Bill Gannon

Whether to merge or bundle with each other, or to bend the knee to #Google, #Apple and #Amazon, a good article about the decisions that await the media industry and their streaming businesses. I tend to believe old will be new again with bundling and a return to the wholesale model. #bundling #streaming #media

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Transparency is a concern for buyers of streaming ad inventory. The challenge often begins with buyers dedicating substantial budgets directly to streaming platforms, marking a departure from the conventional TV landscape where advertisers typically concentrate their buying efforts directly with networks and channels. #FAST #CTVAdvertising https://lnkd.in/g4SPkYW5

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STREAMING BUNDLES: Is the cable box making a comeback!? Subscriber churn remains an issue for SVOD services – 42% of US streaming subscribers report that they “'regularly subscribe, cancel and resubscribe,” according to Ampere’s Media Consumer survey covering 1Q24. But bundling streaming services can have a significant impact on mitigating the issue. Ampere cites Disney subscribers as an example: Consumers who had previously churned and then returned to take the Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+ bundle are 59% less likely to churn within 12 months than those who take Disney+ alone, based on 1Q23 sign-ups. Ampere also found that US resubscribers skew younger (aged 18-44), are more likely to be in family households, and are typically avid media consumers. And with that wide media diet, the cohort is 40% more likely than average to exhibit signs of subscription fatigue and 21% more likely to desire unified access to content across different services. Which makes bundles, Ampere concludes, a key strategy in subscriber retention. The cable box is making a comeback! This time, it's on your mobile device$!

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💲 Media giants made more headway on the path to streaming profitability this earnings season. 🤑 Over the past two years, price hikes and password-sharing crackdowns, ad-supported tiers, and mass layoffs have all shaken up the industry and brought companies closer to streaming profits. ❌ But the majority of companies still don't make money in those divisions, and investors remain skeptical that profit can be sustained. Here's what we learned after this latest earnings season... Yahoo Finance #streamingwars #money #profits #business #news #finance

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Even if the projections for political ad spending on CTV are somewhat overly optimistic, there's still a lot to be encouraged about here with CTV spending projected to grow 5X vs. the 2020 political cycle. It's also interesting to note that 81% of CTV ad spending is now programmatic, underscoring the critical importance of building and maintaining a well-designed ad stack for any ad-supported CTV player. Eagle Dock Media #CTV #ProgrammaticAds #PoliticalAdSpending #DigitalAdvertising

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Heads up. Is there a new SEO in the age of AI? 👀👀 This study shows evidence of LLM’s being manipulated to increase viability. If true, there is an excellent chance to get ahead of the game now. Great breakdown in this tweet thread as well - https://lnkd.in/gw7zXcSP #ai #seo #llms #artificialintelligence

The streaming landscape is evolving at a breakneck pace, and it's interesting to see how industry leaders envision its future. The recent NY Times article, "The Future of Streaming (According to the Moguls Figuring It Out)," https://lnkd.in/gTRq3eZ2, dives into the minds of top media executives to predict who will survive, die, thrive, and how they'll do it. As we all know, for those of us in the media and entertainment sectors, staying abreast of these trends is crucial for shaping our strategies and ensuring long-term success. Is Peak TV over? Are we past the second golden age of content? And how does sports fit into all of this?

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The Meaning of vinyl outselling CDs • Physical sales keep growing but there is a hidden problem about streaming music that labels are about to address. • 3 strategic ideas music radio stations can employ to get in on the trend. • How young consumers are in the midst of changing the way they enjoy music (again). • The user-generated tools that will soon become available to allow music fans to control the speed of the music they hear and these other factors. • TikTok and Instagram Reels have forced a new approach that will make sure labels get paid. https://lnkd.in/eX4aKwQc

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Over the weekend, James Cridland posted an article highlighting the recent data showing that #streaming of AM/FM (not #radio writ large) has overtaken OTA in the UK. It's an interesting read that sheds light on the nuances of the situation given the deployment of DAB (a technology we do not rely on here in the US.) What does this mean for #stations here in the US? We've seen a steady increase in the share of the audience consuming their favorite stations via the #digital stream over the last 5 years. In fact, some demographics now register over 25% of their listening of #AM/FM radio through digital streaming platforms. As mentioned in James' piece, multi-platform #distribution and a dedicated strategy around your digital footprint will be critical to your stations success in navigating these changes. If you're a station or #broadcaster needing guidance on your digital strategy, let Maz Man Media, LLC be your guiding hand. We're here to help!

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Mobile Wireless Data Over TV Signals. https://lnkd.in/eFeWtJ6U

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The FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) channels ecosystem is experiencing a paradoxical growth. On one hand, there is an explosion of content and platforms catering to diverse audiences. On the other hand, the ecosystem’s evolution is hampered by the multitude of independent companies entrenched in the current model, each profiting from various aspects of the service chain but at the expense of the broadcaster or content library owner. https://lnkd.in/d75x3WVF

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The stage was set at the NAB Show 2024. Hundreds of products battled for supremacy in the ever-evolving streaming video arena. Tensions were high as the industry's elite judging panel meticulously evaluated each offering. Then, a true champion emerged from the fray. Vimond's VIA App Builder captivated the experts with a perfect fusion of power and elegance. Features that dazzled: - Lightning-fast development capabilities that make deploying streaming services across devices a mere formality. - An interface so intuitive even a novice could wield its might. - Unparalleled content management that monetises like never before. In an epic clash of innovation, the VIA App Builder reigned supreme – conquering the "Next TV" category to seize the coveted Best of Show honour. A thousand competitors stood in awe. This was more than just an award. It was a statement of Vimond's unwavering commitment to streamlining video streaming for the modern era. An undisputed mark of quality that will shatter industry conventions. The victory horn has sounded. All others have been put on notice. Brace yourselves for the VIA App Builder's continued dominance, as it leads content creators to a new era of broadcast supremacy. https://lnkd.in/gssvefKG

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𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗢𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗩 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 In the ever-evolving landscape of television, the traditional boundaries between linear and streaming TV are becoming increasingly blurred. Yet, the industry continues to treat them as distinct entities, selling ad inventory separately for each platform. Some brands and agencies even lump streaming in with digital video and buy them that way.  This approach is not only inefficient but also fails to align with the way consumers actually view content. A Unified Approach: Premium vs. Non-Premium Inventory Consumers don’t differentiate between “linear” and “streaming” or “TV” and “digital.” To them, it’s all just “TV.” Given this, it’s time to rethink how we sell advertising inventory so that it aligns with the way viewers see it. Instead of the outdated dichotomy of linear versus streaming, we need to categorize inventory into “premium” and “non-premium” across both platforms. This is not as crazy as it sounds—it has been proven to increase CPMs and thus profitability. But first, a little on how it would work. “Premium inventory” e.g., top-rated originals, library hits and prime-time slots, would continue to be sold via direct sales. This method ensures publishers will continue to get top dollar for their best content, maintaining the profitability of their premium offerings. Direct sales offer a level of control and personalization that is crucial for high-profile offerings, whether those offerings are on linear or on streaming. The latter is key for two reasons: more and more viewers are becoming “streaming first” viewers, even if they still do keep a linear subscription, and more and more streaming services are rolling out originals and picking up sports rights. The combination means there is more premium content on streaming and that more people are watching it. All the more reason to sell it directly. Non-premium inventory, OTOH, is better suited for programmatic – or at least automated - sales. Automated buying excels at targeting specific audiences, making it an ideal solution for monetizing non-premium content. By leveraging data and automation, programmatic sales can connect niche audiences with the advertisers who are looking for them, thus maximizing value, fill rates, and utilization. Automated audience-based trading has long been the go-to for streaming inventory, but it’s time for linear services to adopt it too, at least for their non-premium inventory. This is not as painful as it sounds. Spot buying is notoriously inefficient for low-value inventory and uses up needless resources. Automating it has been proven to drive up profitability while also lowering trading costs. And by “proven” I mean “proven with real-world examples in markets outside the US.” READ THE REST ON TVREV https://lnkd.in/erJDT_3n

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Reclaiming FAST Channel Revenues – The future of television is bright and brimming with potential, thanks to the innovative model of ad-funded streaming TV. This modern approach to broadcasting, known as Free Ad-Supported Television (FAST), is revolutionizing the industry by offering viewers high-quality content at no cost. The key to the success of FAST lies in its ability to bypass the traditional, often inefficient, programmatic ad-trading systems. #broadcasting #broadcast #fastchannels #ott #streaming https://lnkd.in/eT7-2b5u

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Mobile Wireless Data using TV Signals: A few asked for the link to the calculator demonstrated @ ATSC. https://lnkd.in/eFeWtJ6U

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As Paramount Global evaluates its strategy for all of its linear and streaming assets, multiple sources tell me that Pluto TV’s co-founder and current CEO of Paramount Streaming has been in discussions with the company about repurchasing it. These discussions started before the Skydance deal was announced, but I’m told no valuation has been placed on Pluto TV, and no official offer numbers have been exchanged. Interestingly, during the Paramount Global all-hands meeting on June 25th, employees say the company didn’t mention or include any reference to Pluto TV during the newly announced go-forward plan. Those who sat in smaller internal meetings also say the brand was absent from the discussions. Since the Skydance deal was announced, Skydance has featured Pluto TV as one of the six core pillars of the company on slide ten of its presentation. However, that doesn’t guarantee that Pluto TV, or any other content brand, will be part of the company going forward. During a call with investors after the Skydance deal was announced, Jeff Shell stated, “Current management is also talking about a couple of transactions that, if they get the right price, we’ll be supportive of.” So Paramount Global’s current management team can sell off assets and make deals they think will help the new management team as long as the new management team is consulted. Full story: https://lnkd.in/eNuRDyxi

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