Consumer demand driving new normal content distribution strategies

The latest edition of the Design For Tomorrow series of reports by media industry business network the DPP has concluded that while broadcast remains important for many, the unstoppable rise of streaming – both on connected TVs and mobile devices – has radically shifted the way content organisations plan their distribution strategy.

The fifth report in the series, Distribution: Delivering For Audiences draws on the insight of 40 subject matter experts, and was enabled by DPP member companies BuyDRM and BT. The report says that in a year in which viewing within the home has increased dramatically, audiences’ habits and behaviours have become clearer than ever. The DPP concluded that it was incumbent on content providers to deliver an excellent experience wherever they reach their audience, whatever the device, platform or delivery mechanism.

Distribution: Delivering For Audiences identifies six key success factors for achieving flexible, responsible, and user-centric content delivery. Namely: understanding the value of diverse models for distribution and monetisation; scaling for increased (or decreased) viewers, services, and platforms; delivering excellent user experience to all viewers; optimising technology and editorial decision making through data; achieving resilience, security and cost effectiveness.

“In the past, broadcast engineers defined the future of content delivery, and sold consumers on new ideas like colour, widescreen or HD,” remarked DPP CTO and author of Distribution: Delivering For Audiences, Rowan de Pomerai. “But today’s world is radically different. Viewers demand content on their terms, on their devices, and with a first class user experience throughout. There are so many factors to consider when building distribution platforms; from picture quality to content protection, content recommendations to audience analytics. But when it comes down to it, audiences want to consume great content in a way that’s easy, convenient, and high quality.” Rapid Tv News