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
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
16/07/2026
33 leading exhibitors are taking part in the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland Pavilions and linked locations across IBC2026 (Amsterdam RAI, 11 14 September)...
16/07/2026
Hitomi Broadcast will introduce Spectra, a new HDR colour verification solution measured in picture, not using VPID, at IBC2026 (Hall 10, Stand A40). Expanding ...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Zixi, a leader in live video delivery and workflow orchestration, and Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) today announced a strategic new integration to deliver ...
16/07/2026
Blackmagic Design Cameras Capture Immersive Flight for New Cirrus App
Brie Clayton July 15, 2026
0 Comments
Leader in Personal Aviation taps URSA Cin...
16/07/2026
XenData Announces LTO Archive Appliances with both File and S3 Object Storage In...
16/07/2026
Together the semi-finals had a combined reach of 1.98 million unique individuals...
15/07/2026
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is a big deal for DAZN, which has distribution rights in three markets: Italy, Spain, and Japan. Each requires a different editorial app...
15/07/2026
As sports-media organizations manage rapidly growing content libraries and incre...
15/07/2026
HBS director of digital Johannes Franken talks SVG Europe through the operation built to serve FIFA World Cup 2026 rights holders remotely from Stratford, east ...
15/07/2026
IBC has unveiled the conference program for IBC2026, with this year's event ...
15/07/2026
Software-defined wideband RF platform supports 96-kHz monitoring, streamlined fr...
15/07/2026
New AI-powered module enables broadcasters and content owners to extract dialogu...
15/07/2026
Weeklong gathering at EBU headquarters will test new IPMX capabilities and expand certified product ecosystem...
15/07/2026
Force Tech has announced the appointment of Bryan Adams, CTS, as Vice President of Integration. Adams will oversee AV and broadcast integration project delivery...
15/07/2026
USA Sports has announced an exclusive English-language agreement with the Bundes...
15/07/2026
ITV Sport's FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage has been produced from one of the m...
15/07/2026
Program will provide professional camera kits, training, and technical support to participating local newsrooms...
15/07/2026
San Francisco church becomes first U.S. deployment of the 2 M/E production switcher...
15/07/2026
Former ESPN and NFL Network executive to advise startup league on media, distribution, technology, and fan engagement...
15/07/2026
The Houston-based RSN is the live-game home of the Astros and Rockets...
15/07/2026
Launched alongside new FreqSoft installer
Designed to bridge the gap between hardware and software, Freqport's FreqInOut FO1 unit provides a simple way ...
15/07/2026
Save up to 55% on software until 23 July 2026
Expressive E have just launched their Summer Offer sale, with discounts of up to 55% now applied across their ...
15/07/2026
Real-time stem-separation tool updated
zplane have recently released a new and improved version of their real-time stem-separation plug-in which they say ma...
15/07/2026
A new benchmark in bass enhancement
Described as a new benchmark in bass enhancement , Baby Audio's latest release has been designed to augment the lo...
15/07/2026
DMC Production's AR 1 and AR 2 units reverse the conventional OB workflow, keeping all production-critical processing at the venue while operators work remo...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
GigaCloud, a leading Ukrainian cloud service provider, and Cubbit, the first geo-distributed cloud storage enabler, today announced a new Business Alliance Part...
15/07/2026
SMPTE, the global society for media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has announced the launch of the SMPTE 110th Anniversary Campaign, a fundraising...
15/07/2026
Studio Technologies, a leading manufacturer of high-quality audio, video, and fiber-optic solutions, unveils the new StudioComm Model 762 Stereo Level Control, ...
15/07/2026
COW Jobs: Producer, Virtual Events - Hybrid, Full Time, Salaried
Brie Clayton July 15, 2026
0 Comments
Producer, Virtual Events (Hybrid | Full-time | ...
15/07/2026
Brazilian media organization builds nationwide CDN with Broadpeak's high-performance software for low-latency streaming and new content distribution service...
15/07/2026
DHD announces a new utility designed to increase the efficiency of its audio mixing systems during initial installation and subsequent configuration.
Anyone w...
15/07/2026
BCNEXXT Brings Next-Generation Vipe to IBC2026, Breaking the 1:1 Channel-to-Server Ratio New innovations liberate broadcasters from legacy playout infrastructur...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
General-purpose robots and autonomous machines are moving from research labs to ...
15/07/2026
Wednesday 15 July 2026
Screeners and press pack now available: Gomorrah: The Or...
15/07/2026
Trinity's Treasures features Ruth Negga, Eleanor McEvoy, and David Norris, a...
15/07/2026
Join geographer Dr Susan Hegarty, Engineer Tim Joyce and Architect Orla Murphy a...
Marcus Bergstr m, CEO of Vionlabs, explains why streaming services need to better understand their content
