Broadcast TECH SECOND SCREEN IT TAKES TWO
In the first of a series of articles about the future of broadcasting, Martin Guillaume examines the rise of the second screen and how the boundaries between TV, internet and gaming are becoming increasingly blurred
L
ive content is what continues to drive
audiences to traditional broadcast. While deliv- ering sports, concerts, reality shows or news across an expanding set
of channels and devices is a challenge, it makes viewing more immersive and partici- patory. For now, the television is the epicentre of media consumption in the home, but the viewing experience is increasingly supple- mented by other devices, and it is here where the opportunity lies for broadcasters to enrich experiences and engage viewers. Second screens should be considered an integral and growing component of broadcasters’ strategy. Consumers are embracing a multi-device,
second-screen environment across music, TV, films and gaming. On average, there are 4.6 internet-connected devices per household in the UK. A recent Razorfish/Yahoo! study showed that 70% of people multitask at least once a week while watching television, with 49% doing so on a daily basis. Consumers tweet, comment, play games, blog and con- sult the internet all while watching TV, so broadcasters need to work even harder to engage viewers in their content. This challenge can be transformed into an
opportunity by bringing together the tele vision and second-screen content to create a comple- mentary viewing experience for the viewer. For example, social media is making major in- roads into the TV world and is an opportu- nity for broadcasters to engage with viewers. Former BBC iPlayer chief Anthony Rose’s social-media application Zeebox, which is centred around TV programmes, demonstrates how consumer engagement can be fostered. Comments from viewers inform broadcasters
about how their programmes are perceived but, more importantly, it ends the monologue; TV is finally delivering on the promise of inter- activity. Importantly, this is all done without disturbing the primary viewing experience.
www.broadcastnow.co.uk/techfacils
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Game-changing: second screen offers a way to
increase viewer engagement Every expressed opinion can be shared,
measured, analysed and used to improve the quality of the programmes. This is where we expect to see new ways to engage with audiences and drive customer loyalty.
Blurring the boundaries So what is the future? The boundaries between TV, internet and gaming are blurring. For example, EA’s Fifa 2012 football game allows a replay of any action from any angle. Con- sumers expect to navigate and experience live sports in the same way, replaying a sequence from the vantage point of any player. There is an unprecedented depth of statis-
tics available for real football matches, with new technology from companies like Prozone, HawkEye and TracAb allowing players and ball positions to be measured 25 times a sec- ond. Speed, pace and stamina are captured, analysed and compared in real time, giving viewers new insights into player performance. There are also revenue opportunities to be realised. As well as advertising, broadcasters
can offer price-tiered data packages that enable customers to pay for insightful data related to the content they are viewing. Football fans, for example, can compare and navigate content in ways never previously imagined, and archive content can be given new value. Technically, all of this is available. However,
there are challenges associated with such compelling content. The information asso- ciated with video will need to become con- siderably richer – think data descriptors for every frame. That may sound mad, but several broadcasters are already capturing athlete names associated with specific video frames. It is a pre-requisite to the effective and customised delivery of a set of video clips that match a precise customer request. Such challenges can be overcome and the
opportunities are clear: from generating thrilling highlights to fuelling personalised experiences, the power of the second screen is game-changing. ➤ Martin Guillaume is IBM’s global business services media industry leader for Europe
March/April 2012 | Broadcast TECH | 35
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