Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Going over-the-top with OTT: The broadcasters' Catch 22

29/09/2022

Thomas Bostr m J rgensen, CEO, Appear, queries whether broadcasters should go all in on the next generation, or maintain focus on their declining pool of traditional TV viewers

By Contributor

Published: September 29, 2022

Thomas Bostr m J rgensen, CEO, Appear, queries whether broadcasters should go all in on the next generation, or maintain focus on their declining pool of traditional TV viewers

target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>

Broadband has sparked a revolution across the entire content production and broadcasting value chain, enabling new ways to create, contribute and distribute content. With added flexibility, IP offers broadcasters and content producers the potential for massive cost savings. This is not, however, to say that IP as we know is a silver bullet that will solve all problems with traditional' content contribution and distribution. There are significant considerations to take into account on both a technical front, and with regards to meeting customer expectations. Leaning too far into IP-based offerings runs the risk of alienating a core customer base for many broadcasters, those legacy customers still using linear TV services, but by not developing next-generation OTT offerings there's a significant risk of being left behind the curve and missing the market's next shift. But what is the balance here? And why is customer expectation shifting?

Earlier this year we conducted a survey of players from across the broadcast industry to understand more about the technology areas and developments that would impact them in the year ahead. Of those that answered, 66 per cent believed that streaming services will slightly or rapidly grow, and traditional pay-TV services will decline-a lot or somewhat. For sport, 64 per cent think live streaming of sports and other events will be a similar or better experience to satellite or cable broadcasts of these events.

Two of the most impactful results of the broadband effect , how broadcasting has changed in response to the broadband revolution, are the ways that it has changed OTT and the resulting shift in consumer expectation. OTT, in particular, has rapidly moved from a niche content distribution method to one of the primary distribution methods that broadcasters use today, in order to be able to bring more content to more viewers.

When we think about traditional content distribution, we typically think about content distributed through linear channels in very controlled environments, with equipment designed for that purpose. Though restart and PVR mechanisms do exist for non-OTT services, they aren't capable of providing enhanced experiences that customers have come to expect. Broadband has, however, blown the doors open on this, with remote production teams now able to broadcast content from virtually anywhere that has a fibre connection, and in the future, anywhere with mobile signal, thanks to developments in 5G technology. However, our respondents feel the ability to use 5G for live transmissions of primary content is some way off, with the majority (55 per cent) of respondents saying that 5G networks will have low impact on contribution in the next 12 months.

That being said, OTT's growing popularity is a direct result of a shift in viewer demand to enjoy content on-demand. In days gone by, watching TV was very much a passive experience dictated by broadcasters, who aired content at set times, meaning viewers were very much limited in choice. But the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus and others have disrupted the status quo, and today, viewers have much more control in terms of the content they watch and when. There is an ever- growing demand for choice, and viewers want to decide what they watch and when they watch it, completely of their own volition.

Though this demand is very real, and predicted to grow in future years as OTT offerings are the default for many younger viewers, there is still a sizable chunk of broadcasters' customer bases that prefer traditional services. This creates a problem for broadcasters, do they go all in on the next generation, or do they maintain focus on their declining pool of traditional TV viewers? Well, almost paradoxically the answer is both and neither. The way that broadcasters can keep customers happy both today and in future is to negotiate a balance between these two priorities, the exact way this is done depends very much on the demographic of your audience. Some regions or countries may have particularly strong fibre networks, encouraging more of a forward shift, while others may have a particularly dedicated satellite audience which will require a much gentler approach.

In either situation, from a practical standpoint what broadcasters need is flexibility. While hybrid models that incorporate both IP and satellite, cable or terrestrial are likely to dominate for some time to come, in order to make the most of the technology available, flexibility will need to be built into the value chain. With this in place, broadcasters will be able to meet the changing demands of their customers with on-demand content and dynamic viewing experiences.

An important point to grasp for broadcasters is to not just give customers what they want but to understand why they want it. Sports, for example, are one domain where satellite is still the preferred consumption method for many audiences. One key factor for customers is latency, in a die-hard football town, it's no fun hearing your neighbour shout excitedly 30 seconds before you see the goal and spoil the anticipation. Customers also want to be able to view sports on all kinds of devices, in all kinds of network situations, at a quality of experience that is comparable to, or better than, what they are used to. It's in understanding these cases that broadcasters can i
LINK: https://www.tvbeurope.com/media-delivery/going-over-the-top-with-ott-t...
See more stories from tvb

Most recent headlines

10/12/2025

Sound-Alike Commercials Are Part of Sports' Soundtrack

Sound-Alike Commercials Are Part of Sports' Soundtrack Johnny Cash for Coca-Cola is the latest in a long litany of sonic approximationsBy Dan Daley, Audio ...

10/12/2025

Immersive Sound Is Logical Next Step for Sports Venues

Immersive Sound Is Logical Next Step for Sports VenuesSound-systems suppliers are sanguine, but the market has its challengesBy Dan Daley, Audio Editor Wednes...

10/12/2025

The Romans Built Arenas for Immersive Sound 2,000 Years Ago

The Romans Built Arenas for Immersive Sound 2,000 Years AgoThe historic Arena of Nimes in France is still in use todayBy Dan Daley, Audio Editor Wednesday, De...

10/12/2025

SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Audio Workshop Hits on Immersive, Virtualized, and Next-Gen Streaming Workflows

SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Audio Workshop Hits on Immersive, Virtualized, and Next...

10/12/2025

SVG Summit 2025 Technology Exhibits Preview: Audio Spotlight

SVG Summit 2025 Technology Exhibits Preview: Audio SpotlightBy SVG Staff Wednesday, December 10, 2025 - 8:21 am Print This Story | Subscribe Story Highlig...

10/12/2025

SVG Europe Audio: Listening to the Sounds of Powder and Ice at Milano Cortina with a Behind the Scenes Tour of OBS and NBC's Audio Set Ups

SVG Europe Audio: Listening to the sounds of powder and ice at Milano Cortina wi...

10/12/2025

Advancements in Audio Technology: Capturing the Atmosphere of Live Sports

Advancements in audio technology: Capturing the atmosphere of live sports By David Davies Tuesday, November 25, 2025 - 09:27 Print This Story Although wor...

10/12/2025

Everything Smelled of Popcorn: The Art of Bringing the Complex Sound of Esports to Fans With Sound Supervisor Matt Gilbert

Everything smelled of popcorn: The art of bringing the complex sound of esports ...

10/12/2025

2026 Sundance Film Festival Unveils 97 Projects Selected for the Feature Film and Episodic Program

Top L-R: Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!, Hanging by a Wire, Broken English, Buddy C...

10/12/2025

You're in Control: Spotify Lets You Steer the Algorithm

For the first time, Spotify is giving users the power to steer the algorithm. Gustav S derstr m, Spotify's Co-President, CPO, and CTO, shares the vision beh...

10/12/2025

L3Harris to Produce Additional Solid Rocket Motors for Precision-Guided Artillery System

L3Harris' new contract for Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System Insensitive ...

10/12/2025

US Space Force Expands Offensive Space Programs Through L3Harris Foreign Sales

L3Harris Meadowlands system has been designed with an open architecture software system that allows for more flexible and efficient software updates. This capab...

10/12/2025

Football Shifts TV Viewing Towards Ad Supported, Nielsen's Q3 2025 Ad Supported Gauge Finds

During this interval, streaming comprised the majority of ad supported TV (46.4%...

10/12/2025

Bitcentral Names Venture Capital Exec Rick Arnold to Board

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. Bitcentral, a provider of production, asset management, playout and streaming workflow solutions, has named technology veteran Rick Arnold...

10/12/2025

TV Tech Announces Winners of 2025 Best in Market Awards for M&E Tech

TV Tech is delighted to reveal the winners of the 2025 Media & Entertainment: Best in Market Awards....

10/12/2025

AIMS, VSF, AMWA, EBU To Hold Inaugural IPMX Testing, Certification Event

BOTHELL, Wash. The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), the Video Services Forum (VSF), the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) and the European Broad...

10/12/2025

DirecTV Launches Peacock Games

In a notable example of how pay TV operators are integrating streaming services into their lineup and using those services to retain or attract subscribers, Dir...

10/12/2025

Chaos Brings Real-Time Rendering to Maya and Houdini

Today, Chaos builds instant feedback into the viewport, connecting Maya and Houdini to Chaos Vantage's real-time path tracer. Artists can now assess 3D asse...

10/12/2025

Smeup doubles capacity with Cubbit under a new agreement...

Smeup, a key partner for companies engaged in digital transformation, today announced the expansion of its adoption of Cubbit, the first geo-distributed cloud s...

10/12/2025

Mediagenix Strengthens Its Security Posture with ISO 2700...

Mediagenix, a global leader in smart content solutions to profitably connect the right content to the right audience, today announced two significant milestones...

10/12/2025

HDR10+ Technologies Unveils HDR10+ ADVANCED Dynamic Metadata Technology

BEAVERTON, Ore. HDR10+ Technologies, LLC has announced that they will soon begin the licensing and certification of devices, content, and services that support ...

10/12/2025

SMPTE, EBU, ETC Publish Report on AI's Impact on the Media

SMPTE has joined forces with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) to publish an updated report on AI and its impact o...

10/12/2025

Clear-Com Appoints Kris Koch as New Director of Sales - N...

Clear-Com is pleased to announce the appointment of Kris Koch as Director of Sales - North & South America. In this expanded leadership role, Kris will oversee...

10/12/2025

Mavis Camera Launches Film Kit Unlocking LUT Workflows an...

Mavis today announced the latest version of Mavis Camera (v7.4), a major update to its professional iOS camera app, headlined by the launch of Film Kit - an opt...

10/12/2025

Creamsource Taps Industry Heavyweight Markus Zeiler as Gr...

Creamsource, renowned for its Vortex series of cinematic lighting, is laying the groundwork for its next phase of growth with the addition of Markus Zeiler as G...

10/12/2025

Digital Alert Systems Introduces DAS3-DC-PS DASDEC-III DC...

Digital Alert Systems, a global leader in emergency communications solutions for media providers, today announced that the DAS3-DC-PS, a new DC power supply opt...

10/12/2025

Riedel and Racing Electronics Announce Strategic Partners...

Riedel Communications today announced it has formed a strategic partnership with Racing Electronics, a premier provider of motorsport communication equipment in...

10/12/2025

GALSNGEAR Announces 2026 Leadership Retreats on East and...

#GALSNGEAR is launching two signature leadership retreats in early 2026, designed to equip women in media, entertainment, and technology with the tools to lead...

10/12/2025

CVP Launches Global Price Guarantee for Seamless Internat...

Providing worldwide customers with total confidence through transparent, all-inclusive pricing CVP, one of Europe's leading suppliers of professional video...

10/12/2025

Securing the Future of Broadcast TV in the U.S.

With the Federal Communications Commission working on new rules for the deployment of NextGen TV, next year promises to be an important one for both the future ...

10/12/2025

Former Charter CEO Tom Rutledge to Receive Cable Centers Bresnan Award

DENVER Tom Rutledge, director emeritus and former president and CEO of Charter Communications, will be honored with the 2026 Bresnan Ethics in Business Award by...

10/12/2025

Cadent Acquires YouTube Measurement Firm VuePlanner

NEW YORK Novocap's Cadent has acquired VuePlanner, a YouTube video ad planning, optimization, and measurement company in a deal that will help Cadent expand...

10/12/2025

Avoid Playlist Conflicts: Scheduling Back-to-Back Special Playlists

In preparation for the madness of March, here are some important reminders for scheduling back-to-back Special Playlists. The first Special Playlist MUST end b...

10/12/2025

VEON's Rising Capital Markets Profile Strengthened by Inclusion in Key Global Indices

10 Dec 2025 VEON's Rising Capital Markets Profile Strengthened by Inclusion...

10/12/2025

VEON Recognized for JazzCash, Kyivstar and Jazz at the World Communication Awards 2025

10 Dec 2025 VEON Recognized for JazzCash, Kyivstar and Jazz at the World Commun...

10/12/2025

Tribeca Films to Release the Independent Documentary Film Beam Me Up, Sulu by Timour Gregory and Sasha Schneider

December 10th, 2025 TRIBECA FILMS TO RELEASE THE INDEPENDENT DOCUMENTARY FILM...

10/12/2025

Sky extends partnership with the Ladies European Tour for a landmark 30th year

Wednesday 10 December 2025 Sky extends partnership with the Ladies European Tour for a landmark 30th year Sky and the Ladies European Tour (LET) have announce...

10/12/2025

Walk-on if you love the darts: James Maddison, Luke Littler and Big John star as Club 180 opens before 2026 PDC World Darts Championship

Wednesday 10 December 2025 Walk-on if you love the darts: James Maddison, Luke ...

10/12/2025

Rohde & Schwarz presents world's first RF power sensor with 0.80 mm RF connector for gapless DC to 150 GHz coverage

Rohde & Schwarz presents world's first RF power sensor with 0.80 mm RF conne...

10/12/2025

2026 Starts With a Swoon: Kim Seon-ho and Go Youn-jung Lead Can This Love Be Translated?', Premiering January 16

Back to All News 2026 Starts With a Swoon: Kim Seon-ho and Go Youn-jung Lead C...

10/12/2025

'Berlin and the Lady with an Ermine' Arrives to Netflix on May 15

Back to All News Berlin and the Lady with an Ermine Arrives to Netflix on May 15 Entertainment 10 December 2025 GlobalSpain Link copied to clipboard THE N...

10/12/2025

From stand-up to Foxtrot: Comedian Michael Fry revealed as fourth contestant for Dancing with the Stars 2026

It's out of the frying pan and into the sequins for comedian and actor Micha...

10/12/2025

Documentary film on the extraordinary life of Patrick Lydon, pioneer of social inclusion and disability, to premiere on RT

Born That Way airs Thursday 18 December on RT One and RT Player Born That ...

09/12/2025

2025 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: Pam Oliver, Sideline Icon Who Redefined the Role

2025 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: Pam Oliver, Sideline Icon Who Redefined t...

09/12/2025

SVG Summit 2025 Technology Exhibits Preview, Part 2

SVG Summit 2025 Technology Exhibits Preview, Part 2By Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S. Tuesday, December 9, 2025 - 7:17 am Print This Story | Subscr...

09/12/2025

SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Cloud Production Workshop Spotlights Live and Non-Live Workflows in the Cloud

SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Cloud Production Workshop Spotlights Live and Non-Live ...

09/12/2025

Next-Generation Content Protection: Multi-Technology Security is Integral to Combating New Threats

Next-generation content protection: Multi-technology security is integral to com...

09/12/2025

CBS Sports Provides One-of-a-Kind Production' for UEFA Champions League Crossover Event

CBS Sports Provides One-of-a-Kind Production' for UEFA Champions League Cro...

09/12/2025

Spanish Professional Basketball League Relies on NETGEAR AV, MAM Tech for Seamless Production

Spanish Professional Basketball League Relies on NETGEAR AV, MAM Tech for Seamle...