Gartner was clear about one of their predictions for 2012, more than 85 percent of Fortune 500 organizations will fail to effectively exploit big data for competitive advantage. Gartner analysts said that going into 2012 there is an increase in the amount of information available to organizations, but it’s a challenge for them to understand it.

This counts for the TV industry as well, think of Social TV, Connected TV, multiscreen experiences that will create massive streams of interaction, data. Especially the TV industry, where immersive engagement is core part of the experience, part of new to create business models.

One side of the coin

Engagement is just one side of the coin, creating platforms where viewers can engage. All this engagement data is a real well of insights, that can be used for all kinds of purposes internally. Think of iterative feedback, continuous adjustments of programming (co-programming) and market intelligence overall by keeping an eye on the multitude of competitors.

Being in the picture

Social media, multitasking challenges content providers to be in the picture of the viewer, it’s not only creating conversation, it’s also shifting away people from content X to content Y. Real-time data, monitoring will give insights in this when high percentages of viewers switch, find elsewhere content to consume (with others).

To quote Gartner:

“Collecting and analyzing the data is not enough — it must be presented in a timely fashion”. Decisions, near real-time need to be made within the window of opportunity, otherwise it’s over.

At the mercy of the viewer

Viewers hold real power to make or break content, shift attention of others. Not only is the quality of the content key, influentials and ambassadors are as well. These go hand in hand, making sure the provided platform is being a success.

Zeebox is definately a technology testing and challenging providers.

Welcome to the intangible economy

We consume more and more content-based information and entertainment. On the supply side, intangible assets such as brand, human capital, intellectual property and knowledge have become major determinants of performance and value. Welcome to the intangible economy.

Intangible assets consists of human-, organizational- and information capital. Especially the information capital in relation to big data, viewer engagement is important. Intangible assets are the ultimate source of sustainable value creation. Innovation and more investments are required to remain viable, to create and maintain competitive success and increase the organization’s market value.

Co-creation

This can be achieved inside-out, but also outside-in, or at least enriching the proposition by taking into account the 'voice of the viewer'. Incorporating them, involving them in processes creates ownership. That what is 'owned' cherised and promoted. Many creative opportunities can be created thanks to these dynamics.

    

According to a recent interview in Business Insider with new head of Comcast Ventures, Amy Banse, a 20-year Comcast veteran, they plan to spend at least some of their 750 million dollar fund fueling startups in the Second Screen Engagement, Social TV Arena.This is great news for our industry!

BI: What do you think of the landscape in digital media right now? There's so much talk of bypassing traditional cable companies. Is that something you worry about, or you're trying to get ahead of?

AB: I actually think there's an opportunity for us in evolving digital media. Digital media means different things to different people. There's digital media in terms of next-generation content and premium content, and there's a lot of activity in making that a more social experience, or a three screen experience. Whether it's not its Snappy TV, or working with Shazam or Twitter or Facebook. Or startups that reflect iterations of those, like Chime and UberMedia. We look at those and we work with our networks to figure out how they partner together to accomplish what our networks are after, which is an extended engagement with their audience. If you are "30 Rock" or "Real Housewives," how can you extend that engagement past the traditional 30 minutes or 60 minutes of TV? You do it by creating second-screen experiences, you do it by allowing the conversation to continue after the show is over. That's the promise of social media for the networks. We're definitely not only interested in that, but that's a trend we think is going to make our network stronger.

That's one dimension of digital media. The other is new providers of packages of content, over the top. I'm equally interested in over the top. We're fully aware that over the top has come and is coming and will continue to come....

Five years from now, all of us, each of us, will be sourcing content from multiple digital providers. The best experience will be the experience that allows you to do that as easily as possible.

BI: Do you think consumer TV habits are changing? Are people spending more time doing many things at once?

AB: We have plenty of research that you're seeing an increasing incidence of dual-screen television watching. What's interesting it's not either-or. Two years ago, there were a lot of dire predictions that with the increasing use of the Internet, people would watch television less. The opposite is true — research shows that the number of hours the TV is on in a household is increasing. What's happening is they're watching TV but they're also doing other things. They're watching TV with their laptop, smartphone, or iPhone. We see that — the venture guys and the NBC side of the house — sees that as a huge opportunity, that gives us an opportunity to extend the content and extend the engagement with our fanbase.

    

Accedo, leading enabler of Smart TV and IPTV applications, is encouraging people to make a difference in the lives of hungry schoolchildren around the world using its recently launched WeFeedback app, developed for the UN World Food Programme (WFP).

The WeFeedBack app is aimed at raising awareness of those suffering from hunger around the world. The app includes a Feedback calculator, which allows users to calculate how many hungry children could be fed with one portion of their favourite food. They can then use the app to donate that amount, or multiples thereof.

The WeFeedBack app also allows people to share details of their favourite food and their donations with friends through social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. A hunger map shows the areas of the world most affected by hunger. Consumers can also test their knowledge with a hunger quiz and watch videos of WFP operations.

“We are pleased to have been involved with this project for the UN World Food Programme,” commented Michael Lantz, CEO, Accedo. “There are so many people worldwide suffering with a lack of food and this app will hopefully raise awareness of their struggle as well as giving people a new way to donate.”

Accedo will be using the app itself to donate money, instead of sending Christmas gifts to clients this year.

“The WeFeedBack app allows us to reach more people with the message that hunger is the world’s biggest solvable problem and better still how they can do something to solve it,” said Nancy Roman, WFP Director of Communications, Public Policy and Private Partnerships. “The benefit for Accedo is that their decision to donate to WFP through WeFeedback is a clear message that they are solving hunger and enabling their clients to do good in the world.”

The WeFeedBack app is available on all LG Connected TV devices worldwide.

    

Since the early days of television, content producers, networks and advertisers have been trying to make their shows more dynamic, interactive, participatory — and now social.

Mark Burnett — one of the most successful global producers and the acknowledged pioneer of reality programming in the US — is set once again to make a major leap forward that is sure to reinvent the broadcast and cable worlds. Mark Burnett has teamed up with technology company ACTV8.ME, to usher in a whole new world of audience participation and integration with television. Now, anyone with an iPhone, iPad, or Android device will be able to interact, socialize, consume, share and participate in real time, all while watching his or her favorite TV shows.

Mark Burnett's successes include the long-running Survivor (currently in its 23rd season) airing on CBS; The Voice, which starts its second season in February 2012 on NBC; The Apprentice and Celebrity Apprentice on NBC, Shark Tank on ABC; and a host of other very successful franchises. Burnett also produced the 2011 Emmy Awards; the 2010 and 2011 People's Choice Awards; and the 2011 Spike Video Game Awards, which aired this past weekend. Since 2007, Burnett has also served as the executive producer for the MTV Movie Awards.

In making the deal with ACTV8, Burnett explains:

"It has always been my dream to create a deeper and more engaging relationship with the audiences of our shows. ACTV8 enables us to give the audience exactly what they want: interactivity, metadata, behind the scenes views, scoops and insights, social relevance and connectivity. Today's audience brings a whole new set of expectations from the shows they connect to and embrace. ACTV8 allows our content to take a much more important and relevant position for consumption within the changing lifestyles of our viewers. This breakthrough technology serves to foster a world of "New Era TV Networks.'"

ACTV8 delivers what it calls a "complete global media integration platform." The platform synchronizes a user's mobile device or tablet to any live or recorded video broadcast and not only provides rich interactive content to the user's device related to the programming, but also feeds viral hooks into Facebook and Twitter. With its proprietary technology, ACTV8 has married broadcast and cable television to the two largest social media platforms on the planet, and then made this all interactive, thus creating the ultimate uber-platform. Their powerful technology enables ACTV8 to deliver a host of program enhancements, line extensions, quizzes, trivia, gaming and sales experiences in conjunction with any TV programming.

ACTV8 founder/CEO Brian Shuster explains:

"ACTV8 represents an altogether new model for digital media creation, interaction and distribution. ACTV8 creates a world where viewers won't skip branded messages and integration, because ACTV8 unlocks their value for consumers. We are working with the largest brands in the world to enrich their connection to the consumer and establish new relationships between their brands and their audiences".

Most of these brands and most TV industry executives acknowledge a major problem facing the medium today: the DVR. And as consumer adoption of the DVR grows, TV ad spot values decline. How can we keep the viewer watching? ACTV8 and its partners are set to reinvent the value proposition for the TV networks, the advertisers and most importantly…the consumer. Consumers are rewarded for their participation with content, including special offers and coupons from many of the leading TV advertisers in the US.

    

The Connected TV Marketing Association has continued to rollout its professional industry network, as adoption of internet-connected TVs in European homes increases, with the announcement this week of Accedo CEO, Michael Lantz as its President for Europe.

With over 10 million internet-connected TVs sold in the EU this year, a figure, expected to rise to 13 million in 2012, the CTVMA is embarking on a series of global information and education programme initiatives in Europe designed to inform and educate the advertising, media and entertainment sector on the commercial opportunities of connected TV platforms.

Welcoming the announcement from Melbourne Australia, the Founder and President Asia-Pacific of the Connected TV Marketing Association James Grant Hay said:

"We are delighted to have Michael Lantz, CEO and founder of Accedo as our President of Europe. As one of the world's leaders in the TV app industry, Michael will play a key role in opening up industry trade dialogue amongst both the CE industry, as well the leaders of broadcasting, advertising and entertainment in Europe".

Speaking from London Mr Lantz said:

“The past 2 years have seen tremendous amount of innovation in the TV app segment. With the increased convergence in user experience between the first and second screens and a fragmented and rapidly changing device ecosystem, Accedo has set itself the ambitious task of providing enabling solutions and services for TV apps, regardless of technology. I think we are just in the beginning of a major change of the TV industry and I’m excited to contribute to this new industry association.”

Joining the executive board of the UK, the CTVMA has also appointed Richard Kastelein, Managing Director of Agora Media Group and publisher of Appmarket.tv as its first Vice President. Kastelein will play a pivotal role in driving awareness of the association across Agora media’s clients and will oversee the CTVMA's first UK industry event at Knightsbridge in London on Wednesday 13 June, 2012.

Upon accepting the role Mr Kastelein said:

"Over the past two years covering the connected TV market at Appmarket.TV, there's been continuing fragmentation in the market - so I am pleased to participate in the CTVMA which can be part of helping to shape the future of this landscape," said Kastelein. “Agora Media has been working on a number of Diaspora VOD projects for Smart TV as well as helping mould second screen engagement strategies with a number of UK and US broadcasters and we are seeing connected TV shaping to hit mass market in months rather than years.”

In the United Kingdom where the market for connected TVs is expected to almost double next year, the CTVMA has also appointed Dr William Cooper, CEO and founder of informitv to function as its Honorary UK Chair.

Speaking from London Dr Cooper said:

“The convergence of the internet and television represents a revolutionary transformation of the viewing experience. My consultancy, informitv, has been advising media and technology companies in this field for many years and am a pleased to be involved in establishing this industry association to help develop the market for Connected TV."

Today's announcements also mark the release of the CTVMA's Membership Packs for companies and individuals wishing to join the association.

Speaking from New York, CTVMA Co-Founder and President of North America Zachary Weiner said:

"Our corporate and professional membership rewards will not only build a vital support base for our organisation, but equip both companies and individuals alike, with a global set of interactive TV advertising standards, codes of conduct, and industry accreditation of the highest best practices”.

With the completion of its global organisational structure in place, the CTVMA has immediately embarked on a CE industry consultation process, inviting leaders from the advertising, media and entertainment sector to participate in formulating an industry terms of reference.

Its first order of business in the New Year, will be the release of its CE Information Packs to industry at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas Nevada on Tuesday 10 January, 2012.

    

TWO-THOUSAND-AND-THIRTEEN has been earmarked by the UK government for the launch of at least twenty local TV channels, to be funded by £40 million from the licence fee, with the rest coming from advertising, but in Wales, they don’t have to wait that long. Next month the people of the Gwent valleys will be able to see themselves, and their neighbours, on 3VTV, a project being launched by the Micro-Broadcasting Centre and funded by the Welsh Government. The channel will be broadcast thanks to the new disruptive technology coming shortly to your TV screen, via the internet. Actually, it’s already here.

In fact the UK government needs to get its skates on, there have already been at least 140 expressions of interest in the British Culture Secretary's plan for every city and region in Britain to have a local public-service broadcaster to rival the BBC, by 2013. A shortlist is to be published imminently.

“I’d like us to be the first country in the world where we have a class of local media businesses which are offering their news across a whole number of platforms. I think there’s a huge opportunity there for the local newspaper industry,” says Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt. 

His vision is of  "a landscape of local TV services broadcasting for as little as one hour a day.” This, however, is very much the old fashioned vision of hi-fi broadcasting. It costs the earth - annual running costs start at £500,000 for a regional channel but London would be far more expensive, especially if it were broadcasting all day. Sure, it delivers beautiful BBC quality content but is it really suited to local TV?

In fact, using the Internet, a TV station can broadcast around the clock for a fraction of the price. With the department of culture also spending nearly £600m introducing high-speed broadband nationwide, internet enabled TV becomes very attractive. It offers a cost-effective way of producing local TV coverage while uniting radio and news with pictures in a single device. It ignites social networks – and new ways of bringing news to communities that have lost a local newspaper.

And not all quality needs to be so great, does it? Well, in fact, it depends largely on the advertisers. 

Chris Locke, UK trading director at media-buying agency Starcom MediaVest, says advertisers will be keen on the new local channels and this is something that new, Welsh, internet broadcast, 3DTV is keen to exploit from the outset.

Content will include promotional films for Gwent companies, made by 3VTV’s team of professional film makers, which will bring a big boost to  the local economy. This will sit alongside content made by in-house film-makers, students from the University’s Film School and by the local community themselves. 

Chris Locke, well understands this concept:  

"It means TV becomes a broader church - for more brands than can afford to use TV currently. I don't think this will necessarily attract new media revenues, rather the opportunity is to divert non-TV monies regionally to TV."

Naturally, for Jeremy Hunt’s project, there will be hi-fi contenders, several have already been linked with London bids to be among the twenty chosen locations. These include the Local Television Network, which has received advice from former BBC director-general Greg Dyke. The London Evening Standard has also indicated an interest.

Channel 6, a bid spearheaded Richard Horwood, formerly of the Mirror’s Live TV, envisages one London channel, with dedicated websites for each part of the city.

Emma Scott, managing director of satellite TV platform Freesat, sounds a note of warning. She ran a local TV service in Hull for the BBC in 2002. "Certain aspects of it were hugely successful," she told Evening Standard "Some genres, like very local news, weather, sport and drama worked best, but it isn't cheap to do that sort of TV well if you want to retain audience interest." The Hull project lasted only a year. But thios was before broadband was robust enough for TV to work well in the medium.

The success of STV, which runs the ITV licence in Scotland, gives a more optimistic prognosis. They recently launched specialised, regional TV news programmes for parts of Scotland. The Edinburgh version, in particular, has been a success, with  news audiences jumping 17%. STV has also introduced 22 hyper-local websites, available only on broadband and mobile, which cover smaller areas. STV Buckie, for example, covers a rural, coastal fishing area. According to Rob Woodward, chief executive of STV: "The number of Facebook and Twitter followers is enormous - 25% of users regularly interact with social media sites using STV Buckie." 

A taste of things to come. 

Would you like to see history in the making? 3vTV is set to launch on 31st January in Ebbw Vale, Gwent. The Technology Strategy Board has limited FREE places. Participants will be treated to a Welsh, locally sourced, lunch, a visit to the 4D cinema and the Map Room – showcasing how local TV is partnering with the local community and, naturally, a choir! Register now, to guarantee your place.

    

Once again, IBC is calling for entries for the most influential and celebrated awards in our industry. The IBC Innovation Awards are unique – and highly valued – because they honour not just technical ingenuity but the way that the technology is used in the real world, bringing real creative and commercial benefits to a project.

They celebrate the partnership between one or more technology suppliers and the end user, working together to create a system that really makes a difference. Certainly that will involve innovative and cutting edge technology, but it will also involve collaboration: working together to achieve the best possible outcome.

There are three IBC Innovation Awards: for the most innovative projects in Content Creation, Content Management and Content Delivery. In addition, there is a fourth, the Judges’ Prize, which may go to one of the category winners or to another project which captures the attention of the international judging panel.

The award itself goes to the end user of the project, but the technology partners are also honoured and benefit tremendously from their association with an award winner. Most nominations come from technology partners, not just because they are proud of the work but because they are keen to demonstrate to their customers how much they value the project and the collaboration.

So in 2011 the winner of the Content Creation award was CNBC in New York, who brought together motion sensing and graphics specialists to allow on-screen presenters to call business charts out of thin air; Content Management went to CNN who amassed a team of technology companies to deliver a workflow to manage 20,000 news clips a week; and DNA in Finland were awarded both the Content Delivery and Judges' Prize for building a digital television transmission network using cellular transmitter locations.

Now is the time to start thinking about your entry. If you have a project which has used technology in an innovative way to give a customer a real edge, creatively, operationally or financially, then tell us about it. It is free to enter and you could find yourself on the red carpet at IBC2012.

Entries should be completed and returned to IBC via the online form by 10 February 2012. After careful consideration of the entries, the judging panel will announce a shortlist in May. Projects on the shortlist receive wide publicity, and each will feature in the IBC Awards Ceremony and in publications around IBC2012. Winners are announced at the ceremony itself, making for an exciting evening.

Before submitting your entry for the IBC2012 Innovation Awards read the guidelines for entries, which will help you understand exactly what the judges are looking for. Good luck!

See who won the IBC2011 Innovation Awards.