Which trends are redefining the way we watch TV?

This year, several major trends in the entertainment and television industries continue to be strengthened and they have the potential to change the landscape in this area. So what are the trends that are changing the way we watch TV? This article will summarize this.

1. Online streaming media

For online streaming services, 2014 is a very important year. Netflix's self-produced dramas such as Women's Prison and The House of Cards have achieved great success, and many service providers have also launched streaming media packages for interested users.
According to Roy Sekoff, president and founder of Huffington Post Live, the definition of television has not changed, but digitalization has affected the way we digest multimedia. “The term 'TV' is still referring to what is in your living room. The programs it plays have not changed in these 60 years. However, we obviously need to develop a special multi-platform, multi-screen world. There is a noun."

For the industry, the "dynamic" definition of such television is not necessarily a bad thing, said Chris Paradysz, president and co-founder of marketing company PM Digital. On the contrary, it simply means that the best content will occupy a supreme position. "We must remember to separate the technology from the content. The physical aspect of the content distribution mechanism is irrelevant," Paradysz said. "The audience is not choosing TV from this perspective - they just want to use this digested content." The simplest way."

2. Mobile technology makes quality content more approachable

Due to the existence of a large number of digital streaming services, high-quality television content is no longer exclusive to those who can afford expensive cable television services. "More and more people have the necessary equipment and enough bandwidth to use streaming media services anytime and anywhere," Paradysz said. "No one will ever be restricted in this area. Mobile technology and streaming media have been developed." A new world.” Under the influence of this trend, the core concept of “storytelling” has also changed.

Tracy Sewdlow, Executive Producer of The TV of Tomorrow Show, complements this view: One of the reasons for the high volume of high-quality content is that more and more talented screenwriters are attracted to the second-tier industry.

“The talented screenwriter is moving from the film industry to the television industry to take advantage of three important opportunities in this emerging online 'crazy drama' environment,” she said. “One of the opportunities is to control the decision-making of storytelling. Links to reduce the intervention of studio executives; the second opportunity is to create better compensation for original content; and third, the drama model can be more effective for brand extension than for a one-off viewing experience, while allowing more The development is possible."

In addition, people do not only watch a minute or two of video on a mobile device. This year's study found that the length of programs watched by mobile device users is increasing.

3. More opportunities for the audience to participate
According to Nielson's data, 85% of U.S. television viewers use other types of devices when watching TV to browse IMDb, Twitter, or other countless websites. The second screen television and social television are not new concepts. In the past few years, this trend has continued to evolve. We always think about how we can hold a small box at home and then press the button on the box to change what happens in the studio. One day, we will do what we want, and this trend will only continue to grow.

4. Advertisers will rethink their half-minute position

With the development of technologies such as DVR, today's viewers no longer look at advertising. Therefore, service providers must find different ways to reach the audience, whether through interactive advertising, mobile content on the second screen, or ad placement. What are the differences in the prices of these mechanisms?

"In my opinion," said Gavin Douglas, president of iPowow, "It will all change. If a 30-second ad slot is viewed by 50,000 people, it may be worth 30,000 U.S. dollars. If it is on the website, In the past (by moving content or pre-advertising ads), even if the number of people who see the ads is the same, the price is much cheaper, but 50,000 people are 50,000, and in the near future, the prices of the two will become very close. ."

5. Social media will be spoiled and allow audiences to participate

Social media allows viewers to more easily express their opinions about the show. In turn, the program side can also form closer and direct links with the audience. Today, most TV stations use Twitter promotion to create topics before and after the broadcast of the program. At the same time, some people are exploring ways to integrate social media without affecting the overall viewing experience.

Today's audience is emotionally devoted to what they see. After establishing communication channels with other fans through social media, they simply cannot control their spoiler behavior. Although spoilers have always existed, these new platforms and on-demand services have amplified this trend.

However, the power of social media also has positive significance. More TV stations began experimenting with new types of promotion on social media. Snapchat and Vine are becoming marketing platforms for all industries, especially those young audiences.

6. The significance of big data is extraordinary

For advertisers and programmers, big data is also very important. “America’s $80 billion advertisers each year will use data to conduct research on programs and audiences to find an accurate audience for their products,” Douglas said. “In the advertising and television community, the next two or three years The only important data in this area is the data."

On the other hand, producers use data analytics to see what's happening in real time and figure out how to get to the audience longer. This allows them to create content based on the current situation and thus put themselves in a favorable position.