Re: The future for linear TV channels
 

Broadcasting is a hairy business.

Re: The future for linear TV channels
 

I found the article very contradictory. I will read again, then comment.

Thanks for the link.

Re: The future for linear TV channels
 

There's a second part now too: https://redef.com/original/56d0d7db63c0b49f224c5e9f

Conclusion:

Re: The future for linear TV channels
 

It should be possible to bundle streaming services in the same way as TV channels are bundled.

Re: The future for linear TV channels
 

The second article is split into three main sections:

The first section deals with the traditional media companies competing against Netflix and how they will need to build "scale" to do it. That word was used frequently.

The second section deals with social networks and how they'll become increasingly important. You won't just go to Facebook to share your favourite photos with friends, but watch your favourite shows on their too according to the article.

And the third main section dealt with what the article called identity feeds aka niche players. Like Netflix, but smaller players where you go to watch your favourite niche shows and interact with others depending on your interests, ie sci-fi, DIY, etc.

I think the article over-eggs the importance of social networks like Facebook and what is popular one day, ie MySpace, is forgotten the next. So, I'll concentrate on the other two sections.

The gist of the first section was that while the number of channels has grown, generally most people stick to just a handful. The article believes this is how it will be in the future tv landscape too and a streaming at that. There may be two or three streaming services that dominate and that's it.

The article went on to say that the media companies have already experimented with apps but are now reducing them to scale up against netflix. So, rather than there being several different Discovery channel aps, there is now just one. Rather than several different Fox apps, there is now just one. The article believes, and I agree, that the media companies need to offer a broad selection of shows if they launching their own streaming servies just like Netflix is now doing.

The article was saying that the big media companies/networks have to decide whether they keep doing business with the likes of netflix or create their own streaming services. But the article believes that mass consolidation is on the way in the media world and it be increasingly unlikely that smaller players can survive, although they believe that the US networks stand a good chance of surviving into the future based on their current programming, but only if they adapt to the streaming world.

There is far too much in the article to comment on, but I do think they are making too many assumptions, ie about Netflix. If someone comes up with better tech than Netflix, a better user interface, they'll be no Netflix. And of course if the big media companies withhold content from Netflix, that will finish them off too. That wasn't really covered in the article as they think Netflix, plus a few other will reign supreme. Perhaps, or perhaps not.

On the other section about niche players, I've already talked about this in the thread, I called them portals, so I'll say no more about that. Main post here and the rest of my comments on portals are on page 2 of this thread after this post:

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/35753988-post21.html

In conclusion, I agree with what some of that second article says, particularly about media consolidation, but its not clear who will be the "winners" yet. The article thinks, "winner takes all," but I would not like to be in a world of just a few tv choices or worse, one.

Now I'm off to watch something on Netflix.... as, as always, evening tv on our main channels is dominated by reality crap.

Re: The future for linear TV channels
 

Ok, after reading it again, it wasn't contradictory at all, but very clear and a MUST read for all on this thread.

To summarise the article it says that while the number of tv channels has increased, so has the amount of original series'. But crucially, so have overall profits. Things aren't getting worse in the tv world, but much better, but things are changing.

Americans are watching more tv than ever, with growth particularly on mobile devices and the American population has grown too. So everything is good then according to the article, no....

While overall profits are rising, all the various cable channels and broadcast networks are fighting over an ever decreasing audience per show. You can only watch one thing at a time.

And the media companies make their own channels fight each other for audience share, rather than work together. NBCUniversal's channels like NBC, Sci-Fi, USA are cannibalizing each other by the infighting. But that didn't matter too much until recently because all the channels were making ever increasing amounts of dosh. Then came along Netflix et all and the ever increasing profits from the traditional bundle of cable channels is now eroding fast.

The American tv business model, as was, was based on ad revenues of numbers of viewers per show. The streaming model is more complex and not necessarily based on the number of viewers per show but whether those viewers are more likely to come back to the streaming service and watch something else and how fast they watch the show, ie binge watch a whole series in a day.

The conclusion of the article is that while tv is making money overall, the number of new shows getting cancelled is increasingly sharply threatening the current business model of network and cable tv. But the article reckons that things will sort themselves out. Cable channels will merge or collapse and less new series' will be made. And, as tv transitions to a streaming model and the audience increases not just to an American one, but a global one, tv as a whole will continue to grow.

Interesting stuff.

Re: The future for linear TV channels
 

http://www.rapidtvnews.com/201603104...#axzz42YAwKc2g

Traditional ways of watching TV still dominates according to this article.

Re: The future for linear TV channels
 

Now perhaps our revered poster should take his rose tinted glasses off for once.;)

Re: The future for linear TV channels
 

Den, if you read beyond the headline, you will see that this refers to viewing on a TV set compared with viewing on a smartphone or tablet.

Viewing video is, in fact, increasing, and this is exactly my point throughout this thread. When this increase gets to the point where commercial broadcast TV becomes unviable....you know the rest!

In my view, this will not happen for a few years yet, and until that time, the number of broadcast linear channels will remain more or less the same.

Re: The future for linear TV channels
 

Of course it does.

Viewing via portable devices is being driven by kids because they don't own their own homes and more and more of their parents are realising there's no need to put a TV in their bedroom because the computer monitor plus Youtube or iPlayer does the job.

The great mistake people often mistake when reading demographic statistics is to assume the behaviour exhibited by a particular age group can be projected forwards in time. In actual fact, people's behaviour changes according to their age and other factors - in this case, once the kids are grown up, got their own house and take control of the TV in the living room.

Re: The future for linear TV channels
 

I agree with most of that, Chris. However, we need to consider why, having been used to getting access to material on demand, newly 'settled down' adults would then be prepared to be bound by the inflexible method of scheduled TV.

The trend towards video is already happening, as the stats show. This will continue to grow, and much more rapidly after the next few years.

Re: The future for linear TV channels
 

I am really surprised that you cannot find much on Amazon or Netflix that interests you, Harry, because there is so much on there. Sky's non premium channels don't even come close to what either of the main streaming services have to offer. Incidentally, Netflix is planning 55 more original new series this year, so it just gets better and better!

You have asked me to 'make up my mind on streaming services' and whether people will flit from one streaming service to another, etc. I'm not sure how you expect me to know the answer to that as I can't predict precisely what services will be available in the future, let alone which services they will prefer. However, at a guess, I would imagine that there will be a range of behaviours by viewers. Some will want to maximise their viewing experience by flitting about, some will tend to be loyal to one or two providers and of course there will always be those who want it all (like me, tee hee!).

Incidentally, I don't know why you are saying that I've changed my mind. The only reason I mentioned annual subscriptions is that you asked me a specific question, and I answered it. I have no idea if annual subscriptions will ever become the norm, but existing channel providers do seem to prefer to lock you in. At the moment of course, there are a range of practices, ranging from annual subscriptions (Amazon) to a much more flexible monthly pass approach (such as Now TV).

I would like to see Sky and cable companies offering packages of discounted subscription services (much the same as we have bundles of channels now). Whether that will happen, who knows? There's not much evidence of that yet, but it may come. Alternatively, we may have to subscribe separately as we currently have to do with Netflix.

I do believe that HBO will eventually launch over here. I think they stand to make more money by making their shows available to a wider audience. In all likelihood, this will be on a pay per view basis (unfortunately). :mis:

I have no figures worked out, Harry, but you don't need to be a maths expert to work out that you will get a bigger discount for the content if you are a global rather than a national player. The more you buy, the less you pay per unit. That's how these wholesale deals work.

As for the 'ripping off audiences' comment, I really don't get that. If a less wide ranging selection of programming can be provided at a cheaper price for those who can't afford, or don't want to pay for everything, how is that a rip off? Sky and VM have different bundles of channels now, from M to XL. Is that a rip off?

As for shows being lost, that will only happen during the exclusivity period, by and large. Eventually, everything tends to have more general availability after a while - this maximises income generation.

Harry, other posters have been putting up links to articles that make it pretty clear that these changes are coming. I don't understand why you cannot see this, but I have concluded that you won't believe it until it happens for real. So I guess I will have a bit of a wait before I hear you say: "Geez! You was right"!

I've already worked out that I'll probably be dead by then! ;)

---------- Post added at 19:06 ---------- Previous post was at 17:45 ----------

http://advanced-television.com/2016/...-svod-service/

The BBC has held talks with rivals including ITV about launching a Netflix-style video SVoD streaming service.

The talks, which are also said to have involved NBC Universal, focus on the potential to develop a subscription TV service. The service would major on providing archive TV content from the broadcasters rather than the first-run of shows, although there would be a certain amount of original commissions.

Re: The future for linear TV channels
 

But kids grow up, Chris, and what do you think they will do when they settle down to their TVs and find that they are hide bound by schedules and flooded with adverts?

I rest my case!

Re: The future for linear TV channels
 

Good.

Case dismissed. :p:

Re: The future for linear TV channels
 

Talking of younguns, I had a look at the kids section of Netflix today, never looked at it before. It's immense, hundereds of hours of stuff. Mostly cartoons, but some dramas too.

I think the first casualties in the pay tv world will be in the kids tv channels. Why would kids bother watching the cartoon network showing cartoons they might not like when they can select exactly what they want on Netflix?