NBC Universal’s Kliavkoff Eyes Ways to Exploit New Media

Chief Digital Officer Wants to Use Off-the-Shelf Content to Create New Revenue Streams

By Robert Marich -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/2/2008 1:28:00 PM

NBC Universal is exploring ways to exploit off-the-shelf assets in new media to create new revenue streams with minimal investment, chief digital officer George Kliavkoff said at the SNL Kagan Radio/TV Values & Finance Summit Wednesday.

He added that that a 65% chunk of broadcast spectrum from company-owned Telemundo owned-and-operated stations will be available for yet-to-be-determined new ventures, even after the Spanish-language broadcaster makes its transition to HD telecasts.

Also, loads of NBC video programming that is aired once will be repurposed for posting with ads.

Kliavkoff called both these areas “hidden pots of gold” ripe for developing.

He said the unused slice of Telemundo spectrum would be sufficient to launch an eight- to 10-channel wireless service, which would require a partner to mount. Another alternative is using the spectrum for “significant datacasting,” Kliavkoff added.

A company inventory of assets concluded that NBC’s O&O stations will have just 25%-30% of spectrum open, given their broader agenda that includes the NBC Weather Plus initiative with affiliates, which narrows prospects to squeeze in other uses.

Elsewhere, NBC telecasts lots of video that is seen just once, so there’s an effort to post material with appeal to the top 10 advertising categories, such as automotive and telecommunications. The postings would carry ads that should be easy to corral given that they are relevant to ad-rich categories. Kliavkoff did not provide any specifics.

He said many new-media initiatives require partnering with third parties, including third parties that are competitors. NBCU hasn’t done this in the past, but it’s a mandate in new media going forward, he added.