Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

How streaming providers can create a more intuitive user experience

08/04/2021

Marcus Bergstr m, CEO of Vionlabs, explains why streaming services need to better understand their content

By Jenny Priestley

Published: April 8, 2021

Marcus Bergstr m, CEO of Vionlabs, explains why streaming services need to better understand their content

target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin> Marcus Bergstr m, CEO of Vionlabs, explains why streaming services need to better understand their content

https://www.tvbeurope.com/media-delivery/how-streaming-providers-can-create-a-more-intuitive-user-experience title=Share via Email class=share-email>

2021 will be a pivotal year for video streaming services. For the first time in history, more people will pay for online streaming services than for traditional pay-TV. However, the reality is that the streaming market is reaching the point of saturation as more and more services launch. In recent years, high-quality original programming has been the primary way streaming providers enhance and differentiate their services from competitors. Netflix is estimated to house around 1,500 TV series and 4,000 films, Amazon Prime Video is home to almost 20,000 titles, and a subscription to Disney Plus adds around 7,000 more TV episodes and 500 films for viewers to choose from.

High-quality programming alone is no longer enough to keep consumers subscribed to a service. In fact, one of the most common problems today's audiences face is being able to find something they actually want to watch.

As recently as 2017, viewers were spending almost an hour a day searching for content. This daily dilemma often results in endless scrolling before the consumer settles on something that they've already watched before or something that only vaguely interests them, because they do not want to waste more time searching for something that truly captures their interest. The challenge video streaming providers must now overcome is offering a superior user experience that can serve viewers the content that not only interests them, but also reflects the mood they are in at that specific moment. The only way a streaming service can achieve this is by using AI and machine learning to gain a deep understanding of its content's emotional data and serve recommendations that match the viewer's mood.

Creating recommendations that are based on users' emotions is something that's already being used by music streaming services. Spotify recently revealed that it has patented technology that will allow it to analyse the user's voice and suggest songs based on emotional state, gender, age, or accent . With this technology, Spotify will be able to play and recommend music that reflects the user's mood or social setting. For example, a user could say I'm feeling happy and I'm hosting a big party and Spotify can then play or recommend classic, upbeat party anthems. Video streaming services need to take note of Spotify's approach of using mood to provide recommendations, because it provides users with greatly enhanced personalisation that will help boost brand loyalty and reduce churn.

What lies beneath the metadata? However, before streaming services can start categorising content by mood, they need to better understand their content. Currently, many content discovery systems rely on basic metadata, which broadly labels content based on data points such as genre, the actors starring in it, or even just picking up on keywords in content titles. Metadata doesn't provide streaming platforms with enough knowledge about their content, so it's no surprise that their recommendations will be poor. To take recommendation systems to the next level, streaming providers need to harness AI and machine learning technologies to gain a deep understanding of the content in a scalable way by analysing the audio and video file itself.

Content analysis based on AI and machine learning can have different neural networks to identify patterns in colour, audio, pace, stress levels, positive/negative emotions, camera movements and many other characteristics. It can then evaluate how similar each asset is to every other asset and combine this information with an AI engine that analyses a household's watchlist, drawing together a more advanced and nuanced understanding of the content asset and its relevance at any particular time.

A user who watches a fast-paced thriller on a Friday night may well want something more light-hearted immediately after, and a recommendation system that is being fed this type of detailed content data can offer this level of intuition. Over time, it can analyse each viewer's consumption patterns and data points - not just each device, but each individual user profile - and perfectly tailor recommendations for their watch preferences, suggesting the right content, at the right time.

Last night, a mood category saved my life. Understanding the content itself goes way beyond just understanding similarity, it opens the door to a whole range of new use-cases that traditional metadata won't allow you to tap into. With the emotional data of the content coming from the audio/video file itself, streaming providers can automatically curate entire mood categories and channels for viewers. The type of content we want to watch is often strongly related to how we feel at that particular moment, so grouping content by mood makes the user experience more intuitive. With an advanced AI engine, we can analyse the intrinsic emotional profile of each content asset to create nuanced categories. For example, parents with young children who want to watch a film on a Friday night will likely click on a mood category or channel that says, family friendly comedies . Additionally, in group settings when there's a lot of debate over what to watch, it's much easier to find something that intere
LINK: https://www.tvbeurope.com/media-delivery/how-streaming-providers-can-c...
See more stories from tvb

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

09/10/2026

Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026

September 10 2026, 06:00 (PDT) Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026 New Sports Intelligence helps providers better unders...

07/10/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Media Operations from Ingest to Distribution

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...

23/09/2026

University of Washington's New Sundodger Studios Leverages ST 2110 to Bring Broadcast, Videoboard, and Creative Under One Roof

Four control rooms support B1G+ streams, videoboard shows, creative content, and...

23/09/2026

Mountain West Conference Moves Replay Operations West, Cutting Late-Night Hours

By Andrew Cohen, SVG Coorespondant The Mountain West debuted its new Replay Operations Center at the start of this football season, bringing real-time collabor...

23/09/2026

SVG Students to Watch: Brian Short, Ball State University

The Taylorville, IL, native is pushing creative boundaries at Ball State, gaining reps across directing, technical directing, tape, and more than 100 ESPN+ broa...

23/09/2026

The Musical and the Power of Spiteful Thinking

Alexander Heller, Nevada Jose, Will Brill, and Giselle Bonilla pose with cast members at The Musical premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at Eccles...

23/09/2026

The Crow Hill Company release Children's Choir

Includes natural and processed patches The Crow Hill Company's latest sample library captures a children's choir comprising a troupe of boys perform...

23/09/2026

Kreuzberg Audio reveal Oberton

Plug-in offers six bands of saturation Kreuzberg Audio's product range includes a selection of plug-ins and virtual instruments aimed primarily at hard-...

23/09/2026

SoundBridge 3.2.0 arrives

Latest DAW update now live SoundBridge have announced that the latest update for the remote-collaboration-focused DAW is now available. The release of Sound...

23/09/2026

Koori Knockout returns home exclusively to NITV and SBS On Demand in 2026

Koori Knockout returns home exclusively to NITV and SBS On Demand in 2026 11 September, 2026 Media releases Fans can catch all the live action exclusively ...

23/09/2026

Rohde & Schwarz acquires NEOSAT and PHYTRONIC and strengthens its competencies in sovereign satellite communications

Rohde & Schwarz acquires NEOSAT and PHYTRONIC and strengthens its competencies i...

23/09/2026

NFVF SEDIBA CREATIVE ENTERPRISE PROGRAMME CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

1. ABOUT THE PROGRAMME The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites applications from experienced producers who own or manage a South African product...

23/09/2026

CALL FOR THE SEVENTH PRESIDENTIAL EMPLOYMENT STIMULUS PROGRAMME(PESP 7) FOCUSED ON THE AUDIO-VISUAL INDUSTRY IS OPEN

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce the opening...

23/09/2026

NHK Technologies Inc. Chooses Calrec for Sports Production

Download Now! To receive a short case study showcasing NHK Technologies, Inc. (NT) s audio setup, please enter the following details: -- First Name* Fir...

23/09/2026

McDonald's takes top spot as New Zealand's fast-food tastes evolve, according to Nielsen

Nielsen CMI data reveals a changing fast-food landscape, with value, convenience...

23/09/2026

AFP, Dalet To Collaborate On News Video Provenance, Authenticity

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

23/09/2026

Spectrum News NECN Launches Across New England

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

23/09/2026

COW Jobs: Blender on Windows - Generalist - Remote

COW Jobs: Blender on Windows - Generalist - Remote Brie Clayton September 23, 2026 0 Comments Application Users - Blender on Windows - Generalist Se...

23/09/2026

Bitfocus wins IBC2026 Best of Show Award for latest Butto...

Version 1.8 recognised for new workflow tools, boosted control panel flexibility and ease of integration into IP networks...

23/09/2026

Hiltron Reports a Successful IBC2026

Hiltron Communications reports a successful 2026 International Broadcasting Convention, held at the RAI Amsterdam. Exhibiting on stand A37 in Hall 1, Hiltron ex...

23/09/2026

LiveU Showcases AI Driven Production Alongside Resilient...

Reinforcing its long-term commitment to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) broadcast market, LiveU is presenting the Q Era at CABSAT 2026, on Stand H1-D35 ...

23/09/2026

AFP and Dalet Partner to Strengthen the Provenance and Au...

Agence France-Presse (AFP), a global news agency, and Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced a partnersh...

23/09/2026

Berklee Connect Unlocks the Power of a Global Network

Berklee Connect Unlocks the Power of a Global Network Katie Vitolins BM '04 knows firsthand what Berklee's alumni community can make possible. Now she...

23/09/2026

Study: Renewals for Streaming Shows Continue to Decline

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

23/09/2026

Study: More Than 4 in 10 U.S. Adults Own or Are Interested in Smart Glasses

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

23/09/2026

Television Critics Association Revises Bylaws to Address AI

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

23/09/2026

eX Celebrates Completion of Holland Mich. FTTP Network

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

23/09/2026

Gray Media Renews Ohio Valley Conference Deal

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

23/09/2026

QuickLink StudioPro Powers Next Generation Student Media...

Westminster Schools, a K through 12 school in Atlanta, Georgia with approximately 2,000 students, has transformed its student broadcast and digital storytelling...

23/09/2026

UK Pavilion Brings Leading British Technology to CABSAT a...

The 2026 edition of CABSAT and SATExpo may have a new home and dates in the diary, but it still retains a strong presence from UK companies in the GREAT Britain...

23/09/2026

Glensound marks 60 years with new audio developments at C...

Glensound will return to CABSAT with new developments in professional monitoring and Dante interfacing, alongside its established commentary, esports and parlia...

23/09/2026

Guy Martin's Proper Jobs returns for third series

A great watch - Radio Times TV's most likeable proper bloke - Daily Telegraph 23rd September 2026, London: Guy Martin returns to free streaming service...

23/09/2026

Sky Sports to show England Mens tour of South Africa as part of Cricket South Africa rights deal

Wednesday 23 September 2026 Sky Sports to show England Men's tour of South ...

23/09/2026

Comscore Partners with datafuelX to Bring Seamless Currency Adoption Into a Comprehensive Planning and Stewardship Workflow

Comscore Partners with datafuelX to Bring Seamless Currency Adoption Into a Comp...

23/09/2026

SES Appoints Michel Scholer to Board of Directors

Luxembourg, 23 September 2026 - SES today announced the appointment of Mr. Michel Scholer, Secretary General of the Luxembourg Government and Chief of Staff to ...

23/09/2026

New RT series Ceol le Chile amplifies the multicultural voices of Ireland today

RT One and RT Player, Friday 25 September Ceol le Ch ile, a new series that follows Irish artists as they collaborate with musicians from diverse background...

23/09/2026

RT true crime podcast Unsolved reveals significant new evidence in the case of missing person Philip Cairns

Available now on RT Listen New information has come to light in the case of mi...

23/09/2026

Sakeena Fiza Helps NVIDIA Hardware Succeed at Scale

When Sakeena Fiza describes her work as a validation engineer at NVIDIA, she does so in terms more befitting a detective story than a world-class engineering la...

22/09/2026

Young Journalist Award 2026: Meet the Final 12

From Malaysia to Mexico and from DR Congo to Ukraine, this year's 12 finalists for the 2026 Thomson Foundation Young Journalist of the Year award tell extra...

22/09/2026

ESPN, Precision Lasers Light Up NHL Player Media Tour in Las Vegas

The annual preseason content-gathering event brought 36 NHL players to Las Vegas, where ESPN used 2.5 kilowatts of laser power and a motion-control camera syste...

22/09/2026

Neumann Introduces KK 104 A and KK 105 A Wireless Capsule Heads

Neumann has introduced the KK 104 A (cardioid) and KK 105 A (supercardioid) wireless capsule heads, succeeding the KK 204 and KK 205. The new capsules are compa...

22/09/2026

NFL and TMRW Sports Announce Pro Flag Showcase During Super Bowl LXI Week

The NFL and TMRW Sports have announced a new annual Pro Flag Showcase to be held during Super Bowl LXI week in Los Angeles. The event will feature top flag foot...

22/09/2026

Washington State University Unveils New Daktronics Video Board and Audio System at Gesa Field

Washington State University has unveiled a new end zone video display and audio ...

22/09/2026

SVG Sit-Down: Disney's Dave Johnson on ESPN's New 4K HDR Distribution Pipeline and What It Means for Super Bowl LXI and Beyond

Disney's SVP of Live Operations and Engineering details the technology behin...

22/09/2026

Cosm Promotes Mazen Alawar to SVP of Marketing, Alexis Scalice to VP of Cosm Studios

Cosm has announced two senior promotions. Mazen Alawar has been promoted to SVP,...

22/09/2026

Mississippi State University Extends Camera Relationship with KOKUSAI DENKI

Mississippi State University's University Television Center has purchased four KOKUSAI DENKI SK-UHD7000-S2 cameras since 2024, with plans to add two more, a...

22/09/2026

Net Insight Appoints Christine Kjellvard as Interim CFO

Net Insight has announced that Christine Kjellvard will assume the role of interim Chief Financial Officer on November 1, 2026. Kjellvard has previously held in...

22/09/2026

Net Insight Launches Zyntai TimeNode Access PTP Grandmaster for Edge Sites

Net Insight has announced Zyntai TimeNode Access, a compact PTP Grandmaster designed for distributed edge sites. The product carries secure, precise time across...

22/09/2026

The Weight Explores the High Cost of Freedom in the Depression Era

Sam Hazeldine, Austin Amelio, Padraic McKinley, Julia Jones, and Ethan Hawke attend the premiere of The Weight at The Ray Theatre on January 26, 2026, in Park...