August/September 2017

eSports direct A game changer for TV?

pOFC DTVE AugSep17.indd 1 05/09/2017 17:21 pXX RSCC DTVE AugSep17.indd 1 25/08/2017 15:36 Digital TV Europe August/September 2017

Contents August/September 2017

14. TV plays the millennial game

The meteoric rise of eSports has caught the attention of TV operators and broadcasters, both of which are investing in rights and dedicating airtime to gaming. But how likely is this to win eSports direct back millennial viewers? Andy McDonald reports. A game changer for TV?

pOFC DTVE AugSep17.indd 1 05/09/2017 15:27

18. Talk TV

With the advent of popular digital assistants such as Amazon Echo and the launch of next- generation TV devices like Sky Q, there are signs that using your voice to control the TV is finally filtering into the mainstream. Stuart Thomson looks at some of the latest moves. 18

26. Diving deeper into data

Video service providers are still attempting to come to terms with how to manage and use big data. Identifying and focusing on key areas such as specific elements of marketing, targeted advertising and churn reduction can point the way ahead, writes Anna Tobin. 26 32. Hack attack: TV and cybersecurity

Cyber attacks are increasing in number and becoming more sophisticated, with the cost to corporations running into the billions. With conventional security concepts increasingly powerless against it, protection requires a paradigm shift. Adrian Pennington reports.

42. IBC 2017: the preview

This year’s IBC exhibition will take place at Amsterdam’s RAI from September 15-19.Digital TV Europe takes a look at some this year’s technologies. 32

Regulars

2 This month 4 News digest 50 Technology 54 People 56 Final analysis

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p01 Contents DTVE AugSep17v2am.indd 1 05/09/2017 17:59 This month > Editor’s note Digital TV Europe August/September 2017

Issue no 333 Four faces of content Published By: KNect365 TMT Maple House content, new ways of finding it, new ways of making 149 Tottenham Court Road money from it, and new threats to it: this month’s issue London W1T 7AD New of Digital TV Europe looks at four key aspects of the emerging content Tel: +44 (0) 20 7017 5000 distribution universe. Fax: +44 (0) 20 7017 4953 First, the content that is being distributed is changing. Pay TV opera- Website: www.digitaltveurope.net tors and broadcasters are desperate to win over younger audiences that are in danger of becoming disengaged from traditional TV. One of the Editor Stuart Thomson emerging genres that seems to appeal to at least a significant sub-section Tel: +44 (0) 20 7017 5314 of this generation is eSports, which has grown massively in terms of its Email: [email protected] audience and appeal over the last couple of years, to the point where me- dia companies such as Modern Times Group see it as central to their future, and service provid- ers such as Telefónica are investing in their own gaming teams and platforms. In this issue, we Deputy Editor Andy McDonald speak to the key players and assess their future prospects and likely evolution. Tel: +44 (0) 20 7017 5293 Second, sources of available content are proliferating and pay TV platforms are increasingly Email: [email protected] embracing OTT TV services from third parties, but viewers still complain that they can’t find content that they want to watch. To help cut through the complexity of navigating through mul- tiple menus, voice control has now arrived, boosted by the popularity of digital assistants such Contributors as Amazon Echo. Also in this issue of Digital TV Europe, we look at how effective voice will be Kate Bulkley, Andy Fry, Adrian Pennington, as a content discovery tool and as a way for platforms to differentiate their offerings. Adam Thomas, Anna Tobin, Jesse Whittock Third, the proliferation of available content sources also raises the challenge of how to make a business case for service providers and content suppliers alike. With audiences fragmenting, Correspondents and the traditional advertising model now facing a long-term decline, we look at the promise France: Julien Alliot; Germany: Dieter of big data and the ways in which more sophisticated use of the data available could enable TV Brockmeyer; Italy: Branislav Pekic operators and channel providers to improve marketing, reduce churn and build a sustainable business model. Fourth, the industry’s move to IP and OTT platforms means that new security threats are Commercial Director Patricia Arescy emerging. On top of traditional content security concerns, TV operators and broadcasters are Tel: +44 (0) 20 7017 5320 increasingly the target of cybercriminals. In this issue we look at the nature of emerging threats Email: [email protected] not only to the intellectual property rights of operators and broadcasters, but to the personal lives of their subscribers. Art Director Matthew Humberstone Finally, we take a look at some of the technologies at this year’s IBC show and provide our usual digest of all the latest industry, technology and people news. l

Marketing Manager Marita Eleftheriadou

Printing Wyndeham Grange, West Sussex

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© 2017 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved Stuart Thomson, Editor Reproduction without permission is prohibited [email protected]

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p02 Ed Note DTVE AugSep17v3am.indd 2 05/09/2017 18:00 pXX CSGI DTVE AugSep17.indd 1 29/08/2017 15:39 News > digest Digital TV Europe August/September 2017 News digest > 4 Deutsche Telekom taps Netflix, Fox+ and UFA for EntertainTV > 5 LG sees upside from ‘fragmented’ OTT market > 8 Disney strikes deal with Iflix after cutting Netflix > 10 Canal+ needs level playing field, says Vivendi > 12 Ofcom submits new Sky advice Deutsche Telekom taps Netflix, Fox+ and UFA for EntertainTV

By Andy McDonald > The Walking Dead and 24. MGM-produced The Hand- On top of this, a new part- maid’s Tale, Sienna Films and Deutsche Telekom is adding nership with German film and eOne Entertainment’s Cardinal, Ultra HD support and direct ac- television production company and FX Productions, Pig New- cess to Netflix to its EntertainTV UFA adds a wide selection of ton and 3 Arts Entertainment offering, along with a raft of new German movies and made-for- co-produced Better Things will content from the likes of Fox. TV films to the service. be available on EntertainTV Deutsche Telekom’s new Ul- “Deutsche Telekom sees itself starting October 4.The Fox+ cat- tra HD-ready MR 401 media re- as an aggregator on the media Sky and Insight TV will also be alogue will launch at the same ceiver will provide EntertainTV market – we bring together the available through EntertainTV. time. customers with direct access to best content on our TV plat- The Fox+ deal establishes Deutsche Telekom said that Netflix following its launch this form so that we can offer our Deutsche Telekom as the first all EntertainTV customers will autumn, with the release accom- customers the best package,” German partner to launch the be able to access UHD content panying a major content push said Deutsche Telekom’s head non-linear service, which is al- on demand, but only customers by the firm. of consumer, Michael Hagspihl. ready available in France, Swe- with a MagentaZuhause L rate For the first time the operator, “Combining superior tech- den, Norway, Denmark, Finland plan and download speeds of which already boasts exclusive nology, strong partners and and Greece – with more launch- up to 100 Mbps will be able to sports rights, has taken German exclusive content is crucial to es due to follow before the end watch UHD live. premiere rights to three major achieving that aim. With televi- of the year. Deutsche Telekom an- new TV series – dystopian dra- sion in Ultra High Definition, “As we bring Fox+ to another nounced the news at the IFA ma The Handmaid’s Tale, Cana- Netflix and Fox as well as our ex- key territory, the results we are technology trade show in Berlin. dian crime series Cardinal and clusive top series, we are taking seeing from the product are sur- Entertain TV is an IP-delivered comedy Better Things. the next step and underline our passing our expectations, and multiscreen TV service from Deutsche Telekom has also leadership in the German TV we’re thrilled to be partnering Deutsche Telekom, which offers secured the German launch market.” with Deutsche Telekom, the content live and on-demand and rights to Fox Networks Group The launch of the new MR leading telco in the region, for to the TV through a set-top box. Europe and Africa’s on-demand 401 set-top box means that, our debut in Germany,” said The company had 3.02 mil- service, Fox+, giving Enter- aloingside Netflix, Ultra HD Diego Londono, chief operating lion German TV customers at tainTV viewers access to more content from other content pro- officer, Fox Networks Group Eu- the end of June, up 8.9% year- than 50 seasons of shows like viders like Videoland, YouTube, rope and Africa. on-year.

end of this year, targeting its 3G major international content players making the service available via Congo mobile subscribers and data users. to develop their own subscription distribution partners only, unlike The agreement for Congo will also video-on-demand services with other SVOD services available PROG > TracePlay launch see Trace take control of Africa the launch of Paramount+ in the across the region such as HBO Modern Times Group (MTG)-owned Media-owned FM radio station Nordic region. The new service will and Netflix. Paramount+ will be music and urban lifestyle broad- AfriRadio, by November. hold the rights to the first pay TV available to premium subscribers caster Trace has struck an agree- window for paramount Pictures’ of Danish cable and telecom group ment to launch its subscription new movie releases, along with a YouSee/TDC Group’s TV service video-on-demand service TracePlay Denmark range of catalogue films and over and TDC Group’s Norwegian unit in the Democratic Republic of Con- 800 episodes of MTV and Comedy Get, Telenor-owned pan-regional go with local mobile player Africell. OTT > Paramount+ launch Central shows. Paramount+ will pay TV operator Canal Digital in Under the deal between the pair, Viacom Media Networks Interna- launch in the Nordic region on Norway and Sweden, and Swedish Africell will launch TracePlay by the tional is joining the race among October 1. However, Viacom is cable operator Com Hem.

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p04-05,08,10,12 DTVE News Digest AugSep17v4st.indd 4 05/09/2017 17:58 Digital TV Europe News > digest August/September 2017

IPTV > Canal+ on Bouygues Estonia France Canal+ has teamed up with service Events provider Bouygues Telecom to IPTV > Tele2 and Viasat CAB > SFR delist plan launch a new offering, Start by IBC 2017 Mobile telecom operator Tele2 Es- Altice has filed its planned buyout Canal, that will be available via Date: 14 - 19 September tonia has teamed up with local pay offer for the remaining shares of Bouygues’ set-top boxes. The Venue: Rai, Amsterdam, The TV operator Viasat to launch a joint French subsidiary SFR with the offering, which includes thematic Netherlands TV and internet offering across the French markets authority, the AMF. channels and unlimited access to W: www.ibc.org country. Tele2 and Viasat will offer Altice has filed a buyout offer to be the Canalplay video-on-demand two combination packages. A Silver followed by a squeeze-out, offering service, will make films, series, Digital TV Central & Eastern package priced at €25 a month €34.50 a share. Following comple- animated content and entertain- Europe will include unlimited internet with tion, SFR will be delisted form the ment shows available live and via Date: 11 - 12 October speeds of up to 30Mbps down- Euronext Paris exchange, probably catch-up and is aimed at a family Venue: Kempinski Hotel, Buda- stream and 10Mbps upstream, early in the fourth quarter. The audience. Start will initially be pest, Hungary 25 Estonian television channels, transaction has yet to be approved offered to subscribers who have W: tmt.knect365.com/digi- and international lifestyle, news, by the AMF. Altice previously signed up for Bouygues Telecom’s tal-tv-cee/ kids and factual services. A Gold attempted to acquire the shares Bbox Miami+ offering, at no extra package for €28 will also include in SFR that it did not already charge. Bouygues customers with Content Innovation Awards movies, sports and Russian TV own last year, then amounting to a standard Bbox will be able to sign Date: 15 October channels. Modern Times Group 22.25% of the company’s stock. up for the service for a monthly fee Venue: Carlton Hotel Grand announced in March that it was However, the AMF rejected the bid of €9.99. Start by Canal will also Salon, Cannes, France selling its Baltic operations to Provi- on the grounds that Altice had not enable Bouygues subscribers to W: contentinnovationawards. dence Equity Partners, including provided sufficient information to view content on multiple screens com the Viasat pay TV service. shareholders. via the myCanal offering. MIPCOM Date: 16 - 19 October LG sees upside from ‘fragmented’ OTT market Venue: Palais des Festivals, Cannes, France By Andy McDonald > Fries: steady Liberty said that it added W: www.mipcom.com improvement 302,000 next-gen TV subscrib- Liberty Global is benefitting in video is one ers in Q2 and now reaches Broadband World Forum from a fragmented, and in some of Liberty’s 7.2 million customers across Date: 24 - 26 October cases still underdeveloped, OTT untold stories. its Horizon TV, Horizon-Lite, Venue: Messe, Berlin, Germany market in Europe according to TiVo, Virgin TV V6 and Yelo W: tmt.knect365.com/bbwf CEO Mike Fries. TV platforms. Speaking on Liberty’s sec- For the first half of the year, Discop Africa ond quarter earnings call, Fries due to the company taking a Liberty lost 31,000 video cus- Date: 25 - 27 October described the “steady improve- “more open content approach”, tomers, compared to 137,000 Venue: Johannesburg, South ment in the video business” Fries said: “I think it’s partially in the first half of 2016 and Africa as one of Liberty’s “untold sto- the fact that we do provide in 171,000 in the first half of 2015, W: 10times.com/discop-africa ries”. He said that a number of almost every market all of the according to the presentation factors are contributing to the content that could be, and is, that it issued to accompany the TV Connect MENA improved performance of vid- desired by customers. That’s a earnings call. Date: 30 - 31 October eo, including “slower-than-an- positive. You don’t have to give “If you remove the small Venue: The Address, Dubai ticipated adoption” of OTT ser- up or sacrifice anything.” DTH business in Central and Marina, Dubai, UAE vices in Europe. This, he said, worked in the Eastern Europe, our video sub W: tmt.knect365.com/ “That’s a positive for us due company’s favour in combi- base was actually flat year-over- tv-connect-mena/ to a fragmented content mar- nation with low video ARPU year,” said Fries. ket, the strength of broadcast compared to the US, targeted Liberty’s total video base TV Connect Africa networks and a very inexpen- and cost-efficient investments stood at 18.55 million in Q2. Date: 7 - 9 November sive cable or pay TV video of- in sports, and an “OTT picture This breaks down to 14.26 mil- Venue: Cape Town International fering when you compare it to that is both fragmented and I lion in Western Europe and Convention Centre, Cape Town, the US,” said Fries. think, depending on the mar- 4.28 million in Central and South Africa Asked whether Liberty’s ket, not gaining a whole lot of Eastern Europe and was up W: tmt.knect365.com/ strong video performance was traction”. 0.4% compared to Q1. africacom/tv-connect-africa/

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p04-05,08,10,12 DTVE News Digest AugSep17v4st.indd 5 05/09/2017 17:58 The Power of Digital Element’s NetAcuity is the gold standard in the industry, and we take comfort in knowing that we are using reliable, high quality geographic proxy IP Geolocation and VPN datasets, which meet the studios’ licensing requirements.

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p06-07 Digital Element DTVE AugSep17.indd 2 01/09/2017 10:58 double page advert v4.indd 2-3 31/08/2017 17:27:56 The Power of Digital Element’s NetAcuity is the gold standard in the industry, and we take comfort in knowing that we are using reliable, high quality geographic proxy IP Geolocation and VPN datasets, which meet the studios’ licensing requirements.

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p06-07 Digital Element DTVE AugSep17.indd 3 01/09/2017 10:58 double page advert v4.indd 2-3 31/08/2017 17:27:56 News > digest Digital TV Europe August/September 2017

and has confirmed its plans to estimates, and is looking at re- Global Wrap Germany move ahead with a company-wide structuring its business, including rebrand this quarter. The company combining its German broadcast The number of North American CAB > Tele Columbus PŸUR posted revenues of €245.4 million and digital arms. It could seek SVOD subscriptions is due to Cable operator Tele Columbus for the first half, up 4%. Normal- investment partners or to spin off grow by 53% between 2016 is to rebrand all its units under ised EBITDA was €123.5 million, its production and commerce ac- and 2022, according to Digital the name PŸUR in October. Tele up 7%. The group added 14,000 tivities. The broadcaster said it had TV Research. The study claims Columbus said that the name was internet revenue-generating units started a review to align its internal that the number of people designed to convey its emergence and 15,000 telephony RGUs in the structure to the changes taking subscribing to TV and movie from a collection of regional second quarter. At the end of June, palce in the media landscape and platforms will climb from 122 entities into a national TV enter- the company had 2.39 million ba- to maximise shareholder value. million in the region at the end tainment, internet and telephony sic cable TV customers, including One possibility is a combination of of 2016, to 171 million by 2022. provider. The brand will be rolled 430,000 premium TV RGUs. Timm its German-language broadcasting Turner is to launch a new stan- out across the Tele Columbus and Degenhardt, formerly the chief activity with its digital entertain- dalone premium sports stream- Primacom regions of northern, commercial officer of Switzerland’s ment segment. This would be ing service in the US after western and eastern Germany Sunrise, who it to take over as CEO expected to realise “meaningful acquiring European Champions from October. The Pepcom Group, next year from Ronny Verhelst, cost synergies”, the group said. League and Europa League with its Cablesurf and KMS brands, joined the company on August 14. ProSiebenSat.1 said it could look football rights for the three present in southern and central at options for its production and seasons from 2018. The OTT Germany, will be rebadged from PROG > Pro7Sat.1 warning commerce units including third sports service will launch next the first quarter of next year. Tele Broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 Group parties co-investing or combining year, with European football as Columbus has reiterated its tar- has warned that TV advertising businesses. It said it was also a key element in its offering. gets for the end of this year after revenues for the third quarter are mulling potential future public The Walt Disney Company is turning in solid first-half results, likely to come in under previous listings for these units. looking to cut around 10% of annual costs at its Disney-ABC Television arm, potentially Disney strikes deal with Iflix after cutting Netflix affecting 300 jobs. The ABC US broadcast network, production By Stuart Thomson > Iflix’s deal with Disney, in ad- arm ABC Studios and ABC dition to covering content distri- News are expected to take the Disney, fresh from pulling out bution and early window movie biggest hits, with cable chan- of its distribution agreement rights, will also see the two com- nels ABC News, Freeform and with Netflix, has signed up to panies collaborate around a pro- Disney Channel also affected. provide a branded channel on ject with Disney’s multichannel Australia’s leading pay TV the streaming video outfit’s network arm Maker Studios. platform, Foxtel, is merging Asian rival Iflix. This will revolve around the with its News Corp cousin Fox Disney has struck a and Disney shows including creation of new content to be Sports Australia to create a wide-ranging deal with the Ma- Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph, Cars, released as an exclusive Iflix new regional powerhouse. The laysia-based subscription vid- Lilo & Stitch, The Jungle Book and original. move will see Rupert Murdoch’s eo-on-demand company that Cinderella to Iflix users. The agreement with Iflix News Corp becoming 65% will see it provide a branded Further titles will arrive on comes two weeks after Disney majority shareholder of the channel on Iflix’s platform fea- the service next year, including announced that it was pulling new business, with Australia turing Marvel and Pixar movies Star Wars: The Force Awakens, all its movies from streaming telecommunications business as well as Disney shows. Captain America: Civil War, The giant Netflix to launch its own retaining the other 35%. PCCW Iflix said the deal would mark Jungle Book, Tangled, Finding branded SVOD service when Media has raised US$110 million the debut of a new ‘channels’ Dory, Finding Nemo and The In- the pair’s agreement expires in (e92 million) from Hony Capi- feature on its service. credibles!. 2019. tal, Foxconn and Temasek, who The agreement will initially In addition to Disney kids Disney said it would make become investors in its interna- bring Marvel Studios movies in- content such as Sofia the First its future theatrical releases, tional OTT services, including cluding Guardians of the Galaxy, and Star Wars Rebels, the deal original and library program- Viu. The investment hands the Captain America: The Winter Sol- will also extend to ABC Studios ming available via a new, as yet investors around 18% of shares dier, Thor: The Dark World and shows such as Scandal, Grey’s unnamed service, initially to in PPC unit PCCW OTT, which Iron Man 3, Pixar Animation Anatomy, Criminal Minds, Devi- launch in the US alongside its will use the cash on production films such asMonsters Inc, Mon- ous Maids and Marvel Agents of planned branded ESPN sports of content and technology. sters University, Up and Wall-E, S.H.I.E.L.D. subsription streaming service.

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p04-05,08,10,12 DTVE News Digest AugSep17v4st.indd 8 05/09/2017 17:58 pXX Intelsat DTVE AugSep17.indd 1 29/08/2017 10:41 News > digest Digital TV Europe August/September 2017

PROG > Digital boosts RTL solidation of ad technology units could be provided direct-to-consum- Digital revenues boosted RTL’s reve- Smartclip and Divimove. Production Spain er or via agreements with service nue performance in the second half, arm FremantleMedia performed providers, according to the paper’s with the broadcaster also seeing well, delivering a €30 million uplift OTT > Telefónica plan sources. Telefónica has existing solid growth from production arm in revenues year-on-year despite Telefónica is mulling the launch operations in the UK and Germany FremantleMedia and its German the absence of American Idol of a Netflix-like OTT TV service to that it could use to test out the con- and French broadcasting opera- in the first half. American Gods target an international audience, cept. The service would reportedly tions. However, RTL’s EBITDA was helped provide a boost for RTL according to a report in El País only be available in Europe and pushed down by the phasing out of in the second quarter, with the newspaper. According to El País, be populated with Movistar’s own M6’s mobile contract in France and group’s revenue growing by 8.8% Telefónica is looking at taking its productions – principally, though lower advertising revenue in the in the three months to June. RTL content to subscribers in countries not exclusively, those being made in Dutch market. Digital revenue grew Deutschland saw revenues rise by such as the UK and Germany where Spain. The project would however by 47.4% year-on-year to €389 €36 million in the first half, while its Movistar+ pay TV service is not be developed by Telefónica as a million, driven by organic growth at M6’s revenues grew by €16 million. available. The group is looking at global entity rather than its Spanish MCNs BroadbandTV and StyleHaul, Platform revenue grew by 18.7% offering a streaming SVOD service unit, and could include content the sale of its series American Gods to €159 million. Reported EBITDA similar to Netflix or HBO Now, pro- created by its Latin American sub- to streaming service Amazon Prime was down 7.4% to €362 million. viding unlimited access to content sidiaries, such as shows and series Video and the first-time full con- Adjusted EBITDA was up 4%. at a competitive price. The offering being developed in Peru.

Canal+ needs level playing field, says Vivendi chief

By Stuart Thomson > De Puyfon- Canal+’s revenues declined C8 channel. Production outfit taine: Canal+ by 2.4% during the first half, an Studiocanal’s revenues also Canal+ needs a level playing in urgent need improvement compared with dropped year-on-year. field to compete with the likes of a revision the 5.5% drop in the first half of Canal+’s EBITA for the first of Altice as well as Netflix and of the rules. 2016. The pay TV operator’s im- half amounted to €171 mil- other international players, in- provement was more marked in lion, down from €288 million cluding the right to retain exclu- the second quarter, with a drop year-on-year, but with a strong- sive rights, according to Vivendi of 1.3% compared with a drop of er performance in the second CEO Arnaud de Puyfontaine. nal+ remains obliged to make 3.5% in the first quarter. half, which saw EBITA double Speaking to analysts after any service with which it has Canal+’s revenues for the compared with the first three Vivendi turned in solid first-half an exclusive deal available to a first half of the year amounted months of the year. results, boosted by a strong per- third-party provider that wants to €2.568 billion. Separately, De Puyfontaine formance by Universal Music as to include it in its offering. The pay TV outfit’s individ- said that Vivendi is committed well as signs of a slowing down De Puyfontaine said that in ual subscriber base increased to help build Telecom Italia into in the decline of Canal+, De an industry that is “highly dis- by 2.8 million year-on-year to a quad-play leader and lead it Puyfontaine said Canal+ had to rupted”, there was an “urgent 14 million, thanks to continued to “long-term and sustainable compete with “a local telco that need” for a revision of the rules. international growth and the growth”. He said that TIM was wants to control both telecom- However, he said Vivendi had group’s new distribution deals committed to deliver large-scale munications and content and hoped for “a greater release of with Orange and Free. investment in broadband. is launching a movie channel constraints” than the Autorité The international subscriber De Puyfontaine said that TIM from Luxembourg”, and that it de la Concurrence had granted. total grew by 309,000 year-on- had “once upon a time” been a was necessary that “everybody The “local telco” De Puyfon- year in the first half, contribut- “best-of-breed player in the Eu- gets to benefit from the same taine referred to was Altice, ing to a 6.6% increase in reve- ropean telco business” but had rules” regarding the right to which recently launched mov- nues in constant currency. unfortunately been allowed to strike exclusive content deals. ies and series channel Altice Revenues from pay TV in go into decline, with the compa- France’s competition watch- Studio, available on SFR. France dropped by 5.3%, taken ny more recently seen as a “prey dog relaxed a number of re- Vivendi’s second quarter and lower by the reduced free-to-air rather than a hunter”. strictions on Canal+ in June, first half results were strongly window on the Canal+ channel He said Vivendi’s objective allowing it to strike exclusive boosted by the performance of and a drop in domestic sub- now was to “make Telecom Ita- premium channel deals with Universal Music, which grew scriber revenues. Advertising lia great again for the benefit of the likes of BeIN Sports and to its revenues for the first six revenue also fell, due in part Italy and Italian customers, and retain exclusivity of series that months of the year by 14% in to a sanction imposed by me- perfectly aligned with the plan it pre-finances. However, Ca- constant currency terms. dia watchdog the CSA on the of the [Italian] government”.

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p04-05,08,10,12 DTVE News Digest AugSep17v4st.indd 10 05/09/2017 17:58 Q&A: Dr Neale Foster, ACCESS Europe

Dr Neale Foster, Managing Director and COO, ACCESS Europe talks about the challenges of delivering a consistent user experience and his company’s work with Reliance Jio Infocomm

What are the main client-side technology requirements to support social media content, and supports media sharing and the consumption a consistent user experience across multiple screens both inside and of private content from Dropbox, Google Drive, Jio Drive and more over outside the home? the Jio User Interface. Reliance Jio Infocomm wanted to seamlessly For a consistent user experience on the client side, operators need integrate all the different content sources and combine this feature with technologies able to provide the same functionality, layout and experience the ability to place-shift content across all registered devices. In addition, on radically different devices, regardless of the connectivity used. This due to the sheer geographical distances in India, the service provider goal is currently achieved by the NetFront browser family of ACCESS, wanted to ensure that it offered its subscribers the possibility to upload which provides a series of browser models supporting all different kinds private content to the Jio Drive and share it seamlessly with friends and of screens - from small IoT devices, set top boxes and smart TVs up to fully loved ones who were unable to attend a social occasion. This includes featured mobile devices or even computers. The standards-based, HTML5 the seamless support for remote access to all content on the go, enabling compliant browsers allow for a seamless user experience to combine consumers to access all their content whenever and wherever they want, responsive, intuitive design with support for the latest industry standards and on their preferred devices. This was achieved through ACCESS Twine, like HbbTV and FreeView Play, as well as video playback up to 4K and 8K. which enabled Jio to increase stickiness to its service by integrating all requested features and providing the full access to the Jio media offering. What are the challenges faced by service providers in integrating delivery of video services across multiple devices and platforms and What do you consider to be Reliance Jio Infocomm’s most innovative what technology solutions are available? applications and what were the main challenges faced in implementing Besides the client side diversity, operators also have to meet all back-end these? video delivery challenges across multiple devices and platforms. There The idea behind the Reliance’s ‘digital lifestyle’ experience was to offer are a lot of different device classes on the market, each of them requiring a one-stop shop for all media content, be it public, private or premium. specific technology. In general, they differ in three domains: applicable AV This new trend echoes consumers’ media consumption, which consists in codecs, supported streaming protocols, and Conditional Access/Digital multiple different content sources accessed via a wide range of platforms Rights Management solutions. and devices - be it set top boxes, smart TVs, mobile devices, computers To solve these challenges seamlessly requires a centralised user or any other device used on the go, such as the connected car, handheld management system including single-sign-on, a sophisticated encoder game consoles or IoT enabled devices. and streaming server infrastructure and so-called multi-DRM solutions, Through the use of ACCESS Twine, Reliance was able to leverage its Ipv6 which can serve all necessary protection technologies. Although still fairly network servicing over 100 million consumers with a service combining uncommon, this approach allows end devices to interact which each other the cloud with remote access functionality. seamlessly, including place-shifting of protected premium content across all different device classes. Here ACCESS Twine helps operators to solve the How important are cloud-based technologies in delivering a next- “last step” fragmentation issue by detecting the device’s capabilities and generation TV experience and what elements require device-based brokering the right content from the service, to support the standards-based technologies? place-shifting feature. For protected content, we support content rights The combination of cloud-based and device-based technologies is the best management through the Verimatrix VCAS and ViewRight technologies. way to simplify the delivery of complex next-generation TV experiences. This eases up the development of new extended business models by the At present, the cloud is the only way of providing every subscriber with service providers – effectively, protected content is no longer limited to one high performance aggregated search on all internal and external content. device or proprietary solutions for each device class – while maintaining the Cloud support is also necessary for remote access and adding third end-to-end encryption requested by content owners. party IoT services, like Amazon Alexa. However, the cloud can only be effective if the necessary devices and technologies can cooperate – which What were the main objectives set by India’s Reliance Jio Infocomm in needs to be managed at the device level. Therefore, it is fundamental creating its ‘digital lifestyle’ experience? for technologies that deliver next generation TV Everywhere services to Reliance Jio Infocomm provides a wide variety of media offerings within harmonise the power of the cloud and each individual consumer device. its ‘digital lifestyle’ experience, such as regional premium video content, e-magazines and more. The service also provides access to YouTube and ACCESS will exhibit at IBC 2017 on stand #14.D14.

p11 Access Q&A DTVE AugSep17.indd 2 01/09/2017 17:43 News > digest Digital TV Europe August/September 2017

OTT > AMC OTT plan information as the project is still music service Sol Música. Other The service is targeted primarily at Interntional channels providerAMC being worked on. The media group channels to be included are Dark, the growing population of young Networks Iberia is planning to did confirm that the service will be Historia, and History Channel Iberia mobile consumers in the region, launch a new streaming service available only via pay TV operators, joint ventures A&E and Crime & offering four packages covering in Spain, in partnership with pay and said the content line-up was Investigation. The service will also sport, entertainment and movies. TV distributors, according to local still being worked on. According include two JV channels with Por- Wavo Entertainment is available reports. A promo for the service to El Español newspaper, the new tugal’s NOS, Biggs and Blast, and for US$9.99 a month (€8.50), was recenlty posted on YouTube, service will only be available via pay its SVOD JV with YouTube network while the movies option is priced at advertising a mix of channels and TV platforms such as Vodafone, Machinima, according to the report. US$6.99. Wavo Sports is available on-demand content for €6.99 Orange and Movistar, at a price to El Español said the service will also for US$4.99 a day or US$7.99 a a month. The service advertises be set by the operator. Unlike pure include video-on-demand series. week. OSN is also offering a service itself as offering content in 4K OTT player such as Netflix, AMC is dedicated to WWE wrestling – The UHD, available on mobile, tablets, planning to offer linear channels WWE Network App – for US$9.99 a PCs and TVs. The voiceover to as part of its streaming service, UAE month. OSN said the launch of the the YouTube video said that the offering 17 channels covering new streaming service was part of service will make available “the different thematic areas. According OTT > OSN launches Wavo its ‘new OSN’ strategy launched in best channels and thousands of to El Español, the line-up includes UAE-based Middle East pay TV February of this year. The company programmes on-demand for only series-focused AMC, movie channel platform OSN has launched a new revamped the offering with new €6.99 a month”. The promo video Canal Hollywood, independent streaming service, Wavo, available packs and new price points in the gave no information regarding movie channel Sundance, telenove- on the Apple App Store and Google wake of an extensive customer distribution. AMC separately told las channel Somos, factual network Play. Wavo offers a mix of live and research project across 40,000 DTVE it was not responsible for Odisea, cooking channel Canal catch-up TV, movies, series and a homes in the region, providing the YouTube posting of the promo, Cocina, lifestyle channel Decasa, mix of western and Arabic content, more flexible offers than had hith- and said it may contain incorrect kids channel Canal Panda and according to the pay TV outfit. erto been available.

Ofcom submits new advice after Bradley requests Sky clarification

By Stuart Thomson er had said that submissions Bradley: from sexual harassment scan- & Andy McDonald made in relation to 21st Century requested dals at Fox News, 21st Century Fox’s planned acquisition of Sky additional Fox has recently become em- Regulator Ofcom has submit- “raise new evidence” and asked advice and broiled in fresh controversy over ted additional advice on the Ofcom to take a fresh look at the clarification allegations that Fox News gave proposed merger between 21st agreement. from Ofcom. advance notice to the White Century Fox and Sky to the UK The UK department for dig- House over a subsequently government. The broadcast ital, culture, media and sport discredited story involving the regulator made the submission (DCMS) said a number of rep- In her statement to par- hacking of Democratic Nation- to secretary of state for digital, resentations made to it “raise liament on July 20, Bradley al Convention emails and the culture, media and sport, Karen new evidence and/or comment said that the Ofcom evidence death of a DNC campaigner. Bradley, with the advice due to on the Ofcom assessment” and was “clear” on broadcasting Ofcom could face a judicial re- be published “in due course”. that it was seeking “further clari- standards that “there were no view of its ruling that Sky would The move comes after Brad- fication” in relation to those rep- grounds on which I can refer” remain a “fit and proper” holder ley requested “advice and clar- resentations. the bid. However, she said she of a UK broadcast licence if 21st ification” earlier this month in The decision to seek further would look at any new evidence. Century Fox’s bid to take control light of representations made in clarification from Ofcom relates A number of UK politicians, of the pay TV operator is given relation to the proposed merger. to Fox’s adherence to broadcast- including former Labour Party the green light. “The Secretary of State will ing standards. leader Ed Miliband and shadow Advocacy group Avaaz hired now carefully consider that ad- Bradley had earlier said that culture spokesman Tom Wat- lawyers Hausfeld to present a vice before making her decision she was “minded” to refer Fox’s son, have called for a reopening ‘letter before claim’ to the UK on referral on the basis of all the bid to competition regulator the of the investigation of the broad- media regulator – a first step evidence before her, and will do CMA on the grounds of media casting standards question – in the judicial review process – so as soon as is reasonably prac- plurality, but that she was satis- calls that have become louder highlighting what it claims to be ticable,” said the government in fied with Ofcom’s assessment following recent events related “fatal flaws” in Ofcom’s reason- a statement. that the deal did not raise broad- to Fox News in the US. ing that Sky would remain a ‘fit The UK government earli- casting standards concerns. Still dealing with the fallout and proper’ holder of a licence.

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p04-05,08,10,12 DTVE News Digest AugSep17v4st.indd 12 05/09/2017 17:58 See us at IBC Our beams cover billions of viewers. September 14-19, 2017 Amsterdam Hall 1, Booth C65 Our focus is only on you.

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pXX Amos Spacecom DTVE AugSep17.indd 1 25/08/2017 15:35 Technology focus > eSports Digital TV Europe August/September 2017

TV plays the millennial game

The meteoric rise of eSports has caught the attention of TV operators and broadcasters. They are investing in rights and dedicating airtime to gaming. But how likely is this to win back millennial viewers? Andy McDonald reports.

gaming has transformed all made eSports investments, while increased associated price tag, highlighted not just the Online in recent years from broadcaster interest is making rights more popularity of eSports in its then-current form, a pastime typically associated with young competitive than ever. but also the vast growth potential of this market. adult males into a multi-million dollar global But with the massive established reach of industry. eSports has grown out of bedrooms digital platforms like Twitch and YouTube, and into arenas, with the spectator element is there a place for eSports on TV and can Targeting the youth market fuelled by the success of online viewing broadcasters and operators lure millennial platforms. eyeballs away from online streaming and social Today Twitch claims 2.2 million unique Unsurprisingly, the TV industry has taken media platforms? broadcasters each month and 10 million daily note of these trends and is looking to tap eSports exploded into the consciousness of active visitors, who spend an average of 106 into the increasingly popular and lucrative many broadcast-industry watchers in August minutes per person, per day on the site. “Our world of gaming. Companies ranging from 2014, following Amazon’s US$970 million core demographic is 18-34 year olds, roughly Modern Times Group (MTG) in the Nordics, (e816 million) cash buyout of videogame 70% male,” Twitch’s vice-president of sales Telefónica in Spain, and Sky in the UK have streaming platform Twitch. The deal, and its for Europe, Steve Ford, tells Digital TV Europe.

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ESL One New York, held in the Barclays strategy. In 2015 the company fully acquired replicate eSports’ online success on TV, both by Center, is one of ESL’s many events. Sweden-based Dreamhack for some US$28.2 attracting millennial viewers to television and million and launched linear TV channel by opening up eSports to a wider audience. But “This tends to be the same profile as the cord- eSportsTV, and Benninghoff says more how big a challenge is it to succeed in either cutters and cord-nevers in a lot of markets.” investments could follow. “We are prepared, scenario? The combination of a difficult-to-reach over the next two-to-three years at least, to grow In September 2016, Sky and ITV each audience and a healthy market is arguably the business through further M&As, so there pledged £1.55 million (e1.7 million) of what is driving broadcasters and TV operators is a clear commitment,” he says. “This could investment into eSports broadcaster Ginx, toward eSports in increasing numbers. be more technology-driven investments, or which claims to be the biggest international Earlier this year, eSports market intelligence content creation, or just talent acquisition.” eSports channel with a reach of 50 million company, Newzoo, estimated that the eSports Speaking on the phone from ESL’s UK’s households. Sky’s group director of business economy will grow 41.3% year-on-year in 2017 base in Leicester, UK managing director James development and partnerships, Emma Lloyd, to reach US$696 million. Its 2017 Global Dean says that MTG’s initial interest in ESL was describes the investment as a response to Esports Market Report estimated that brands likely down to “the fact that we’re reaching a “eSports market demand for linear coverage, to would spend US$517 million this year on digital, millennial audience”. However, he also complete availability across all platforms”. eSports advertising, sponsorship and media puts it into the context of MTG’s broader digital Lloyd says the Ginx investment gives Sky rights. This is expected to double by 2020, portfolio and adds that “there’s obviously a insights on the creation of eSports content pushing the total market to US$1.5 billion. synergy between eSports and sports products”. “from the inside out” and claims there is value While the opportunity is clear, the ways Dean says that Twitch is still the number one in bringing together eSports content across into the eSports market are not, and different platform for people to tune into ESL – despite a traditional platforms, as well as accessing it for players across the European broadcast space lot of short-form content going up on Facebook use on TV, digital and social networks. are taking different approaches – variously and Twitter, and despite YouTube’s efforts “It’s important to remember that Sky is investing in eSports content rights, eSports in the eSports space. A year after Amazon’s a quad play provider, not just a television broadcasters, and directly into the eSports buyout of Twitch, YouTube went head-to-head business, so the field of opportunity to bring organisations that run tournaments. with the service by rolling out its own dedicated eSports to audiences across platforms and MTG was one of the first companies from a YouTube Gaming service and earlier this year devices is much wider for us than for some TV background to make a decisive move into it agreed to exclusively broadcast the ECS competitors,” says Lloyd. eSports. In 2014 the Nordic firm launched its Counter-Strike: Global Offensive league. Despite this, Lloyd sees a place for eSports own eSports streaming platform, Viagame, “YouTube has a lot of catching up to do with as a televised sport – even if it doesn’t compare with a mix of licensed content and content Twitch, so I guess one way you could approach with the likes of football and rugby. “eSports from regional eSports company Dreamhack. that is to say ‘well let’s buy exclusivity for the caters for global, individual viewing across However, Arnd Benninghof, the head of largest CS Go League in the world, which connected devices, while linear TV remains the MTG’s digital division MTGx, says that it soon creates a huge amount of viewership,” says most popular way to watch traditional sports,” became clear “it was not really a smart strategy Dean. “If it was streamed on Twitch as well, I she says. “But with demographic changes to compete with Twitch. That was the point think you would be hard-pushed to move those and the visual quality of live eSports streams when we decided to invest in a league operator.” viewers across, despite the YouTube platform constantly improving, we might see eSports In July 2015 MTG paid around US$87 being very good. The community sticks around become a communal viewing experience on million for a 74% stake in Cologne-based because they’re used to it.” TV similar to traditional sports.” eSports specialist Turtle Entertainment, which Last year Sky broadcast highlights from owns and operates some of the world’s largest ESL’s Intel Extreme Masters tournament on eSports brands under the name ESL. This gave Widening the appeal Sky 2, showing footage of games like CS: Go MTG majority control over leagues like ESL and League of Legends on an entertainment Pro League and events such as ESL One and Discussing TV’s wider interest in eSports – Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) and from today’s with operators like Sky and BT all now getting perspective looks to have been an extremely in on the action – Dean says: “I personally think shrewd investment. This year’s IEM World they had to try it; it had to be an experiment.” Championship in Katowice, Poland attracted In relation to Sky and ITV’s involvement 173,000 fans to the Spodek Arena over the with Ginx, and many other examples across course of two weekends. It was also the most the world, he says: “I think really what we’re broadcast event in ESL’s history, reaching more witnessing is the fact that they have to test the than 46 million unique viewers online – up water. Until the ratings come out, we’re not 35% compared to last year’s event. going to know whether it works or not.” Benninghof compares the ESL to a Broadcasters and operators are hoping to “Champions League brand” and Viagame now redirects to an ESL TV branded site, yet Starcraft II champion Jun ‘TY’ Tae Yang this is all still just one aspect of MTG’s eSports at Intel Extreme Masters, Katowice.

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p14-17 eSports DTVE AugSep17v4am.indd 15 04/09/2017 19:31 Technology focus > eSports Digital TV Europe August/September 2017

channel that also plays host to drama and competing in three games – Street Fighter V, reaching both its young target audience and comedy. However, when Ginx launched Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Rocket new viewers that previously weren’t familiar on the Sky platform last summer, it took League – and Eleven will show the coverage with eSports. “Television is a more ‘accessible’ channel number 470 in the sports section of in all seven markets where it is active, which means to reach new family audiences,” said the its electronic programme guide – between includes Poland, Belgium, Luxembourg and Telefónica representative, explaining it can play greyhound racing channel Front Runner 2 and Italy in Europe. a ‘socialising’ role between parents, children Formula 1 channel Sky Sports F1. “Why did we acquire it? Because first of all we and fans of eSports. “In order to reach new Ginx CEO Michiel Bakker, says the sports believe that eSports is on the rise significantly audiences we are committed to an editorial team at Sky drove the investment in Ginx as a and globally,” explains Eleven Sports’ group tone that helps to democratise and facilitate the way to make a first move into eSports. “Ginx managing director, Danny Menken. “Gfinity understanding of eSports, its competitions, its eSports TV is packaged in the sports section has organised more than three million gaming rules, its jargon or expressions.” of the Sky EPG and the channel brings more sessions, which have achieved more than MTG takes a similar view of its esports TV millennials to that section, which is part of the one million views to date. Those are quite channel. MTGx boss Benninghoff accepts rationale for investing.” significant numbers and it really shows that that for the avid gamer, TV is probably “less For Bakker there is a clear opportunity there is a market for it.” relevant” as they find their content and stories for eSports on television. He says there are Menken says another major factor in within the eSports world. “Over recent years, roughly 200 million eSports enthusiasts licensing eSports is that its cable and IPTV eSports was very much driven by live streams around the world and another 200 million provider clients are “looking for millennial from live events,” he says. “What we’re trying eSports ‘viewers’ – with both groups having content” to appeal to cord cutters, or those that to do is add shoulder content – documentaries, grown by “meaningful double-digit numbers” never had a cord to cut. “eSports is exactly the background stories, analysis and so-forth, to in the past five years. “Roughly 70% of those type of content which is attractive for this target make it more appealing to a broader audience.” two groups are millennials and they consume group.” This idea of building on the popularity of vast amounts of content across multiple eSports with content that can live on TV has touch-points,” he says. “In the US, eSports also started to apply outside the strict confines viewing has overtaken traditional sports like A new type of storytelling of a dedicated eSports channels. Youth ice hockey. Now Television is bringing in a broadcaster The QYou has identified what it new mainstream audience to help fuel that In Spain, Telefónica’s commercial brand believes is a “fertile field” for content related growth. I’d say it’s a hugely significant part of Movistar last year announced it was integrating to eSports, with co-founder and CEO Curt millennial media consumption.” electronic games into “the core of its strategy” Marvis explaining that eSports is in the top Ginx is UK-based but the channel, which after signing a deal with ESL. It now distributes four categories of programmes it is looking to broadcasts 24/7, is available around the world, eSports digitally through its Movistar+ platform, create from now on. He says this opportunity including much of Europe. Most of Ginx’s and on TV via a dedicated Movistar eSports lies around the lifestyle of eSports – “everything output is exclusive for TV, but Bakker describes channel, as well as on Movistar Deportes 1 and from fashion, through the ancillary interests of it as ‘leaky’ with some shows simulcast across 2. Movistar also created Movistar Riders, an the gamers, to the personalities involved”. “As a company, we’re not focused on the live event broadcasts for a number of “We might see eSports become a communal reasons,” says Marvis. “That’s not really what we do as a company, that’s one reason. The viewing experience on TV similar to second reason is frankly that the rights are traditional sports.” becoming extremely expensive and being left to a different group of buyers and channels that are interested in that, some even being those Emma Lloyd, Sky that are typically showing Champions League [football] and those types of events.” Twitch and other digital platforms and some eSports club made up of various professional content produced only for the web. “In that way video game teams, which is headquartered in we try to build a bridge between the online and the Movistar Gaming Centre in Madrid. Bigger industry shifts linear TV worlds. That audience flow is part of In Telefónica’s eyes the coverage and the attraction of the channel for cable, IPTV quality of its fibre broadband has helped spur While eSports has grown up in recent years, and satellite platforms.” growth in the games sector in recent years. at the same time there has been some debate Eleven Sports is a linear broadcaster that It is now tapping into that growth from an about the abiding popularity of traditional has recently moved into eSports after striking entertainment standpoint, adding eSports sports among younger viewers. A study by a wide-ranging deal with eSports outfit Gfinity alongside its traditional sports offering of Ampere Analysis last year claimed that interest to air live, exclusive competition gaming from football, basketball, cycling, MotoGP and F1. in sport among young millennials is “on the its Elite Series events. Gfinity’s Elite Series A spokesperson for Telefónica told DTVE decline” with many viewers lured away from brings together eight professional teams that through its different platforms eSports is sport by the wealth of other TV and online

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To Gfinity and beyond – team Envy participating in the Gfinity Elite Series.

people, there is a change in how they consume content, including a lot more engagement with social influencers and content creators. “For far too long we’ve looked at live as being the be-all and end-all,” says Nathenson. “Live still is ahead of everything else in terms of importance, but we are seeing the shrinkage in that, and therefore there needs to be a recognition and an adjustment in the industry to say ‘well there are other ways we can join, engage and participate in sports that does not involve sitting in front of a television and watching a live cricket test-match’.” In terms of eSports, Nathenson claims that traditional broadcasters can play a key role in taking gaming mainstream – if it is done correctly. “Whenever I’ve seen a broadcaster video content. potentially become a massive advert for how to get involved in eSports activities, it looks a lot Of nearly 32,000 consumers interviewed play that game. Is that interesting to a broadcast like traditional sports on television, which is in the US and Europe in the previous year, audience? Is my Dad going to be interested? a model that has seen diminishing returns,” Ampere found that sports fans were under- He’s not. He really isn’t going to be interested.” he says. “I’d like to see the kind of creativity indexing among those aged 18-24. According At Twitch, Steve Ford welcomes broadcast that the media industry and traditional sports to the statistics, 10% overall chose sport as trials with eSports content. “Companies like broadcasters can bring to eSports to really their favourite genre. Of these, just 11% were Turner are working with Twitch to broadcast bring it to life and make it a lot more fun young millennials, compared to 13.5% of the their ELEAGUE content. In the UK we have and acceptable, because that’s what they do surveyed population – 17% lower than would the BBC experimenting with their digital extremely well.” be expected. channel BBC3 and this is all positive for the One thing that almost everyone does seem ESL’s Dean does not recognise this trend. ecosystem overall,” he says. to agree on is the growth potential of eSports. “I He claims there is huge crossover between live However, he claims that one of the see the eSports market growing at minimum sports and eSports – something that is borne foundational elements that made the Twitch five-fold over the next five to 10 years, in terms out both by data gleaned through its social platform so popular in the first place is of viewership, participation and revenues media channels and anecdotally. “Our studio’s missing from TV. “Traditional broadcasters and we will see a much greater integration of in Leicester,” says Dean. “When Leicester won share common challenges, particularly when traditional sports organisations with esports,” the Premiership last year, the Twitch chat thinking about the 18-34 audience,” says Ford. says Ginx’s Bakker. in our Counter Strike finals was filled with “Gaming and eSports content can appear like At Twitch, Ford believes that the company, [Jamie] Vardy. Literally, every time someone an attractive solution, but this audience already and eSports as an entertainment category, mentioned Leicester, they just typed Vardy. has expectations when it comes to this type of will each continue to grow – “especially as we So they obviously are aware, they watch, they content, like the real-time interaction we see see more accessible games enter the eSports understand.” on Twitch through chat.” According to Twitch, industry”. By way of example, he says Twitch Dean says that he does not see eSports as some 14.2 billion chat messages were sent has been working with Psyonix for the Rocket a threat to normal broadcast TV. However, he through the platform last year. Asked what League Championship Series and Namco does have some misgivings about broadcasters’ makes Twitch so compelling, Ford says: “It is Bandai for the Tekken World Tour, “both of ability to reach new audiences with eSports live social video, so they are more than viewers, which are based on easy-to-learn, but hard-to- content. He argues that while a TV viewer does they’re participants. The broadcaster is talking master games.” not need a deep understanding of football to to the people in chat, who in turn are chatting Predictably enough, Dean at ESL also appreciate what is happening on the pitch, in with the broadcaster and other viewers.” believes that eSports will only grow in eSports a viewer needs to know and experience Jeff Nathenson, managing director popularity as millennial fans get older. “I the game themselves in order to understand of international at Whistle Sports – an myself have got my first child on the way, so the strategies and plays as they unfold. entertainment network that specialises in you’re going to have people who are naturally “Unless you’re really interested in playing youth-focused sports content for social and interested in videogames being a lot more that game, you’re not going to understand digital platforms, including YouTube – says open to viewing this stuff with their children. I it exactly the way in which it’s presented,” that while he doesn’t think there is a decline think that will be a big shift, over time, that will says Dean. “Even if it is explained, it would in interest in traditional sport among young continue the growth.” l

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p14-17 eSports DTVE AugSep17v4am.indd 17 04/09/2017 19:31 Technology focus > Content discovery Digital TV Europe August/September 2017

Talk show With the advent of Amazon Echo and the launch of next-generation boxes such as Sky Q, there are signs that using your voice to control the TV is finally filtering into the mainstream. Stuart Thomson looks at some of the latest moves.

your voice to control the TV complex. On a PC, it is relatively easy to use the to support increasingly complex variations in Using has been possible for some keyboard to search for content. On TV, in your search terms, it seems that voice-based systems time, but it is only the growing popularity of living room, using a remote control to navigate are here to stay. digital assistants such as Amazon Echo that a text-based interface is much more of a hassle has made speaking to the TV begin to seem and less likely to produce satisfactory results. like something your average person would do. For this reason, TV operators are beginning Challenges Novelty is not enough to sustain a business to look more seriously at voice-based search as case, however. The use of voice is unlikely the next frontier of the user experience. For TiVo, a pioneer in this area, developing really to take off unless it fills a need. TV The use of voice has been given a strong voice-based search and navigation has been platforms have been opening up to multiple impetus by the success of devices marketed central to its research and development activity content sources, including the likes of Netflix. by Amazon, Google and Microsoft. With for some time. Rovi’s acquisition of TiVo saw For consumers, this means that finding the voice technology becoming increasingly it put its existing Rovi Conversation Services content they want to watch is becoming more sophisticated and a supply of rich metadata activity together with the former Digitalsmiths

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p18-19,22,24 Content discovery DTVE AugSep17v4st.indd 18 05/09/2017 09:40 Digital TV Europe Technology focus > Content discovery August/September 2017

content discovery technology to enable more technology to do this is available Banks and Nevertheless, systems need to be aware sophisticated recommendations to be served other organisations are already using voice of complex links between pieces of content to voice-based searches. Its involvement has to identify and log in users to their accounts. that could help users find what they are given TiVo unique insights into some of the “It is something we will definitely see in the looking for. Integration with social media challenges, and possible solutions. entertainment space,” says Dawes. may also be important, as viewers could be “Text-based search is quite simple because Enabling this kind of voice search in a looking for something that is trending at a people have a limited way of entering text, meaningful way also means having a supply particular moment. Cusich says that providing particularly in the entertainment space. of rich metadata, including things such as well- meaningful search results will require a They don’t have a full keyboard,” says known and not-so-well-known film quotations combination of collaborative filtering, cross- Charles Dawes, senior director, international and characters’ names. referencing with user data and awareness marketing at TiVo. “They use a remote or TV “You can’t just have a basic set of metadata. of context, including the time of day and the on-screen keyboard or maybe their phone. It is like in the music space with lyrics. People device that a viewer is using. So they write much shorter things like actors remember a lyric, but not the title of the tune. TiVo’s Dawes nevertheless cites a recent names and programme titles, and there are It is similar with video. You remember specific survey that showed voice being used by 43% lots of technologies you can use to help guide pieces of information and maybe the name of of millennials every day to interact with devices them through. When it comes to voice search, the character an actor plays but not the name of to highlight how quickly voice technology is the way people search for the content becomes the actor, or you may know the same actor was becoming mainstream. He believes that older very different. It becomes a lot deeper and in something else,” says Dawes. TV viewers will be attracted to the technology more complicated. You might say the name Ferdinand Maier, managing director of because it is easier and more appealing than of an actor or something like that.” For the remote control specialist Ruwido, says that “working through complex content trees that a content navigation system provider, there is TV operators will typically look to deploy voice- lot of the time are not dictated by logic but by a much stronger need to “have an in-depth based search in a phased way, starting with commercial agreements”. understanding of the content”, he says. basic requests such as the ability to search “Being able to sit down and say ‘show me Dawes says that the technology is constantly for specific titles, followed by more complex, the last Eastenders’ or show me what was on at improving, with machine learning enabling conversational searches with commands such 9pm that I missed’ will open up content that systems to recognise and decode regional and as ‘show me something funny’. However, they haven’t been able to explore,” he says. foreign accents, and interpret different ways the wider the attempted reach, the more According to Dawes, people with access to of saying the same thing. For languages other room there is for misunderstanding and for voice technology are increasingly using it to than English, however, more work is required. presenting inappropriate content. make over eight searches a week, meaning that Sylvain Thevenot, managing director at TV Supplying metadata and content descriptors voice quickly becomes “the default way to do technology specialist Netgem, points out that, that can be matched with voice requests to search for content”. in addition to decoding regional accents, voice deliver appropriate suggestions remains systems have to work out the context in which challenging, despite the promise of machine users are employing a particular word, such as learning. However, Rich Cusich, chief product YouView and EE TV ‘home’. This could mean a request to go back officer at Nielsen-owned content recognition to the home screen, or a request to play a piece specialist Gracenote, believes that most voice While the ways in which voice can most of content “at home”. Individuals also have requests will be relatively simple, easy-to- effectively be used are still a work in progress, private ways of referring to things that may not decipher commands. “Eighty per cent of things some service providers are beginning to take be at all simple for a machine to decode. will be pretty straight forward,” he says. the plunge. Voice recognition is just one part of a complex equation. For TV viewers, using a voice input also carries an expectation that the system is going to deliver a personalised response to a general question, in a way that isn’t true of text-based search. “When someone says ‘what is on TV tonight?’ they are not asking a general question. What they are saying is, ‘what is on TV tonight for me?’,” says Dawes. Responding to this not only means building up profiles of individuals – or family groups – but also using voice recognition technology to identify particular individuals. This is a step beyond simply using voice for search. The

EE TV has tapped Netgem to provide its UX, including voice control via Amazon Alexa.

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p18-19,22,24 Content discovery DTVE AugSep17v4st.indd 19 05/09/2017 09:40 pXX TiVo AugSep17.indd 1 30/08/2017 11:14 Q&A: Charles Dawes, TiVo

Charles Dawes, senior director, international marketing at TiVo, talks about the place of voice interaction in content discovery and service providers’ need to deliver a unified user experience

What are the big challenges for TV operators of using voice both as a time – they can just ask for it using their voice. What’s great about the user ID/login tool and for content discovery and navigation? TiVo Conversational Search product is that users don’t actually have Many TV operators are already looking at what their voice strategy to know the exact title. Often, users will know some details of the should be, but there are really two key challenges for them when it programme or film, but can’t remember what it is called – TiVo allows comes to implementing it as part of their offering. The first is hardware you to simply search using complex parameters that you just couldn’t and the second is adoption. On the hardware front, they must fit it into access in a traditional UI. What’s more, voice enables personalisation. their hardware roadmap, so many companies are tying voice to their There is a 100% implied ‘me’ in voice searches. When the consumers ask next generation of hardware. On the adoption front, the challenge is to “What’s on TV tonight?”, “Find movies with Tom Hanks?” or “What free get consumers to feel comfortable with using their voice to interact with horror movies are available?” they are saying “What’s on TV tonight for their service. Both challenges are well on the way to being overcome, me?”, “Find me movies with Tom Hanks?” or “What free horror movies are as voice-based interaction has been a big topic during the first half available for me?” of 2017 – this was evident in January this year, where Amazon’s Alexa was literally everywhere at CES. Over the year, Google has deployed What do operators need to think about generally in providing a user its Google Home device and Apple has announced that Siri will be in experience that matches the needs of different customer segments in its smart speaker product. This has helped to raise the profile of voice- their subscriber base? based interaction in the consumer space and has given additional ways When it comes to the user experience, operators across the globe are for consumers to link voice services to their existing in-home ecosystem, dealing with one unified customer group and, increasingly, the needs including their pay TV service, meaning adoption and usage is really of their different segments to be catered for with different levels of user starting to take off. experience. For example, these range from customers who want their full service, whole home DVR with access to broadcast, recorded and What are the key elements of TiVo’s voice navigation platform and OTT content in every room and on every device, through to those who how does it support contextual voice queries? don’t own a TV but still want TV type content. This means that they need TiVo has been at the forefront of implementing voice services in the to be able to provide different levels of functionality but, crucially, they entertainment space and focusing on understanding the consumer, need to do this whilst reflecting a consistent set of brand values and their relationship with entertainment and the context that they are functionality across their segments. TiVo is a clear leader in this space in. TiVo’s platform is built around providing a conversational style and has demonstrated this recently with multiple product deployments interaction, which allows consumers to speak freely, follow up on with companies like Tigo in Latin America. queries and change from one context to another without having to think about how to structure what they want to say. TiVo’s vast knowledge of How far is it possible or desirable to provide a unified user experience entertainment across video, sports and music, which is underpinned by across different devices, such as TV, smartphone, tablet and PC? its unique combination of TiVo’s entertainment editors and its advanced It’s both possible and desirable to provide a unified user experience across AI machine learning technology, means that the consumer can interact different devices, as it creates a familiar experience for the consumer. We as easily as speaking to the person sitting on the sofa next to them. know that consumers access their favourite entertainment on different devices and in different locations, and therefore ensuring simple, How are consumers typically using voice in the context of the different seamless navigation is one of the most important factors. Whether search and navigation input tools available to them? that is ensuring seamless playback from one device to another as part First and foremost, voice really simplifies how you find content. It’s a of a whole home DVR solution, to providing context relevant content ‘wormhole’ to the other side of the user experience (UI). Depending on choices and recommendations for a device, TiVo can help companies how it’s implemented, it can remove the need to search for search and stay ahead with simple, smart, elegant solutions. it can also remove multiple clicks through a traditional menu hierarchy. When users know what they want to watch – which is about half the Visit TiVo at Stand A.31 in Hall 5 at IBC.

p21 TiVo Q&A AugSep17.indd 1 01/09/2017 12:17 Technology focus > Content discovery Digital TV Europe August/September 2017

Sky enabled the use of voice on touch All of our partners were very supportive. Right active search, putting content that users might remotes for its Sky Q advanced TV service now we are getting positive responses but our like in front of them without them having to lift earlier this year, focusing on a range of basic goal is to put it in front of users, and learn what a finger – or raise their voice. search commands, including the use of some people are going to use it for.” “If you want to form a habit with people well-known movie quotations. Other UK The starting place for YouView is to enable on an everyday basis you need to make providers have looked to Amazon’s digital viewers to “avoid reaching for their remote recommendation prominent. Expecting assistants as their first avenue to enable voice. as they explore” content and to enable them people to go off and find things is always going BT-owned telco EE recently launched voice to carry out basic functions such as to record to be of limited appeal. TV is more about giving control for TV through the Amazon Echo and content via voice command. As a free-to-view an upfront experience on a landing or home Echo Dot devices. The company said it was the platform, YouView does not require a user page,” says Davies. first UK provider to support an Amazon Alexa ‘skill’ on its set-tops. EE TV has integrated Alexa with its Netgem- “We are still exploring the proposition. We supplied TV platform. Users can ask Alexa what is on TV tonight, with Alexa providing want to take something to the larger user three recommendations from the same source base.” that supplies Freeview Picks – the UK digital- terrestrial service’s recommendation feature. Users have the option to record any or all Morgan Henry, YouView of the recommended shows using a voice command. The skill works whether EE TV is ID or password. However, Henry says voice Personalising recommendations and switched on or in standby mode. ID could be used to deliver personalisation at enabling viewers to find content they may want Netgem’s Thevenot says there are three an individual or household level. “Context is to watch across live, on-demand and catch-up levels at which voice can be used to interact really important. Are there other people in the services may therefore deliver more value in the with TV services. At the most basic level, room? If there are kids in the room, interacting medium term than voice search. Nevertheless, voice can be used to replace direct remote with the device, you should offer family she concedes, the popularity of Amazon Alexa control commands such as ‘channel up’ or recommendations,” he says. could see voice pass into the mainstream. “It ‘down’ and ‘tune into BBC1’. This has limited Ruwido’s Maier, whose company is focused cuts out the hassle of using a remote control. appeal and adds little to the functionality of a on the high-end pay TV market on the other The aim is to reduce the amount of time people remote control. One level up is using voice to hand, says that voice biometric recognition spend looking for stuff,” she says. search for content using obvious keywords to could be used to not only check entitlement replace a virtual onscreen keyboard. Beyond and parental control but to enable profiling that, says Thevenot, voice requests can trigger of users, allowing the system to know who is Platform choices recommendations based, for example, on making requests and where they are in the what’s trending on social media. This is home. Maier says that work on this is ongoing. Voice-based search seems most likely to essentially what EE is focusing on. The EE and YouView trials are still at an supplant awkward text-based search if enough YouView, the advanced TV platform used by early stage, but service providers are only likely people are ‘voice-enabled’, but are digital BT and TalkTalk, has meanwhile also launched to embrace voice fully if they can be sure it assistants the best platform to use? its own Amazon Alexa pilot. will have a broad appeal. According to Chloe Davies enumerates three basic choices: “We are still exploring the proposition. We Davies, chief product manager at UK free-to- using Alexa or another digital assistant such want to take something to the larger user view satellite platform Freesat, a survey of users as Google Home or Microsoft Cortana; using base. We have to have something usable in found that around a quarter listed voice control a mobile phone or tablet; and direct input via a their homes. That is our goal,” says Morgan as a must-have or a ‘like-to-have’ feature. remote control to the set-top box. Starting with Henry, head of emerging technologies team at However, detailed questioning placed it lower Amazon Echo makes sense, she says, possibly YouView. “This was championed by people who down the list of’ priorities, below more down- in combination with smartphone apps. “I were passionate about voice within YouView. to-earth features like the think the smartphone and Amazon Echo are availability of catch-up things you could do together. You could use the YouView has enabled voice interaction via players and the ability to Freesat app as a companion device experience Amazon Alexa. record content. but also use it for content discovery,” she says. Personalised Enabling voice direct via the set-top on recommendation is also the other hand means a new box and a new higher on their list of remote, pushing up the bill of materials to the priorities. Content user or the platform operator. However, using recommendation a box does have the advantage of giving control to some extent back to the service provider. “If you have an can be a substitute for Amazon Echo, a YouView box and a Freesat

Visit us at www.digitaltveurope.com 22

p18-19,22,24 Content discovery DTVE AugSep17v4st.indd 22 05/09/2017 09:40 Q&A: Benoit Robert, Kontron

Benoit Robert, VP of Strategy and Marketing, Communications Business at Kontron talks about the challenges and choices facing video companies as they look to deploy cloud-based infrastructure

What applications are driving the industry-wide shift to cloud-based several key differences. Containerised applications can run in different video processing and where are the greatest benefits most likely to be environments by abstracting the OS and physical infrastructure. They realised? bring an added level of performance in comparison to VMs due to not The field is still filled with SDI gear such as cameras, switchers and routers, having to rely on a hypervisor and, typically, have the ability to scale but the move to IP networks is inevitable. For the short and medium more easily than other technologies. The size of an average container is term, operators and broadcasters will remain in hybrid mode, simply smaller than that of a VM, allowing the server to host significantly more because prior investments can’t be so easily eradicated. More recently, containers. The technology requires fewer servers and other costly OPEX progress is being made, with initiatives like the upcoming SMPTE ST resources, making it a very cost-effective solution. The main drawback of 2110 (and previously SMPTE 2022-6) standard for uncompressed IP container-based virtualisation is security. Having containers less isolated video and audio, which will further ease the IP migrations in 2017. This from each other means that any issues within the kernel may jeopardise can make live production based on an IP stream on commercial off- the security of others containers. the-shelf (COTS) Ethernet platforms a reality. The applications quickest Bare metal cloud promises the flexibility of public cloud without a to, not only run on IP, but be part of new cloud-based configurations virtualisation layer. The primary difference is that the service taps into a are the various encode/decode distribution systems deployed across physical server and since the server is rarely virtualised, users get access to regional Headends. But IP is extending its reach to production facilities all of its storage, compute and network resources. The ability to control the production encoders, SDI-IP gateways, and even a small handful of server and all of its parts is by far the most notable benefit of bare-metal. cameras (early yet). While this model has the best performance, its disadvantage is that it’s less flexible. What are the main technology choices to be made when deciding on what kind of cloud infrastructure to deploy? What elements of video processing are still best served by dedicated There are substantial advantages that come with virtualisation including hardware and what is the optimal combination of cloud and hardware cost savings and having a unified system. However, choosing a cloud technologies to ensure maximum efficiency? infrastructure really depends on what your business objectives are and This would be any system that requires an application that is not what’s right for your application(s). compatible with general purpose processors. One example is the use If you are operating a legacy network and looking for a way to automate of FPGA technologies, for example, to handle single-purpose video it, using virtual machines (VMs) is an ideal option. VMs allow you to run transcode workloads that are fairly compute-intensive. Or, there are SDI multiple operating systems simultaneously on the same physical system, modules used to process motion-adaptive de-interlacing, up/down/ which organisations are capable of supporting. For companies seeking cross scaling and mixing/compositing for all resolutions including 4K. a more cutting-edge approach where one is able to segment services, And yet, in both cases, these modules are available on PCIe technology, taking the ‘container’ route is highly encouraged. The third option is to thus they can be easily integrated into COTS platforms as part of any IP remain on bare metal and leverage this environment to act like a cloud Network or cloud environment via a bare metal installation. environment through a graphical interface that provisions and de- provisions, rather than entering it manually. What solutions is Kontron planning to highlight at IBC? Kontron is excited to be introducing three open source cloud What are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these infrastructure deployment models – two based on OpenStack (VMs and approaches? Ironic Bare Metal), and one based on Docker/Kubernetes containers. The use of virtual machines is a convenient, proven technology that is Kontron will show all in one rack – multiple solutions for HD/UHD/4K easy to maintain and can skillfully provision applications. While multiple video encode/decode on various Kontron and partner “converged” COTS OS environments can coexist on the same machine completely isolated hardware and software solutions, using CPU/GPU, FPGA, SDI, and SDI-IP from each other, the disadvantage of VMs running on the same host SFP/top-of-rack switch technologies. computer is that it may impact performance. Container-based virtualisation is extremely popular in cloud computing Kontron | IBC 2017 | Visit us at booth J 20, Hall 14, for a personalised today. Although VMs and containers share similar characteristics, there are demo.

p23 Kontron Q&A DTVE AugSep17.indd 1 05/09/2017 15:40 Technology focus > Content discovery Digital TV Europe August/September 2017

box in different rooms, and give the Echo Ruwido has put forward the concept of the control of what gets played where, that could be multimodal device, including voice input. challenging from a business perspective.” EE and YouView are focusing on Amazon “You could have Alexa in the living Alexa for now, nevertheless. For Netgem’s room and then also use your phone Thevenot, Alexa is an obvious starting when you are on the move. Voice place, providing an agile API that enables entry has been around on mobiles, the implementation of multiple features. and also on wearables, for some time Amazon’s Video Manager is designed to enable and we have experimented with that,” easy communication between its devices and says Henry. “We have put ourselves in a good the set-top box. The Amazon voice recognition position with the rollout of our next-generation remote control has a future. system can also enable personalisation based app, which gives us a good foundation. Where “We are not concerned that the remote on the profile of the user. Thevenot says that it gets interesting is how to make content control will be replaced,” he says. “With a the Alexa APIs are not currently sharing user relevant and how to do a federated user mobile you have to connect it with the box and profiles with Netgem’s platform but that this interface, bringing in our content partners’ get an SMS to confirm and so on. The mobile will come within a year, enabling the system to apps on our platforms. We want to keep the is a private device that you won’t use for public present relevant recommendations based on user journey seamless.” or shared applications. People like to have a whoever is speaking to the device. remote control to talk with the system. They However the main attraction of deploying can press a button and know when it is closed voice commands via a digital assistant – and Control of the experience down. We are convinced that the remote will Amazon in particular – is that these devices become more important.” already have significant penetration. Digital assistants do have some technical While building voice functionality directly “Our goal is to explore the real value of voice disadvantages. The device may not be situated into the remote and set-top carries a cost to the to our users and how it can integrate with next to the viewer, so there may be a clash operator, Maier believes this will be something their household. There have been previous between the voice of the viewer and the TV pay TV operators will be happy to accept attempts to do voice, but people are not using soundtrack, for example. For this reason, the because the technology provides “a calling those direct input mechanisms. The Alexa or use of a microphone in the remote control card” that ties the user to the service. Google Home [platforms] are more prevalent could provide a better experience. The main advantage for service providers and pervasive. That is where it has real value,” Ruwido’s Maier additionally argues that of using the remote and set-top is that it says YouView’s Henry. “I think the direct input voice works best in combination with other enables them to stay in control of the TV device will have a place, but the main thing is to means of inputting commands, and sets forth experience. Of course, in the set-top box make it pervasive. The input mechanism and a vision of the ‘multimodal’ input device. space, implementation of voice also requires how you trigger that voice input are secondary “Analogue functions will be carried out by upgrading the hardware in the home. issues. We haven’t ruled out using boxes or mechanisms other than voice. We’ve spent “Where we see voice being implemented is remote controls, and the other obvious device a lot of effort on this,” says Maier. He argues as part of a hardware renewal cycle,” says TiVo’s is mobile phones.” that basic navigation functions – such as left or Dawes, who adds that the decision to deploy a YouView’s partners already have mobile apps right on a grid, or surfing through a channel 4K UHD box could provide an obvious point to enable interaction with their on-demand listing – are best carried out via touch and at which voice could be enabled in a new players, all of which are present on YouView, haptic feed back from a remote, for example. generation of devices. and YouView has its own app, which enables “There is a huge interest in the market in The key to the appeal of voice control is that functions such as remote recording. organic haptic surfing and more contextual it could enable users to untether their active navigation in combination with profiling,” he search for content from the current restrictions says. “With our remote, if you pick it up, the of the EPG, enabling them ideally to jump to system knows where you are in the home. If the content they are looking for and to search you talk, the system can converse with you.” across multiple content sources on their own Maier says that voice recognition can be terms. The popularity of voice is growing, used not only for parental control but to deliver particularly among younger age groups, and recommendations based on personal profiles. sources of content are proliferating, all of which But while search will be voice-based, channel augurs well for the future of voice search. surfing and other functions will remain based But how voice search develops alongside on touch. For all of these reasons, and because the delivery of increasingly sophisticated it is more complex to hook up third-party personalised recommendations, whether it consumer devices to the TV, he believes that the functions as a standalone mode of input or as a complement to other ways of navigating via TiVo technology could enable voice a remote control, and where is sits in viewers’ interaction via devices including wearables. overall priorities, remain to be worked out. l

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p18-19,22,24 Content discovery DTVE AugSep17v4st.indd 24 05/09/2017 09:40 Q&A: Rahl Puri, Magine

Rahul Puri, general manager of Magine Digital Media and CTO at Magine, talks about the key requirements of getting an OTT TV service up and running.

What are the key elements needed to build a fully-functioning OTT TV same time continuing to advance the capabilities of the platform based service? on real market needs. A fully functioning OTT TV service should actively engage customers with high-quality content, strong user experiences and attractive How significant an advantage is it for OTT providers to be able to pricing models – i.e. subscription, PPV etc. Services also need to meet reach a global audience and how big do you think the market is for the expectations and demands of today’s user and provide high-quality services with global reach? video streams that can be watched anytime, anywhere. Magine’s The world is a large place with a lot of people, and the growth of multi- media platform is built to accommodate all of these requirements in an platform and on-demand content consumption has advanced the integrated way, in addition to offering deep analytics that can inform demand for high-quality cloud streaming. An OTT provider who can decisions relating to the content acquisition, user engagement and offer this on a global scale does have an advantage, but for many OTT monetisation. Our full end-to-end solutions make it easy for operators providers, going global is more than just opening up a platform for all to and content owners to get up and running with an OTT service that has use. OTT providers looking to scale globally should focus on acquiring the ability to attract, engage and successfully monetize its users. content that attracts their target audience in each market. Magine’s analytics platform provides near real-time feedback for operators that What are the key challenges OTT providers face in getting services up perform in a global setting, enabling our partners to understand their and running? audience, demographics and geographies and most importantly who The biggest challenge we see in the industry relates to the acquisition of is watching what content, when and where. Our partners that decide to content. From a technical perspective, the challenges arise from choosing go global are at a significant competitive advantage. either best-of-breed point products or a solution that integrates the entire value chain, from ingestion of content to user experience and What are the key lessons that Magine has learnt from owning and monetization. Magine’s approach is based on the need to adapt quickly, operating its own direct-to-consumer business? without having to deal with integration challenges that can arise with Magine has six years’ experience operating direct-to-consumer best of breed point products. Agility in Magine’s cloud offering enables businesses in Scandinavia and Germany. Thanks to this we have a deep our partners to adapt to the changing environment they compete in. understanding and close relations to both the content industry and the consumers. The real key to success is offering an integrated platform What are the advantages to OTT service providers of outsourcing that provides deep analytics. Analytics are at the core of Magine’s direct- their platform requirements to a third-party online video platform to-consumer business and informs every decision to be taken, from the provider? content acquired to user experiences, to whether or not to invest in Service providers must concentrate on their core business – acquiring more infrastructure in another part of the world. Data generated by our the right content and customers for growth. Magine views its analytics platform also ensures the continuous and rapid development relationships as a partnership – not as an outsourcer. This mindset of our partner’s services, alongside learnings we take from our in-market enables us to best serve our partners, ensuring they grow while at the consumer services.

pXX Magine Q&A MS&OTT17.indd 1 31/08/2017 11:58 Technology focus > Big data Digital TV Europe August/September 2017

Diving deeper into data

Video service providers are still attempting to come to terms with how to manage and use big data. Identifying and focusing on key areas such as specific elements of marketing, targeted advertising and churn reduction can point the way ahead, writes Anna Tobin.

amount of data being collected how to mine these vast piles of knowledge supported by data and analytics; and, looking The by content operators every and exploit them to their full potential. Nearly to the future, being data-driven will be a critical day is phenomenal. As Guillaume de everyone else is still trying to figure out how success factor for most, if not all, areas of Posch, co-CEO of RTL Group, said in his to get the best from their data and some will operation,” he says. “We are currently working keynote speech at the Let’s Go Connected prove more successful at it than others. with a lot of operators in this area, helping event in Brussels in June: “State of the art To squeeze every drop of useable information them to improve their services and better technology and big data are key elements of from your operating system you need to pick understand their customers. Examples of this all successful business models for the digital up data from every conceivable point in your range from continuous improvements to their media world, from Google to Facebook, from distribution chain, says Mikael Dahlgren, technical infrastructure, to on-boarding of new Netflix to Amazon. Data is the ‘new oil’.” CEO of Agama Technologies. “Video service customers and churn prevention through The super powers that are Netflix, Google, providers are quickly becoming data-driven. proactive customer care.” Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook know More and more, operator processes are being Learning how to maximise and make

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p26-28, 30 Big Data DTVE AugSep17v5am.indd 26 04/09/2017 19:00 Digital TV Europe Technology focus > Big data August/September 2017

research figures aggregated by audience know it’s valuable so we want to hold on to it measurement companies such as BARB in and use it in the future; and, then there is a the UK. third class who are the most sophisticated, Going forward, free-to-air broadcasters do who are actually putting in place their own have three things in their favour, however, data science teams and their own analytics points out Bhavesh Vaghela, CEO of Paywizard: products that actually processes data to help “Historically, free-to-air broadcasters haven’t them to try and understand subscriber trends, had a direct relationship with their consumers predict churn, predict conversion rates and try and don’t have direct one-to-one information to create a better marketing programme.” about them, but what they do have is reach, brand and some degree of loyalty,” he says. “To build on this, you find that a lot of those A marketer’s dream operators are now trying to find a monetisation angle, whether that be in the pay-per-view All of this data is invaluable when it comes to environment or through catch-up services. marketing. Increasingly, data is being used to These are areas where they can start building a feed content recommendation engines. Taking relationship with their viewers by having them the lead from e-commerce, these subtly plug register, so that they can start building their offerings to consumers, just as other retailers data up over a period of time.” have been doing online for some time. Viewers They might not have been doing anything are being told that ‘people who watched what with it, but dedicated pay TV operators you have just watched, also enjoyed this series’, have been collecting a range of data from for example. their customers for years, points out Simon Operators are increasingly interested in Trudelle, senior director of product marketing the bigger picture, however, says Haslam at

“Pay TV service providers still enjoy privileged access to the big screen TV set and that’s a unique source of data.”

Simon Trudelle, Nagra

at TV technology outfit Nagra. “Pay TV service Conviva. “It’s not really about the [individual] providers still enjoy privileged access to the consumer so much specifically, as it is big screen TV set and that’s a unique source about trends and consumption by groups of of data,” he says. “While the personal data consumers. It’s all anonymised, but what’s that can be collected from an set-top box is coming back is minutes watched, types of potentially less extensive than what silicon device, geography and time of day. Then there giants can capture on personal devices such is also all the quality data which covers: what as PCs, tablets and phones, it is still a very was the quality level of the stream in terms rich, media-based source that has value for TV of its bitrate, how long did the content take to advertisers and, increasingly, for other media start, for example,” he says. “Service providers the most of the data they collect is key to the and smart city ecosystem partners.” are being offered the opportunity to process or long-term survival of both larger and smaller Not all content operators, even long-in- understand an enormous amount of data as it players, but a reluctance to experiment, budget the-tooth service providers that have been relates to their service and their audiences who restrictions, skills shortages and regional and collecting data for years, make the most of are viewing it. This allows them to say ‘show pan-regional regulations make what is already this information, however. The sophistication me certain groupings that are similar in terms a risky business, much trickier. of content providers varies greatly when it of certain geographies or certain device types The business model and original one- comes to using that data, says Ed Haslam or certain content types or engagement levels’. way technology of traditional free-to-air chief marketing officer at Conviva. “Some From this, they are able to put together cohorts broadcasters means that they have to make the operators are just letting this data pass through that allow them to do better marketing, with biggest leap when it comes to data collection. and fall into the ether; others are doing the full better understanding and predictions of where What little data they started out with on their collection and they might be saying we don’t trends will be going. It’s predictive analytics.” viewership was based on general audience know exactly what to do with it today, but we A whole new company culture is required,

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p26-28, 30 Big Data DTVE AugSep17v5am.indd 27 04/09/2017 19:00 Technology focus > Big data Digital TV Europe August/September 2017

however, to see off the old legacy mindset and including enriching existing data and using us. We only charge you if your ad is seen. And, start exploiting potential data sources. Trudelle this augmented input to run campaigns on by the way, it’s really brand safe.’” at Nagra backs this up with research conducted various online properties,” he explains. “This Not only can data that is collected about in the second quarter of 2017 by MTM London example shows that smaller players need to viewers be used by content providers to allow for the Nagra-sponsored Pay TV Innovation think smart, focus on the specifics of their advertisers to specifically target those viewers Forum. He says: “It shows that ‘investments local operations and collect usage and network who are most likely to buy their products in big data and analytics’ is one of the five data whenever possible. Through partnerships and services, it can also be used to create most important steps – scoring 30% – pay TV with tech vendors, it is then possible for programming that viewers want to see which, service providers need to take to ensure that them to offer value added services that take in turn, feeds the adverting business. Keep this they are fit-for-the-future and well-positioned advantage of the large Silicon giant platforms, cycle going and profits are guaranteed. to innovate successfully.” while focusing on delivering value to their “If we look at the likes of Netflix, consumer Pay TV operators need to collect their data subscribers and regional partners.” data is actually used extensively in every aspect at every possible opportunity and, more of their business operations, including for importantly, use it. Collecting consumer content creation,” says Trudelle at Nagra. “It data from viewing habits, including VOD, Advertisers is clear that access to data is also becoming streaming on the go, linear TV viewing a new currency for content producers and panels and even social-media, allows pay TV When viewers were limited to a handful of distributors and it is a strong factor motivating platforms to gain insight into what customers channels, operators were focused on giving content owners to ramp up their direct-to- are watching, how they are watching it and on advertisers what they wanted. Now data allows consumer operations so they get access to what platform, says Jamie West, group director them to aim to please both advertisers and consumer data.” of advanced advertising at Sky UK. “With the viewers, amid the huge amount of channel Although consumer demand has always increase of available platforms, including Sky choice now on offer. had some impact on content production, this Go and Sky Q’s multi-room set-top-boxes, we “TV advertising remains the most has traditionally been based on a hunch and can now understand even more about how reliable, effective and brand-safe platform very general viewing figures, now big data and Sky customers are viewing content,” he says. for advertisers, it provides robust data and analytics makes it possible to truly understand While start-up services don’t have the brand customer data – not just email addresses. consumer behaviours, interests and appetites credibility or maybe the reach of long-standing It allows us to build extensive advanced and feed this back to advertisers. “We can use our data to improve our commissioning decisions for Sky original “There is a mindset that says I don’t want productions, as well as harness the rich data to provide brands with a deeper understanding my customer to leave, but if you use data of their audience, smarter cross-platform correctly, it will tell you that this customer is a executions and, ultimately, more engaging and effective advertising campaigns,” says serial churner.” West at Sky. “Combining this data with Sky’s Bhavesh Vaghela, Paywizard technology allows us to surface new programs for customers and make recommendations players, they may have a better relationship advertising solutions, helping brands at every on shows they might like. With our new with their customers, because they launched stage of the marketing journey,” explains platform, Sky Q, we built personalisation for with a rapid-uptake pay model and have been West at Sky. “With our market leading Sky customers at its core, meaning we can offer collecting specific data from day one. They are AdSmart technology, we can target campaigns the whole household viewing tailored to them, also quick to learn from the big, successful for brands of all sizes reaching their target depending on the time of day, what room they companies. audience without the brand-safety and are viewing in and what device they are using.” And, if smaller players feel that they can’t do viewability issues associated with some online all the data collection and analysis themselves, advertising. This means that we’re introducing they could look to partner with other players. real flexibility to TV advertising, opening it up Churn in check Trudelle at Nagra cites the example of one of to businesses of all sizes. Democratising TV, Nagra’s customers that is hoping to profit so the most effective ad medium isn’t just the OTT services such as Netflix and Amazon from such an opportunity. “StarHub, a Nagra domain of big budgets brands. From local taxi Prime have revolutionised the way consumers customer based in a small and constrained firms to ultra-niche premium brands, we’re buy their content. Consumers are now less geographical market, Singapore, announced allowing brands to anonymously match their loyal to specific service providers. They may, earlier this year the launch of Hubtricity, a tech own data to Sky’s to build bespoke and targeted for example, sign up to a service for the latest centre that offers access to various sources campaigns – there is something for all season of Game of Thrones, but then end of user and network data it collects, enabling budgets and objectives. With TV advertising, their subscription once they’ve viewed every third-party firms to leverage the potential it is not a three-second thumb swipe. We’re episode, only to sign up again once more of the data collected to deliver new services, saying to agencies and clients, ‘You can trust enticing content arrives on the service.

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pXX Arris DTVE AugSep17.indd 1 25/08/2017 15:32 Technology focus > Big data Digital TV Europe August/September 2017

Sky’s advanced TV services have enabled it to find out more about customer behaviour.

says the data shows that if you make it very easy for a customer to leave, they are actually more likely to come back. “There is a mindset that says I don’t want my customer to leave, but if you use data correctly, it will tell you that this customer is a serial churner,” he says. “Data gives you the opportunity to think about your customers in those segments, whether you are a large company or a small company and actually small companies can be way more nimble and look at the data and truly understand their customer base. They can be much more tailored and personalised to their customers when compared to a larger organisation.” Operators may use their data to try to persuade those that are thinking about leaving They no longer want to tie themselves into going to have to have better recommendation to stay and increase their spend instead. To long-term contracts and in most cases they engines and better marketing programmes so grow the business footprint further, data can don’t have to. It’s now much easier to change that people can discover and find what they also be used to expand into new markets and provider, and many viewers see this selective want to watch, when they want to watch it.” even to get rid of distribution channels that purchase model as saving them money. It’s not just viewing data that operators need are not economically viable, says Haslam at “We do a lot of consumer research and what to look at, points out Vaghela at Paywizard. Conviva. “Global data sets can help geographic we see is that when people sign up to OTT “You need to understand your online data too, expansion. It can help you to understand which services, such as Netflix, they are already in to understand the journey that your customer new markets to enter and which distribution the mindset that they are going to spend less is going through. Have you made it as easy as partners to approach,” he says. “Then there is money elsewhere as a result,” says Vaghela possible for the customer to sign up? What does that almost hidden cost that a lot of people don’t at Paywizard. “They might cancel their Sky your sign up process actually look like and how think about except the people who are actually Movies subscription for example, and what we much information are you asking for from the in the service themselves, the publishers. That have seen is that around 25% of customers do customer?” he says. “Once you’ve signed them is how many platforms should I support? actually reduce their spend elsewhere.” up, how good are your recommendations to Do I need to support Apple TV, Samsung, On a more positive note, Vaghela has found them and how good is your customer support? iOS devices and android devices? There are that this trend can be reversed. “Conversely Even Netflix has its own contact centre and we some service providers that support 30 or though, if you treat a customer well enough did some focus group research, both in the US 40 different platforms and that’s incredibly they will end up spending more,” he says. “So, and the UK, and they were incredibly praised expensive. I think that data in the future can be while you are providing these micro services because it is possible to just pick up the phone used to more effectively pick the platforms you and giving the customer more flexibility, if and contact Netflix and they will help.” want to support and even do this potentially you play your cards right and you build a Service providers could also cooperate to by region. For example you may discover that relationship well enough they will end up keep up with the big internet giants. “They Android might be much more popular in this spending more money with you.” can co-operate and integrate their primary data particular area and this allows you to split your Niche channels that really understand sets – both the data generated by broadcast, platform support more effectively.” their customers could fare even better than online VOD and the set-top box viewing data Data works. Consumer data needs to be used massive mainstream providers from their collected by TV operators. With that they can to improve viewers’ experience, whether that is data. If a horse-racing channel can provide a replicate the same targeting and measurement through buying, producing or commissioning steady stream of races that its subscribers want capabilities of the big digital players and help the content they want to watch, showing them to watch, for example, they could be onto a sustain TV viewing and advertising revenue,” the ads that are relevant to them or surfacing winning formula. says Laurence Miall d’Aout, VP, advanced shows on their EPG that will entice them to Content is king, says Haslam at Conviva, advertising, Liberty Global. continue watching and, more importantly, but it is not always exclusive and that’s when The lessons taken could be surprising. For subscribing. It’s all about creating a TV viewing consumer loyalty starts to wane: “As that example, traditionally, operators have been experience that someone is keen to pay for, content starts to get syndicated, as it starts to minded to make it difficult for customers to whether that someone is the advertisers, the be made available for cross-multiple service leave their services, because every monthly viewers or a mix of both. For service providers, providers, to differentiate your service you are subscription counts. But Vaghela at Paywizard it’s time to get number crunching. l

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p26-28, 30 Big Data DTVE AugSep17v5am.indd 30 04/09/2017 19:00 Q&A: Ferdinand Maier, ruwido ruwido CEO Ferdinand Maier talks about TICTACTILE. and the concept of the multimodal TV input device.

What are the values that influence the way ruwido approaches the to other business cases, for example in-car infotainment or rear-seat design of the TV navigation experience? entertainment systems. Design is soul. That is our state of mind and that’s what we try to convey Using haptic feedback and tactile senses rather than visual to move through all of our products as design is the most direct way to touch the through content, we are providing a solution that can truly support emotion of the user. user experience excellence as well as contribute to improved safety, for Our research shows that throughout the consumer electronics world example with in-car navigation systems. design and user experience drive desire. We are constantly working on how to address the kernel behaviour of the user and how to increase How does the concept of a multimodal TV input device deliver a more the usability of today’s TV solutions by evaluating factors like aesthetics, intuitive and satisfactory user experience than traditional TV remote emotion, stimulation, as well as meaning and value for the user. controls? Entertainment in the living room has to become an easier and more Multimodal input devices represent the natural evolution of the remote natural experience again. We strongly believe in removing the complexity control. In a world where the interactive element of television is ever- of navigation and interaction; so while we provide intricate technology increasing, our challenge is to create a way to navigate complex user inside our input devices, clear and intuitive navigation on the outside is interfaces in synchronisation with mind and sense, while retaining vital. complete control functionality. Tomorrow’s TV services will no longer be differentiated just by price, Many interaction mechanisms have been tried in the past, ranging but much more by the way services and content are offered to the from gesture and pointing to touch and speech. However individually, consumer. To create a solution that truly supports the user experience, none of these modalities are made for navigating the TV in everyday life. and allows the synchronisation of mind and sense, the graphical user But if different interaction mechanism technologies are fused – touch, for interface must mirror the attitude of the input device and align with its example in combination with haptic feedback, or voice as an additional interaction mechanism. way for search – the demands of modern user interfaces can be met. We are committed to creating intuitive interaction devices for our For example, people are used to touch interaction with their customers that are a joy to use and a joy to own because these are the smartphones and expect an equivalent with other devices. But if we use devices that act as the business card of the operator. the equivalent of smartphone interaction success will be limited on a TV as you are not having a direct manipulation, or absolute pointing, but What are the key principles behind the design of the TICTACTILE. system? only relative pointing. To address this, we developed our TICTACTILE. TICTACTILE. was designed to offer enhanced smart device navigation interaction mechanism fusing touch with haptic feedback. on remote controls. The holistic approach integrates an interaction Supporting the range of senses available to users allows people to mechanism with a tactile experience, along with a synchronised user choose the modality they prefer, improves precision, avoids errors and interface. The system has the potential to overcome current limitations enhances not only the usability of the system but also the overall user when interacting with a range of screens as it solves the problem of experience by giving the feeling of a natural interaction. ‘absolute’ versus ‘relative’ pointing. Multimodal input solutions will be further enhanced by exciting TICTACTILE. brings the structure of the user interface to the navigation emerging technologies such as voice biometrics or mood recognition, field of the remote control, making moving through content appealing allowing the personalisation of interfaces and making content more to both the visual and tactile senses and creating a seamless experience easily accessible for users. for the user. In the near future, we’ll see combinations of different modalities that will make interaction with TV more enjoyable and natural than in the What are the main use cases envisaged for this type of input device, past. The key to success lies in selecting the right type of modality to best both inside and outside the living room? support the user experience. TICTACTILE. offers a holistic interaction mechanism that is easy to use across different screens within the living room but it can also be applied ruwido will be exhibiting at IBC, on stand 1.D69

p31 Ruwido Q&A AugSep17.indd 1 04/09/2017 15:30 Technology focus > Cybersecurity Digital TV Europe August/September 2017

Rohde & Schwarz is providing protection every other aspect of commerce, against cyber-attacks. Like economic crime has, to some extent, gone digital. In a hyper-connected business ecosystem that frequently straddles jurisdictions, a breach in any part of that system – including third parties such as service providers or suppliers – can compromise an organisation’s digital integrity in a variety of ways. At one end of the spectrum are the macro events, like Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) and Domain Name System (DNS) attacks. These types of attacks are loud, noisy and, when they happen, they interrupt service for everyone. DDoS attacks send huge amounts of traffic to interfere with organisations serving up content, while DNS attacks prevent the end user being able to find the services operators are providing to begin with. Both affect large numbers of users at a time and gain attention in the news, adding embarrassment to the existing injury. One type of attack that can affect both the content provider and the customer equally is when web servers are compromised. According to Akamai, it’s not uncommon to see organisations have their site content compromised and embarrassing content put in its place. However, equally common are sites being used to serve malware to customers as they surf the web. At the other end of the spectrum is the targeted attack. This aims to compromise the computer of a specific user, with the aim of getting access to something that a user has access to. Every industry should worry about an attacker who can get to important financial data or sensitive customer records but broadcasters have the additional worry that their valuable content could find its way online. As a form of cybercrime, online content redistribution piracy is the major threat to high value content. A report earlier this year Hack attack: from Frontier Economics estimated that counterfeiting and piracy could drain US$4.2 trillion (e3.5 trillion) from the global economy TV and cybersecrurity by 2022. However, service providers also have to consider threats to their network and systems. Cyber attacks are increasing in number and becoming “The HBO example clearly shows that data more sophisticated, with the cost to corporations breaches and content theft are not necessarily separate threats,” says Peter Oggel, VP of running into the billions. With conventional security technology, Irdeto. “The same digital and concepts increasingly powerless against it, protection connected TV platforms that cybercriminals requires a paradigm shift. Adrian Pennington reports. target for illegal redistribution of content also act as attack surfaces for hackers looking to

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p32-33,36-38 Security DTVE AugSep17v5st.indd 32 04/09/2017 19:26 Digital TV Europe Technology focus > Cybersecurity August/September 2017

gain access to service providers’ networks and As these and other cases illustrate, theft industries including healthcare, technology potentially steal customer information and of source content is not the only target. and retail, states in its June 2017 edition that other important data. Cybersecurity strategies Confidential employee data, including salary the average consolidated cost of a data breach must consider the whole threat landscape and details, corporate documentation including is US$3.62 million. a 360-degree approach to security is crucial.” confidential commercial agreements and It found that the country with the highest emails, and customer data are at risk. Comcast cost, both per record and per incident, was the paid a US$33 million settlement in September US whereas the countries with the lowest cost Interconnected threat 2015 relating to theft of 75,000 Xfinity voice per record and per incident were Brazil and customer details; CBS-owned Last.fm had 43 India. It found that the average size of a data According to Martin McKeay, senior security million user details leaked in 2016. breach – the number of records lost or stolen – advocate at Akamai Technologies, one of the “Media companies are very public and their increased 1.8% over the last year. reasons security has become a higher priority is services are used by entire communities and Another study by the same group examined the shift in business model from ad-supported populations,” says McKeay. “A data breach can reputation and share value and found that to subscription-based, and the corresponding quickly yield a very large return for a hacker and the average drop in stock price on the day the increase in the storage of personal identifiable information of customers. SVOD alone will generate 70% of digital “The HBO example clearly shows that revenues in Europe in 2022 according to Dataxis. It forecasts that there will be 80 data breaches and content theft are not million additional SVOD subscribers signing necessarily separate threats.” up between 2016 and 2022. “This has fundamentally changed the way media companies need to protect their Peter Oggel, Irdeto businesses and their digital assets. It’s no longer a matter of ‘if’ a media company will therefore media companies need to realise that breach is announced is 5%, that companies lost be attacked, but ‘when’ they will be attacked,” they are walking with a target on their heads.” on average 7% of their customers and that 31% warns McKeay. Pay TV is just one part of the ecosystem of consumers discontinue their relationship At the same time, shows like Game of impacted: everyone with an interest in the with the company following a breach. “There’s Thrones are incredibly valuable. No one would content will suffer – broadcaster, production no reason to suppose these figures are have cared, back in the day, if an episode of house, rights owner, OTT streaming services – markedly different when applied to pay TV Happy Days or Laverne & Shirley was leaked. but quantifying the impact is very challenging. operators,” says Rik Turner, principal analyst, Now, content thefts have tended to result in infrastructure solutions, Ovum. blackmail demands for money in exchange for Other surveys have shown that DDoS not releasing the content before the studio or Quantifying risk and loss attacks are the most common form of attack broadcaster desires it to be released. suffered by media companies of all sizes. A As McKeay observes, it’s far easier for a “Hardly any other industry is subject to such a study showed that the cost of such an attack can hacker to send a well-crafted email laden with constant and disruptive change as the media be US$40,000 per hour. The cost of a full data malware specifically designed to compromise and broadcasting industry,” says Peter Nöthen, breach could certainly be far more significant an executive’s system than it ever has been for CEO of systems architect Qvest Media. “The than that in bad publicity, retrospective an insider to walk out the door with a hot script. need to protect IT infrastructures from cyber- remediation actions required following a “The all-pervasive nature of digital storage, attacks or manipulations, however, will never breach and in increased regulatory fines. global production and IP distribution of change. With the rise of OTT offers and With the advent of the EU’s General Data media – in contrast to the physical storage and bidirectional integration of social media and Protection Regulation in 2018 those costs distribution of tapes previously, for example – online platforms, it has become even more could be driven even higher, because sanctions means that the attack surface increases, is not crucial to organisations to protect consumer’s can include a fine of up to€ 10 million or 2% geographically bound and attacks are often personal information.” of a company’s annual worldwide turnover highly automated and continuous,” says Peter More than one media analyst company of the preceding financial year, whichever is Elvidge, VP of technology at TVT. contacted by DTVE for this report declined greater – far exceeding the current maximum August’s HBO attack appears to have to contribute since they lacked data relating of £500,000 (e545,000). been the most sophisticated yet, targeting to cyber-crime’s impact on pay TV. Perhaps Norbert Schirmer, VP, business unit the company from multiple points including that’s not surprising. Incidents of fraud have end-point security, Rohde & Schwarz employees’ Twitter feeds. Hackers may have historically been hard to track, not least because Cybersecurity, likens the scale of cybercrime to stolen as much as 1.5TB of HBO’s data, or seven organisations are understandably reluctant to that of the global drug trade. times more data than the 200GB taken in the publicly divulge theft unless forced to. According to the report Secure My Site, Sony hack of 2014, which led to the resignation The Ponemon Institute, which carries out over half of media IT execs lose sleep worrying of Sony Pictures co-chair Amy Pascal. an annual study across major economies and about cyber-attacks. Nearly a third admit to

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p32-33,36-38 Security DTVE AugSep17v5st.indd 33 04/09/2017 19:26 A NEW HOME FOR OUR CONNECTED SECURITY PLATFORM

Connected devices are extending the security landscape for video and beyond. Before seizing new opportunities through cloud-based services, analytics and even IoT, you need to redefine your security strategy.

Who are you going to trust with your connected future?

www.verimatrix.com

Visit us at IBC 2017 15-19 September • RAI, Amsterdam Booth # 5.A59

Securing the Connected Future™

p34 Verimatrix DTVE AugSep17.indd 1 31/08/2017 17:01 Q&A: Steve Christian, Verimatrix Steve Christian, SVP of marketing, Verimatrix discusses the opportunities and challenges facing operators looking to expand into the Internet of Things

How well-placed are pay TV and multi-play operators to extend level personalisation helps to ensure that device manufacturers can install their range of services to provide Internet of Things and Smart Home a code image that’s signed and made consistent with the credentials in the applications? chipset. And the chipset’s security controls must be switched to only allow Video service providers are, in some respects ideally positioned to boot to proceed via the device’s secure image. Device authentication can enable smart home IoT services. IoT applications such as surveillance then avoid unauthorised intrusion, while the communications links must or energy management come under the smart home umbrella and are also be secured to prevent interception or alteration of data during transit. natural areas for operators to extend into. They already provide last mile broadband connectivity along with an intelligent device in the home, How can data analytics from security systems help deliver the Internet such as a set-top box or gateway that could serve as a hub. However, few of Things? operators have yet considered the full implications and requirements In pay TV, the security infrastructure can yield unique insights about both of consumer IoT services, especially over security which is absolutely QoS and customer behavior through its privileged position as custodian critical for gaining the trust of customers. Fortunately, many operators of the core service, managing entitlements and controlling encryption. have of course deployed revenue protection security for their video This will also be true for IoT, but with the difference that the role of services, which can be extended to IoT. analytics will vary greatly between the various service sectors. There is obvious potential in areas, such as smart metering, through aggregation What are the main security-related challenges facing multi-play of individual household consumption data into regional databases for operators and other players looking to expand into the Internet of intelligent energy management. There will be scope for significant Things? savings by micro-matching power generation to consumption, as well Two key points have emerged from investigation of actual or potential as for planning future capacity on both a seasonal and long-term basis. IoT breaches at different levels, which can affect national security, life and Again, as for pay TV, security providers will play a key role not only in limb, as well as brand reputation and revenue. Firstly, security must be at providing analytics data but also securing it and ensuring privacy, the forefront when planning and deploying IoT services, incorporated at without which the whole IoT enterprise would be undermined. the specification stage rather than bolted on afterwards. Secondly and most importantly, security must be continually monitored and, very likely, upgraded throughout the lifecycle of the How well positioned is Verimatrix overall to play an active role in this service or application to counter emerging threats as they arise. This in market and what solutions can it offer? turn depends on the initial design to ensure that the updating process Verimatrix was early to recognize the potential for protecting IoT can itself be executed securely as a result of comprehensive monitoring. services by virtue of its 12 plus years of experience in pay TV security, Inevitably attacks will happen, so the monitoring process must be capable which poses many similar threats. Verimatrix has now adapted and of proactively detecting threat patterns, as well as intrusions, enabling extended its security infrastructure to more directly address critical immediate actions that minimize damage and as far as possible localise security gaps that exist with many current IoT services. We have the penetration. launched a new IoT security solution called Vtegrity that addresses three core security elements that work in concert to underpin an IoT service, What do operators need to think about when choosing technology protecting revenue streams and maintaining consumer confidence. partners? These are device integrity to ensure client devices and the software Operators need partners that have already undertaken the analysis and they are executing have not been compromised by any means at any development needed to deploy secure IoT services. This means finding stage in their lifecycle. Communications integrity prevents intrusion vendors that have addressed similar challenges in the video arena by unauthorised clients or users, ensuring that only devices explicitly and developed a coherent strategy for IoT applications, particularly identifiable are allowed to join a given IoT network through secure for security. Absolutely critical is the proven ability to manage the certificate provisioning and device authentication. Finally, service deployment of security in the underlying SoCs and then in the devices integrity defends against emerging threats or imminent attacks through at the manufacturing stage to yield IoT clients and components capable proactive threat monitoring and tamper detection. of meeting threats and being upgraded in the field. Operating with an ecosystem of SoCs vendors that support chipset For more information, please visit: www.verimatrix.com/vtegrity

p35 Verimatrix Q&A DTVE AugSep17.indd 1 31/08/2017 19:21 Technology focus > Cybersecurity Digital TV Europe August/September 2017

experiencing an attack. And while 61% of decade ago, particularly when targeted attacks programmes have no chance of warding off CEOs admit concern about cyber security were rare and the losses from most attacks these attacks.” less than half of board members request were minimal and easily forgotten. But modern Verimatrix is concerned that certain service information about their organisation’s state of attackers are taking a more strategic approach providers collect data without understanding cyber-readiness, reports PwC. – they’re targeting specific companies, their how it should be used – or how it should be “There’s no question that cybersecurity users and the valuable data they hold,” he says. protected. is now at the top of board agendas,” says In the GoT example, attackers sent a fake “If data is being aggregated that isn’t going Mark Harrison, managing director, Digital email to an executive and when it was opened, to provide any value, it should be deleted before Production Partnership (DPP). “There is a lot the malware contained in the attachment it has the chance to become a liability,” says of anxiety about how you achieve it.” executed. This malware, often called a RAT or CTO Petr Peterka. “There are various rules and A collection of CEOs and CTOs will convene Remote Access Tool, enabled the attackers to guidelines in place about how data can be used behind closed doors at IBC to thrash out view and download everything the executive and when it needs to be anonymised. These cybersecurity concerns. “If there is one lesson had access to. are new considerations that service providers all companies should [understand] it’s that Another tactic used by attackers may be to didn’t need to understand or address just a few cybercrime is not an IT problem,” says PwC disrupt the bandwidth needed to serve up the years ago.” partner Kris McConkey. content for high-speed users. According to Verimatrix claims to be the first company McKeay, “If an attacker can produce an attack to offer fully integrated encryption, key that causes buffering for the end user by tying management and watermarking solutions Holistic approach up the network of the provider, they can cause for both managed and unmanaged networks. significant complaints from the user base and Its capabilities for video tracking and forensic There is of course no silver bullet. the ratings of the provider takes a hit.” identification offers protection for high-value “No matter what a security vendor will tell Ransomware, in particular, plays a large content such as UHD, early release VOD and you, there is no single piece of software or role in attacks on sensitive data. Ransomware live content. managed security service that will guarantee encrypts computer files and, in principle, “The toolbox includes VideoMark client- and disarm a cyber criminal from breaching encrypts the contents of a file so that it cannot side and StreamMark server-side offerings for your systems,” says Elvidge. “Whether you’re be opened without a key that correctly decrypts forensic tracking, through which Verimatrix a content owner or SVOD provider, security is the file. A ransom must be paid to receive the equips service providers with a range of more a matter of baking security into your corporate key. Once malware has infected a computer, it flexible anti-piracy tools and deployment culture, along with continually testing and can spread to other devices in the network and options that they need to secure and monetise ensuring systems are up to date.” completely cripple operations. the latest premium content services and Broadcasters and pay TV operators “should “Attacks such as WannaCry and Petya have delivery methods,” says Peterka. look strategically across their entire business changed the game by using ransomware, R&S’s Schirmer advocates what he calls and devise multi-layered defences that which usually extorts funds, as a cover,” says proactive solutions. For example, by using will protect their assets” suggests McKeay. Schirmer. “This is evidenced by the fact that trusted virtual domains, the production servers “Particularly when it comes to applications and Petya erases portions of the hard drive instead of that contain films can be isolated from the regular Office IT and better protected.

“If data is being aggregated that isn’t going Isolating servers to provide any value, it should be deleted before it has the chance to become a “It is also important that products are developed based on the Security by Design principle, liability.” where security is an explicit requirement in Petr Peterka, Verimatrix the development process and holistic security measures are taken into consideration, services – for both internal use and external blocking access, and that the hackers proved to implemented and tested at all stages – starting websites and OTT apps – their data centres be very negligent in collecting their ransoms.” with product inception,” says Schirmer. and their DNS. Since hackers and malicious Schirmer calculates that around 360,000 new “Beyond isolating production servers, proactive users now use many attack vectors – media viruses are discovered daily. In the first three solutions can and must be implemented.” companies need to be prepared on all fronts.” days after discovery, 27% of malware remains The virtual browser is an example of a He says many organisations have historically undetected. “This means that attackers have security solution that does not react to an attack viewed security as something to be tacked on already infected many thousands of devices and instead proactively keeps it from reaching at the end of the process – something that before they are discovered and stopped,” he the IT system. Around 70% of malware enters is simply icing on the cake, and often more says. “New types of attacks, called zero-day the network via browsers. Strict isolation is bother than it’s worth. exploits, exploit security gaps before they used to decrease the range of targets. “This was an acceptable stance to take a can be found and closed. Antivirus software “Browsing takes place in a virtual browser

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p32-33,36-38 Security DTVE AugSep17v5st.indd 36 04/09/2017 19:26 Digital TV Europe Technology focus > Cybersecurity August/September 2017

that is hermetically isolated from all other system fail, regardless of the type of attack. If have known attack patterns, which Schirmer applications and data, making corporate data malicious code corrupts the browser, the virtual says is useless against new and unknown invisible to an attack such as ransomware,” browser environment simply restarts and is attacks. “More effective are next generation he explains. “Viruses, Trojans and similar immediately virus-free and ready for use.” firewalls whose new technologies proactively malware remain enclosed in this environment New firewall technologies should also be inspect data packets,” he says. “Packets are and cannot spread to the computer or local employed. Conventional firewall technologies allowed to pass only if they can identify network. Attacks on the Windows host use blacklists that block only data packets that themselves as friendly. All others, including

Securing the content supply chain

craft work without providing access to the high resolution media. It’s also critical that tools enable different organisations to work together without resorting to spreadsheets, Google Docs or sending files backwards and forwards. At the same time, all management systems must retain a full audit trail of who had access to what.” “Ballooning challenges include content duplicates with variable quality, difficulties in tracking distributed copies and difficulty in quality-checking overall statistics of all content traded,” says Anders Paulshus, security development director, Conax. “Service providers are also facing growing challenges such as investment in transcoders and operation of content workflow, variable video and sound quality from different sources, many different metadata formats and pressures from time to market for new content.” Last spring, Netflix was the victim of a operator A is doing everything in its power to CA and DRM have been successfully applied ransomware attack. Episodes of Orange is the protect the content,” says Christopher Schouten by IPTV, cable and satellite TV service operators. New Black (pictured) that were still in production Nagra’s senior director of product marketing. The addition of browsers as end points is a harder were leaked from Larson Studios in Los Angeles. “NexGuard’s Network ID is one solution for this. beast to secure, and requires more complex Larson Studios was responsible for series post- It’s an invisible forensic mark which content DRMs and integrations between applications, production and although it paid the requested owners can embed in their distributed content players DRMs and backend platforms. amount, the hacker (dubbed Dark Overlord) to determine which operator’s network was the “Again, there is no magic bullet, although leaked episodes anyway. This example clearly source of the leak. That way the content owner having well-designed video players, and demonstrates that the gateways for attacks can can demand that the offending operator take continually updated browsers, is an absolutely also lie with partners or distributors. stronger measures to ensure content remains critical step in ensuring security – and reducing “It’s not possible to provide 100% protection protected.” the risk of a breach,” says Elvidge. against such incidents,” says Norbert Schirmer, One of the most common requirements is Industry wide initiatives led by bodies such VP, business unit end-point security, Rohde when studios stipulate that content must be as the DPP in the UK and NABA in North & Schwarz Cybersecurity. “However, it’s clear secured as it passes through the content supply America are helping to raise awareness, share that partners and distributors must take cyber workflow and as it is transmitted to the audience best practice and bring together the broadcast security seriously, if only because of the high via some form of CA or DRM. This is normally community to better protect itself and help co- penalties they face if paid content ends up on outlined in the content agreement. ordinate better defences. the internet free of charge as a result of their “Securing the content supply chain is “Many cybercriminal networks are spread security gaps.” a challenge, due to the need to work with over different countries and jurisdictions so Operators are increasingly challenging numerous specialist providers, for example, one company on its own would find it difficult content owners to take more action to protect to create language versions and provide to have the necessary impact,” says Peter the content they are licensing to them. “If an international compliance services,” says Peter Oggel, VP of technology, Irdeto. “It’s down to operator in another territory leaks the content, Elvidge, VP of technology at TVT. “The best every player in the ecosystem to work together it can often be just as big of a problem for approach is to use a tool that supports the end- collaboratively to beat cybercriminals not just operator A as it is for operator B, even though to-end workflow, enabling people to do their individual organisations.”

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p32-33,36-38 Security DTVE AugSep17v5st.indd 37 04/09/2017 19:26 Technology focus > Cybersecurity Digital TV Europe August/September 2017

unknown data packets, are rejected.” Hackers exploiting unsecured hybrid STBs Pre-empting potential threats is also hugely Personnel breaches may aim to install malware to take control of valuable, and allows platform builders to take a the STB, or as a platform for attacking other proactive approach to prevention. The key here, “Some operators are enacting similar types of devices in the home. according to Oggel, is understanding the threat controls to banks and standards like PCI-DSS – Everything with an internet connection can landscape, from the evolution of piracy to how mandated by credit card companies for anyone be compromised: lights, credit card details hackers are using increasingly sophisticated handling card data – are in many ways helping stolen, webcams, electronic signatures for attacks to target networks and data theft. to focus minds,” says Elvidge. “The main automatic garages to gain access to the home. “This is a major challenge for service issue is that many operators leave much of the “Hacking connected devices such as hybrid providers, as the main piracy threat has payment taking to third parties and although STBs is easy and inexpensive to carry out, shifted from control word sharing to content their brands are attached to this process, they and a high level of knowledge about hybrid redistribution and the increasing use of may not be directly hands-on. For operators in STBs is not necessary to compromise them,” illicit streaming devices and pirate plug-ins. this situation, it is a case of holding feet over Paulshus says. “Hacking kits and malware created by advanced hackers are available on forums for use by anyone who can follow a “Today’s new generation of pirates have set of instructions. As these hacks become more frequent, the general public’s interest additional goals for hacking than getting in security will grow and, eventually, they will hold of an operator’s premium content.” demand that IoT suppliers implement the necessary precautions to ensure that their private information is kept safe.” Anders Paulshus, Conax Separation technologies can help secure hybrid STBs by preventing malicious apps and Meanwhile, hackers are evolving their attacks the fire of the financial service providers and malicious software from attacking the security from tactics like phishing, to gain credentials, getting them to show how they are maintaining core of the STB. to using WiFi to steal credentials via Evil Twin operational security and to what standards they Qvest reports that the incorporation of attacks. Working with a security partner who are compliant against.” security concepts as a part of RFP requirements has expertise in both the media industry to According to recent DBIR research, a as steadily increasing. protect content as well as really understanding quarter of all breaches involve an ‘internal “We advise operators and suppliers to take a cybersecurity is what’s needed. That blended actor’, underlining the need to train staff and three-step approach to protect their companies knowledge is key.” place controls that ensure only the right people against cyber threats,” says Nöthen. “The first One of the most dangerous situations is have access to content. is to perform a comprehensive assessment of when an operator decides to connect devices Steve Plunkett, chief technology officer, cybersecurity postures of their infrastructures. that were never designed to be robust against broadcast and media services, Ericsson, The assessment will lead to the development of network attacks. This applies to both headend says: “Many of the recent high profile attacks a determined strategy to improve cyber security components as well as client devices such as have originated inside organisations’ digital postures by adding network security devices STBs. Conax gives the example of retro-fitting perimeter on compromised machines, often and layers as well as further network protection network capabilities in vulnerable STBs that the result of phishing attacks where users measures. Lastly, the set-up of a security may not only expose the operator to be held unwittingly installed malicious software on operation centre is needed to actively monitor ransom in the face of a DoS attack, but could their PCs by interacting with nefarious emails threats. Alternatively, media companies can equally provide an attacker the entry point into purporting to be from trusted sources. commission managed security service provider a household network. Operators can take as holistic an approach that offer 24x7 security monitoring.” “This is why the Conax STB security as they want but even that may not be enough. While nothing will cast-iron guarantee evaluation has for some time now reported Conax warns that ‘housejacking’ could be the content against cyberattack or pirated streams, network attack robustness as a separate security next big threat to pay TV. following these best practices for security can level so as to raise awareness to operators “While pay TV operators are taking measures reduce exposure. that security threats to a STB population to protect their content, they may not be aware “Unfortunately, many organisations still encompasses more than simply content that today’s new generation of pirates also don’t recognise cybercrime as it truly is – a protection,” says Anders Paulshus, security have additional goals for hacking than getting competing business entity that continues development director. hold of an operator’s premium content,” says to grow its illegal offerings,” says Oggel. Although the valuable content within MAM Paulshus. “The IoT and connected nature of “Cybersecurity strategies in the pay TV industry systems will often reside in a different part of all we own increases hackable IP addresses. must consider a broad range of vulnerabilities. the organisation than billing and subscriber DDoS attacks present new threat for operators Once organisations and the content production data, the connected nature of many networks as hybrid STBs may present attractive vehicles market have made this mind-shift, the more means that breaching one area might lead to to access connected homes based on ‘always effective the industry will be at recognising and lateral movement to the other. on’, internet-based services.” combatting cybercrime.” l

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p32-33,36-38 Security DTVE AugSep17v5st.indd 38 04/09/2017 19:26 pXX MIDEM DTVE MayJun17.indd 1 11/05/2017 16:50 DTVE_210x297_MIPCOM.indd 1 10/05/2017 11:30 Changing consumer behavior, increased OTT competition and fragmentation are a fact in today’s pay-TV landscape. A transformation is taking place and service providers have to adapt to remain relevant. In this context, innovation has never been so critical to success and is the driving theme behind our IBC 2017 showcase.

On Booth 1.C81, we’ll show service providers and content rights owners how they can thrive in this new environment through solutions that allow them to transform and rethink their business models by leveraging innovation and

.com partnerships with technology vendors, with the end-goal of connecting people to

diabolo the content they love.

Design: Visit dtv.nagra.com/ibc to learn more.

CONNECTING PEOPLE TO THE CONTENT THEY LOVE DTV.NAGRA.COM/IBC

pXX Nagra DTVE AugSep17.indd 1 30/08/2017 11:15 Q&A: Simon Trudelle, NAGRA

Simon Trudelle, senior director, product marketing at NAGRA, talks about the opportunities and threats to the pay TV industry.

What are the main opportunities and threats that are likely to drive How are the threats to revenue security for content service providers innovation in the TV experience over the next couple of years? changing? The pay TV industry is under growing pressure from cheaper OTT As broadband and mobile internet becomes ubiquitous, the focus of services, changing consumer behaviour and demand, and the rise of piracy has shifted from signal theft to content sharing, taking a huge content piracy. Our 2017 Pay TV Innovation Forum research programme toll on rights holders and service provider revenues. In the digital world, identified a strong consensus amongst executives: 71% think that content can be acquired from live broadcast streams or even from competition will increase over the next five years and 85% agree that hacks into production servers, and the damage to potential revenues is in order to grow, pay TV service providers will have to innovate strongly tremendous. NAGRA estimates that pay TV providers alone collectively during the same period, citing the launch of new products and services lose up to US$7 billion per year because of content sharing. Advanced as critical drivers to growth. cyberattacks that include ransomware attacks and stolen files being In that context, pay TV executives are increasingly focused on delivering held for ransom have already affected media companies like Netflix, and standalone OTT services (64%), multiscreen TV Everywhere (67%) app- most recently HBO. And although Netflix’s production subcontractor based TV services (61%) and advanced functionality (53%) such as voice paid the requested amount, the hackers leaked the content anyway. and 4K, alongside innovative content propositions (74%) and new pricing Leaked content, whether through hacking or piracy, erodes the overall and packaging models (78%). value of the entire content production and distribution chain. These threats are extremely serious and must be countered. What do service providers need to prioritise to deliver a TV experience across a broad range of retail IP devices as well as traditional TVs? What tools are available to operators to overcome these security Today, virtually all major TV service providers and broadcasters have challenges? adopted multiscreen OTT distribution services – and for good reason: It all starts with proven, Hollywood trusted card-based and cardless consumers have a growing appetite for IP video streaming and a CAS and multi-DRM systems that meet stringent Hollywood and sports growing customer segment is embracing video streaming – and its rights holder security requirements. Once content is secured, it must be benefits – now more than ever. marked with the industry’s leading NexGuard forensic watermarking As more content goes over IP networks, service providers have to technologies for live and on-demand content, making it traceable consider an upgrade to their end-to-end infrastructure to eliminate back to its source if leaked. NAGRA’s extensive monitoring service help backend silos and integrate features such as cloud DVR, ABR just-in- operators discover and quantify the impact of leaked content, and time packaging, CDN and device management, and now addressable our takedown and legal services ensure pirate streams are stopped at advertising. Smartly transitioning from broadcast to IP is all about being their source, through their service providers (CDNs, ISPs, etc.) or in the pragmatic in offering the best consumer experience while optimising courtroom. costs. How far is the use of consumer data likely to change the way TV is NAGRA is introducing OpenTV Signature Edition at the IBC. What delivered and what do service providers need to prioritise to benefit market need does it meet and what elements should such a pay TV from this to the maximum possible extent? ecosystem include? As TV service providers face a business transformation challenge with OpenTV Signature Edition answers the complexity of how to deliver the rise of “digital native” OTT providers, they need to drive their business a fresh and satisfying, upgradeable-on-the-fly pay TV service that can using more relevant data. But they often don’t have that data, as legacy deliver an unparalleled user experience for content harmonisation in TV systems are not always two-way connected. today’s fragmenting online TV market. OpenTV Signature Edition is a The use of anonymised unstructured and structured data, coming fully integrated eco-system that comes bundled with third party services from multiple internal and external sources, can fill that gap. Combined and applications that offer the following elements: (a) maximisation of with configurable data science algorithms, it allows for the development operational efficiency, (b) maximising of profitability - via analytics and of powerful prediction engines. The resulting KPI-based action loops, efficient content management, (c) scalability through multi-tenanted enabled by the data analytics platform, empower internal teams to better cloud and (d) frictionless access to content for all users no matter their drive business operations in areas such as consumer value optimisation, content navigation preferences. content management, service operations and advertising management.

p41 Nagra Q&A DTVE AugSep17.indd 1 31/08/2017 16:06 IBC 2017 > Preview Digital TV Europe August/September 2017 IBC 2017: the preview This year’s IBC exhibition will take place at Amsterdam’s RAI from September 15-19. Digital TV Europe takes a look at some this year’s technologies.

Alpha Networks broadcasters, network and mobile ing Demonstration; ARG Quarra optional forward error correction STAND 5.A28 operators, as well as content and 8000 ARQ; FiberLink 4K/UHD (FEC) algorithms. Artel’s IP net- owners. solutions work will feature the DLC/ILC410, WHAT’S NEW? CONTACT www.alphanetworks.tv WHAT DO THEY DO? DLC/ILC450 IP transport solutions tucanoRED Artel will showcase an end-to-end for the DigiLink and InfinityLink WHAT DOES IT DO? hybrid IP- and fibre-based network platforms and showcase new fea- Featuring an open CMS/CRM Artel designed to address customers’ tures in the DLC/ILC450 including architecture as a service (SaaS) STAND 5.A65 requirements as they migrate Gigabit Ethernet (GigE) IP interfac- business model, tucanoRED is from direct fibre to all-IP or hybrid es. Artel will provide an interactive designed to simplify subscriber IP/SDI networks. Artel offers the demonstration of SMPTE 2022-7 management and the delivery of modular InfinityLink and DigiLink Hitless Protection Switching in different service offerings for live media transport platforms. New an IP network. Attendees will and on-demand content over var- capabilities include auto-sensing be able to create “breaks” in ious networks, according to Alpha of broadcast-quality 3G-SDI, HD- video transmissions between the Networks. The back-end platform WHAT’S NEW? SDI, SD-SDI, ASI video formats company’s InfinityLink chassis and covers service management from IP Transport With DigiLink and plus Ethernet traffic over IP. Artel’s witness delivery of uninterrupted content definition to delegation of InfinityLink Platforms; SMPTE IP-based solutions include SMPTE clear video signals, according to content delivery and is targeted at 2022-7 Hitless Protection Switch- 2022-1/2/5/6 IP encapsulation, and Artel. Artel and ARG are teaming up at IBC to offer additional IP delivery solutions while demon- ABOX42 to highlight new high-end set-top STAND 14.C17 strating interoperability between Artel’s InfinityLink and DigiLink ABOX42 will use IBC to highlight vice, according to the company. gration on the operator side as it platforms and ARG’s Quarra its new M-35 Series Smart STB. The M35 Series offers premium is fully managed and controlled and ARQ IP solutions: Artel will The company will also demon- content security, meeting re- by ABOX42. The platform in- showcase the ARG Quarra 10000 strate advanced MPEG-DASH quirements of 4K and UHD Hol- cludes sensors, a secure gate- 10-Gbps Ethernet PTP Switch playout, and lay out its stall to lywood content, says ABOX42. way, software, big data, cloud actively routing video, audio, and enable service providers to tar- ABOX42 will also demon- and mobile applications for iOS data through Artel’s network. The get the smart home market. strate advanced MPEG-DASH and Android devices, as well as ARG Quarra supports the SMPTE ABOX42 will demonstrate its playout at IBC, with support ready-made business models. 2110-10 proposed standard for new M35 Series high-end, smart for live TV, local recording, ABOX42 will showcase the system timing and definition and STB. Offering an upgrade path to restart TV, cloud recording latest version of its smart 2059-2 permitting interoperable 4K and UHD TV, the M35 STB is and time-shift TV. ABOX42’s home and smart living solu- use of IP-based media equipment for operators wanting to support MPEG-DASH-based TV solution tion. ABOX42 will introduce a with conventional genlocked SDI an HD and UHD platform, side- includes multi-audio, teletext, new camera for its dotIO Smart equipment. Featured in Artel’s by-side, without requiring any subtitle, and HbbTV support. Home solution sensor family. live network will be ARG’s 8000 changes to the software or ser- The company’s dotIO end-to- The camera features a built-in ARQ IP streaming device for the end Smart Home solution mean- privacy module, allowing only distribution of high-quality video while provides operators with end-customers to view pictures over unconditioned IP networks. the hardware, cloud and mobile and videos outside the home, Broadcasters can add additional components to offer services with 270° motion. ARQ licences to deliver multi- to end-users. Operators can roll At IBC, ABOX42 CEO and ple UDP unicast and multicast out smart home services as an founder Matthias Greve will par- services. Artel’s FiberLink 3500 extension of their existing offer- ticipate in a speaking session as Series transmits 4K/UHD video ings and multi-service bundles a part of the IPTV/OTT Industry at up to 60fps one way. FiberLink to generate additional revenue Forum Series. products are designed for broad- streams, according to ABOX42. cast or corporate studios, OB vans, dotIO does not require any inte- CONTACT www.abox42.com point-of-view cameras, rental and

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p42-44,46,48-49 IBC Preview DTVE AugSep17v4am.indd 42 04/09/2017 19:06 Digital TV Europe IBC 2017 > Preview August/September 2017

staging, auditoriums, stadiums works by using analysis of the con- BN390 automatically detects the four optical outputs, the BC370 and theaters, transportation hubs, tent to adapt the encoding choices format of the incoming signal and offers 60 channels in a 3-RU space distance learning, and more. to the content characteristics, configures itself to transport the or 24 channels in 1 RU. Making its CONTACT www.artel.com according to the company. signal accordingly. The unit now European debut will be Edgware, CONTACT www.ateme.com covers all bit-rates, frame-rates, Bluebell Opticom’s new IP-gateway and formats of 3G-SDI, 6G-SDI, product that wraps a 3G-SDI pic- ATEME and 12G-SDI. Intended for 4K UHD ture into an IP-compliant format STAND 1.D71 Bluebell Opticon transport, the unit also supports and sits on a 10G Ethernet net- STAND 10.F24 multiple SD/HD/3G-SDI trans- work. Edgware serves as a bridge WHAT’S NEW? port in metropolitan networks. between current 3G-SDI-based NovelSat partnership; ContentSec- Available CWDM optics enable four broadcast infrastructures and ure; ATEME Management System discrete channels to be carried on those built on IP, making it possible WHAT DO THEY DO? one wavelength, making it possible to use BNC and XLR technology to In contribution, ATEME is to for 64 channels to travel on a sin- transport broadcast signals over display two major innovations. The WHAT’S NEW? gle fibre strand over distances of IP networks. Bluebell Opticom will first is a partnership extension BN390; NC370; Edgware; BCX-760 60 kilometres. Also on display will also show the BCX-760 Series 10G with satellite communications WHAT DO THEY DO? be the BN365, a stand-alone 12G Ethernet point-to-point fibre link. standard provider NovelSat to use The BN390 provides rack-mounta- Fibre transport module upgraded The BCX-760 is a camera-back in- its modulation/demodulation PCIe ble one-cable 12G-SDI connectivity to achieve better performance. terface that allows connection and board, which is compatible with for 4K broadcast applications. The BN365 is available with CWDM signal transport between a camera the ATEME platform and COTS Bluebell will display the newly optics. New at IBC2017 is Bluebell and an OB truck. It will also demo server. Second is ContentSecure, upgraded BN390 unit, which Opticom’s BC370, an optical con- Hothead Silhouette, a power-inser- which provides dynamic and combines four 3G-SDI signals verter that enables four discrete tion product for robotic cameras, rolling protection for broadcast- onto one 12G-SDI signal via channels of 3G-SDI on a single and a newly upgraded network ers’ content, including sports. single-mode fibre output. Now card, eliminating the issue of fibre monitoring system. Moving to converged distribution, with auto-sensing technology, the count. With four 3G-SDI inputs and CONTACT www.bluebell.tv ATEME will demonstrate its new version of its ATEME Management System (AMS), which is based on Broadpeak showcases nanoCDN ABR multicast STAND 5.C72 OpenStack (used as the control layer) and Docker (used as the Broadpeak claims to be the including zero latency for live vice type. virtualisation layer) and is now first technology provider with a video streaming as well as live Other demos include um- able to orchestrate virtual ATEME working ABR multicast solution, HTTP TV service delivery via brellaCDN With CDN diversity. micro-services. The AMS uses launched in 2012. The compa- satellite. nanoCDN allows satel- Broadpeak’s umbrellaCDN CDN the OpenStack APIs to deploy ny’s nanoCDN multicast ABR lite operators to cost-effective- selector (pictured) allows con- functions, assign IPs and provide solution has been deployed by ly deliver live and on-demand tent providers to choose the redundancy (HA). On top of that, it leading operators worldwide for services across tablets, smart- best content delivery networks also relies on the Titan Rest API to live multiscreen service delivery. phones, connected TVs, and oth- for delivering video content. At control the video services. ATEME nanoCDN multicast ABR er OTT devices by leveraging the IBC, Broadpeak will highlight will also showcase several other makes live HTTP video delivery end-users’ STB. CDN Diversity, a function of um- features. One is a 4K video stream to any device scalable by turning Broadpeak will also show its brellaCDN which allows content that uses the new AV1 codec from millions of broadband gateways, Cloud PVR solutions, which sup- providers to dynamically take the Alliance for Open Media. This cable modems, Wi-Fi routers, ports start-over, time-shift, and into account the instantaneous has been designed for parallel and STBs into active compo- catch-up TV, as well as impulsive quality of several CDNs as a processing and optimised for OTT nents of an operator’s content recording, using a shared copy or service, combine their contribu- delivery, and provides video along- delivery infrastructure, accord- private copy model. The record- tions, and deliver the content at side real-time delivery modes. ing to the company. Leveraging ed content can be processed on a quality level exceeding what The second feature is ATEME home networks, operators can the fly to be viewed on any de- would be achievable with the Content Adaptive Streaming. This manage the consumption peaks best CDN alone, according to the is an evolution of the traditional of live multiscreen services for company. adaptive streaming technology millions of simultaneous viewers Broadpeak will also demo currently in use for OTT delivery, using only a few megabits per BroadCache Box, a local video providing CDN savings of 30% second from their network, says caching solution for broadcast- while maintaining interoperability Broadpeak. ers and content aggregators. with end user devices. ATEME Several new use cases for Content Adaptive Streaming nanoCDN will be shown at IBC, CONTACT www.broadpeak.tv

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p42-44,46,48-49 IBC Preview DTVE AugSep17v4am.indd 43 04/09/2017 19:06 IBC 2017 > Preview Digital TV Europe August/September 2017

cloud-based Caption Synchronisa- and media services over the public Digital Nirvana tion service uses audio finger- Easel TV internet. Allowing rapid deploy- STAND 14.P25 printing to automate near-live BC STAND 14.H17 ment, it enables customers to synchronisation of live broadcast create and then distribute content captions with the ability to revise WHAT’S NEW? wherever they may be, far quicker the text. The company offers Suggested TV Platform and more cost effectively than caption generation for all pre-re- WHAT DOES IT DO? using traditional fibre networks, corded and online video content Easel TV is highlighting the re- according to Globecast. GCXN is through an automated process lease of additional functionality used for primary and secondary WHAT’S NEW? over the cloud, with options to cre- for its Suggested TV service, distribution with broadcast-grade Media management products and ate multiple formats and integrate providing content owners an quality. It comes as a standalone services directly to the user’s video plat- off-the-shelf platform to create service or as a complementary WHAT DO THEY DO? form. On the product side, Digital their own OTT or VOD service. solution to satellite services. It can Digital Nirvana’s services provide Nirvana will showcase its Monitor Suggested TV provides an end-to- also be used for disaster recovery an integrated, automated work- IQ media management platform, end direct to consumer service for and monitoring of video services. flow for sports clipping, closed CAR/TS (Capture, Analyse, Replay its clients, achieved through a My Globecast is an online portal to captioning, subtitling, caption syn- – Transport Stream) transport shared, ready-built solution. enable customer management of chronisation, video logging, repeat stream recorder, AnyStream IQ for The new functionality includes: services via a secure, real-time dig- audio detection, and metadata OTT monitoring and MediaPro for SVOD integration with client CRM ital tool. My Globecast is designed creation. Its Media Management content repurposing. The latest systems for remote entitlements; for and by customers to offer a Platform and suite of broadcast version of MonitorIQ media man- new versions of the mobile apps simpler customer journey with a monitoring products establish a agement platform delivers a range with picture-in-picture, Search and user-friendly homepage, according set up for content creation, cap- of multi-channel signal monitoring, Chromecast enhancements; en- to the company. Globecast is also ture, repurpose and delivery, while repurposing, logging, compliance hanced SLAs underwriting service announcing its new Cloud Channel monitoring video and audio for and archiving functions; Version resilience; enhanced TV app UX Playout solution for SD, HD and quality and compliance, according 5.0 features cloud-based recording (progress indicators, new product 4K channels. This enhances its to the company. Being introduced and OTT stream monitoring func- page, seamless deep-linking); cred- service deployment efficiency, at IBC is the ability to automatical- tions. It also includes HTML5 and it card retention; enhanced SEO; time-to-market and flexibility and ly generate sports highlight reels HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) sup- multi-currency enhancements further enhances its geographical through Digital Nirvana’s Auto- port, and incorporates the ability allowing multiple base currencies reach, as well as enabling fast mated Sports Clipping service. The to record from Matrox’s Monarch for truly global operation; report- start-up time, the company claims. clips automatically selected will HDX streaming appliance. CAR/ ing enhancements for usage mon- Globecast continues to expand the represent a collection of highlights TS records and monitors the trans- itoring (anti-piracy); support for capabilities of its TV Everywhere from a designated period or for port stream and provides alerts Google Analytics e-commerce and OTT Video services via a compre- the entire game. Digital Nirvana’s on non-compliance. The solution tag manager support for Facebook hensive ecosystem of partners to sports clipping service automati- also offers time-shifted playout Pixel tracking and watchlists. complement its in-house video cally analyses sports broadcasts in for multiple time zone broadcasts CONTACT www.easeltv.com headend solution used for media real-time and generates ready-to- and a disaster recovery solution content preparation. Beyond publish clips of those highlights. for keeping a broadcaster’s signal mobile apps for smartphone and It can also generate images and on-air with recorded content. Globecast tablets, it now provides apps to GIFs for customers’ social media Digital Nirvana offers stand-alone STAND 1.A29 key Smart TV app stores: Roku, promotional activities. The com- media management solutions, Samsung, LG, Android TV and pany will also introduce the Avid including its cloud-based OTT WHAT’S NEW? Netgem. Interplay Connector, which enables monitoring solution, AnyStream- Media Manager Platform; GCXN; CONTACT www.globecast.com video content owners who work IQ. The solution records and My Globecast with Avid Media Central to transfer monitors streamed media to prove WHAT DO THEY DO? media data securely to the cloud web captioning compliance and Globecast’s new Media Manager Interra Systems for generation of logs/metadata/ “proof of airing” for advertisers. Platform is an integrated platform STAND 7.B13 transcripts with timecodes and The showcase will also include a that enables its customers to clip, receive them directly within the stand-alone content repurposing edit and publish content instantly WHAT’S NEW? user’s workflow. Other service solution, MediaPro, which enables across multiple outlets. Customers Quality control and monitoring offering highlights will include users to record content to cut, can create video-on-demand files solutions demonstrations of the company’s clip and share over social media from live streams and syndicate to WHAT DO THEY DO? cloud-based closed-captioning and the cloud, according to the multiple online services and across Interra Systems will showcase its solutions, subtitling and video company. social media. Globecast XN man- approach to QC and monitoring. logging services. Digital Nirvana’s CONTACT www.digital-nirvana.com ages the transport of broadcast New features that will be displayed

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p42-44,46,48-49 IBC Preview DTVE AugSep17v4am.indd 44 04/09/2017 19:06 by

pXX Alphanetworks DTVE AugSep17.indd 1 29/08/2017 10:43 IBC 2017 > Preview Digital TV Europe August/September 2017

include exhaustive QC checks, multiscreen service delivery over to reach a wider audience, better signals move downstream. When ABR stream validation, real-time unmanaged networks. Interra monetise media and video assets, Match spots an inconsistency it QoE measurements, live content Systems will showcase its Orion and deliver a superior viewing triggers alarms and alerts, so that monitoring, and deep-dive com- real-time content monitoring and experience. MX1 360 has been broadcast errors can be prevented pressed stream analysis. Key dem- video analysis system. The high- deployed by global broadcasters, or mitigated before they adversely os include BATON, a next-genera- lights of the Orion-OTT and Orion TV channels, content and rights impact compliance requirements tion hybrid QC solution with ABR real-time content monitors include holders, sports organisations, TV or Quality of Experience (QoE) for checks. It includes a unified hybrid performance improvements in service providers, and distributors. viewers. Match arms broadcasters QC platform, which implements or- terms of number of services that The platform can be used as part with a toolset to identify media ganizational QC policy to support can be monitored on a single ma- of a fully managed service or self- distribution errors, including: a combination of automated and chine and performance scaling on serve model. airing the wrong show, or putting manual QC checks, and supports multi-CPU systems. Orion-OTT’s CONTACT www.mx1.com a show on the wrong channel; new codecs and formats including user interface has been enhanced capturing programmatic local ad IMF App2 Extended, iTunes Sub- to improve usability. The system splicing errors; assigning a foreign title, CineCanvas Subtitles, Kodak now offers wider support for ABR Qligent language to the wrong audio track; Cineon, and more. It features content and DRM, while providing STAND 8.E47 mistaking a static image for frozen expanded audio language detec- extended monitoring features and video; insertion of incorrect pro- tion support for multi-language checks. New support for Microsoft gramme elements, such as bugs, auto-detection capability for Smooth Streaming; Dolby AC3/ crawls, time and temp, etc., into subtitles and closed-caption files EAC3; HEVC; WebVTT, TTML cap- the stream; and missing subtitles with new multi-language checks tions, and more will be showcased. or audio. of audio tracks; Baton currently Orion real-time content monitor- CONTACT www.qligent.com offers auto detection support for ing solution offers new enterprise a variety of languages, including features including REST APIs for WHAT’S NEW? English, Spanish, German, French, exporting closed captions, EBP Match Simplestream Dutch, Portuguese, Italian, Arabic, and IGMP data in XML format; WHAT DOES IT DO? STAND 14.D11 and Swedish. It also features HDR system control; and configuration. Match is the latest addition to quality checks, data verification Interra Systems will demonstrate its Qligent’s Vision cloud-based WHAT’S NEW? checks, PSE correction and black its VEGA media analysis solution monitoring portfolio. Available Live Video Editor; VOD-in-a-Box; frame removal. Baton’s integrated for standards compliance, debug, as a cloud-based solution or Network PVR; Media Manager media player now displays detailed and interoperability of encoded on-premise software, Match WHAT DO THEY DO? loudness graphs. Any non-con- streams at IBC. Recent updates to provides real-time, automated VOD-in-a-Box is designed to deliv- formance with the specified the VEGA family include in-depth comparison of transport stream, er fast time to market – typically loudness restriction is reported analysis of ABR formats; support video and audio to spot and flag six to 12 weeks – for broadcasters as an error and can be instantly for Windows 10; the latest HEVC programme-related errors as the and content owners who need to corrected via the Baton Content HM reference code; HEVC inter- signals move across multi-plat- roll out a video-on-demand service Corrector (BCC), a complementary laced streams; VP9 streams (4:2:2, form distribution platforms. The in a single territory or internation- loudness correction applica- 4:4:4); PCAP streams; Dolby AC-4 evolution of Qligent Vision en- ally, according to Simplestream. tion. Interra Systems will also audio; and AVS Plus video. compasses objective errors (QoS), The solution includes support for demonstrate its Baton+ QC and CONTACT www.interrasystems.com subjective errors (QoE), and now all OTT platforms, and a range of analysis solution, which optimises programmatic errors (Match). The monetisation options, allowing the QC process by allowing users software is designed for use by any combination of subscriptions to define workflows representing MX1 broadcasters, networks, adver- (SVOD), advertising (AVOD) and the stages through which media STAND 1.B24 tisers, and regulators. Match can pay-per-view and other transac- content flows in a facility. New decode the transport stream back tional models (TVOD). Sim- data analysis features for Baton+ WHAT’S NEW? to baseband video and audio in plestream will also be showcasing allow users to effectively track MX1 360 order to compare that version with its new cloud-based Network PVR trends and anomalies in the media WHAT DOES IT DO? the reference data it captured of (NPVR) offering at IBC. Viewers content, optimising decision-mak- MX1 360 is described by the the programme while it was in its can ‘record’ their favourite shows, ing and QC operations. Interra company as an end-to-end, cloud- native state prior to distribution. and watch them at any time on Systems will also demonstrate based media service platform. In comparing and analysing the any device. IBC will also see Sim- new additions to its Orion moni- Several new features will be shown video and audio content, Match plestream unveil its enhanced Live toring solutions family. Orion-OTT that simplify global video distribu- looks for programmatic errors and Video Editor, which allows clips is a software-based over-the-top tion. Powered by hybrid cloud and anomalies that may have occurred to be created in real time from a solution for real-time monitoring on-premise software and infra- due to repeated encoding, multi- live feed, together with enhanced of adaptive bitrate content for structure, MX1 360 enables users plexing or other processes as the metadata linked to events in the

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www.arabsat.com

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stream, and distributed within multiple OTT platforms. This streaming proxy for each channel seconds. The clips generated can Telestream year, Telestream will showcase its being processed. Telestream will be shared via social media, or STAND 7.B26 latest developments in streaming also introduce Vantage Elastic syndicated to media partners. The solutions, including its Lightspeed Domain, a new scaling model that Live Video Editor is an optional Live Stream and Lightspeed Live allows users to deploy instances module within Simplestream’s Me- Capture and the IneoQuest ABR of Telestream’s Vantage media dia Manager platform and utilises Headend, Edge and End-to-End processing software based on web technologies, eliminating the monitoring solutions. Telestream changing business needs. The need for Adobe Flash. As well as WHAT’S NEW? will introduce to the European content production workflow or- real time editing of live streams, Lightspeed Live Stream; Light- market the latest new version of chestration solution can now run the same editor can also be used speed Live Capture, Vantage Lightspeed Live Stream, which on public and private virtualised to edit any existing video asset Elastic Domain; Telestream Cloud brings broadcasts and OTT togeth- infrastructure with a multi-node held within Media Manager. IBC WHAT DO THEY DO? er in the live space. Telestream will orchestration engine. Telestream demos include: Live Video Editor In its first fully integrated exhibit highlight its strategic partnership will also showcase the latest – real-time data ingest, clipping, since acquiring IneoQuest and with Unified Streaming, a provider advances in Telestream Cloud, a transcoding, and one click sharing, Vidcheck, Telestream will highlight of smart video streaming technol- video encoding SaaS (software as featuring Racing UK; VOD-in-a- how these acquisitions extend ogies to offer Unified Streaming’s a service) suited to the needs of Box, with customers including and enrich the Telestream media Origin as an option to Lightspeed video production and post produc- Trace Play, Marquee and Blaze; production and distribution eco- Live Stream for an extended tion professionals. Network PVR featuring TVPlayer system from the point of content format and DRM (Digital Rights CONTACT www.telestream.net showcasing new viewer function- ingest to the point of consumption Management) support. Telestream ality including setting, watching on traditional and mobile devices. will also show a new version of and managing recordings; Media A key focus for Telestream Lightspeed Live Capture, which Verimatrix Manager, including live, live-to- at IBC will be spotlighting the provides encoding of real-time STAND 5.A59 VOD, virtual playout, asset man- live streaming and VOD space, SD, HD and UHD into all of the agement, user management, live which has grown from relatively common high-quality mezzanine WHAT’S NEW? video editor and syndication. small-scale streaming operations formats in use worldwide, while Verimatrix Secure Cloud CONTACT www.simplestream.com to enterprise-scale delivery to simultaneously supplying a WHAT DOES IT DO? Verimatrix Secure Cloud is a new deployment option that equips Ruwido to showcase TICTACTILE. STAND 1.D69 video service operators with a managed framework for video TICTACTILE. has been devel- content security and analytics. oped by ruwido to enable users Supported by Verimatrix Global to navigate the graphical user Services team and monitored interface on their TV in the same on a 24/7 basis, Secure Cloud intuitive way as they are inter- broadens the scope of deployment acting with their smart devices, options available for operators while offering a tactile experi- who take advantage of Verspec- ence built in, according to the tive, MultiRights OTT Plus and company. Video Content Authority System Ruwido claims that the ap- (VCAS) solutions of any size or proach of bringing the structure scale, according to Verimatrix. This of the user interface to the nav- alternative to on-premise systems igation field of the remote con- and operations can be deployed trol makes moving through con- how its latest developments of and what can be learned from and reconfigured as required, tent appeal to both the visual multimodal input devices incor- in-depth analysis of user behav- while keeping operators in full and tactile senses and creates porating Ruwido’s haptic biom- iour when interacting with them. control of their service offerings a seamless experience for the etric can make watching TV a They will be presenting in the and subscriber relationships, user. more personal experience. paper session: Intelligent Media according to the company. Secure At IBC, ruwido will unveil how At the IBC conference Regina Interfaces – Listening, Watching Cloud is implemented via a interaction mechanism technol- Bernhaupt, head of scientific re- and Feeling you, on Thursday, customer-dedicated Amazon Web ogies, such as TICTACTILE., can search and Dimitri Drouet, mem- September 14 from 11:00-12:30 Services (AWS) virtual private also be applied to business cases ber of the scientific research in the Emerald Room. cloud environment that includes outside of the living room. The team, are looking at the future private and secure storage for crit- company will also demonstrate of intelligent media interfaces, CONTACT www.ruwido.com ical data and assets. Deployments

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of VCAS and Verspective software offers pay TV operators possibili- to combat illegal streaming on the advertising functionality that ena- solutions in Secure Cloud become ties for securing premium content web with real KPIs. This includes bles service providers to manage video service components, inter- on any device and in any delivery de-referencing and direct removal multiple advertising campaigns operable with other components format, according to the company. of illegal content-sharing sites for from one interface, inserting pre- of the cloud video ecosystem, With the recent acquisition of live and VOD premium content. roll and mid-roll dynamic ads into including encoders and streamers, Squadeo’s multimedia QuickPlayer, Additionally, VO’s anti-piracy plat- their video assets across all ser- CDNs and content management VO allows operators to securely form collects evidence, providing vice devices. VO will also showcase systems. deliver live and VOD content on operators with legally relevant various strategies for extracting CONTACT www.verimatrix.com PC, Mac, and mobile devices. VO’s documentation for fighting piracy. insights from TV data, via predic- Connected Sentinel multi-DRM VO will also demo advanced tive analytics. A joint demo with backend platform is currently analytics and monetisation capa- Neotion, the supplier of CAMs, will VO used by over 30 operators around bilities for its cloud-based TV Plat- highlight the benefits of audience STAND 2.B39 the world and has been deployed form as a Service. Improvements measurement for building better on 4K STBs for IPTV offerings. include: analytics dashboards, content offers for subscribers. The real-time breach detection which enable service providers to VO will also showcase its Virtual capabilities of Connected Sentinel measure the effectiveness of con- Arena solution for 360-degree DRM, powered by machine tent discovery sources, including virtual reality (VR) premium video learning algorithms, constitute a recommendations, search, promo- management, interactivity, and WHAT’S NEW? natural addition to VO’s content tions, and catalogue and apps ex- secure playback. Following VO’s Multi-DRM Suite; Connected protection product portfolio, and ploration, to improve the customer recent acquisition of Squadeo, Sentinel; Anti-piracy protection for VO will demonstrate insights that experience; a search analysis Virtual Arena customers will be video streaming a content security analyst can tool that provides insights on able to leverage the QuickPlayer WHAT DO THEY DO? extract from the analytics console subscribers’ interests, data on how playback infrastructure to deliver VO will showcase a content protec- of the Connected Sentinel DRM well the current TV offering meets live and on-demand 360-degree tion solution for multiscreen TV solution. VO will also showcase a those interests, and feedback on streamed video content. services. VO’s multi-DRM suite solution for anti-piracy protection the effectiveness of the search; CONTACT www.viacess-orca.com

Multiscreen Launch Platform HIGH-DENSITY OTT DEPLOYMENT SOLUTION

Video/Audio Platform HIGH-DENSITY VIDEO HEADEND SOLUTION

Optical Transmission VERSATILE & SUSTAINABLE REMOTE-PHY PLATFORM

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IBC, Amsterdam 15-19, 2017 September Hall 5, booth B50

www.wisi.de

p42-44,46,48-49 IBC Preview DTVE AugSep17v4am.indd 49 04/09/2017 19:06 Technology > in focus Digital TV Europe August/September 2017 Technology in focus Infrastructure, equipment and product news for digital media distribution

In Brief Freesat plans UHD ‘next-gen STB’ upgrade

Amazon and MS voice Freesat is seeking manufacturing is to continue to bring UK audienc- Amazon and Microsoft are to partners to develop a “new range es the best subscription-free TV add compatibility between their of innovative set-top boxes” that service, and a fantastic alternative respective voice assistants, will include Ultra HD support and to pay TV.” Alexa and Cortana, later this multiscreen streaming. The product requirements will year. Microsoft hailed the deal as The free-to-air UK satellite op- be based on an open technical a “first-of-its-kind collaboration” erator said it is seeking proposals specification set by the Free TV that will offer more choice, value for its next generation consumer Alliance, which is a collaboration and access to both personal product and aims to announce streaming to allow users to watch between four major European assistants. Consumers will be manufacturing partners in the au- TV across multiple set-top-boxes digital satellite television broad- able to access Cortana on Alexa tumn, with a view to bringing the in the home; and additional tuners casters: Fransat (France), HD Plus devices like the Amazon Echo, set-top box to market “as soon as to help customers plan their (Germany), Tivusat (Italy) and Echo Dot and Echo Show, and possible”. recordings and avoid programme Freesat (UK). will be able to access Alexa via The platform provider said clashes. Freesat said its request for Cortana on Windows 10 PCs, that the new devices should be “We’re thrilled to announce proposals signals the Free TV with Android and iOS compati- ultra high definition-ready for en- plans for Freesat’s next genera- Alliance’s ongoing commitment bility to follow in the future. crypted broadcast and IP; should tion product,” said Freesat manag- to create “common standards for offer “fast channel change”; and ing director, Alistair Thom. free-to-view satellite TV services Google widens AR reach support HBBTV 2.0.1 applications. “The requirements for our set- and technologies across Europe Google has previewed a new Other key features should top box have been developed with for the benefit of viewers, manu- augmented reality software de- include: in-home multiscreen the customer in mind and our aim facturers and broadcasters.” Disney ups BAMTech stake in strategic SVOD velopment kit (SDK), designed to bring AR capabilities to Android phones. ARCore is built on AR Disney ups BAMTech stake in SVOD move work that Google has done over the past three years with its Tan- Disney will pay US$1.58 billion ed multi-sport video streaming to quickly adapt to shifts in the go platform – but works without (e1.33 billion) to up its stake in service in early 2018, followed market,” said Disney chairman additional hardware, allowing video streaming technology firm by a new Disney-branded and CEO, Bob Iger. it to scale “across the Android BAMTech, as it prepares to make a direct-to-consumer streaming “This acquisition and the ecosystem”. Google said ARCore major push into the SVOD market service in 2019. launch of our direct-to-consumer will focus on: motion tracking and cut ties with Netflix. The company described these services mark an entirely new using the phone’s camera to Disney will acquire an addition- plans as a “strategic shift” that growth strategy for the compa- observe feature points in the al 42% in BAMTech, as part of a will see Disney end its distribu- ny, one that takes advantage of room; environmental under- move to take a controlling own- tion agreement with Netflix for the incredible opportunity that standing, including the detection ership of the direct-to-consumer subscription streaming of new changing technology provides us of horizontal surfaces; and light streaming tech company. releases, beginning with the 2019 to leverage the strength of our estimation that gauges the am- The deal comes after Disney calendar year theatrical slate. great brands.” bient light in the environment so paid US$1 billion for a 33% stake “The media landscape is Disney said its new branded that developers can light virtual in BAMTech last August – an increasingly defined by direct service will become its exclusive objects to match their surround- agreement that had included relationships between content home for SVOD viewing in the US ings. The launch of ARCore the option for Disney to up its creators and consumers, and our and will show the latest Disney comes after Apple announced ownership to a majority stake control of BAMTech’s full array of and Pixar films – beginning in 2019 the launch of ARKit, enabling AR over several years. innovative technology will give with titles like Toy Story 4, the experiences for iOS devices. With the new deal, Disney said us the power to forge those con- sequel to Frozen, and a live-action it plans to launch its ESPN-brand- nections, along with the flexibility version of The Lion King.

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p50-53 DTVE Tech AugSep17v4st.indd 50 05/09/2017 10:44 Digital TV Europe Technology > in focus August/September 2017

EFL taps Neulion for iFollow YouTube In Brief

The English Football League (EFL) revamp SES swaps launches has revamped its PlayerHD online SES has changed the launch video platform and has expanded YouTube is rolling out a number of vehicles and launch slots for its reach to provide coverage of new features for the mobile and its SES-12 and SES-14 satellites. matches to fans overseas for the desktop versions of the service, in SES-12 will be launched on a first time. the latest stage of the video site’s Falcon 9 vehicle from SpaceX in The EFL has tapped online evolution. the first quarter of 2018, while video platform provider Neulion The updates are designed to SES-14 will be launched on an to supply the platform for the and exclusive content as part of offer a consistent style across Ariane 5 early the same quar- new service, iFollow, enabling it to the new service. devices and include new gesture ter. SES-14 will be positioned at target an estimated 270,000 fans Chris Wagner, EVP, marketplace controls on mobile and the wide 47.5° West. Its C-band payload based outside the UK. strategy and co-founder, Neulion, rollout of YouTube’s new ‘dark will support its cable neighbour- Subscribers will pay the equiv- said that feeds of each game are theme’ for desktop. “Over the last hood in Latin America while its alent of £110 (e120) per season transferred from the ground to a few months we’ve started releas- Ku-band capacity will cover the for the service, which will provide production facility in Preston in ing updates and will continue to Americas and the North Atlan- coverage of up to 46 live league northern England, where they are throughout the rest of the year,” tic. SES-12 will be positioned games per club. produced. Neulion has built an said YouTube chief product officer at 95° East and provide DTH More than 1,500 matches will online store where fans can pay Neal Mohan. “When all is said and broadcasting, VSAT, mobility and be available in HD quality, with for their season passes. The com- done, we’ll bring a new level of HTS data connectivity servic- iFollow showing every EFL league pany has also created a ‘virtual functionality and a more consist- es in the Middle East and the match live unless that match announcer’ to enable commen- ent look across our desktop and Asia-Pacific region. has been selected by the EFL’s tary to be overlaid on audio of the mobile experiences.” overseas broadcast partners. match in progress. The new features on the mobile HTC may sell Vive About 148 games are affected by Matches are available on-de- app include a new design with Mobile technology giant HTC third-party deals. mand as well as live, with match navigation tabs moved to the may sell off its Vive virtual Fans based in the UK and Ire- events tagged so fans can click bottom of the app and the ability reality unit as one of a number land will have access to live audio on a timeline to see coverage of to change the speed of videos, as of options that also include a full commentary, highlights packages goals and other highlights. can be done on desktop. sale of the company, according to Bloomberg. Citing unnamed sources, the report claims that Genius Digital rebrands as Dativa, appoints new CEO HTC is working with advisers to explore options that include Big data specialist Genius Digital broad, irreversible adoption.” striking a deal with a strategic has rebranded as Dativa and He added that Dativa’s team investor, selling the Vive VR appointed US-based Michael has “powerful expertise right headset unit or spinning it Collette as CEO, positioning the across the TV market” and works off. HTC has held talks with company for further growth in with “every type of TV data” – companies including Google, the North America. spanning smart TVs, over-the-top report said. A full sale of HTC, Dativa said the rebrand marks and set-top box data. also mulled as an option, is seen the completion of the company’s Weiss said: “The launch of the as less likely. HTC has seen its transformation into a services Collette was previously a found- Dativa brand is the natural next market value fall by about three business – focused on data strat- ing executive of smart TV auto- stage in the transformation of quarters over the past five years egy, engineering and operations matic content recognition firm, our offering and we are excited to as its share of the smartphone services for brands, media and Cognitive Networks, and recently continue building our data science market fell below 2%, squeezed technology companies. started as an entrepreneur in capabilities as we grow even between high-end players Apple Collette takes over from Genius residence at boutique investment further. Michael’s expertise in the and Samsung and low-cost Digital CEO Tom Weiss (pictured bank, Progress Partners. application of census TV data and Chinese manufacturers. Vive above left, with Colette right), “The emergence of diverse, broad contacts across the North produces a high-end VR head- who now becomes Dativa’s chief strong sources of census TV data American market will help Dativa set, competing with the likes of technology officer and chief data has started to transform the tra- to accelerate our growth and Oculus Rift, that has sold about scientist. He brings more than 20 ditional television industry,” said focus in the region, and deliver 190,000 units to date, according years media and technology com- Collette. “In 2017, we see ‘data a fresh, innovative outlook to to IDC statistics. pany experience to the role. driven TV’ in the early stages [of] professional services.”

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In Brief Curzon taps Easel TV for new SVOD service

Air Link taps Hybroad and OTT video services provider, make Curzon Home Cinema an Nordija for IPTV and OTT Easel TV, is powering the curated integrated part of our core cinema China-based set-top box special- service with its ‘Suggested TV’ customer’s life – not just a isolated ist Hybroad and Denmark-based platform. or standalone alternative.” middleware provider Nordija Curzon’s director of digital Curzon offers three tiers of have teamed up to deliver an ventures, Philip Mordecai, said that membership, called ‘classic’, ‘cult’ integrated IPTV and OTT set-top Curzon12 complements Curzon’s a ‘complete’. Classic membership system for telecom operator Air existing premium home cinema includes four free cinema tickets, Link to launch an upgraded TV UK cinema chain Curzon has part- service – a TVOD model that in- while complete includes free entry offering for viewers in Trinidad nered with Easel TV for the rollout cludes a 15% discount for Curzon to all films and events for the and Tobago next year. The of its new membership SVOD members. “Our launch of SVOD member and a guest. platform integrates the Nordija service, Curzon12. is a clear preeminent move in the DTVE first broke the news middleware platform fokusOn on The offering, which is currently global cinema entertainment mar- back in April 2016 that Curzon the new 4K UHD HEVC Hybroad available in beta, lets Curzon cine- ket and it will naturally enforce our was planning to launch a curated set-top box with new features, ma members stream 12 “essential strategy – customer and film first,” SVOD offering to run alongside its according to the pair. Air Link films” for free at home each said Mordecai. “As we continue existing transactional VOD store, operates a digital cable pay month by entering their Curzon to enhance our cinema member- Curzon Home Cinema, before the TV service, as well as separate membership number. ship proposition we wanted to end of 2017. telecom services, on Trinidad and Tobago. EE TV launches Amazon Alexa voice control DVB-T2 boost Germany’s migration from the EE TV has launched voice control Max Taylor, managing director DVB-T digital-terrestrial TV through the Amazon Echo and of marketing, EE, said: “We’re standard to the more modern Echo Dot devices, giving its TV continually looking for ways to DVB-T2 format provided a customer the ability to ask for further enhance the accessibility bonanza for set-top box sales in information about what is on TV and usability of EE TV – so we’re the first half of this year, accord- and to record shows. The move pleased to work with Amazon to ing to the latest figures released makes the BT-owned outfit the launch the first Alexa skill on a set by consumer electronics indus- first UK service provider to pro- top box in the UK. The new skill try association the GFU. vide an Amazon Alexa skillset on will allow users to discover new available to operators looking According to the outfit’s Hemix its set-top boxes. content and help to enrich their to add voice capability to their home electronics market index Users can ask Alexa what is on TV experience, so they can make offerings. for the two quarters to June, TV tonight, with Alexa providing the most out of it.” “Voice is rapidly becoming an the value of set-top box sales three recommendations provided Fabrice Rousseau, general integral part of how users interact jumped by 255% to €349 from the same source that manager, Alexa Skills Kit EU, with their devices. This dedicated million, while the volume of supplies Freeview Picks – the digi- said: “Alexa integration with EE Alexa Skill represents our latest boxes sold grew by 172% to 3.4 tal-terrestrial service’s recommen- TV creates a truly hands-free TV innovation to enable viewers to million. The number of TV sets dation feature. experience. Customers can now better engage with their TV con- sold meanwhile grew by 3.4% Users have the option to record ask Alexa to find things to watch tent quickly and easily, instead of to 3.4 million, while the value any or all of the recommended and record the shows they want — requiring them to scroll through of TV sets sold grew by 3.1%. shows using a voice command. no remote required. This is much a text-based EPG. The launch of In addition to the switch from The skill works whether EE TV is more natural, and an experience this feature reinforces Netgem’s DVB-T to DVB-T2, the level of switched on or in standby mode. that will get even better in future.” commitment to provide operators sales of boxes and TV sets was EE said its skill for Alexa is the EE TV has tapped the expertise with innovative and market-lead- boosted by the shutting down first in a number of commands of its technology provider Netgem ing solutions that will offer them a of analogue cable transmissions being looked at for the platform. in bringing Amazon Echo voice competitive edge in a fast-moving in three Federal states. Overall, The operator will review the navigation to the platform. marketplace,” said Netgem oper- Germany’s consumer electron- Amazon Alexa Video Skills API for Netgem has added integration ator solutions managing director ics market saw sales growth of integration with the service. of Amazon’s Alexa Voice Service Sylvain Thevenot. 2.4% in the first half to €12.5 EE customers can link EE TV to to its cloud-based entertainment YouView also announced in billion. their Alexa account by enabling software suite, meaning that the June that it was piloting Alexa the EE TV skill via the Alexa app. Netgem-developed Alexa skill is voice control for its set-top boxes.

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RTL Group takes full control of SpotX In Brief

German broadcaster RTL has tak- company, Smartclip. The two Kudelski slips into red en full control of video ad serving companies will focus on achieving Kudelski Group slipped into the technology company SpotX in a their aggressive growth plans, and red in the first half of this year deal that values the company at collaborate to provide the most on weaker digital TV solutions US$404 million (e340 million). advanced advertising solutions sales, due in part to subscriber RTL said its investment in the possible for every screen consum- losses at European customers, company demonstrated its com- ers watch video. and losses in its growing cyber- mitment to an ambitious ad tech “We are excited to take full security business. Kudelski post- strategy as well as recognition of additional investments to further ownership of SpotX, a leading ed first half revenues of US$552 SpotX’s impressive growth and expand its ad-tech businesses. global platform for ad serving and million (e465 million), up 12.5%, execution strategy. The deal is expected to close programmatic ad sales. Back in but operating income dived by RTL acquired an option to take in October. SpotX’s management 2014, the majority stake in SpotX 80.2% to US$6.7 million, while 100% control of the company team, led by company co-founders was our first big step into adver- the group turned in a net loss when it made its initial investment Mike Shehan (CEO) and Steve Swo- tising technology; gaining full of US$5.7 million compared in the company in 2014. RTL is boda (COO/CFO) will stay on to ownership is another major step in with a profit of US$21.4 million acquiring the 36.4% of the compa- continue to execute the company’s transforming RTL into a ‘total vid- for the same period last year. ny that it does not already own for vision. eo’ powerhouse,” said Bert Habets Integrated digital TV segment US$145 million. SpotX will begin to work more and Guillaume de Posch, Co-CEOs sales increased by 12.9% to The group said it plans closely with sister RTL Group of RTL Group (pictured). US$387.3 million, but operating income fell from US$43.1 million to US$13.1 million. Kudelski said Yospace calls for ‘central pool’ of ad creative that the saturation of traditional pay TV offerings in developed Ad copy for digital platforms as opposed to client-side, is markets resulted in decreased needs to be managed in a stand- Sewell: there that it offers the opportunity to revenues, particularly in Europe ardised way, with the creation is a need to deliver a true TV-like experience where several established pay of a ‘central pool’ for ad copy document the for the viewer that is completely TV operators continued to lose to ensure that audio and video ad creative frame-accurate and seamless, subscribers. standards are met and metadata journey. while enabling true one-to-one correctly embedded, if the indus- addressability, or hyper targeting. Hulu taps AWS for live try is to reach its full potential, This requires deep integrations Hulu has selected Amazon according to Yospace CEO Tim creative reaches digital adver- with many points of the broadcast Web Services (AWS) as the Sewell. tising insertion platform from workflow, which a lot of provid- cloud provider for its recently Yospace recently published multiple sources and in various ers underestimate and many launched Hulu with Live TV a white paper with Adstream to formats. He said that, while traditional digital ad-tech and streaming service. AWS said it is further the cause of standardisa- Yospace transcodes the creative OVP vendors may not have these providing the infrastructure to tion and the the need for ad copy to ensure it is of broadcast-quality, expertise,” said Sewell. support Hulu’s addition of more management in the dynamic ad not everyone does this. Yospace has teamed up with than 50 live channels following insertion world to reflect that of “Moving forward, if ad creatives Adstream to propose an architec- its launch of live, over-the-top traditional television. are stored in a central pool, ture for implementing an ad copy TV in May 2017. Hulu launched “At its heart is the need for a already transcoded and docu- management workflow that it will its live TV streaming service in universally adhered to chain of mented, then it would speed up discuss in detail at this year’s IBC. beta in the US at the beginning custody that ensures the journey the process of making those ads Separately, Belgian broad- of May, offering more than 50 of an ad creative is documented available for stitching into the caster Medialaan has selected live and on-demand channels for from creation to delivery,” said video stream. As the industry Yospace to provide its dynamic ad US$39.99 (€36.60) per month. Sewell. “The idea is that a central moves towards a more developed insertion system for live channels The service includes access to pool is created for ad copy so that addressable future and more ads on its new TV everywhere service, Hulu’s pre-existing US$7.99-per audio/video quality standards are come into the marketplace, ad Stievie Premium. A revamped pay month premium service for no met and important metadata is copy management will become a version of Stievie’s online service, extra cost, along with 50 hours correctly embedded. The latter is significant barrier to progress,” offering 18 live channels and six of recording storage, up to six especially important for effective he said. catch-up services, has launched individual profiles and two simul- targeted advertising.” “One of the key benefits of on smartphone, tablet, laptop and taneous streams per account. Sewell said that, currently, ad server-side digital ad insertion, TV screen.

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p50-53 DTVE Tech AugSep17v4st.indd 53 05/09/2017 10:44 People > Places Digital TV Europe August/September 2017

People news

Altice USA has promoted chief Earlier in his career he worked at duties as president and COO of online, pay TV, interactive and technology officer Terry Cordova Modern Times Group and helped US-based satellite pay TV provider technology, Simon Pitts, as its and brought over Altice France to expand MTG’s free-to-air Dish. Current incumbent Lynch is next CEO. Pitts, who has worked CTO Philippe Le May to fill his old television business into emerging moving to Pandora as CEO, with at ITV for 17 years in various position. Cordova becomes vice markets in Eastern Europe. former Sony Pictures Television senior roles, is due to join the chairman, business development CEO Michael Lynton also joining Scottish broadcaster’s board as – network and technology services France’s the board. Carlson, who has spent chief executive on January 3, at Altice USA. He was previously Lagardère more than two decades with Dish, 2018. His appointment comes executive vice president and chief Studios has will continue to report to company after STV’s current CEO, Rob technology officer at Altice USA, appointed chairman and CEO Charlie Ergen. Woodward, said in April that he and prior to Altice’s acquisition Thomas planned to step down within 12 of Suddenlink Communications Plessis as Liberty Global’s central European months. served as Suddenlink’s CTO. Le director of satellite TV arm, UPC DTH, has May joined Altice France – then digital business, a role that sees named Catalin Itu as its new The founder of known as SFR – in 2006 and has him support the development of managing director. Itu takes over Amazon Web worked as its CTO since 2008, original mobile, SVOD and OTT from Michael Lee, who is leaving Services-owned overseeing the company’s fibre content. The hire marks a return the company. Lee has served as Elemental build and deployment of 4G and to Lagardère for Plessis, who chief executive of UPC DTH since Technologies, 4G+ technology in France. In his previously sold his podcasting 2013. Itu, who is currently vice- Sam Blackman, new role as CTO of Altice USA, business to the French media giant president of sales and operations has died Le May will report to Altice USA in 2008 and then worked as radio at UPC DTH, will take up his new suddenly aged 41. A statement co-president and chief operating and digital programming chief. post on October 1. He previously issued by the Blackman family officer, Hakim Boubazine. Cordova Plessis later worked for Banijay held positions in Orange Romania, said that he had died peacefully will partner with Boubazine and Group-owned H2O Productions Bosch Communications Romania surrounded by loved ones. “We report to Altice USA chairman and then launched his own production and Astral Telecom. are thankful to all those who have CEO, Dexter Goei. company, Dim-Sum Entertainment. shared their thoughts and prayers Grey’s Anatomy for Sam. We ask that you respect Iflix has Google exec creator Shonda our privacy during this time of appointed the Karin Bonde Rhimes is grief,” it read. AWS Elemental said founding CEO has left the tech bringing her in a separate statement that it of RTL CBS Asia giant to become Shondaland had lost a “passionate, visionary Entertainment VP of Discovery production and humble leader and the world Network, Jonas Networks company to has lost an inspiring human Engwall, as Nordics’ digital Netflix under a multi-year deal being dedicated to community.” its new head of Asia. Engwall entertainment business. to produce new series and other Oregon governor Kate Brown paid takes over from the emerging The new role will see Bonde projects. A range of Rhimes’ tribute to “a beacon of Oregon’s market SVOD service’s previous leading operations in Sweden, dramas, including Scandal, How tech community”. AWS acquired Asia boss, David Goldstein, who Norway and Denmark, working to Get Away with Murder and Elemental in 2015, in a deal that moves to a new role as non- on growing the unit through Grey’s Anatomy, already stream reportedly valued the firm at executive chairman of Iflix Asia. new business models and digital on Netflix in various regions. The roughly US$500 million (€450 He brings more than 14 years of content types. Based in Stockholm, shows also air in the US on ABC million). Elemental started to broadcasting and TV experience to she will also be part of the and will continue to do so, but operate under the AWS Elemental the role, most recently as the head management team of Discovery Netflix has pulled off a coup by brand and continued to delivering

of RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Networks Sweden. snatching— her ´from ABC Studios, its full range of offerings for Network where he oversaw the where she has produced all of pay TV operators, content launch of two of the company’s Dish Network’s Erik Carlson her main hits. Rhimes’ producing programmers, broadcasters, channels across 19 Asian is now leading its over-the-top partner Betsy Beers will also governments and enterprise markets. Prior to this Engwall service, SlingTV, after Roger make the move to Netflix. customers. l was vice-president of RTL Group Lynch moved to internet radio Asia, where he led the group’s company Pandora. Carlson has Scottish broadcaster STV has Please email contributions to: expansion into India and Asia. added SlingTV to his current appointed ITV’s managing director, [email protected]

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p54 People DTVE AugSep17v4st.indd 34 05/09/2017 10:04 &

& present

from and from and from and

from and from and

from from & & from and from and

and & Advanced TV Innovation of the Year & Advanced TV Innovation of the Year Yospace and Channel 4 for Dynamic Ad Insertion Yospace and Channel 4 for Live Simulcast for All 4 for Dynamic Ad Insertion for Live Simulcast for All 4

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CIA17 Shortlist A4 ad.indd 1 05/09/2017 16:05 Final analysis > Kate Bulkley Digital TV Europe August/September 2017

“Perhaps with sport, legacy media companies can now fight back more effectively, given what they have already learned about premium drama. By acting fast they have a fighting chance.”

A sporting chance

often seems that it’s only a matter of and the data that they can glean from how sports is about to intensify. It time before the fashions and trends of people consume their offerings. Digital companies like Twitter and Yahoo yesteryear return to our lives again and the It’s about time. Amazon, Netflix and Hulu have dipped their toes in OTT sports in re- television business is no different. The latest have moved on from simply acquiring rights cent times and now Amazon and its subsid- example is the importance of live sports and to focus on commissioning original fare. Net- iary Twitch are buying up rights to eSports, exclusive content in the burgeoning battle flix’s appetite for episodic content has driven while Amazon recently outbid Sky for the between the legacy media companies and a ramping up of the cost of making premium rights to the ATP Tour, the principal men’s digital giants like Netflix and Amazon. drama and led to speculation about the dan- tennis tour for the UK. Analysts predict that In the last couple of months Disney and gers of a ‘drama bubble’. What is clear is that the e-retail giant will be a bidder for the next Turner have said they will use sport and their the appetite for high-quality drama has driven round of English Premier League rights. own original content to spearhead moves into up the cost of making it and that has caused Recent OTT moves by Disney and Discov- the OTT space. They are not the first: similar drama producers to re-think how they fund ery, which has secured rights to the Olym- moves into direct-to-consumer are well un- productions, including how fast they green- pics across most of Europe for its Eurosport derway from Discovery, HBO and others. light projects and who they partner with. One service, are emblematic of this shift. CBS is Disney, with its ESPN brand, and Turner, reason that 21st Century Fox is keen to roll also looking to launch a sport service to com- with its basketball and golf relationships, are Sky wholly into the fold is to expand its abili- plement its CBS All Access and Showtime both big players. The move to expand their ty to finance original content across its many streaming services. Given where we are with OTT offerings in sport, and beyond, signals pay TV platforms around the world, some- technology, why allow the digital platforms to that the legacy media companies are starting thing that Netflix already does. use your content to build their own subscrib- to re-think how to navigate the new world of Live sport now seems to be next target for er bases when you can build your own? content consumption. the global streaming platforms with Ama- It’s a shot across the bows of its digital op- Disney is creating both a sports streaming zon, Facebook and Twitter all starting to buy ponents and also a wakeup call that the tra- service and a separate family-oriented offer sports rights as a way to differentiate. ditional pay platforms ignore at their peril. to be built around its Pixar, Marvel, Disney We’ve seen this before. Sport, along with So-called skinny bundles, which offer less at and ABC TV content. To power both, it is also movies, built the likes of Sky, Canal+ and a lower price for consumers, are a must-have taking control of BAMTech, the streaming others. Pay TV platforms then expanded into for all pay TV providers who want still to be in technology company that handles the video original content as a way of strengthening business in five years. offerings of US Major League Baseball. Dis- their lock on customers’ cash. Others, like It wasn’t so long ago that the BBC simply li- ney will also no longer license its content to Comcast and Virgin Media, focused on bun- censed its programmes to the highest bidder. Netflix. It clearly wants to out-Netflix Netflix. dling TV with broadband and telephony. This was a boon to the then-fledgling Discov- The reason is clear: legacy media compa- Perhaps with sport, legacy media com- ery, which built its business and reach on the nies are seeing falling profits as customers panies can now fight back more effectively, back of BBC fare. Now of course there is BBC shift away from all-inclusive pay TV bundles. given what they have already learned about America and other BBC branded channels as Thanks to Netflix and others, consumers can premium drama. By acting fast they have a well as BritBox, the online subscription brand now ‘pick and mix’ the content they want. fighting chance. But sport is even more ex- recently launched by the BBC and ITV. The The answer for the big legacy players is to pensive and certainly more ethereal than fight back has begun but it’s far from over. l create Netflix-style offers that will help them House of Cards or Game of Thrones. match the rising power of the digital giants. The cost of sports rights continued to rise Kate Bulkley is a journalist specialising It’s about offering exclusive and original con- as pay TV platforms and telcos have battled it in media and telecommunications. tent and it’s about controlling the experience out. Now, however, the bitter fight for top-tier [email protected]

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