Former Chairman and CEO, MTV Networks International
There’s no doubt that internet delivery is a disruptive technology but its effect has been nowhere near as disruptive as in the record and print businesses. This is largely because the TV business has done a good job of integrating technology pretty consistently, from multi-channel to HD to 3D, and kept pace with satisfying consumer demand. The big question is what happens to the current TV model and it is safe to assume that the industry will increasingly depend less on broadcast and more on broad- band delivery. However the erosion of audiences will be less rapid than people think. Free-to-air TV is not going away because it still uniquely delivers huge audiences in a business that is increasingly fragmented, while the pay TV model is so valuable that operators con- tinue to make sure that the consumer is satisfied, at their peril.
Michael T. Fries President & CEO, Liberty Global
I think the right response is to see it as opportunity not as risk; to view it as an evolutionary process, not necessarily a disruptive or revolutionary one. What we are learning is that consumers are willing to, and prefer to, consume con- tent in different ways. They are consuming the same content and using the same broadband or mpeg connection, just doing so on different devices.
The opportunity for cable operators is to embrace that and innovate, not necessarily in the network or in the content relationships we have but in the user interface and the experience we provide consumers. There is no reason why we can’t allow consump- tion of our content on PCs and tablets, no reason why our interface can’t be as beautiful as Apple’s. We are trying to take our experience to that next level and satisfy not just the growing demand for great content but for innovative ways to consume it.
We are trying to take our experience to the next level and satisfy not just the growing
demand for great content but for
innovative ways to
consume it
Jolyon Barker
Partner and MD, Global, TMT, Deloitte
The proliferation of connected devices means that the media and entertainment industry can finally begin to bring multichannel experiences to its audience. Stories that begin on traditional channels can be sustained between marquee moments. And, of course, the audience can participate as a critic or even a protagonist in the drama. These channels are no panacea. Low barriers to entry for digital services and even for digital devices mean that choosing where to participate is as important as choosing how to partici- pate. These are add-ons to stories, not the core of the story. Investment has to be commensurate. The tools to create and disseminate content on digital channels are expensive, complex and still evolving at a rapid pace. The chal- lenge for media executives is to determine what to do, as well as what not to do, in digital.