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The bottom line for
over the top
Over-the-top television is here to stay. The question is how to make it
profitable. George W. Russell reports
Traditional content owners recognise that
over-the-top TV is here to stay.
“The evolution of Internet television
has provided a revolution for the
industry,” says Alexandre Muller, Managing
Director of TV5Monde Asia Pacific in Hong Kong.
“The changes are now a reality for millions of users
around the world.”
The writing has been on the wall for some time.
In 2010, Credit Suisse downgraded electronicmedia
stocks in the United States on the basis
that audiences, particularly young people, would
be favouring OTT services such as Netflix over
traditional pay TV.
Of course, CASBAA Members are well aware
of the evolving paradigm and it was the reason
the Association set up the OTT & Connected
Media Group, whose mandate is to explore digital
distribution models and provide the opportunity for
Members to network and participate across digital
distribution platforms.
“Consumers want to be able to time shift to start
programmes on their own schedule,” says Christine
Fellowes, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, at NBC
Universal Networks International in Singapore.
“Traditional programme scheduling and linear
channels could become less important.”
Other Members see challenges in hardware
issues. “Another tension is how to navigate the
convergence and competition of distribution
If we don‘t make content
available, viewers will find it
despite us
TV5Monde‘s Managing Director Alexandre Muller
INTERNET TELEVISION
platforms and devices,” says Jeanette Chan, Head of
the China Practice and Asia Communications and
Technology Group at Paul Weiss in Hong Kong.
Muller believes that for the new models to
thrive it is essential to be able to display content
worldwide on all devices at the same time.
Jana Bennett, President of Worldwide Networks
and Global iPlayer at BBC Worldwide, agreed at the
CASBAA Convention in 2011. “If we don‘t make
content available, viewers will find it despite us.”
Indeed, the launch of the iPlayer and similar
services have highlighted what Muller calls the
”When I want it, where I want it” era of consumer
demand. ”This has also brought new problems
upfront with consumers not willing to wait to get
the content they want and finding ways to get it
anyway – even illegally downloading it from the
web,” he says.
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