Back to the Future: Shootout at the IP Corral (Where is Broadcasting Headed?)

January 12, 2011

Back to the Future: Where is Broadcasting Headed?
(AKA: Shootout at the IP Corral)

Jeff Tucker, Idaho PTV
There is a mix of production folks in this session.

Jerry Field, APT
Eric Wolf, Technology Strategist

Philosophy
Enabled but not defined by technology. Content still drives the
product. Must have an ability to adapt to the times. Public policy
shapes the industry- lack of flexibility can limit us.

The arc: Moore’s Law and corollaries. System specs/technology capability
doubles every 18 months.

It’s not about TV vs. The Net. New technologies will redefine ‘show’ and ‘network’, but not substitute for them. It’s additive. There is no ONE magic technology. Netflix will not kill broadcast television.

10 years is a LIFETIME in the tech world.

Good News: 

Cable must compete with us. Bad News:
Broadcast system built on 70-year-old regulatory structure and does NOT
work for the future.

Good News: Newshour beats CNN and MSNBC but…
Bad News:
…May lose to ‘Angry Birds’

Classics:
Processing faster, storage greater, more connectivity, more input
devices, Batteries last longer, displays use less power and look great,

Are we close (enough) to ‘infinity’? We are now set up to receive
media anytime, anyway, anyplace wirelessly.

1Ght multicore processors in handsets
Bandwidth: 25 Mbps at home
7-8 Mbps in hand
Massive storage (your whole library in your hand)
Reach (accessibility & discovery) – find out about it
Trial (accessibility, narrative, personalization, timeliness) – try it
Stick (Brand/author, narrative, timeliness) – habit forming

Watch list:
Comcast/nbc merger
Mlb.com (mlb advance media)
Amazon Cloud Business (with great transparency) MS Mediaroom
Rovi
Apple
Google
VZN (iphone/ipad)
Lady Gaga’s new glasses w/Polaroid
TX/Sony-Comcast/Samsung
Netflix (doing a lot of things right. No longer a company that sends
you a DVD in the mail) Rightcove
Hulu

Get your house in order:
FIRST:
Implement Cove
Get media assets / workflow in order
Digitize (slowly) your library
Get (lightly) involved in social media

THEN: Get everyone in the organization focused on building your station’s
relevance/importance to your audience and then…
THEN 2.0: Get everyone in the organization working together to build a 1-1
relationship with every viewer. (ie. not broadcast, narrow focus)

Discovery is more than search- www.Hubspot.com/inbound-marketing-hub

Adoption cycles are shorter and more dramatic. The iPad didn’t exist
a year ago. 80 new competitors have introduced their ipad version at
2011 CES

The 5-year plan in business is dead. Don’t get into long-term contracts with ANYONE.

Sweet spot: Make sure file exports are optimized for as many devices as
possible. But pay attention to format & resolution.

-Tim Zeko
WKAR-TV Executive Producer