VOD : The future for linear TV channels

[Carth]

A bigger slice of the advertising revenue?

[gunner45]

Originally Posted by jfman

If linear has no future, and the world will be a bland interface of junk apps pushed to you by whatever Chinese tv manufacturers push at you, then whatever you add yourself, why are Sky buying ITV?

Traditional linear TV is in terminal decline, and if the government pushes ahead with the preferred option in its green paper, Freeview will disappear altogether by 2034 (and cable and satellite will go as well as they won't keeping this unsustainable means of distribution going). But linear TV will not die: far from it, we already have scheduled shows which are streamed - like the growing number of Freely and FAST channels - and this is also linear TV because the viewers just choose what channel they want from the EPG. The fact that the underlying IP streaming technology is very different to RF broadcasting is for nerds to debate but a mere implementation detail for the viewers. The key takeaway is that watching live TV will remain hugely popular regardless of how shows are distributed (with huge ad revenues as well).

So, why does Sky want ITV? Answer: Sky would get ITV's mass‑audience live events (and thus ad revenue) even though linear TV is declining and, even better, ITVX which is is the UK's largest free streaming service, with well over 16 million monthly active users. With ITVX Sky becomes the biggest advertising media player in the UK with an estimated 70% share of all broadcaster-sold TV advertising revenue in the UK.

[TimeLord2018]

NBC Universal (including Sky) is being spun off by Comcast
https://www.advanced-television.com/...ch-businesses/


Sky buying ITV is going to have a prolonged regulatory process (CMA, Ofcom and Culture Secretary) i suspect.

[Horizon]

Originally Posted by jfman

If linear has no future, and the world will be a bland interface of junk apps pushed to you by whatever Chinese tv manufacturers push at you, then whatever you add yourself, why are Sky buying ITV?

In short, I'd say to either kill Freeview and Freely in the long term, or, jump into bed with them. There is no way that Sky Stream, Now, Freeview/Freely and ITVX all survive ten years from now.

With ad revenues being gobbled up by the likes of youtube and global streamers ruling the "waves", as far as drama goes, it does seem a slghtly odd move. But hey, it's a competitor taken out for a relatively small sum, so Sky might be cracking open the bubbly stuff right now.

And on the blank interface point, I give the answer I gave on this site several years ago on that. The current streaming interfaces are just a stepping stone to what I call true intelligent tv. And what will it look like? Well, in many ways what it looked like decades ago with there being perhaps 5-6 main "channels" showing a linear schedule, which can then be exited at whim to watch anything you want. And probably the tv will know what you want to watch next before you do.

[TimeLord2018]

The plan seems to be migrate ITVX to NBC Universal technology platform when means they can merge ITVX and Now with Free and Pay options if they wish.

ITVX is already one of the UK’s leading streaming services, bringing great British programmes to millions of viewers. If approved, we’ll build on that success by bringing proven streaming technology, developed for millions of viewers across multiple international markets, to support the continued evolution of ITVX.

[Horizon]

Originally Posted by TimeLord2018

The plan seems to be migrate ITVX to NBC Universal technology platform when means they can merge ITVX and Now with Free and Pay options if they wish.

No doubt they will use Sky's tech, so where does that leave Freeview/Freely?

[TimeLord2018]

I was specifically referring to their apps, Now app moved to NBC Universal technology platform over a year ago.

I doubt Freely is going anywhere it's basically Freeview and Freesat long term replacement.

[Horizon]

It was Comcast's tech, I seem to recall and NowTV sent a team over to the States to integrate in with them, or something like that.

Edit: Comcast and Charter tech.

You can even get Now on Comcast's cable service these days:

https://www.xfinity.com/nowtv