Connected TV Summit: stay ahead of the curve

Connected TV Summit 2012: Stay ahead of the curve May 2-3, 2012, London 

If you care about what the post-convergence TV experience looks like and how it should be delivered, and the ongoing business opportunities and challenges for different stakeholders and the ultimate impact connected and multi-screen TV will have on the television industry, there is one event you should not miss in 2012: The Connected TV Summit. Since launch, we have consistently led the way in discussing how connected TV devices are changing the industry.

Year one, May 2010: The Consumer Electronics opportunity

In year one of Connected TV Summit, before anyone else was really discussing the potential opportunities and threats of Internet-enabled TVs, we looked at how CE vendors could build content portals and what their business models would be, how broadcasters and online content owners could exploit this new distribution channel, and how the Pay TV industry might respond to the potential threat.

Year two, May 2011: The Pay TV fight back

In year two we highlighted the Pay TV fight back and how platform operators can harness their own apps and TV Everywhere offers to use connected TVs as a way to extend their reach and also deliver whole-home TV solutions without new set-top boxes. We also highlighted the growing importance of the tablet and companion screen experiences and the potential for CE vendors to evolve into multi-screen service providers themselves.

Year three, May 2012: Living with hyper-competition

Though it is too early to publish our 2012 conference programme, we wanted to let you know some of the major themes that we expect to dominate in year three, when everyone will be battling everybody else on multiple screens, but when there are also increasing incentives and opportunities for cooperation and new partnerships.

The multi-screen challenge for CE vendors

Pay TV operators are developing multi-screen TV offers covering managed TV, connected TVs, Blu-rays, games consoles, smartphones and tablets. How can the CE industry compete with that? They may have content portals on connected televisions but can they extend their role to become content aggregators across all screens (even those from rival CE vendors) and what is their value-add to an online content provider who already has the capacity to exist somewhere as a standalone Apple iOS or Android app? We want to look at how the CE industry moves towards multi-screen and companion screen experiences and consider strategies for differentiation and monetization.

The CE value proposition for whole-home TV

While CE vendors have their own content portals, some parts of which could threaten Pay TV revenues, their bigger opportunity could be helping platform operators to extend the reach of their managed services at home. Connected TVs and Blu-rays can be used as thin IP clients on a managed home network, harnessing standards like DLNA and RVU to distribute not just content but pixel accurate user interfaces. We will be exploring whether this is where the CE industry can really win in the TV business and considering the extent to which the Pay TV industry wants to exploit thin IP clients for multi-room video and work with CE providers.

The battle for the second screen

There is growing interest in how companion screen experiences can be synchronized with what is playing on the main TV set. There is a huge opportunity for broadcasters to engage audiences more deeply with interactive features that are well suited to a tablet or smartphone and this could represent greenfield inventory for advertising. But broadcasters do not own this space and third-parties can serenade their viewers with rival apps and adverts. We will look at how you capture eyeballs on the second screen as well as (or instead of) the first, including discussion about the creative challenges. We will be exploring the potential role for different stakeholders including Pay TV operators.

What next for hybrid broadcast broadband

This looks like the next big thing for broadcasters: a way to deepen their engagement with consumers via catch-up and interactive services on TV, improved advertising prospects and less reliance on platform operators. We want to understand just how big an impact HBB will have. Can broadcasters upsell viewers to paid VOD? Will Pay TV operators and CE vendors have to support popular HBB standards? Can content aggregators provide a value-add to broadcasters or are they simply bystanders when it comes to HBB? Other questions for 2012 include how we bring HBB to the mass-market and how broadcasters can monetize services.

Do we still need a ‘YouView’ for HBB?

Is there still an opportunity for a broadcast-centric HBB platform ‘operator’ to deliver the next-generation of free-to-air TV? Whether YouView hits its delayed launch target next year or not, this is a big question for the UK and other markets. YouView embodies the idea that broadcasters and ISPs working together are more powerful than when broadcasters act alone via other HBB devices and connected TVs. So what is the value-add that will make consumers want this ‘branded platform’ approach and which will make it valuable to broadcasters?

The rise of the tablet

It is starting to look like the tablet could displace the PC and maybe even secondary televisions as the next most important viewing device after the main TV. At Connected TV Summit we will be looking for evidence of how consumers are using tablets and the impact these devices are having in the market, and looking at what their increasing penetration means for all stakeholders. Topics for discussion will include how service providers and broadcasters can use these devices to extend reach and engagement, and companion behaviours and apps.

What next for TV Everywhere?

For Pay TV operators who have deployed multi-screen TV it is time to start differentiating services, scaling them and looking for ways to monetize the content more fully, where possible. We are going to be considering how the user experience must evolve, including the role of companion screens, and look at how platform operators can start to understand us as individuals across all screens and the business opportunities this presents. During Connected TV Summit 2012, time will be devoted to the practical challenges of scaling TV Everywhere from tens to hundreds of channels and considering whether there is a need for even stronger content or service protection.

Opening up the walled garden

Pay TV operators know they must be more innovative, and probably more open, if they want to compete with the Internet and CE giants. We are going to explore platform operator apps development strategies and how Pay TV companies can achieve scale for apps development. In 2012 we are also considering the extent to which operators should open up their walled gardens to online video providers, considering whether Pay TV can deliver a differentiated OTT experience to their subscribers

OTHER THEMES FOR DISCUSSION:

The ‘Cloud’ Pay TV model

Benefits of extended reach; Replacing or bypassing ‘traditional’ IPTV; The case for migrating VOD online.

What next for digital content distribution

Content monetisation strategies; Innovations to boost Electronic sell-through; Content rights and windows developments.

Creating online destinations to rival Pay TV

The impact of the online content aggregator; Standing out from the crowd on connected TVs; Pay TV partnerships; Is there a TV mainstream for niche online content?

New ways to find video

Who will guide us to what we want; Social recommendation; Data-enriched video experiences; The value of metadata; Making content brands stand out in the crowd.

The role of the broadband provider

Opportunities for broadband providers; QoE and managed online video; Niche channel economics; Linear streaming future.

Standardisation and rationalisation

HBB standards developments; Making it easier and cheaper to develop for Connected TV; New opportunities for interactive TV and advertising.

Why you should attend Connected TV Summit 2012

• The whole connected TV ecosystem in one place
• Thought leadership and shared insights from industry pioneers
• A conference programme that lives up to its promise
• An open and engaging forum with great networking
• No.1 event focused on the post-convergence TV experience
• Even more debates and one-to-one interviews in 2012

We welcome your feedback on our initial programme themes and we look forward to welcoming you to London, May 2-3, 2012.

[As this is a fast-moving market, we will adjust our programme to ensure it is as relevant and timely as possible, with the agenda being finalized in Q1 2012].