IBC: Survey Finds Most Media Executives Believe Digital Platforms Boost TV Viewing

Complete Coverage:IBC 2012

Broadcasters and media executives are generally optimistic
about both their traditional businesses and the prospects of their new digital
distribution channels, with 75% of media executives believing that online,
social media and mobile platforms help drive TV viewing, according to a new
survey issued at IBC by Avid and Ovum.

Two-thirds of media organizations surveyed were also
optimistic about their future, believing that new distribution platforms offer
an unprecedented opportunity for business growth. They identified the three
drivers of their growth as increased audiences, multiplatform distribution, and
growth in advertising revenues.

The survey also found that this confidence in the potential
of digital platforms is also pushing a shift in the way broadcasters relate to
their audiences and the investments they are making in their future, with
multiple platform delivery, cloud solutions and the delivery of more
personalized content becoming a high priority.

"Media organizations worldwide are moving from addressing
homogenous audiences to delivering personalized experiences," said Gary
Greenfield, CEO and chairman of Avid, in a statement. "This change in the
relationship between broadcasters and their audiences also forces a change in
business models, and places new demands on how compelling, high-quality content
is created, managed and delivered. At the forefront of this shift, Avid is
delivering solutions today that let our customers capitalize on these new
emerging opportunities."

In terms of the shift to more personalized content, nearly
four-fifths of the sample (78%) said that within the next 10 years, most
content will be customized based on the profile attributes of the individual
viewers and 85% of respondents felt that multiplatform distribution will be critical
to capturing new growth opportunities.

As this content is personalized, two-thirds of respondents
to the survey also believed that "asset-based workflows will enable new
business models, and over 70% say they will result in OPEX savings," Avid reported
in announcing the results. 

The survey also highlighted some strains in the broadcast
infrastructure that could limit some of this potential. On average, media
producers reported that over a third of their archives could be profitably
monetized but remain inaccessible and unavailable for such use.

As multiplatform distribution becomes more important, the
survey also found growing interest in cloud solutions. Even though only 23% of
the respondents are using a cloud infrastructure today, over 75% are currently
exploring cloud deployment for the future. The survey also found that the cloud
"is viewed as a mechanism for enabling new business and distribution models, as
well as a means to reduce infrastructure costs and enable new collaborative
workflows."

The Avid broadcast survey was conducted from July through
August 2012 by Ovum Research and is based on interviews with more than "200
executives and decision-makers from leading broadcast and post and professional
organizations in Europe and North America," the companies explained.

A summary of the findings can be found at www.avid.com/researchreport.