Responding to the Local Needs of U.S. Pay-TV Subscribers

We're all used to ads promoting the latest pay-TV offerings. In return for our hard-earned dollars, major operators will provide us with a seemingly endless bundle of TV channels. More recently, we've also been able to buy special packs of channels or content that may be time-boxed over a specific period - for example, a UFC event, or a college football season pass. However, while subscribers know that this is one of the few locations through which they can access such content, does it really address all of their needs or would a mix of local content that can be watched alongside national events bring additional value?

This is where regional pay-TV operators in the U.S. have a clear advantage. Keen to grow their customer base, they are in a position to provide exactly what their customers are looking for: a mix of national and international content spliced with some local (i.e. regional level) and hyper-local (i.e. community) channels that allows them to really engage with their subscribers and deliver additional value.

The question is of course, how can they achieve that? The cost of transport rights alongside production and distribution costs for local content has previously placed this customer-centric ambition firmly out of reach. However, such barriers have started to be lowered. Driven by the growth of the cloud, new solutions have emerged that enable Tier 2/3 operators in the U.S. to offer a more targeted solution to their customers.

A reduction in cloud production costs has meant more and more local TV channels are appearing; driving a new behavior where subscribers are able to engage with their local community - by perhaps watching the state high school football playoffs or engaging with that hometown band and local news.

But a local TV service without major channels and content will continue to drive subscribers to other services and not place the local pay-TV provider at the heart of the subscriber's entertainment needs. Getting such content comes with a price tag, but through innovative solutions, such cost hurdles can be overcome as transport rights can be syndicated as part of a wider solution.

One such solution is provided by Tennessee-based Jackson Energy Authority, in partnership with NAGRA and Harmonic. It brings together a highly usable, browser-based back-office platform, apps for all major streaming devices, and the necessary transport rights for a large selection of major entertainment channels. By providing it as a baseline service to other like-minded operators across the U.S., they enable regional Tier 2/3 operators to launch a similar service. And by adding local interest content to their program guide, they can really start to match their offerings to the needs and wants of their subscribers.

The solution enables operators to provide a fully aggregated solution that can also include major streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. What is more, through tools such as deep-search and recommendations, the service delivers a personalized proposition. This is designed to help reduce churn and keep subscribers on the operator's platform and engaged with their brand, assisted by advanced content control options that are configurable per operator and per channel. And of course, such a solution has the added benefit of driving increased bandwidth use through the consumption of a broader range of content.

NAGRA is proud to be part of the integrated solution. Powered by the OpenTV Video Platform and associated UX framework, it provides relevant, personalized content via easy-to-use apps across all major streaming devices including an Android set-top box. With headend expertise provided by Jackson Energy Authority and the video processed by the Harmonic VOS360 platform, this turn-key solution offers Tier 2/3 pay-TV providers in the U.S. a clear choice for a pay-TV solution with all the features and benefits of a Tier-1 service - without the hefty price tag. All interested operators need to do is provide their logo and their required channel list.

To provide your subscribers with the very best local and mainstream entertainment content they deserve, why not go with a technology provider that's here to stay and trusted by leading pay-TV providers around the world for more than two decades? Learn more about how your pay-TV business can benefit from this innovative solution today: visit our web page, download our solution datasheet and learn more about the opportunities and benefits realized by Jackson Energy Authority through our Case Study.

Related read: 1Tennessee Decreases Time-to-Market to Cost-Effectively Deliver Advanced Streaming Solution to its Subscribers

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