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

08/12/2025

SVG Summit 2025 Technology Exhibits Preview, Part 1

SVG Summit 2025 Technology Exhibits Preview, Part 1By SVG Staff Monday, December 8, 2025 - 6:56 am Print This Story | Subscribe Story Highlights The 2025...

08/12/2025

2025 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: Bill Rasmussen, the Entrepreneur Who Dreamed Sports Into a New World

2025 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: Bill Rasmussen, the Entrepreneur Who Drea...

08/12/2025

SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Live Production Innovation Workshop Goes Deep on ST 2110, MXL, AR/XR, and More

SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Live Production Innovation Workshop Goes Deep on ST 211...

08/12/2025

#GALSNGEAR Announces East, West Leadership Retreats for 2026

#GALSNGEAR Announces East, West Leadership Retreats for 2026By Ken Kerschbaumer Monday, December 8, 2025 - 9:10 am Print This Story | Subscribe Story High...

08/12/2025

MediaKind Acquiring Harmonic's Video Business to Create New Streaming-Video Heavyweight

MediaKind Acquiring Harmonic's Video Business to Create New Streaming-Video ...

08/12/2025

Platinum White Paper: Sony HDR/SDR Camera Shading Techniques for Live Production Applications

Platinum White Paper: Sony HDR/SDR Camera Shading Techniques for Live Production...

08/12/2025

SVG Sit-Down: NESN's Kenny Elcock and Harmonic's Jean Macher Talk Next-Gen Distribution for Live Sports

SVG Sit-Down: NESN's Kenny Elcock and Harmonic's Jean Macher Talk Next-G...

08/12/2025

Monsters Funday Football,' ESPN's Latest Live Animation Effort, Advances the Altcast Art Form Again

Monsters Funday Football,' ESPN's Latest Live Animation Effort, Advances...

08/12/2025

SVG Sit-Down: ESPN Director Jeff Nelson on Calling the (Animated) Action on Monsters Funday Football'

SVG Sit-Down: ESPN Director Jeff Nelson on Calling the (Animated) Action on Mon...

08/12/2025

Monsters Funday Football': Louisiana Philharmonic Delivers Again With Orchestral Mashup of MNF' Theme and Monsters, Inc.' Score

Monsters Funday Football': Louisiana Philharmonic Delivers Again With Orches...

08/12/2025

Always Was, Always Will Be Strength, Survival and Pride this January 26 on NITV, SBS and SBS On Demand

Always Was, Always Will Be Strength, Survival and Pride this January 26 on NITV,...

08/12/2025

Nielsen Audience Segments Now Available in Amazon DSP & Amazon Marketing Cloud

Nielsen's robust data offering enables marketers to connect with their target audience more effectively and drive better results throughout Amazon's adv...

08/12/2025

Paramount Launches Hostile Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery

LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK Paramount has launched a hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery with an all-cash tender offer to acquire all of the outstandin...

08/12/2025

ASG Names Macky Beheshti Director, Enterprise Storage and Systems

EMERYVILLE, Calif. Media and entertainment technology and services provider Advanced Systems Group has named Macky Beheshti as director, enterprise storage and ...

08/12/2025

MediaKind to Acquire Harmonic's Video Business for $145M

DENVER MediaKind, a global provider of cloud-based video streaming technology announced today that it is acquiring the video business of Harmonic Inc. for appro...

08/12/2025

Nielsen Audience Segments Now Available in Amazon Ads Marketplace

NEW YORK Nielsen has announced that its Audience Segments from Nielsen Marketing Cloud (NMC) are now available across the Amazon Ads marketplace, including the ...

08/12/2025

Marshall Electronics Highlights CV355 27X ND3 Camera With...

Marshall Electronics showcases the CV355-27X-ND3 Optical Zoom NDI (NDI HX2, NDI HX3) Camera at ISE 2026 (Booth 4N900). Designed for users seeking high-quality ...

08/12/2025

Cinnafilm Launches Tachyon LIVE and IPx LIVE - Real-Time...

Cinnafilm today announced the immediate availability of IPx LIVE and Tachyon LIVE, delivering broadcast-grade, real-time IP video transcoding and motion-compens...

08/12/2025

Hiltron Sees Expanding Demand for Satcom Systems Througho...

Following a successful 45th anniversary year in 2024, Hiltron reports increasing demand for its wide range of satellite communication equipment manufacturing, p...

08/12/2025

Your Holiday Checklist Essentials

When was the last time you updated your default playlist(s)? A default playlist keeps your station(s) on the air should your team ever miss a step in sending mu...

08/12/2025

VEON's Beeline Kazakhstan Breaks Ground for Hyper Cloud Data Center to Offer Sovereign Enterprise, AI and Digital Services

08 Dec 2025 VEON's Beeline Kazakhstan Breaks Ground for Hyper Cloud Data Ce...

08/12/2025

Netflix ISP Speed Index for November 2025

Back to All News Netflix ISP Speed Index for November 2025 Product 08 December 2025 Global Link copied to clipboard This month marks 15 years of the Netfl...

08/12/2025

Another Exciting Chapter in Our Book-to-Screen Journey and What's to Come

Back to All News Another Exciting Chapter in Our Book-to-Screen Journey and What's to Come Entertainment 08 December 2025 Global Link copied to clipboa...

08/12/2025

Harmonic Announces Pending Sale of Its Video Business to MediaKind

Strategic and transformative transaction would sharpen Harmonic's focus on its core Broadband business and advance its growth initiatives Ensures continued...

08/12/2025

N-Series elevates performances at one-of-a kind jazz gastropub - The Epicurus

Copenhagen's The Epicurus is a one-of-a-kind Jazz Gastropub that presents exclusive performances curated by Jazz Pianist and Producer Sir Niels Lan Doky. Fe...

08/12/2025

Arvato Systems receives gematik approval for TI-Messenger tim+

Arvato Systems Receives gematik-approval for TI-Messenger tim Approval secured for TI Messenger tim - paving the way for secure and interoperable communicat...

08/12/2025

Eurovision legend Niamh Kavanagh revealed as first contestant for Dancing with the Stars 2026

Eurovision winner Niamh Kavanagh is the first celebrity to be revealed for the s...

08/12/2025

The RT Toy Show Appeal raises over 30 million in 6 Years

Changing children's lives for good: A staggering 4.6 million raised in the 2025 appeal The people of Ireland and people all over the world have once again...

08/12/2025

Daddy's dancing: Paudie Moloney revealed as second contestant for Dancing with the Stars 2026

It's murder on the dancefloor as The Traitors Ireland legend Paudie Moloney ...

07/12/2025

Netflix Takes Over the Oslo Skyline With Celebratory 'Troll 2' Light Show

Back to All News Netflix Takes Over the Oslo Skyline With Celebratory Troll 2 L...

06/12/2025

L3Harris Chair and CEO Appears on CNBC at Reagan National Defense Forum

In a live broadcast from the Reagan National Defense Forum, L3Harris Chair and CEO Christopher Kubasik joined Morgan Brennan on CNBCs Closing Bell: Overtime. Ku...

06/12/2025

Survey: M&E Embraces Horizontally Integrated Media Archiving Approach

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. A new survey from Pixitmedia by Datacore revealed a major shift in the Media & Entertainment industry in media archiving, with 85% of resp...

06/12/2025

Czech TV Deploys LiveU Solutions in 10 OB Vans

HACKENSACK, N.J. LiveU has announced that the national public broadcaster Czech Television has completed one of the largest LiveU live production deployments fo...

06/12/2025

NATAS Celebrates 76th Technology & Engineering Emmy Award Honorees

NEW YORK The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) presented the Excellence in Production Technology Emmy Award to NASA+ and Dr. Tom Leight...

05/12/2025

2025 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: Curt Gowdy Jr. - Master Storyteller, Nationally and Regionally

2025 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: Curt Gowdy Jr. - Master Storyteller, Nati...

05/12/2025

SVG Sit-Down: Veritone's Sean King on the Power of Mining Video, Audio Data

SVG Sit-Down: Veritone's Sean King on the Power of Mining Video, Audio DataThe company's Data Refinery offers users total control and governance over da...

05/12/2025

Platinum White Paper: Inside the Nashville Predators' Unified, Flexible, Scalable Production System with Ross Video

Platinum White Paper: Inside the Nashville Predators' Unified, Flexible, Sca...

05/12/2025

Netflix Reaches Agreement To Acquire Warner Bros. Following Planned WBD Split

Netflix Reaches Agreement To Acquire Warner Bros. Following Planned WBD SplitThe deal does not include WBDs sports assets like TNT Sports (US, UK, LatAm), Euros...

05/12/2025

FOX Sports Returns to Indianapolis for Primetime Broadcast of Big Ten Championship

FOX Sports Returns to Indianapolis for Primetime Broadcast of Big Ten Championsh...

05/12/2025

SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Digital Engagement & Monetization Workshop Tackles the Future of the Viewer Experience

SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Digital Engagement & Monetization Workshop Tackles the ...

05/12/2025

Atlanta United Lights Up New Emory Healthcare Studio With First Live Broadcast for World Cup Draw

Atlanta United Lights Up New Emory Healthcare Studio With First Live Broadcast f...

05/12/2025

As Messi Takes the Pitch, MLS, Apple, NEP Roll Out Largest MLS Cup Production Ever

As Messi Takes the Pitch, MLS, Apple, NEP Roll Out Largest MLS Cup Production Ev...

05/12/2025

ESPN Enters College Football's Most Intense Month With Elevated Workflows for Championship Week

ESPN Enters College Football's Most Intense Month With Elevated Workflows fo...

05/12/2025

Sorry, Baby, Peter Hujar's Day, Among Sundance Institute-Supported Projects Nominated for 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards

It's about that time! Awards season is in full swing, and the Film Independe...

05/12/2025

Surprised by Your 2025 Wrapped? Here's a Look at How the Data Comes to Life

Every year, Spotify Wrapped offers a personalized look back at the audio that defined your year. It's a snapshot of your listening habits, designed to tell ...

05/12/2025

Celebrating Spotify's GLOW, RADAR, and EQUAL Artists of 2025

In 2025, Spotify's EQUAL, GLOW, and RADAR programs celebrated women, LGBTQIA , and emerging artists who turned moments into milestones. From breaking record...

05/12/2025

Wi-Fi 7 - Go Beyond Speed to Deliver Security, Trust and Value

In our latest blog, we explain how Wi-Fi 7 rollouts can drive consumer loyalty with value-add services such as consumer cybersecurity. We also explore how this ...

05/12/2025

Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros. in Deal Worth $82.7 Billon

LOS ANGELES Netflix announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire the assets of Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion....

05/12/2025

Gracenote Launches New CTV Ad Platform

NEW YORK Nielsens Gracenote has launched Gracenote Content Connect, a new ad platform that provides agencies, brands, supply-side platforms (SSPs) and demand-si...