On Demand: Programmers, Distributors Look to Monetize Content in Lighter Ad Environment

Complete Coverage: On Demand Summit

New York – As consumers increasingly stream video and avoid traditional ads, programmers and distributors continue to search for ways to monetize content, experimenting with sponsorships, imbedding ads in programming and branded content, according to a panel discussion at the Multichannel News/B&C On Demand Summit Thursday.

Roku VP of advertising Scott Rosenberg said finding new ways to place ads in, around and between content is becoming increasingly important as viewing habits shift. And he added as over-the-top and subscription video on demand services like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu proliferate, consumers are increasingly looking for value.

Rosenberg said “free channels” and “free content” are the No. 1 search terms on Roku’s platform.

“As the consumer moves more and more of their time to the OTT streaming model, they’re looking for value,” Rosenberg said. “The ad model has a lot of potential.”

He added that viewers willing to watch ads for less expensive content are “more empowered,” but he added that the traditional method of large blocks of TV ads won’t cut the mustard.

Go to Multichannel.com for the full story.