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

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 ...

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...

06/09/2026

Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Germany with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos

June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...

04/08/2026

Dalet Announces Commercial Availability of Dalia, Bringing Media-Aware Agentic AI to Enterprise Productions

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

24/07/2026

ESPN Adds New Production Features for NFL FLAG Championships

Referee hat cameras, player/coach mics, and virtual graphics will be deployed at the three-day event for the first time The NFL FLAG Championships return to ES...

24/07/2026

Qvest, Ateme and Scaleway Deliver Sovereign OTT Platforms for European Broadcasters

Qvest, Ateme, and Scaleway have partnered to offer broadcasters, media organizat...

24/07/2026

LTN Reaches 3,000 Satellite-to-IP Migrations as FCC Votes on C-Band Auction

LTN has completed satellite-to-IP migrations for more than 3,000 broadcaster, MVPD (Multi-Channel Video Programming Distributor), head-end, and content owner si...

24/07/2026

Chyron Releases Virtual Placement 8.1

Chyron has released Virtual Placement 8.1, an update to its live sports virtual graphics platform. The release adds workflow and graphics changes across chroma ...

24/07/2026

Riedel Deploys RefCam and Easy5G at International Soccer Match

Riedel's RefCam Live was used for the first time at an international soccer match during a friendly between the German men's national team and Ghana in ...

24/07/2026

USSI Global Offers Services for Next Phase of C-Band Spectrum Transition

USSI Global said it is prepared to help broadcasters, satellite network operators, and media organizations manage the next phase of C-band spectrum clearing, fo...

24/07/2026

Fubo Launches The Athletic Video Hub on CTV

FuboTV and The Athletic have launched The Athletic Video Hub on Fubo, bringing The Athletic's sports video content to connected TV (CTV) for the first time....

24/07/2026

Tagboard Integrates With Momento To Display Fan Reaction Photos on Venue Screens

Tagboard and Momento have partnered to bring Momento's fan reaction photos to venue videoboards in real time following big plays. The Seattle Mariners will ...

24/07/2026

Stephen Arnold Music Creates Anthem for Fox Television Stations FIFA World Cup Coverage

Stephen Arnold Music (SAM) created an anthem called The World Is Here for Fox ...

24/07/2026

CazTV Acquires Exclusive Brazilian WTA Tour Rights Through 2030

Caz TV has acquired Brazilian broadcast rights to the entire WTA Tour driven by Mercedes-Benz, covering all WTA 250, WTA 500, and WTA 1000 tournaments. The agre...

24/07/2026

SiriusXM and WWE Launch WWE Radio on Channel 156

SiriusXM and WWE have launched WWE Radio on SiriusXM channel 156, beginning Monday, July 27. The channel will carry live audio of WWE Premium Live Events, audio...

24/07/2026

Harvard Athletics Uses AJA Equipment for Collegiate Sports Production

Harvard Athletics produces more than 325 live NCAA Division 1 sports events and 500 edited videos per year. To manage video capture, streaming, recording, and s...

24/07/2026

Chyrons PRIME 5 Supported Telemundos FIFA World Cup 2026 Graphics Production

Chyron's PRIME 5 graphics platform supported live graphics workflows for NBCUniversal Telemundo's FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage across Telemundo, Univers...

24/07/2026

NBC Sports Prioritizes Data in Presentation of 113th Tour de France

Wearable tech returns to the coverage, and a brand-new mobile unit is rolled out for the 2026 edition The 21-stage Tour de France is nearing its conclusion. Th...

24/07/2026

ESPN Leans Into Player Access, Referee Cam for WNBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago

More than 20 cameras, extensive player and coach audio, and a REMCO production model will power coverage of the league's showcase For an event designed to ...

24/07/2026

F1 Unveils Strategy Insight Graphic Powered by AWS at Hungarian Grand Prix

New broadcast tool uses live timing, telemetry, and predictive analysis to decode real-time team decision-making for fans at home...

24/07/2026

Ratings Roundup: World Cup Final Draws Largest Non-NFL U.S. TV Audience in Nearly 30 Years

Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...

24/07/2026

SRM Sounds introduce Max Richter Strings

First string library captured at Studio Richter Mahr The latest sample library to be created at Max Richter's Studio Richter Mahr facility captures the ...

24/07/2026

KIT Plugins release BB Chamber D

Official emulation of Blackbird Studios reverb chamber In their latest collaboration with Blackbird Studios, KIT Plugins have captured the sound of the Stud...

24/07/2026

Behind Netflix's Emmy-nominated Monster: Bind Studio and FileRunner on the VFX pipeline

Sohonet's partners at BIND Studio have published a great case study on the V...

24/07/2026

Calrec Craft Interview with Sound Engineer Angela Gomez

Angela Gomez brings over 14 years of experience in broadcast communications and audio engineering, specialising in live outside broadcasts, live sports and larg...

24/07/2026

Harvard Athletics Transforms Collegiate Sports Storytelli...

Between the maturation of IP and remote production workflows, collegiate sports production is advancing rapidly. For an Ivy League institution like Harvard, kee...

24/07/2026

iWedia announces the launch of Teatro Factory - A groundb...

iWedia, a global provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announces the launch of Teatro Factory, a new operator-facing software factory o...

24/07/2026

Record-breaking World Cup has advertisers cheering

Yospace, the trusted leader in Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI), stitched 11.57 billion one-to-one addressable advertisements into live video streams during the 2026 ...

24/07/2026

Mediagenix To Feature 'Real-Time Media Enterprise Platform At IBC 2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

24/07/2026

Peacock Posts First Profits, Adds 2 Million Subs in Q2 2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

24/07/2026

Edward F. OKeefe Named President and CEO of The WNET Group

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

24/07/2026

TiVo Ads, OpenGlass Launch Programmatic Access to the TV Homescreen

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

24/07/2026

Digital Alert Systems DASDEC Platform Supports FCCs New P...

Current DASDEC software enables customers to comply with the FCC's new 15-character password mandate without requiring updates LYNDONVILLE, N.Y. July 23,...

24/07/2026

SDVI to Showcase Next-Generation Rally Platform and New T...

At the IBC2026 Show, SDVI will give European media organizations their first hands-on look at the next-generation Rally media supply chain management platform f...

24/07/2026

Sonnet Technologies at IBC2026

Sonnet Technologies at IBC2026 Brie Clayton July 23, 2026 0 Comments Hero image: Sonnet Twin25G T5 Thunderbolt 5 Adapter At this year's IBC Sho...

24/07/2026

Musora Enhances Online Music Lessons with Blackmagic Design

Musora Enhances Online Music Lessons with Blackmagic Design Brie Clayton July 23, 2026 0 Comments Director of Production Josh Holliday details workflo...

24/07/2026

The Future of Live Production: How DMC Is Combining Traditional OB with Software-Defined Remote Production

Interview with Production 360. Original article published here The theme of thi...

24/07/2026

From postPerspective: Pixar Colorist Susan Brunig Talks Pre-Grading, More for Toy Story 5

Article courtesy of postPerspective Read the article While Toy Story 5 maintai...

24/07/2026

Kerry and Mayo fans Up For The Match as excitement builds in Croke Park on the eve of the football final

Kerry and Mayo fans Up For The Match as excitement builds in Croke Park on the e...

23/07/2026

Record-breaking World Cup has advertisers cheering

Staines-upon-Thames, UK, 23rd, JULY, 2026 - Yospace, the trusted leader in Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI), stitched 11.57 billion one-to-one addressable advertisem...

23/07/2026

SVG Students To Watch: Shansley Glenn, University of Oklahoma

This Spring 2026 graduate from Honolulu found a home at SoonerVision as a live-production star and is ready to enter the industry as a replay op on Prime Video&...

23/07/2026

Miked Up Is an Everyday Deal for the Athletes Unlimited Softball League

As the AUSL postseason begins tonight, listening in to players during games enhances fan engagement for the young organization Ballplayers chatting with announ...

23/07/2026

Snap Announces AR and Creator Activations at Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris

Snap Inc. and the Esports Foundation have announced Snap's activations at the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris, running July 6 through August 23. For the fir...

23/07/2026

Sony Introduces FX5 Full-Frame Cinema Line Camera

Sony has announced the FX5, a full-frame Cinema Line camera built around a newly developed fully stacked Exmor RS CMOS image sensor and BIONZ XR2 image processi...

23/07/2026

TNDV Powers Pickleball Slam 4 Broadcast for Ohlmeyer Kusserow Group

TNDV (a division of Live Media Group) provided technical production support for the Pickleball Slam 4 live broadcast from Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, ...

23/07/2026

LTN Surpasses 3,000 Satellite-to-IP Migrations as FCC Approves Upper C-Band Auction Rules

LTN has announced it has completed satellite-to-IP migrations for more than 3,00...

23/07/2026

Daktronics Announces 2026 DakClassroom Student Showcase Winners

Daktronics has announced the winners of the 2026 DakClassroom Student Showcase, a national competition recognizing student work in media production, storytellin...

23/07/2026

beIN Sports Extends Exclusive Roland-Garros Rights Across 10 Asian Markets Through 2031

The French Tennis Federation (FFT) and beIN Media Group have announced a five-ye...

23/07/2026

Clear-Com Provides Intercom System for Fryderyk Awards Gala at Tauron Arena Krakw

Clear-Com provided the communications infrastructure for the Fryderyk Awards Gal...

23/07/2026

How the FIFA World Cup's Record Revenue Masks a Structural Market Contraction

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is, on paper, an unparalleled financial success. Total t...