Tube in US advertising revenue next year. This suggests traditional media companies can make money online without having to relinquish control to Google, similar to the music industry doing it to Apple, whose iTunes music store dominates the digital music market. It also shows the difficulties other social networks might have in generating revenues from their amateur content.
Google paid $1.65bn two years ago for You Tube and it is by some distance the most popular online video destination, with 83m unique viewers in the US in September, compared to Hulu's 6m, according to Nielsen, but Screen Digest claim Hulu's advertising revenues are growing more quickly. Neither company breaks out its advertising revenues but Screen Digest, forecasts that in 2008 YouTube will generate about $100m in the US, compared with about $70m at Hulu. Next year both sites will generate about $180m in the US. An analyst states that YouTube is in a very tough place as most of the user-generated content is worthless or illegal. The next 18 months will determine whether or not it was just an expensive mistake for Google.
Advertisers prefer to associate products with well-known entertainment brands, said Tracey Scheppach, video innovations director at Starcom, a media agency. "YouTube hasn't done a great job justifying why advertisers should migrate online." Shorter, amateur clips make up the vast majority of YouTube videos. Hulu's hit shows range from The Simpsons to The Office , from media owners including NBC, Sony, Fox and Viacom. YouTube executives argue that their real opportunity lies in making money from the massive audience for the site's user-generated videos. But they have also stepped up efforts to bring in more professional content. But many large media groups, including Disney, Viacom and NBC Universal, have been wary of adding their content to YouTube.
The ultimate argument here is about who will have the right content to attract he advertising budgets. Tried and trusted professional content will always be less of a risk for advertisers as they know they will not end up around an amateur clip with the potential of unsuitable content for their brand. It is feasible that the content is actually the critical piece in the jigsaw but it also has to attract the audience. The traditional Media players, if they combine, could become more of a force in this space in the future but they must also understand that they have to move away from traditional broadcasting of content and be prepared to interact with the audience to make it a success in the new world of entertainment.
Google paid $1.65bn two years ago for You Tube and it is by some distance the most popular online video destination, with 83m unique viewers in the US in September, compared to Hulu's 6m, according to Nielsen, but Screen Digest claim Hulu's advertising revenues are growing more quickly. Neither company breaks out its advertising revenues but Screen Digest, forecasts that in 2008 YouTube will generate about $100m in the US, compared with about $70m at Hulu. Next year both sites will generate about $180m in the US. An analyst states that YouTube is in a very tough place as most of the user-generated content is worthless or illegal. The next 18 months will determine whether or not it was just an expensive mistake for Google.
Advertisers prefer to associate products with well-known entertainment brands, said Tracey Scheppach, video innovations director at Starcom, a media agency. "YouTube hasn't done a great job justifying why advertisers should migrate online." Shorter, amateur clips make up the vast majority of YouTube videos. Hulu's hit shows range from The Simpsons to The Office , from media owners including NBC, Sony, Fox and Viacom. YouTube executives argue that their real opportunity lies in making money from the massive audience for the site's user-generated videos. But they have also stepped up efforts to bring in more professional content. But many large media groups, including Disney, Viacom and NBC Universal, have been wary of adding their content to YouTube.
The ultimate argument here is about who will have the right content to attract he advertising budgets. Tried and trusted professional content will always be less of a risk for advertisers as they know they will not end up around an amateur clip with the potential of unsuitable content for their brand. It is feasible that the content is actually the critical piece in the jigsaw but it also has to attract the audience. The traditional Media players, if they combine, could become more of a force in this space in the future but they must also understand that they have to move away from traditional broadcasting of content and be prepared to interact with the audience to make it a success in the new world of entertainment.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
BBC To "Simulcast" All Its Channels On TV And Web
The BBC, the publicly-owned UK broadcaster, has announced that all of its channels will be broadcast simultaneously on television and the internet from the end of November. The Corporation's digital-only channels – BBC Three, BBC Four, CBBC, CBeebies and BBC News – are already "simulcast" on TV and the web, but not its two main stations, BBC One and BBC Two. However, from later this month, they will also be transmitted live over the internet, complementing the iPlayer, the organisation's video-on-demand service. Says Jana Bennett, director of broadcast and production unit BBC Vision: "The launch of BBC One and BBC Two online completes our commitment to make our portfolio of channels available to watch on the internet. "From 27 November licence fee payers will be able to watch BBC programmes, live, wherever they are in the UK on their computers, mobile phones and other portable devices."
If There Is A Future For Television It Must Enable Viewer Interaction or Participation
Recent viewer figures identify that programming that enables viewers to interact with the show in a way that they effectively decide the outcome create a much larger audience. - 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!' almost halved the audience for BBC One's 'Apparitions', as 8.1m viewers tuned in to watch Robert Kilroy-Silk face the grimmest Bushtucker Trial to date.A two-hour special, in which Kilroy-Silk topped a live vote among viewers to face the 'Jungle Gym', captured a 35.3% share of the audience between 8pm-10pm.
The show grabbed a large share from BBC One's new supernatural drama 'Apparitions'. It drew a relatively tiny audience of 2.9m viewers,12.5% share of the audience in the 9pm-10pm slot, after launching with 4.6m viewers the previous week.
A Channel 4 documentary about disabled domestic pets was watched by 1.8m viewers taking a 7.6% share of the audience at the same time. Including viewers on Channel 4+1, 'Special Needs Pets' had 2m viewers and an 8.7% share of the audience.
Cult pop quiz 'Never Mind the Buzzcocks' brought BBC Two 1.9m viewers and an 8.3% share of the audience between 9pm-9.30pm. Five's documentary series 'Danger Men' netted 871,000 viewers and a 3.7% share of the audience with a look at 'Extreme Divers' between 9pm-10pm.
This trend is sure to set the future of Television success, The X Factor is another prime example of a large audience show which has participation on 2 levels, the first is that the contestants are actually picked from the general population and the audience effectively decide their destiny. The BBC has their own show that also attempts to pull in large audience figures through participation. This is Strictly Come Dancing. It is really interesting however to see the reaction of the BBC show compared to Simon Cowell and the X Factor team when the audience are being seen to hijack the program. The UK audiences have been following celebrity fuelled campaigns to keep in these competitions participants who are seen as weaker than some of the others. The BBC Judges appeared to get more frustrated with the general public and take that out on the contestant, John Sergeant, They are not actually accepting that the audience are not taking the show as seriously as a dancing show and more as an entertainment show. The result was John Sergeant to resign from the show, this effectively removes some of the participation that they are trying to encourage. Simon Cowell however just made a comment that if the audience carried on voting for the weaker singer then they would only end up having to buy and listen to his songs on the radio at the end of the show – he went that evening based on public voting.
TV & Internet Working in Unisom (US)
An internet-TV tech and service company, Backchannelmedia, is testing a system that lets television viewers use their remotes to "remember" URLs of brands. When an ad or news content appear on the screen, an icon appears that prompts viewers to "bookmark" the offer and store the link for later viewing. It is also possible to email the link — to a product's e-commerce page, for example — to themselves, directly from their remotes, users aren't relied upon to remember or write down the URL but can revisit it at their convenience.
The goal is to increase the 0.2% conversion rate among TV viewers that visit an associated website after viewing a TV commercial with a URL. If the program succeeds in boosting the rate to just 1%, that's an extra $40-$50 billion in ad revenue, Backchannelmedia estimates. As viewers can directly access the URL from an online repository, advertisers could also save money on sponsored search marketing efforts
Participating advertisers can track when a viewer clicks "OK" on his/her remote while watching a commercial. "Click-through" information is saved, so if the same consumer goes online and ultimately buys something, that purchase can be traced back to the ad.
The trial goes live at the end of November in several New England markets, In the first stage, Backchannelmedia gives participating homes set-top boxes and ties them to broadcast TV networks. The next stage will use downloaded software to make cable and satellite TV set top boxes compatible with the program.
The next stage has to be to enable viewers to either launch into the internet via their television or a better alternative would be to have split screen technology where viewers can continue watching and interact with companies making offers via TV advertising.
The goal is to increase the 0.2% conversion rate among TV viewers that visit an associated website after viewing a TV commercial with a URL. If the program succeeds in boosting the rate to just 1%, that's an extra $40-$50 billion in ad revenue, Backchannelmedia estimates. As viewers can directly access the URL from an online repository, advertisers could also save money on sponsored search marketing efforts
Participating advertisers can track when a viewer clicks "OK" on his/her remote while watching a commercial. "Click-through" information is saved, so if the same consumer goes online and ultimately buys something, that purchase can be traced back to the ad.
The trial goes live at the end of November in several New England markets, In the first stage, Backchannelmedia gives participating homes set-top boxes and ties them to broadcast TV networks. The next stage will use downloaded software to make cable and satellite TV set top boxes compatible with the program.
The next stage has to be to enable viewers to either launch into the internet via their television or a better alternative would be to have split screen technology where viewers can continue watching and interact with companies making offers via TV advertising.
BBC future of broadcasting
The key note of BBC future of broadcasing provided by Patrick Dixon in BBC. See here.
New media ecosystem
Since more and more creators can release their works in public, the relationship between “citizen media” and “mainstream media” is symbiotic. Shayne Bowman and Chris Willis share their views that in the future, the “Journalists” will as a gatekeeper do news filtering, fact checking, watch dogging, commentary, and analysis the information from community, and develop the community as a pool of story ideas.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Image search and the revolution of advertising ecosystem
The key word of information search should no longer limited using “text”; “image” could be another source in the future. Imagine, while you are watching a movie on the TV, you appreciate the presetting style of it. Just press the bottom and “google” it, you can find out all the profile of the director and his relative works. Extend this idea to adverting, the audience can search the furniture in the soap drama that which company design it, how much of it and where you can buy it. Further step, press the bottom and you can purchase on “TV”. The TV will be a virtual retailer, and the price of the advertising will change from “how much per second” to "how much per unit sold”.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
The Future of TV From The Well Known Experts - Microsoft!
It is very clear that the role of television is changing when people like Blair Westlake - Corporate VP, Media & Entertainment Group, Microsoft shares his views on the future of Television and its interaction with the broadband viewing experience of the internet. New players are entering this space but the question is can the traditional players adapt to take advantage of the new technology and shifting media interactions before the New Media companies invade and conquer their space.
The Future of Television - Warner Bros View
It is undeniable that audiences of TV programmes are declining and the media environment is considerably more competitive. There is increased competition from new media channels, particularly the Internet and no doubt mobile will follow. As a result the major players in traditional Television are looking to innovate and take advantage of the new media channels now available to them. Warner Bros are a good example of what many would have called a media organisation with very strong presence in television. They now are moving away from being focussed on creating programmes for television to delivering electronically transmitted content, in which television is one of many media channels that is used. The value creation is now shifting and there is an emergence outside of the television space that just links to content that is shown through multiple channels. In this presentation Bruce Rosenblum of Warner Bros talks about the future of their business and how the role of television is shifting.
What Is Happening to Media Consumption?
TV is still the most used media channel for people to get their news updates but what was a very strong position several ye
ars ago is almost static in growth terms and soon to be overtaken by the Internet as the leading media channel for news information.
The interesting observation is that it is very much a source used to access traditional sources such as streamed radio, press and TV content.
It is a similar story for News commentary, analysis or opinion as TV has been the strongest channel used by consumers but is not showing the strength of growth that th
e Internet and mobile phones are in this sector.
The internet is clearly proving itself as an emerging media channel that being used more and more by consumers for a reasonable length of time.
It is a similar story for consumer access to entertainment and sports news with TV and print traditionally taking the greater share of usage, but it is the New Media channels showing strong growth.
It is within the entertainment news area that mobile technology is proving itself as a serious threat to traditional media. Consumers clearly
want to be kept up to date on the go with the latest celebrity gossip and this need is being satisfied by the use of the Internet and mobile phones.
Sports results are also an interesting area as they are driven by the fact that they have specific points in time when the latest information is available and consumers will be very aware at what point of the day the latest results will be available. Consumers clearly can no longer wait for timed summary
programmes through traditional channels to push content out, they now go in search of the information that is relevant to them and they want it as soon as they know it will be available.
Film and TV shows differ as they have fewer options in terms of how consumers can access them, they are not appropriate for Press or Radio channels. It is no surprise that TV has dominated this space for years but it is the Internet again that is showing growth in terms of usage. Whilst mobile has a relatively low
level of usage it is a channel that is showing growth.
It is clear to see that the balance of power is shifting from the traditional “push” media channels, particularly television, to the new easy access channels that carry up to the minute information updates that consumers can go to at any time of the day from pretty much anywhere they are to pull short bursts of information that is relevant to them. They effectively choose that information they want to receive and go looking for it at their convenience. It is this change in media consumption that is affecting the whole media landscape.
ars ago is almost static in growth terms and soon to be overtaken by the Internet as the leading media channel for news information.The interesting observation is that it is very much a source used to access traditional sources such as streamed radio, press and TV content.
It is a similar story for News commentary, analysis or opinion as TV has been the strongest channel used by consumers but is not showing the strength of growth that th
e Internet and mobile phones are in this sector.The internet is clearly proving itself as an emerging media channel that being used more and more by consumers for a reasonable length of time.
It is a similar story for consumer access to entertainment and sports news with TV and print traditionally taking the greater share of usage, but it is the New Media channels showing strong growth.
It is within the entertainment news area that mobile technology is proving itself as a serious threat to traditional media. Consumers clearly
want to be kept up to date on the go with the latest celebrity gossip and this need is being satisfied by the use of the Internet and mobile phones.Sports results are also an interesting area as they are driven by the fact that they have specific points in time when the latest information is available and consumers will be very aware at what point of the day the latest results will be available. Consumers clearly can no longer wait for timed summary
programmes through traditional channels to push content out, they now go in search of the information that is relevant to them and they want it as soon as they know it will be available.Film and TV shows differ as they have fewer options in terms of how consumers can access them, they are not appropriate for Press or Radio channels. It is no surprise that TV has dominated this space for years but it is the Internet again that is showing growth in terms of usage. Whilst mobile has a relatively low
level of usage it is a channel that is showing growth.It is clear to see that the balance of power is shifting from the traditional “push” media channels, particularly television, to the new easy access channels that carry up to the minute information updates that consumers can go to at any time of the day from pretty much anywhere they are to pull short bursts of information that is relevant to them. They effectively choose that information they want to receive and go looking for it at their convenience. It is this change in media consumption that is affecting the whole media landscape.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
How Far Through The Life Cycle Is Television?
There are many things that can be considered when looking at the future of TV in the form of innovation such as 3D capabilities or video on demand but there are other innovations involving TV that potentially have a wider reaching impact based on the functionality it offers the consumer. TiVo (see interview with Tom Rogers President & CEO) pushes the video on demand concept much further and takes away some of the issues with fixed programming and moving more towards being the google for TV content. The future is less to do with the quality of the visual experience but more the wide ranging capabilities. The future of TV may be extended through developments around Web enabling technology seen here and here.
Friday, November 7, 2008
So what is the future for TV?
There is evidence that the future of TV, if reliant on advertising revenues, is in danger. Articles by Bloomberg and the world advertising research centre indicate that TV revenues are declining. HSBC’s Chief Economist tries to suggest that media companies hold firm through the cyclical down turn in the market, but it is not that simple as the media marketplace is also going through a structural change and advertising spend was already migrating from traditional media to online.
The current economic situation is actually speeding up the need for media companies to re-align their cost bases to the future revenue opportunities based on a changing media mix, ITV is no different as Rupert Howell, ITV's managing director, brand and commercial explains in this article. Changes include current director of television Peter Fincham stepping into the new position of director of television, channels and online. ITV’s broadcast arm will form a joint unit with web properties like video-on-demand service ITV.com, social networking site Friends Reunited and Project Kangaroo, currently under development with fellow broadcasters Channel 4, Five and the BBC. ITV's online revenue from January to September rose by 6% to £25 million, with the number of unique users rising from 4.8 million to 5.9 million. The company's executive chairman, Michael Grade, argues that its web-streaming business is becoming a "channel in its own right. With content at the heart of our turnaround strategy, it now makes sense to integrate fully all our platforms to ensure the very best of our content is available to viewers wherever they wish to view it.”
According to Ad Age the US ABC and CBC networks are spending millions on research to make two arguments: Online-video ads have a bigger impact than TV ads and therefore deserve higher ad rates than TV, and that consumers don’t mind the intrusion. Their initial research from Magid Associates shows consumer recall of an unskippable ad online is 50% compared with 18% for an unskippable ad on broadcast TV. We say - Further evidence from world leading players in the commercial field that online video advertising works, and does so better than traditional TV advertising.
The current economic situation is actually speeding up the need for media companies to re-align their cost bases to the future revenue opportunities based on a changing media mix, ITV is no different as Rupert Howell, ITV's managing director, brand and commercial explains in this article. Changes include current director of television Peter Fincham stepping into the new position of director of television, channels and online. ITV’s broadcast arm will form a joint unit with web properties like video-on-demand service ITV.com, social networking site Friends Reunited and Project Kangaroo, currently under development with fellow broadcasters Channel 4, Five and the BBC. ITV's online revenue from January to September rose by 6% to £25 million, with the number of unique users rising from 4.8 million to 5.9 million. The company's executive chairman, Michael Grade, argues that its web-streaming business is becoming a "channel in its own right. With content at the heart of our turnaround strategy, it now makes sense to integrate fully all our platforms to ensure the very best of our content is available to viewers wherever they wish to view it.”
According to Ad Age the US ABC and CBC networks are spending millions on research to make two arguments: Online-video ads have a bigger impact than TV ads and therefore deserve higher ad rates than TV, and that consumers don’t mind the intrusion. Their initial research from Magid Associates shows consumer recall of an unskippable ad online is 50% compared with 18% for an unskippable ad on broadcast TV. We say - Further evidence from world leading players in the commercial field that online video advertising works, and does so better than traditional TV advertising.
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