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growing number of solutions available to consumers when they connect their compan- Voyage of ion devices. At the same time, the remote control is becoming more sophisticated. Some high-end remotes have touch screen QWERTY keyboards. The underlying requirement is to create the correct balance between traditional discovery lean-back TV experiences and the new instances of interactivity made possible by With an ever-increasing amount of content available to the Smart TV,” he concludes. TV viewer, the challenge is now greater than ever to ensure In the quality versus quantity debate, Rached Ksontini, NAGRA head of product that it can not only be accessed readily, but is relevant to marketing, suggests this is where personalised the viewer’s preferences. Colin Mann discovers some search and recommendation mechanisms are answers from a range of industry experts. key to ensure the increased quantity of con- tent made available to the end users translates in to quality user experience. “Users shall not only be given a simple way to quickly find the content they are looking for, but they shall n content choice and recommenda- within individual services and across all serv- also be able to discover other recommended tion, is it a simple case of quality ices, it’s possible to use your Smart TV to content they are likely to be interested in but versus quantity? search all media available from all sources – which they had not been initially looking for. According to Daniel Saunders, head of whether broadcast, IP or stored locally in the That means moving from search to serendipi- content services, Samsung Electronics household.” ty. Ultimately this translates into increased Europe,I ultimately you want to offer both. SOCIAL MEDIA. Does Saunders see social customer satisfaction. It is also a major oppor- “With a Smart TV, it’s possible to reference media playing a role in content recommenda- tunity for the operators to take the users content from broadcast, IP (via applications tion? “Smart TV enables simultaneous display deeper into the content catalogue and better and the open Internet) and from connected of Twitter, Facebook and linear broadcast and monetise the long tail.” devices within the home – local media storage the full power of social media is just beginning CONTENT RELEVANCE. In terms of devices, tablets or smart phones for example,” to be understood. It’s already possible to relevance and accessibility, Ksontini notes this he explains. create content recommendations via tagging is an area a in which NAGRA is deeply “The question becomes how to ensure that in network services such as Facebook. Twitter immersed. “We ensure both content relevance the content choices from services delivered via has a lot of synergy with broadcast. Broadcast and accessibility in multiple ways. NAGRA’s applications or through the browser is quality. is all about the event, and Twitter trends feed content protection solutions have enabled and This is where applications really come into off events in real time.” continue to enable access to content for their own. They are a vehicle for providers of In terms of programme guide evolution, customers worldwide. Today, with the ever- quality content to enable quality of experi- Saunders suggests they have essentially increasing amount of content that is available, ence. Particularly within the context of the remained the same – they follow a grid it has become increasingly important to secure television device, applications enable content structure. “However, what we’re seeing now is not only the access but also the sharing of providers to deliver a compelling experience.” the evolution of the backwards EPG – content over multiple devices.” There is also a challenge in ensuring the enabling the integration of catch-up and He suggests the NAGRA user relevance and accessibility of content coming broadcast so that catch-up extends the experience/user interface product is a great from a range of sources. Saunders offers a window of opportunity to view from the example of how easy it is to facilitate access to simple solution: “By getting the user interface minute the programme plays out to include relevant content for the viewer. “The result of right and understanding how to use metadata. the seven days afterwards.” more than four years of UI research and Browsing as a content discovery process is still “A lot has been said about catch up canni- development, it has been extensively tested by important. If you look at apps available on balising broadcast. As IP and broadcast focus groups to ensure it meets consumer Samsung Smart TV, you can see that services become further integrated the story will be demands. It is both content-centric and video- are designed to give users immediate access to about complementing and augmenting the rich, enabling universal access to all forms of content – it’s about getting to the content that broadcast experience. The EPG will have to media from any source (broadcast, on- you want to watch as quickly as possible. But manage the new choices made available to the demand, OTT, USB, home network/DLNA).” IP also enables search. By unlocking metadata end user via IP,” he predicts. CO-WORKERS. He feels that social media COMPANION DEVICES. Likely to be a can play a very important role in content rec- major topic at IBC will be the role of compan- ommendation. “With all the content that is “Browsing as a ion devices in TV viewing. Will they supplant available, receiving recommendation on cer- content discovery the traditional infrared remote control, or will tain shows or programmes through your own process is still they be complementary? close social circles –co-workers, friends and important.” Saunders points out that Samsung already family – makes it easier for you to decide on DANIEL SAUNDERS, offers apps to allow you to use your smart- the programmes you want to watch. If my best SAMSUNG phone or other mobile communications device friend has recommended a programme for as a remote control with touch screen me, there is a very good chance I will look at QWERTY keyboard. “The solution is tremen- that first before relying on outside recommen- dously powerful. It is one example of a dations.”

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He suggests that programme guides are a tion in ensuring the relevance and accessibili- far cry away from what they were in the early ty of content is to ensure there is a good, days of TV, and that it is a given that they reliable source of metadata, he says. “With must continue to evolve in order to accommo- multiple versions of content and differing “Content and servic- date the evolving functionalities of digital sources of metadata, broadcasters and es will be blended television as well as the ever-growing amount platform owners will require technology that for simultaneous of content that is out there. “It is really not a will automatically check content and metadata use of the TV and a luxury for service providers to evolve their across multiple sources and make simple companion device.” programme guides but a necessity – to make corrections as required.” TORE GIMSE, it easy for viewers to find what they want with He describes recommendations and CONAX a user interface that matches and enables a content discovery via social networks as variety of operations at the touch of a button.” “incredibly powerful” because consumers tend the platforms it supports. “The real asset is in According to Ksontini, TV Guides are sig- to place great trust in their friends’ sugges- trying to help the user find the content they nificant untapped advertising inventories. tions. “Of course, the downside for the want, not what someone else has decided they “The programme guide is a prime example of operator is that they have no control over should watch. Consumers must be given the an opportunity to reach viewers when they are these recommendations. Therefore it may widest choice possible to ensure they feel they focused on the screen for ‘information’ and drive subscribers away from the content it are getting value for money, but we need to not for entertainment. The programme guide, wishes to push that offers better opportunities prioritise content so the consumer can see either with ‘banner spaces’ surrounding the for further monetisation.” what is best in class.” grid or, in more sophisticated formats that are He suggests that generally speaking, EPGs SELLING POINT. Noting that social media dynamic, provide opportunities to engage have not evolved far enough yet – the tradi- in connected TV is often touted as being ‘The viewers with relevant and timely messages.” tional grid still rules for most operators. Next Big Thing’, he suggests that it is impor- DTV ECOSYSTEM. He suggests that it is “Although a grid is useful when you know tant to remember that while our selection of easy to see how companion devices are exactly what you are looking for, it is not a TV viewing has been fairly individual, our becoming more and more prevalent in the good format for content discovery. The whole viewing experience is most often a shared home and in the digital television ecosystem, user experience needs to evolve to place experience. “While we see social media as and how they could eventually replace the search functionality at the forefront of naviga- being a selling point to consumers, we must traditional remote. “The functionalities a tion. NDS has found that the trick is to make acknowledge that, more often than not, social companion device can go way beyond the this functionality work with a traditional TV media information is highly personal and may functionalities of a traditional remote control. remote, rather than a QWERTY keyboard. not be shared with the whole house. I would We are already seeing how consumers can This isn’t an easy challenge but new UIs that like to see the link between social media infor- start viewing their favourite programming on have taken this approach, such as the version mation and TV as being one that shares the a device such as a tablet and resume viewing of NDS Snowflake deployed by Zon, have values of the TV experience as users expect it on their television when it’s convenient for shown a remarkable uplift in VoD purchases. to. We must respect people’s privacy as well as them.” These have risen by over 160 per cent and this giving them access to a personal experience.” “We see companion devices as a great way is purely down to the fact that it is much easi- He recommends that the most basic next to search and discover content, then eventual- er to discover new content.” step in EPG evolution is the mixing of linear ly pushing it to the big screen and not just CHANNEL CHANGE. According to IP-sourced content into the traditional EPG so because touch screen devices are great to Griffiths, it is highly unlikely companion that it can co-exist with the broadcast content navigate through a service but simply consid- devices will supplant the traditional infrared and provide a seamless experience for the ering the personal dimension offered by the remote control, in the short term at least. consumer. “Next is the inclusion in the search device and how well that device knows you! “You can pick up a remote and only need to option for the use of non-broadcast metadata One thing is for sure, the companion device is press one to three buttons to change channel, from alternate sources; this includes recom- here to stay and we will see more and more however, assuming a tablet or smartphone is mendations and customised search to deliver service providers making good use of them,” in the same place, the user is likely to have to an experience that most fits the profile of the he predicts. make a minimum of four or five key presses consumer.” John Griffiths, solutions marketing (and this is more likely eight to 10) for the He predicts that the infrared remote will be manager, NDS, says that you need to track same action. On top of this you have to wait around for a long time because it is the cheap- results very closely to ascertain whether several seconds while the remote control app est mechanism available that we can put in subscribers are actually following through and on the device loads up, so overall this isn’t the the box. “However, Humax will be supporting viewing/purchasing any of the recommended most engaging of user experiences. The story remote control functions over IP networks in content. “If not, then the service provider can is very different for complementary apps and future and we envisage this to be mostly done take corrective action to better tailor recom- these will have a huge part to play in enriching via popular smartphones and also web-based mendations to the end user. The best way to the TV experience. These will allow us to services. The ability to mix different sources of do this is with an automated audience meas- interact with social networks, discover richer metadata into the experience without clutter- urement system (AMS) that will log the metadata or new content to augment our TV ing could be a critical winner with the multi- recommended content and subsequent actions viewing. These devices will excel in this role screen approach to remote controls. that can then be analysed off line. The and at the moment we’ve only scratched the Eventually it may be that an RF technology purchase history and SMS systems will also be surface of what can be achieved,” he admits. can supplant the IR remote control as demand a rich source of data so long as there is a link Bob Hannent, senior technology manager, for additional functionality becomes main- to whether the content was recommended or Humax, notes that as a manufacturer, the stream. However, for cost and battery life, IR not.” company owns no content, with its job merely cannot yet be beaten,” he states. METADATA. The most important considera- to deliver the content that is available from to RETAIL STORE. For Vince Pizzica,

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“We want TiVo to be “Looking back now, we see how woefully inad- portfolio. “With SocialTV, users can view our standard way of equate those first efforts were, but we have a video content on their primary TV screen accessing TV.” generation of consumers pre-conditioned to while simultaneously sharing comments and ALEX GREEN, VIRGIN thinking of a grid as the only way to find con- interacting real-time with friends and family MEDIA tent. We now have the processing and graph- via social networks. We all know that the best ics power to put much more sophisticated recommendations come from word of mouth.” solutions into devices. Consumers should not “Consumers are used to and expect a web- be expected to endlessly scroll through grid like experience, including in their programme listings to find their favourites.” guide. With the breadth and depth of content president of digital delivery group, He notes that increasingly, consumer elec- now available, guides must continue to be Technicolor, the key to balancing quality and tronic devices are network connected, from even more visually appealing and easy-to-use quantity is thinking of it as a retail problem. set-top boxes to smart TV sets to Blu-ray play- in order to help consumers better navigate “If you run content and a store, it is launch great to selections.” have a large She sees selection to companion wow cus- devices and tomers, but traditional if you do infrared not have the remote specific item controls as the cus- being com- tomer is plementary. looking for, “However, you have an as con- issue. sumers get Network more and operators are operating a digital store, so the ers, and that equally commonplace is the more familiar with companion devices as part challenge is the same. Network operators have home wireless network, so it is becoming com- of the integrated home entertainment experi- to learn from their viewers about their monplace to control a broad range of devices ence, we imagine they will replace traditional preferences, habits, choices and discards. Only via network calls. “The consumer does not remote controls in many homes.” then can you offer the individual subscriber a have to aim and point, and there is a host of CONTENT LIBRARIES. Milya tailored and personalised offering that they control and data benefits to be gained. In Timergaleyeva, VP market strategy at Oregan will perceive as quality rather than quantity.” time, infrared will become much less a Networks, describes securing compelling con- In order to ensure the relevance and acces- requirement for command and control. But tent libraries as the fundamental challenge for sibility of content, he suggests you must be that is not to say that some features of today’s the Over the Top industry. “In this case, a able to aggregate all the relevant sources. remote control should be lost: dedicated but- large amount of niche, non-commercial-quali- “Most solutions today bring together live TV tons for volume control, play and pause, and ty channels is likely to only clutter the user and a video on demand catalogue, with per- channel selection are both familiar and intu- interface and make the journey to high quality haps one or two over the top video providers. itive to consumers. It would be foolish to bury programming more complicated than it needs But this ignores all the content already in the that functionality in on-screen menus.” to be. Importantly, without good content, con- consumer’s own home, on purchased physical Vanessa Varian, product marketing, sumers aren’t able to see the value of Internet media, acquired through other networks, or Motorola Mobility, notes that as consumers media streaming devices and features.” even created by themselves.” are embracing multiple screens for program- She says that with an abundance of differ- “The consumer, however, does not want to ming, they expect experiences that are person- ent personal and commercial content and know where the content choice is coming alised to their preferences and devices. applications now accessible via a single from: they just want to be entertained. That is “Tomorrow’s expanded and enhanced IP screen, an application that simplifies media why Technicolor’s MediaNavi strives first to home experience — converging video content discovery and works around the need to know aggregate as many content sources as possible with social networking, games, and web-based the source, will make a real difference in User so that searching for content becomes a seam- content — across multiple devices is a quickly- Experience “For this, arguably a traditional less experience. We do this with a simple sec- approaching reality,” she advises, suggesting EPG is not suitable. The Onyx browser has a ond-screen tablet interface so the user can that by tracking behaviours and previous con- dedicated section of the content carousel for navigate their content without disrupting what tent viewed or purchased, Motorola software each popular media source: Home Media, is on the big screen. Just making the process is able to make better recommendations for BBC iPlayer, LOVEFiLM or Blinkbox. The seamless through proper aggregation future viewing. It also lets subscribers multi-source search application inside Onyx improves the consumer experience – and self-identify their interest in certain genres enables consumers to type in a search term increases VoD sales.” and other variables (director, actor, etc.) so and search home and Internet media simulta- PAPER PUBLICATION. He suggests that if those relevant content choices are served up neously.” you think back to the 1990s and the first to them first. electronic grid guides, everyone was just SOCIALTV. The company launched its “That means moving from search to amazed at how handy it was to move from a SocialTV Companion Service in April 2011 as serendipity.” paper publication to an electronic medium. part of its Motorola Medios Software Suite RACHED KSONTINI, NAGRA

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She adds that the tradi- that a subscriber watches tional grid-based EPG is and searches for. It’s only a no longer perceived as matter of time before social being able to fulfil the recommendations are needs and aspirations of integrated as well.” today’s TV audiences. GENERATION GAME. “Consumers crave variety According to Edmonds, com- and ease of search and dis- panion devices are just so covery. The web browsing much better suited to naviga- and data mining technolo- tion: the ability to type gies and standards are search terms, to point and finally at the point where select content or applica- they can be applied across tions, and to communicate the broadcast and IP within social communities worlds.” takes TV navigation and PREMIUM ROUTE. viewing to another level. David Bloom, commercial “Infrared remotes serve a director, IP Vision, says couple of purposes; they’re the company has always inexpensive and available in gone down the premium a pinch. But we believe they route in terms of quality, will be relegated to back-up as it believes that it is not status in the vast majority a case of having tens of of homes within a genera- thousands of hours of free, tion.” poor-quality content but Yann Courqueux, CMO, rather a choice of top- Netgem, notes that now quality movies and TV that many sources and shows that people actually types of content can be want to watch. “What’s accessed through the STB, important is that this great content is easy to content in the same way that broadcast TV is search, discovery and personalised recom- find and that the programme guide is easy to presented, as fully integrated in the overall mendations are more significant than ever. He use.” The company also believes in “great hybrid TV offering, can result in dramatic suggests the first consideration the operator service”. “All of our content, whether aggre- increases in consumption of on-demand needs to take into account when it wishes to gated directly by us or through other service content. “The origin of any item of content – personalise recommendations and allow portals like Sky Go, is connected to a whether it be broadcast, downloaded online, connection to social networks is user identifi- consumer’s FetchTV account, thereby provid- streamed over a home network or storage cation. “This is a complex task if the STB has ing a single sign-on and access to editorial device – needs to be transparent to the viewer, more than one user, as is usually the case. It with access to online content presented along- can be achieved with individual pin codes and side broadcast TV to deliver a truly integrated sign on procedure or it can be done by “Linking via a social TV experience.” integrating a dedicated button on the remote network doesn’t POINT AND PUSH. “There are many peo- which can be used to assign each user a necessarily corre- ple who are wedded to the ‘point and push’ of colour, this is the approach we have taken spond to a the traditional remote control and that that with Sezmi,” he notes. ‘community of taste’.” won’t change for a long while. However, I do “Going forward, social TV integration is SYLVAIN GIRARD, think that we will see companion devices mak- going to be big. The user’s social network will CONTENTWISE ing in-roads within certain demographics. And be a very important source for recommenda- who knows, maybe it will go the other way tions so we are currently developing applica- and motion control will become the next big tions (in collaboration with partners such as features across the entire system. This is very thing.” Miso and Facebook). These will allow the user important to consumers,” he advises. Quality and quantity are not mutually to see what their friends are watching/recom- In terms of social media, it is still the very exclusive categories, asserts Jeremy Edmonds, mending at any given time and also allow early stages of social integration with TV, director, technical business development, them to interact over social networks while according to Bloom, “but already it is clear ActiveVideo Networks, who suggests that the watching TV.” that the second screen will have a role to play optimal search and discovery environment HASHTAGS. Netgem is also developing a in enhancing those ‘water cooler’ moments. will be an iVOD experience that is intuitive, social TV programme guide to replace the The best is yet to come in this area of the interactive, inclusive of all content sources traditional EPG grid, this will offer the market, but consumer behaviour is leading us and – most of all – personalised, hence the ‘I’. consumer a personalised EPG that will rank all to a more comment-based form of “Let’s be honest: The template for helping programmes according to the level of social entertainment that is set to change certain consumers to find content that’s relevant to media buzz amongst the user’s peer group. format genres forever.” them already exists – on the Web. Netflix has Looking at EPG evolution he advises that created highly sophisticated algorithms that “Making the process seamless improves studies of hybrid TV usability and viewer recommend specific viewing options based on the consumer experience.” preferences have shown that presenting online individual genres and even individual shows VINCE PIZZICA, TECHNICOLOR

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This will be based on a Tore Gimse, CTO, number of factors such Conax, says that the as the number of hash- accessibility of content tagged tweets, number from numerous sources of forums/chat rooms is a question of both related to the pro- technology and rights. gramme. He suggests “On the technical side, that touch screen we have to support devices offer much numerous streaming better experience than formats and several traditional remotes for DRMs. When it comes typing, search, discov- to rights, the consumer ery, browsing and must get these, either by interaction. “We have subscriptions or pay-per developed advanced view. As more vertical remote applications services appear, this for iOS (iPhones and might be a challenge, iPADs) and Android since the consumer may handsets to give con- have to buy from several sumers a more user operators or content friendly and immersive providers. The experience.” UltraViolet initiative For Julie Austin, might possibly be a way CEO, Inview out of this.” Noting that Technology, key to companion devices addressing the prob- already complement the lem of easily accessing remote control, and to content relevant to a increase consumers’ viewer’s preference is a convenience, such recommendation devices will probably engine. “The problem replace the traditional is trying to find the remote. “We also see a best match through an tendency that content awareness of what you want to watch, with and contains the algorithm to determine and and services will be blended for simultaneous what is available to watch and accessing it. To recommend the content which is the best use of the TV set and a companion device, avoid a suboptimal match, all this content match to your household,” she concludes. strongly enhancing the user experience.” from multiple sources has led to a new Katharine Wilson, head of WeAreAka, a FAVOURITE SHOWS. BSkyB suggests it is paradigm for content search. It was like the company that specialises in TV user experi- important for the broadcaster to aid content Internet before Google came along with its ence, suggests that the platform technology discovery, especially as it invests over £2 page ranking capability. The Inview recom- will need to support multiple feeds to allow a billion in content each year. In Mobile, the mendation engine is the TV equivalent of the customer-focused content architecture. She Sky+ app is available on the iPhone, iPad and Google page ranking. It provides a simple and feels that there is clearly a possible role for Android. This provides a TV Guide and straightforward way of accessing and navigat- social media at a personal level, where one remote record functionality, so you can send a ing content from multiple delivery sources.” could see what one’s friends on Facebook or request to record shows to your PVR. The app TV-CENTRIC. “Once enjoying the TV experi- Twitter were watching and react accordingly. also provides suggestions of other shows you ence, viewers want to be able to consume “But this experience needs to be confined to might like next to info about each programme. content with minimal effort, so don’t want to ‘companion’ devices owned by individuals, The Sky EPG hosts over 1 billion customer have to move away from the TV. The EPG, as rather than used on – say – the main living- interactions each month, and is familiar to the gateway to this ever-increasing content, room display, which is often a family device,” more than 10m households in the UK. needs to drive and support this TV-centric she warns, adding that the future role of the Sylvain Girard, head of business unit, behaviour. The viewer does not want to have companion device depends on the willingness ContentWise, a Moviri company that grew out to dig out their laptop, tablet, or move over to of the platform operators to support target of Italian IPTV platform Fastweb’s need for a the desktop to find out what’s on, so deliver- devices or to cater for all devices. “The remote recommendation platform, notes that its focus ing an awareness of the content, on screen, control is not dead just yet.” is on back-end recommendation engine. Now and without disruption to their viewing is offering its expertise to a wider range of paramount,” she suggests. “Going forward, operators and broadcasters, he notes that all “As opposed to delivering generic content social TV integration operators have their own guidelines regarding recommendations that are non-specific to the is going to be big.” EPGs. individual, the solution for delivering content YANN COURQEUX, To ensure relevance and quality of content to maximise the opportunity for monetising NETGEM recommendations, three steps are involved: assets is an intelligent recommendation Firstly the filtering of content available, this engine; one that watches what you watch can be by content seniority, or by profiling of historically, has an awareness of what there is, people via demographic or past activity in

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“Accessibility can shelves and feel like you’re trapped in an watching something rather than scrolling. We play a huge role.” IKEA. There’s still a way to go with current believe in quantity from a range of sources NAVIN NATOEWAL, guides. They should minimise the info in and formats. We want to expand the range of UWAND front, but maximise possibilities of what I can content available but without putting a burden use.” on the consumer.” Virgin Media sees the DIFFERENT PLATFORMS. Navin future of accessing content is via its TiVo box, Natoewal, GM of uWand, a direct pointing and Green suggests that with an increasing and gesture control technology for remote TiVo user base, the process will become controls, stresses the importance of getting better. In particular, he sees the ability to people to the content quickly. “Accessibility handle differing sources of content as an purchasing or viewing. The second step can play a huge role,” he suggests, noting that advantage. “There will be OTT content, but in involves marketing acumen, applying a busi- having to navigate using up, down, left, right a managed environment.” ness rule engine that would reflect activities controls can be cumbersome. “It takes the He accepts that social media can play a such as special promotions. Thirdly, feedback speed and fun out of it.” Not unnaturally, he role in the content discovery process, and in real time can be reveals that Virgin employed, such as Media is working on a user satisfaction rat- programme ‘like’ status ings. “There can be for Facebook. One signif- problems when you icant development in have a ‘cold start’ on a terms of programme platform, where there guides is backwards is no information on scrolling, vital in the era customers. “At this of catch-up TV. “The stage, people are sus- EPG has evolved from picious of recommen- simply scrolling forward dation engines.” He to find out what’s on to a nevertheless feels that more general content people are now discovery tool. We want becoming more confi- TiVo to be our standard dent and placing way of accessing TV,” he greater trust in the declares. value of recommen- Richard Bullwinkle dations. He warns, however that “just because suggests that infrared remote devices will dis- chief evangelist, rovi, describes the old-style people may be linked via a social network, this appear in favour of devices such as uWand, grid EPG, as “old and antiquated. It’s like an doesn’t necessarily correspond to a ‘communi- and that companion devices will co-exist with Excel spreadsheet!” Although suggesting that ty of taste’.” a new generation of remote devices. it is the worst way to think of presenting con- MULTIPLE DEVICES. Sefy Ariely, VP, Andrew Wajs, CTO at Irdeto, recognises tent choice, the issue remains of how to sales and marketing for Orca Interactive, that there’s a challenge with OTT broadband replace it. “It’s important that recommenda- which unveiled its Compass content discovery video in getting content that is targeted to tions are ‘just for you’,” he suggests, claiming solution at IBC in 2007, says it is something consumers. “The broadcast infrastructure is that in terms of relevance, that’s where rovi the company still believes strongly in. “It’s not necessarily conducive for this. It’s a chal- shines. “Metadata is important; that’s some- even more important now in a sea of content.” lenge for the incumbents to offer a much more thing that not a lot of people do well.” He Noureddine Hamdane, EVP, strategy and customised experience. The biggest obstacle is considers the advent of companion devices communication at parent company Viaccess the quality of the metadata,” he observes, not- into the TV viewing experience as “the most agrees that with more different devices being ing that a programme mention could be just exciting party of the category. If you are an utilised by end-users, the discovery and referring to an entire series, with no depth advanced user, a personal device is the best recommendation process needs to be person- added. “You’ve got to be able to mine that way to interact. It’s yours, not your spouse’s or alised and relevant. information, and unify the experience across your daughter’s.” Although accepting that social media is different platforms.” VIEWER ENGAGEMENT. Steve Plunkett, allowing people to influence and be influenced Thomas Dvorak, CMO at Aprico Solutions, director of customer innovation at Red Bee more than ever before, Ariely warns that it can suggests that multiple-user households create Media, states that ensuring relevance, quality be a fickle source of recommendation. “There particular challenges in providing relevant and accessibility of content is a key factor could be some items that have hundreds of content, with key factors being ease of use. when developing the company’s next genera- recommendations, but others with none. It’s “There needs to be personalisation, tailored to tion online video platform, RedPlayer. easy to overestimate the value of social media the individual or group; the system needs to To bolster its strength in the sector, Red on recommendations. However, we seek vali- be learning.” In terms of social media, he sug- Bee Media in August acquired TV Genius, a dation from someone we trust. That can facili- gests that with movies, you’d trust friends’ software company that specialises in cloud- tate a personal decision.” recommendation. based content discovery across the Internet, He notes that in terms of EPG evolution, FAST FORWARD. Alex Green, executive TV and connected devices. “TV Genius will once it included everything on TV, but nowa- director, commercial, TV and online at Virgin now have the ability to quickly grow its days it should really be everything relevant to Media, says that content discovery is less Content Discovery Platform while maintaining us on TV. “A store has a lot of goods on about reducing quantity, more about making industry-leading relevance”, said Tom Weiss, display, but you don’t have to look at all the the process quick and easy. “You want to be CEO of TV Genius.

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