Virtual Reality a Look Inside the Future of Immersive Entertainment

August/September 2016

Virtual reality A look inside the future of immersive entertainment

pOFC DTVE AugSep16.indd 1 30/08/2016 21:19 pXX RSCC DTVE AugSep16.indd 1 16/08/2016 15:40 Digital TV Europe August/September 2016 Contents August/September 2016

16. Virtually real

Virtual Reality is tipped to become a big business in the coming years. But how much potential does this technology hold for TV companies and to what extent should they be investing in this Virtual reality space? Andy McDonald reports. A look inside the future of immersive entertainment

pOFC DTVE AugSep16.indd 1 30/08/2016 21:19

24. Moving media

The exponential demand for video over mobile means 4G networks will eventually buckle. For 5G to provide the answer, does broadcast capability need to be built into the specification? Adrian Pennington reports. 24

30. TV on target

Does TV need to deliver targeted advertising to survive, or does its ability to deliver reach protect it from the threat of internet video? Stuart Thomson reports.

36. Content Innovation Awards 2016: the preview 30 Following last year’s successful event, the 2016 Content Innovation Awards returns to Cannes’ Carlton Hotel in October. Digital TV Europe sets the scene.

37. IBC 2016: the preview

This year’s IBC exhibition will take place at Amsterdam’s RAI from September 9-13. Digital TV Europe takes a look at some this year’s highlight technologies. 37

Regulars

2 This month 4 News digest 44 Technology 50 People 52 Final analysis

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p01 Contents DTVE AugSep16v2st.indd 1 30/08/2016 21:20 This month > Editor’s note Digital TV Europe August/September 2016

Issue no 327 A rounded view Published By: KNect365 TMT Maple House 149 Tottenham Court Road reality and 360° video are all the rage at the moment, London W1T 7AD with mobile operators, games companies and – not to Tel: +44 (0) 20 7017 5000 Virtual be forgotten – TV operators and companies vying to get a piece of the action. Fax: +44 (0) 20 7017 4953 To what extent is VR and 360° TV something that media companies Website: www.digitaltveurope.net should be investing in and why? While it is too early to make accurate predictions about consumer uptake of the technology, content companies and Editor Stuart Thomson service providers are experimenting with virtual coverage of live events and Tel: +44 (0) 20 7017 5314 investigating the potential of the technology in a number of areas. Email: [email protected] Whether VR for applications other than gaming will win mass-market acceptance – and whether pay TV operators, content providers, consumer electronics manufacturers or mobile Deputy Editor Andy McDonald operators will be best-placed to benefit – remains to be seen. Tel: +44 (0) 20 7017 5293 In this issue of Digital TV Europe will look at what content providers and others are doing in Email: [email protected] the space and investigate whether they see a significant application for them in the future. We also look at how VR’s supporting technology is evolving. Mobile telecom operators are among those taking a keen interest in VR, reflecting the fact Contributing Editor that mobile devices are increasingly used to consume video, including live video outside the Stewart Clarke home. The development of new mobile technologies including LTE Broadcast and ultimately the development of 5G networks could enable the wider use of cellular networks for live and Contributors on-demand video delivery, but what are the key requirements to deliver live broadcasts over Kate Bulkley, Andy Fry, Adrian Pennington, existing mobile networks and what are the costs and benefits of using the technology? In this Adam Thomas, Anna Tobin, Jesse Whittock issue we assess the mobile video ecosystem and look at how video delivery is having an impact on and shaping the next generation of mobile technology. Correspondents With traditional TV increasingly perceived to be under threat from a multiplicity of sources, France: Julien Alliot; Germany: Dieter broadcasters are beginning to take a keener interest in ways to safeguard their core revenue Brockmeyer; Italy: Branislav Pekic stream – advertising. In this edition of Digital TV Europe we also look at the opportunity for free- to-air broadcasters to take advantage of the data available to them to protect the future of their

Sales Director Patricia Arescy business – and potentially make additional revenue – thanks to targeted advertising. Tel: +44 (0) 20 7017 5320 Elsewhere in this issue, we look at some of the key technologies that will be on display at this Email: [email protected] month’s IBC exhibition in Amsterdam, and look forward to the industry highlight of the year, the Content Innovation Awards in Cannes, France on October 16. l

Art Director Matthew Humberstone

Printing Wyndeham Grange, West Sussex

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p02 Ed Note DTVE AugSep16v3am.indd 2 30/08/2016 19:41 The Intelsat Globalized Network Deliver anytime, anywhere, any-screen viewing. Move your programming from linear to digital, multi-screen consumption. The Intelsat Globalized Network is the ﬁ rst and only network that can cost-eff ectively transform your legacy networks and simplify operations by combining satellite, terrestrial technologies and managed media services. The future of media is here.

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p037676-DTV-Europe_Media.indd Intelsat DTVE AugSep16.indd 1 1 8/17/201625/08/2016 1:27:41 12:09 PM News > digest Digital TV Europe August/September 2016 News digest > 4 Mediaset slams Vivendi account > 6 Vice: Global media headed for chaos > 10 Liberty Global’s content play > 14 Canal+ cost-cutting > 15 Netflix’s global growth

Mediaset: Vivendi account of aborted deal ‘without foundation’

By Stuart Thomson > Vivendi: fully shared with Vivendi. It said Mediaset alleged that Viven- Mediaset’s that the contract was clear and di’s dealing with the European Mediaset has rejected Vivendi’s attacks were did not include any clause that Commission had been initiated position on the pair’s aborted “detrimental would allow Vivendi to unilater- without sharing any informa- April 8 agreement, that would to its interest ally change the terms and con- tion with it, “in clear violation of have seen the French media and image”. ditions following subsequent the provisions of the contract”. giant take control of the Italian due diligence. It denied that the Mediaset is suing Vivendi broadcaster’s struggling pay TV pair were still involved in discus- for e50 million a month start- arm, in the strongest terms yet. De Puyfontaine said that sions when Vivendi pulled out ing from June 25, the date the The Italian media group said the April 8 agreement – which and asserted that “everything French company said it did not Vivendi’s account of the events would ultimately have seen Viv- had been discussed”. intend to honour the contract. leading up to, and following on endi take 100% control of Medi- To reinforce this point, the Mediaset also said it risked from its decision not to go ahead aset Premium, and Vivendi and company said that there was losing e1.5 billion if Vivendi with, the April 8 deal contained Mediaset exchange 3.5% stakes “never any will on the part of ultimately failed to respect the “information without founda- in each other’s companies – Mediaset to renegotiate in any terms of the original deal. tion” and that it needed to lay had been based on “financial way the terms of the contract”. Mediaset’s parent Fininvest out the facts. assumptions” by Mediaset that It further said that the report has filed its own separate claim Mediaset’s comments follow Vivendi has subsequently sub- provided by Deloitte was “sub- in Milan, asking for an order to a statement by Vivendi that gave jected to a due diligence report jective and biased”. be served on Vivendi to force it its account of events, reiterated by Deloitte after it questioned De Puyfontaine raised ques- to “fully comply” with the April during an analyst call following them. He said the “due dili- tions about the European Com- agreement and also claiming its half-year results (see story, gence review”, which found that mission’s regulatory process compensation of “at least” e570 p.14) by the media giant’s CEO, the figures provided by Media- and its impact on the deal. He million for “the serious damag- Arnaud de Puyfontaine. De Puy- set about Mediaset Premium’s said that the EC would not ac- es already caused”. The figure fontaine asserted that Mediaset prospects were not realistic, had cept a formal filing while the relates to the decrease in the and parent company Fininvest been “agreed contractually”. pair were still “discussing their value of Mediaset’s shares since had “proceeded to launch media Mediaset, on the contrary, differences”, and that EC ap- Vivendi pulled out of the agree- attacks detrimental to Vivendi’s asserted that the April 8 deal proval may not have been grant- ment, and “the fact that their interest and image” while the was based on information that ed in any case before the Sep- value would have increased had two parties were trying “to re- was true and assumptions that tember 30 deadline after which the contract been executed and negotiate the terms of the agree- were realistic, based on data the contract between Vivendi the undeniable harm caused to ment” in June. that had been transparent and and Mediaset becomes void. corporate image”.

the first 12 months. SFR Sport will partnership with BeIN Sports year. SFR unveiled the line-up of France be available on its own in the Box brings SFR head-to-head with presenters for its channels ahead Starter pack from €19.99. The Canal+, which offers both its own of launching the service. The CAB > SFR teams with BeIN Box Power pack includes BeIN and BeIN Sports’ channels. Can- group also signed a deal securing Altice-owned French service Sports’ bouquet of 10 channels al+’s offering, with all 15 sports rights to Portuguese top-tier provider SFR has teamed up with across multiple screens, including channels on the Canalsat bouquet football. Canal+ signed a non-ex- BeIN Sports to unveil bundled its Ligue 1 and Champions League – including Eurosport and BeIN clusive deal with Qatar-owned offerings that include its own football coverage, and the SFR Sports – costs e35 for the first 12 rival BeIN Sports in July after the sports channels and BeIN Sports’ Sport bouquet, including English months and €59.90 thereafter. French competition watchdog services as part of its Box Power Premier League coverage. The SFR’s bundle with BeIN Sport re- rejected the pair’s proposal for an offering for €29.99 a month for launch of the services and the verts to a price of €54.98 after a exclusive deal.

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p04-05,8,10-11,14-15 DTVE News Digest AugSep16v6st.indd 4 30/08/2016 20:19 Digital TV Europe News > digest August/September 2016

TV services, websites and MCNs SAT > Sky to launch 4K UHD package who take the new box will Germany attracting a total 123.1 billion online Sky Deutschland is launching receive 12 months’ free access to video views, up 190% year-on- a new 4K Ultra HD set-top and the UHD offering. The box will be PROG > RTL on the up year. Net profit was down slightly, channels in the autumn. The Sky+ made available to new and existing France’s M6 Group and RTL falling from €351 million to €341 Pro box is being rolled out along customers in Germany and Austria Deutschland helped boost media million due to higher tax charges. with the launch of two exclusive via both satellite and cable, group RTL’s first half perfor- RTL now expects full-year EBITA UHD TV channels – Sky Sport according to Sky. The German mance, which also benefited from to grow by between 1% and 2.5% Bunedesliga UHD and Sky Sport Football League (DFL) has mean- strong growth in digital. First if there are no major changes in UHD. The Bundesliga channel while said it is to introduce a new half revenues were up 3.2% to the economic climate. Its revenue will provide highlights of German production standard to support 4K €2.878 billion, with digital revenue outlook – of growth between 2.5% top-tier football in UHD, while Sky coverage of Bundesliga matches in up 20.5% to €264 million. The and 5% – was maintained. Anke Sport UHD will air selected match- the next few weeks. Holger Blask, performance dipped in the second Schäferkordt and Guillaume de es from the UEFA Champions director of audiovisual rights at quarter, however, with revenue Posch, co-CEOs of RTL Group, League tournament in the format. the DFL, said that the Speilzeit dropping by 2.3%. This was due said that the performance of the Sky Sport Bundesliga UHD will Ultra HD standard demonstrated to lower revenue from production group “confirmed once again the show one match per day in the the Bundesliga’s commitment to outfit FremantleMedia, along with sustainable success of RTL Group’s UHD format. Sky said that other innovation. Sky recorded its first the impact on advertising of the portfolio and growth strategy”. The UHD content including movies and football match in UHD in 2012 and Euro 2016 football championship, results came as FremantleMedia series would follow the launch. broadcast the first live UHD match except in France, where M6 aired struck a deal with Amazon to show These will be made available via in 2014. In December that year it some matches. RTL’s EBITDA was its fanatasy drama American Gods Sky On Demand. The new box is also broadcast a concert featuring up 8.1% to €679 million, with an on Amazon Prime next year. The said by Sky to be HDR-capable, German band Die Fantastischen EBITDA margin of 23.6%. Net TV show will be available on Amazon’s with a 1TB hard drive and built-in Vier (The Fantastic Four), following advertising was up in all markets SVOD platform in Germany, Aus- WiFi, providing fast access to Sky this up by showing the 2015 except Hungary. Digital business tria, the UK and Japan following its On Demand and the EPG. All Sky German Cup final and Champions performed strongly, with catch-up US premiere on Starz. customers with the HD Premium League final in sports bars in UHD.

p04-05,8,10-11,14-15 DTVE News Digest AugSep16v6st.indd 5 30/08/2016 20:19 SECURING THE CONNECTED FUTURE

The world of video is becoming more connected. And next-generation video service providers are delivering new connected services based on software and IP technologies.

Now imagine a globally interconnected revenue security platform. A cloud-based engine that can optimize system performance, proactively detect threats and decrease operational costs.

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p06 Verimatrix DTVE AugSep16.indd 1 25/08/2016 12:18 Q&A: Tom Munro, Verimatrix Tom Munro, CEO of Verimatrix, talks about the promise of data analytics, how to protect live premium content and the challenge of IoT.

What are the key benefits that video data from content security Our VideoMark toolbox of solutions for video tracking and forensic systems can deliver to content providers and what are they likely to identification has helped pay-TV operators maximize the revenue prioritise? potential of premium and ultra HD content, while protecting such Securing video analytics data is a high priority for operators and content. The VideoMark™ Live profile version inserts watermarks, which customers. However the intricacy of data security is a sensitive topic as are transparent to the viewer, but are more visible and faster to extract. service providers are faced with new risks of maintaining data privacy and We are able respond as soon as illegitimate streams are detected, consumer trust. They need to not only comply with privacy regulations shutting them down before any significant loss of revenue has occurred. – and the expectations of their customers, and the company’s ethical standards, but also secure the integrity of the data they are collecting. What are the key remaining challenges faced by operators in For example, the most valuable data pertains to individual customer targeting platforms and devices that use different DRM systems and behavior, which by its nature is personal, sensitive and typically subject what can they do about this? to data privacy regulations. This type of information is highly valuable The increasing complexity of multi-DRM usage and what that means for only if the source is authenticated, the data is secured and its integrity different device’s rights management can directly affect the consumer’s guaranteed. Furthermore subscribers must be convinced that their data enjoyment level. If any glitch arises in the stream, content viewership is secure and be persuaded that they will gain value by allowing their will be compromised. What we learned from a recent Frost & Sullivan service provider to access it. This is why we refer to security as the Big white paper is that many operators simply underestimate the total cost Data industry’s “new key performance indicator.” of ownership in developing and maintaining a multi-DRM system. As the specialist in video platform security, Verimatrix is well positioned Unlike many software systems, the OPEX aspect of a multi-DRM is to securely aggregate and curate this potentially sensitive data. a far more significant chunk of security products due to an inevitable arms race against hackers and the constantly growing value of content. What still needs to be done to enable content and service providers to CAPEX is a recurring expense as new devices enter the market and achieve meaningful results from data analytics? new technologies supersede older ones. As DRM underlies all content We advise our customers to start with an organizational asset business models, a lack of agility in updating and adapting the DRM management plan for the collected data. There can be differences in layer also results in reduced revenue and lost subscribers. the needs of the various data sets within an organization, meaning that Our MultiRights OTT solution solves multi-DRM challenges by each key stakeholder—whether it is operations, product development providing harmonized rights management across networks and or marketing—may utilize the same or similar data in oftentimes devices. conflicting ways. The handling of this data must balance regulatory requirements along with an operator’s own data policies and subscriber What additional security challenges are raised by the smart home and permissions. Internet of Things applications and what do service providers need to Once the use cases of handling the data have been determined, think about when adding these services to their consumer offerings? operators need to understand their regional and local privacy regulations IoT is expanding into the smart home sector very rapidly. Vendors of and map those regulations to the credentials granted throughout their home appliances, from toasters to coffee makers to vacuum cleaners, departments, allowing access for a specific user to a specific subset of are now interested in collecting usage information that can help them data. improve designs and also to execute more compelling marketing campaigns. The personal data collected must be carefully encrypted to What are the challenges in protecting live premium content from defend against eavesdropping or identification of individuals since the piracy and what can Verimatrix do to mitigate the threat? data itself is so private. The added complication of premium live content (such as live sports) We utilize our video services experience with protecting the integrity is that such events are becoming increasingly broadcast in UHD format of data collected. Consumers may be offered an incentive, such as a and present highly attractive targets for pirates. Plus, the window of discount, in return for allowing such usage data to be mined. Analyzing opportunity for countermeasures is very short—beginning with the and monitoring behavior on the network will be integral to IoT security. moment the action happens, and decaying the moment it’s passed. It This data acts as a first line of defense against emerging threats or is not sufficient just to detect and prosecute pirates because business attacks that can be flagged and addressed directly, before systems are damage has already been done. Therefore the only recourse is to snuff hacked, leaving the consumer and service provider protected. out illicit streams at the source, almost as quickly as they begin to be transmitted over the Internet. Verimatrix will be exhibiting at IBC, on stand 5.A59

p07 Verimatrix Q&A DTVE AugSep16v2st.indd 1 29/08/2016 10:55 News > digest Digital TV Europe August/September 2016

CAB > Advanced TV plan premium pay TV RGUs; 485,000 said that 100,000 OTE TV custom- Events Cable operator Tele Columbus has internet customers, up 10,000 ers in Greece were able to use its confirmed plans to launch its Espi- quarter-on-quarter; and 452,000 new hybrid platform by June, after IBC 2016 al-powered advanced TV service in telephony RGUs, up 11,000 quar- it started to migrate customers in Date: 9-13 September December, following a successful ter-on-quarter. April. The new service allows satel- Venue: Rai Exhibition Centre, trial that concluded in April. The lite TV subscribers to connect their Amsterdam, The Netherlands company said that close to 70% of IPTV > Telekom growth decoder to the web, giving them W: www.ibc.org trial participants regularly used the Deutsche Telekom grew its total access to interactive services like advanced TV user interface to find IPTV, satellite and cable TV cus- replay functions and on-demand Content Innovation Awards content and learn about the pro- tomer base by 5.1% year-on-year content. Deutsche Telekom’s total Date: 16 October gramme they are watching. Tele to 3.96 million in the second quar- revenue for the second quarter Venue: Carlton Hotel, Grand Columbus more than doubled its ter. The telecom operator said that was up by 2.2% year-on-year to Salon, Cannes, France Q2 revenues to €119.9 million year- the majority of its 193,000 net TV €17.8 billion. The company said W: contentinnovationawards. on-year following its acquisition of additions, compared to the second that rapid customer growth at com smaller operators Primacom and quarter of 2015, were customers T-Mobile US made “a substantial Pepcom. On a like-for-like basis, in Greece, Romania, Hungary, and contribution” to this revenue MIPCOM Tele Columbus saw solid revenue Slovakia. Germany, meanwhile, growth. EBITDA was up 3.6% to Date: 17-20 October growth of 4.2%. EBITDA for the remained the biggest single TV €4.7 billion while the telecom Venue: Palais des Festivals, quarter was €59 million, up 113% market for the company with 2.77 giant’s net profit dropped 12.8% to Cannes, France or 2.3% on a like-for-like basis. million IPTV and satellite custom- €621 million. However, Deutsche W: www.mipcom.com Tele Columbus had 2.42 million ers in the quarter, up 7.7% year-on- Telekom said that adjusted for customers at the end of June, year. In the first half of 2016 alone, special factors, net profit remained Broadband World Forum including: 2.44 million cable TV the company said it added 94,000 more or less stable in Q2 at around Date: 18-20 October revenue-generating units; 424,000 TV customers. Deutsche Telekom €1.1 billion. Venue: ExCeL, London, UK W: www.broadbandworldfourm. com Vice CEO: Global media headed for ‘chaos’

Digital TV CEE By Jesse Whittock > Smith: media long term, it means a changing Date: 25-26 October world is set playing field, a mild to medium Venue: Hilton Budapest, Buda- Vice Media chief executive for a “blood- dose of chaos, and a fast mov- pest, Hungary Shane Smith used his MacTag- bath”. ing, ever-shifting, highly volatile W: www.digitaltvcee.com gart lecture in Edinburgh to marketplace, in which only the claim the television and wider nimblest and most dynamic TV Connect MENA media world is set for a “blood- companies will survive,” he Date: 31 October - 1 November bath” of M&A activity and a said. “As many as 30% of con- Venue: Westin Dubai Mina Seya- “dose of chaos” as new business world was a sensible move. tent companies that exist this hi, Dubai, United Arab Emirates models emerge. “The big five will become the year will go away this year, will W: https://tmt.knect365.com/ Smith said that the changing big three,” he said of market merge or sell their URLs. On top tv-connect-mena digital landscape meant “main- consolidation. “Apple has made of that, the big scale plays will stream media companies” – in- a bid for Time Warner. They be bought up by mainstream DISCOP Africa cluding Disney, Comcast, Fox, also want to buy Netflix, and if media companies, and so any- Date: 2-4 November Viacom and Time Warner – Viacom continues its Shake- one with half a brain in digital Venue: Sandton Convention were facing a global market that spearean implosion – which is a is making strategic alliances. Centre, Johannesburg, South would prove too difficult for all glory to watch – then everybody What we’re seeing happen is Africa to survive. Therefore, they were is going to be snapping off bits.” consolidation in mainstream W: www.discopafrica.com all chasing scale, he argued. Smith noted that Facebook and media and a lot of new media Smith’s Vice has sold share- Google were in command of is going to go away. There’s just CASBAA holdings to both Fox and The around 70% of the online video not enough money.” Date: 7-10 November Walt Disney Company, but he market and that changes to their He said that TV had refused Venue: Studio City Macau, claimed he had turned down algorithms had already shocked to innovate and was instead Macau, China full takeover bids from both, the market this year. “retreating, with a lot of lawyers W: www.casbaaconvention.com and from Viacom, and that the “When they sneeze, we catch around us, to hold onto our IP firm’s recent launch of linear cold. It means a lot less traf- and an increasingly small piece channel Viceland around the fic and a lot less money. In the of the pie”.

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p04-05,8,10-11,14-15 DTVE News Digest AugSep16v6st.indd 8 30/08/2016 20:19 Making Space Feel Closer. AMOS Satellites.

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www.amos-spacecom.com News > digest Digital TV Europe August/September 2016

OTT > DAZN launches Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2. Other Global Wrap Sports rights group Perform has sports on the platform include Hungary launched its DAZN live stream- NBA, NFL, tennis, motorsports, Hong Kong-based VR firm VR- ing service in Germany, Austria, boxing, ice hockey, rugby, darts CAB > UPC adds channels rOOm has partnered with Chi- Switzerland. DAZN is described by and much more. Perform followed Liberty Global-owned UPC Hungary nese cinema systems provider Perform as the world’s first dedi- up the launch of DAZN in these has added two channels from TV2 CFEC to launch a network of cated live sports streaming service, German-speaking markets by also Group to its programming line-up. virtual reality cinemas around providing fans with unlimited access launching the OTT TV service in UPC has added telenovela channel the world. VRrOOm aims to to watch live and on-demand sport Japan. The Japanese version of Izaura TV, offering romantic series launch VR cinemas in China and on multiple devices. The service is the service will provide advertis- from around the world including France this autumn and in the available for €9.99 a month with no ing-free access to a range of live ‘90s hit Muñeca Brava (The Wild US next year. Amazon Prime long-term fixed contract. Customers and on-demand sports content for Angel) along with La Viuda Joven Video is working on its first can try the service for free for the ¥1,750 (e15) a month plus tax. Con- (The Black Widow) and Turkish South Korea-produced original first month. DAZN gives fans live tent to which Perform holds rights series Queen of the Night. Izaura series. The SVOD service is access to English Premier League to air via DAZN will include, from TV has also launched on the MinDig working on a live-action drama football, as well as live football from 2017, every game from J1, J2 and TV digital-terrestrial platform. The series, [email protected], set in the La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1, plus J3 leagues of Japan’s Meiji Yasuda second channel UPC added is music Korean entertainment scene. highlights of every match from Seimei J.League. network Zenebutik (Music Boutique). According to Digital TV Re- search the number of pay TV subscribers in Latin America is Liberty Global plans ‘smart’ content investments due to climb from 72.02 million by end-2016 to 83.56 million by By Stuart Thomson > Fries: video citing the fact that Chausée 2021. The new research says is a “critical d’Amour, the brothel-set SVOD that Latin America’s top two Liberty Global plans to make part” of the original it commissioned from pay TV operators will account “smart, opportunistic invest- operator’s production outfit De Mensen, for nearly half the region’s pay ments” in content following bundle. had broken records in Flanders TV subscribers by the end of its recent announcement that with half a million streams re- 2016. DirecTV/Sky will account it would commission four quested in the first two weeks. for 20.2 million subscribers original drama series from The series debuted on May 10 and Claro/America Movil for All3Media, according to presi- increase in revenues, because on Telenet Play and Play More. 15.2 million. Comcast is set to dent and CEO Mike Fries. content drives revenues across Separately, Liberty Glob- go head-to-head with Disney Speaking to analysts after the the bundle. He said these inal’s advanced TV base passed in the kids and family sector company unveiled strong Q2 creases would be offset by de- the seven million mark in the after NBCUniversal completed financial results, Fries said that creases in direct costs. second quarter, with 184,000 its US$3.8 billion (e3.4 billion) the group would make “smart, Fries said that analysts new Horizon TV subscribers takeover of DreamWorks relatively small investments in should “expect more” of the across Europe and 66,000 new Animation. The deal hands multiple markets to get some type of content deals it has done TiVo customers in the UK. The Comcast’s entertainment content on our platforms that’s with All3Media, adding that its growth means that 36% of Lib- wing NBCU franchises such unique to us”. He said Liberty relationship with Lionsgate, in erty’s base in countries where as Shrek and Kung Fu Panda, was now putting more empha- which it now has a 3.4% stake such services are offered take online assets including Awe- sis on SVOD content and rights alongside Discovery, was “off to one of its advanced TV offer- somenessTV, and distribu- that drive growth of its TV a great start”. He said that the ings. tor DreamWorks Classics. Everywhere platform. four originals from All3Media Overall, Liberty Global add- Viacom’s main shareholder, Fries said that Liberty’s con- would be distributed by Liberty ed 277,000 subscribers in the Sumner Redstone, has called tent moves would not “signifi- Global’s networks exclusively, second quarter, double the for the media giant to “embark cantly change the weighting of “at least from the outset”. Vir- 138,000 it added last year. Rev- swiftly” on a new strategy after [the company’s] balance sheet gin Media UK & Ireland, Unity enues were up by a modest 2% the exit of Philippe Dauman. Vi- or cash flows”, however. Media in Germany, Ziggo in the in the quarter to US$5 billion acom and Redstone’s National While video only accounts Netherlands and Cable & Wire- (e4.5 billion), adversely affect- Amusements holding vehicle for 35% of the company’s reve- less, VTR and Liberty Puerto ed by The Netherlands. Oper- confirmed Dauman was leaving nues, Fries said that it is a “crit- Rico will all air the shows. ating income was down 22% in his post as CEO and president ical part” of the bundle and that Fries said that Belgian sub- the second quarter, to US$488 and would be replaced in the content costs would grow year- sidiary Telenet’s investment in million. In Europe, operating interim by Tom Dooley. on-year at or above the rate of content was also bearing fruit, income declined by 9%.

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p04-05,8,10-11,14-15 DTVE News Digest AugSep16v6st.indd 10 30/08/2016 20:19 Digital TV Europe News > digest August/September 2016

a broader pay TV service called Tomas Burovas, subscribers will be as a free channel package to Kenya Kwesé TV, offering a mix of sports able to sign up for one of five plans top-tier KPN Compleet customers, and entertainment programming offering one, two, three, five and all alongside the HBO package and a PROG > Free sports channel across sub-Saharan Africa, includ- packages respectively for €14.90, premium kids package. The price Econet Media has launched a ing to mobile users. €19.90, €23.90, €29.90 and of all Fox Sports channels together free-to-air sports channel that will €34.90. Subscribers will be able to will be €15 instead of the €25 offer coverage of English Premier change their line up each month. previously charged. The price of Fox League football as well as NBA Lithuania Customers who take the one, two Sports International on its own re- basketball, Extreme Fighting Cham- and three-package plans will also mains at €12.50. The move follows pionship combat sports and NFL CAB > CGates flexibility receive internet access at speeds a deal between KPN and Fox Sports American football. The channel, Starman Group-owned Lithu- of up to 300Mbps, while the high- earlier this month that came after Kwesé Free Sports, will be available anian cable operator CGates er-tier plans will receive 600Mbps a dispute between the pair over on digital-terrestrial TV and on sat- has launched flexible channel as well as video-on-demand. Fox’s decision to charge the telco ellite in Kenya via free-to-air set-top packages in place of the big basic a higher fee for its channels than boxes. The channel has exclusive model it previously offered to TV that levied on other distributors in free-to-air rights to air one Premier subscribers. In place of big basic, The Netherlands the Dutch market. KPN lost a court League match of the week every CGates is offering nine smaller case over the dispute with Fox’s Ere- Saturday. Kenyan content on the thematic channel packages, which IPTV > KPN makes Fox offer divisie Media & Marketing subsidi- channel includes Xtreme Outdoor subscribers can combine and KPN is now offering the Fox Sports ary, with the judge in the case ruling Africa, Ball N’Africa and Sports modify on a month-by-month basis. Eredivisie channels for €7.50 that Fox was not obliged to offer Stars Uncovered. Econet Media is The channel packages encompass a month for new and existing identical conditions to different a unit of Econet Wireless, a mobile films, sports, news, entertainment, subscribers, instead of the €17.50 operators. The Dutch Authority for telco founded by Zimbabwean factual, kids, Russian and world previously charged for the chan- Consumers and Markets meanwhile businessman Strive Masiyiwa. channels, with a package of Lithu- nels. KPN is also offering the three launched an investigation into the Masiwiya revealed at the end of last anian channels offered free to all. Eredivisie channels, which provide terms under which Fox proposed to year that he was planning to launch According to commercial director coverage of Dutch top-tier football, sell its sports channels.

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p04-05,8,10-11,14-15 DTVE News Digest AugSep16v6st.indd 11 30/08/2016 20:19 TUNING IN TURNING ON TO 1°WEST

Reaching close to 18 million TV homes and broadcasting over 700 digital TV channels, 1°West has established itself as the no.1 spot for broadcasters and DTH operators throughout Europe. Visit us at IBC 2016 Hall 1 stand A59

www.telenorsat.com

p12 Telenor DTVE AugSep16.indd 1 25/08/2016 12:17 Q&A: Ole Ledang, Telenor Satellite Ole Ledang, director broadcasting division, Telenor Satellite talks about the evolution of teleports and the changing role of satellite.

What impact is the evolution of content distribution having on the For us, it all boils down to developing infrastructure and organisation design and functionality required of satellite teleports? that fully support our customers’ needs. It really depends on which part of the content distribution value chain the satellite teleport is in. If it is only providing services for DTH operators How has the range of services you provide changed as content and for DTH markets the content distribution is quite straightforward. distribution has evolved and what have you put in place to support The main task then is to provide cost-effective solutions based on the IPTV and OTT distribution? encoding and modulation schemes available for the set-top boxes in the As mentioned earlier, our customers have developed their menu of market. services to end-users. But if the satellite teleport is also providing services for other Telenor Satellite initially provided five analogue D2-MAC services for distribution networks and platforms, this involves a very different way of the Nordic market, via the THOR 1 satellite. We are now delivering close thinking. One has to consider flexibility, the life cycles of the equipment, to 1,000 digital services in the Nordic and CEE markets through THOR 5, 6 how to operate, pricing models, a variation of SLA levels, etc. and 7 and operate CATV head-end and IPTV services in the Nordic region providing some 50 live and 100 catch-up OTT services. What additional demands have been placed on Telenor’s own ground Investing in robust and flexible systems-that is, in equipment that can infrastructure and how have you responded? easily and swiftly deliver multiple versions of the same TV channel: in Telenor Satellite is in the fortunate position of having competitive and HD and SD, MPEG2 and MPEG4, DTT encoding, IP, etc is how we have forward-looking content distributors such as Canal Digital (both DTH managed to stay afloat. One of the most challenging task has been to and Cable) and IPTV providers such as Telenor Norway and Sweden as develop our organisation to be on top of operational issues and find customers. Providing high-quality services has placed Telenor Satellite on commercial and technical solutions that work in an ever-changing sector. a steep learning curve. As established in our customer survey, so far we have been successful. Initially, one of the most demanding challenges was to find automated This has been extremely important for us through a period of great solutions for monitoring close to 1,000 linear TV services alongside a changes – and challenges. growing number of OTT services. We did not have the wall space or the resource for manual monitoring. The cost had to be kept to a minimum. What key trends do you expect to see in TV broadcasting over the next We have invested substantial hours in development, working together few years and what do you need to do to anticipate these? with our customers and the industry to find the right technical design An increased number of distributors are chasing the end-user’s money. and solutions. The cake is getting bigger, but not at a pace that ensures success and The OTT train has left the station at an accelerated speed – we need to growth for everyone. jump on and gain knowledge and competence to develop our company The distributors are spending their energy to “re-establish” their and continue being an important provider of services for our existing and position by ensuring the right content at the right quality and increasing future customers. attractiveness through their home solutions, including OTT. Our main task is to ensure the success of our customers – the content What do satellite service providers such as Telenor need to put in place distributors – in their markets. We could have chosen to continue to to ensure that your customers’ needs are being met? provide satellite services only. But we decided to diversify our operation Our customers expect linear TV services live on satellite to run like by developing our systems and operations in order to ensure the success clockwork at a competitive price level and that any technical challenge of our customers. is handled professionally and communicated to the customer effectively. Today we have demonstrated success and will continue by staying on We also have to provide flexible OTT solutions – both live and catch- top of the technical side of product development. up – to our customers, with high SLA and at short notice. In order to Telenor Satellite has set a clear goal of being even closer to our achieve this, Telenor Satellite had to consider a new way of designing the customers, understanding their needs and helping them to develop infrastructure and production line at our teleport. products that ensure their competitiveness. Our customers do not accept a delivery time of 30 to 40 days – they Luckily, we live in exciting times, and we are truly enjoying the journey demand that changes take place before lunch. There is now a much of TV consumption. closer relation between technical environments and commercial business development and strategy, which fuels the speed of launching Ole Ledang, director broadcasting division, [email protected] services and introducing changes. Visit the company’s website at www.telenorsat.com

p13 Telenor Q&A AugSep16v2st.indd 1 25/08/2016 17:46 News > digest Digital TV Europe August/September 2016

revenue, as well as stronger adver- and VH1 Classic, and kids channels deal agreed last year that will see Poland tising revenue and revenue from Disney Channel, Disney Junior, BeIN Sports become the exclusive sales of equipment. Separately, Disney XD, Boomerang and Cartoon broadcaster of the Olympics across SAT > Polsat revenues down Polsat Group has added a raft of 31 Network HD. Polsat is marketing the region, including the Olympic Polish pay TV provider Cyfrowy Pol- new channels to its Ipla OTT service, the expanded channel line-up within Winter Games in Pyeongchang sat posted reduced second quarter expanding the offering to 77 ser- seven revamped packages. Most and Beijing in 2018 and 2022 along revenues of PLN2.443 billion (€559 vices across seven packages. Ipla are available for PLN9.90 a month. with the rights to the Olympic million), down from PLN2.469 has added sports channels Eleven Ipla Films and Series and Ipla Sport Games in Tokyo in 2020 and the billion for the same period last and Eleven Sports HD, Polsat Sport each cost PLN19.90 a month, while Olympic Games in 2024. BeIN year. Net profit declined from Fight HD and Extreme Sports HD. Ipla Eleven Sport costs PLN15. Sports distributes 18 linear sports PLN305 million to PLN231 million. Movie and drama channel additions channels acdross 24 territoires in The company had 12.881 million include TNT HD, Universal Channel, MENA, including both free and pay revenue-generating units at the end 13th Street, Sci-Fi and Novela TV. Qatar TV services and a 24-hour rolling of June, up from 12.744 million at Ipla has also added entertainment sports news channel. It also pro- the end of the first quarter. Pay TV and lifestyle services Discovery Life, PROG > Olympic deal vides BeIN Connect, a multiscreen customers numbered 4.632 million, E! Entertainment, ID HD, Lifetime Middle East free and pay TV service. BeIN has committed to air including 973,000 multiroom HD, CI Polsat, Polsat Food, TLC HD broadcaster BeIN Media Group has a minimum number of hours from customers. Broadband customers and Discovery Turbo Xtra along formalised its deal with the Interna- both summer and winter Olympics numbered 1.689 million, while with factual channels Discovery tional Olympic Committee to be the on free-to-air TV. Under the terms mobile subscribers numbered 1.667 Science HD, Animal Planet HD, exclusive broadcaster in the MENA of the deal, the IOC and BeIN will million. The company attributed the Travel Channel HD, History 2 HD, region for the next four Olympic also work closely together on the decline in revenues to a decrease Discovery Historia and Water Plan- Games, starting with the 23rd Olym- Olympic Channel, the dedicated in voice revenues, partially offset et. Other additions include music pic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. channel that is scheduled to launch by higher pay TV and broadband channels MTV Music 24, MTV Rocks The pair have formally signed a on completion of the Rio games.

Canal+ faces€e300m cost cuts, international subs surpass French

By Stuart Thomson million in costs associated with De Puyfon- Canal+ would launch a new marketing, set-top management taine: Vivendi digital-terrestrial TV offering, French pay TV operator Canal+ and other subscription-related aims to clarify EasyTV, in the neighbouring continued to lose domestic sub- costs as well as cutting €150 TV offer be- capitals of the Congo and Dem- scribers during the first half, million from its programming tween pay TV ocratic Republic of the Congo, with total services sold declining budget. It said that about €60 and free TV. Brazzaville and Kinshasha, be- by 272,000 to 8.187 million in million to €80 million in sav- fore the end of the year, as part June. The Vivendi-owned pay ings were expected to be realised of a wider African expansion TV operator is to implement a this year. to two, with the company’s free- that earlier this year saw the programme of cost cutting in a Speaking on an analyst call to-air channels renamed and group partner with iROKO to bid to stem its losses. following Vivendi’s results, CEO strengthened to compensate. launch a mobile SVOD service Canal+ revenues for the first Arnaud de Puyfontaine said that The group’s international pay for Francophone Africa. half of the year dropped by 3.5% the transformation plan had a TV base continued to grow, with Overall, Canal+ ended the to €2.639 billion. Operating in- “clear ambition to restore value additions of 615,000 in the year second quarter with 15.8 million come was €297 million, down proposition by clarifying our TV to June taking the international subscriptions, a year-on-year in- . from €368 million, while EB- offer between pay and free TV” total for Africa to 2.2 million, crease of 558,000. ITA fell from €388 million to and that it was “totally right on and the addition of 139,000 sub- Vivendi’s revenues dropped €297 million. Parent company track”. scribers in Vietnam taking the by 1% to €5.044 billion. Reve- Vivendi attributed the decline Following the revamping of total in that country to 900,000. nues from growth in subscrip- to the problems faced by the do- the Canal+ offering in June, De Puyfontaine said that in- tion and streaming revenues mestic French pay TV unit and De Puyfontaine said that sub- ternational pay TV subscribers from Universal Music Group to lower profitability at produc- scribers would be able to view now outnumbered domestic helped boost the figures along tion outfit Studiocanal and the an additional 150 hours of orig- customers for the first time, with Canal+’s overseas perfor- group’s free-to-air channels. inal content from September, with 5.727 million internation- mance, which helped offset Canal+ is in the process of and affirmed that the free-to-air al subs against 5.455 domestic the decline in the domestic implementing a €300 million window would be reduced from French customers. business. EBIT was up 3.4% to cost savings plan, cutting €100 a maximum of six hours a day Du Puyfontaine said that €1.062 billion.

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p04-05,8,10-11,14-15 DTVE News Digest AugSep16v6st.indd 14 30/08/2016 20:19 Digital TV Europe News > digest August/September 2016

lephony revenues. Rival service pro- Russia Spain Switzerland vider Sunrise meanwhile reported a 20.4% year-on-year increase in TV IPTV > MTS TV boost OTT > Now TV plan IPTV > Swisscom grows base customers at the end of the second Russian service provider MTS had Sky is planning to expand its pres- Swisscom grew its TV base by quarter. Reporting its Q2 results, 2.75 million TV customers at the ence in more European markets, 33,000 in the second quarter the operator said it added 24,200 end of the second quarter, up from kicking off with the launch of a ver- despite what it described as “fierce TV subscribers year-on-year, taking 2.745 million in March and up from sion of its Now TV online service in competition” from cable. The addi- its total to 147,200 customers. 2.73 million at the half-way point Spain, according to a report by the tions take the telco’s TV base to 1.4 last year. MTS reported Q2 revenue UK’s Sunday Telegraph newspaper. million, up 13.1% year-on-year. of RUB108.1 billion (e1.5 billion), up According to the Telegraph, Sky The TV total included 1.15 mil- Turkey 5.3%, including RUB97.4 billion in sees the launch of Now TV in Spain, lion basic package subscribers. Russia, up 3.3%. However, OIBDA where the service is expected be Swisscom said that three-quarters IPTV > Funbox 4K launch for the quarter was down 4.3% to offered for €10 a month, as the of customers now use its cloud- Channel provider SPI International RUB40.885 billion. The company’s first phase in a wider plan to take based Swisscom TV 2.0 service. has launched its Funbox 4K/UHD total active subscriber base grew by on the likes of Netflix and Amazon Overall, Swisscom posted revenues channel on Turkcell and added five 3.5% to 109 million. President and across Europe. The paper reported of CHF5.8 billion (e5.3 billion) extra TV channels to its current CEO Andrey Dubovskov said that that Sky has been secretly planning for the first half, more or less flat line-up offered by the Turkish the company had managed to out- the move for over a year, with year-on-year. Operating income mobile operator. Turkcell TV+ has perform the market despite difficult the aim of launching in further was up 2.7% to CHF1.14 billion. The recently introduced a 4K set-top macoeconomic circumstances and European markets where it does company said it expected a slight box and started broadcasting competitive pressures. Dubovskov not already have a satellite pay TV decline in revenues for the full year, Funbox 4K/UHD, making it the identified home internet and pay operation if the Spanish venture is with growth in TV, broadband and first IPTV platform to launch Ultra TV as growth markets. successful. mobile failing to offset declining te- HD channels in Turkey. Turkcell’s subscribers now also have access to FilmBox Turkey, a dedicated Netflix international subs to outnumber US by ‘18 Turkish channel that airs a variety of international blockbusters and By Jesse Whittock > the Nordics combined. Germa- popular TV series. Other new ny will reach 2.2 million paying channels on the platform include Netflix will have more subscrib- subs by the end of 2020, despite FilmBox Art House, Fast&FunBox ers outside of the US by 2018, strong competition from Ama- HD and 360TuneBox HD. according to new research. zon, IHS predicted. IHS Markit noted Netflix’s Markets such as Poland and subscriber base grew 30% be- Turkey, which are soon expected UK tween 2014 and 2015, and is to be ‘localised’ by Netflix, will forecast to grow 21% this year, flix will have 75 million interna- drive further uptake in their sur- PROG > A+E starts Blaze as the SVOD service reaches a tional subscribers.” rounding regions, but the effect A+E Networks’ latest channel “territorial expansion” peak. Netflix is expected to break will not happen immediately, brand, Blaze, launches in the International subscribers will the 100 million subs mark by said IHS. UK and Ireland this month. The grow 38% this year, the research 2018. IHS claimed Netflix’s rev- “With the worldwide launch, network is planned as A+E’s first claimed, with more than 2.8 enues would reach US$13 bil- Netflix has launched a platform global free-to-air channel, but will million of these coming from lion (e12 billion) by 2020, with upon which it can build and debut in the UK and Ireland on the 130 new territories Netflix 53% coming from international differentiate the service to fit September 20. It will be carried on expanded into in January when markets. Domestic revenue will specifics of every region in the the Freeview platform and on Sky, it went virtually global (notably hit US$6.2 billion, with interna- future,” Kornilova said. “Netf- with Sky Media handling ad sales. excluding China). tional taking around US$7 bil- lix is starting this localisation It will simultaneously launch as “At the moment, Netflix has lion. Unsurprisingly, western process in Poland and Turkey a TV Everywhere service on iOS 79.9 million total paying sub- Europe will be among the lead- this year. Subscribers in these and Android mobiles and tablets. scribers,” said Irina Kornilova, ing regions outside the US for countries can expect an addition The channel will offer series such senior analyst at IHS Technolo- Netflix by the end of this year, of local languages to the user as Pawn Stars, Mountain Men and gy. “By 2018, international sub- with more than six million sub- interface, subtitles and dubbing American Restoration, among scribers will overtake the num- scribers in the UK. There will of content. This will help drive others. For A+E, Blaze is a second ber of subscribers in the US for also be a combined 5.4 million new subscriber numbers dra- free-to-air channel launch this year, the first time, and by 2020, Net- subs from the Netherlands and matically.” coming after the debut of Lifetime in Turkey in April.

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p04-05,8,10-11,14-15 DTVE News Digest AugSep16v6st.indd 15 30/08/2016 20:19 Technology focus > Virtual reality Digital TV Europe August/September 2016 Virtually real

Virtual Reality sector is predicted be in more people’s hands than ever before. increase 61-fold by 2020. The to balloon in the coming years as Analysts clearly believe in the momentum For those that have tried the technology, new headset technology, games and content all behind VR – both 360° video and ’true VR’, VR has a profound ability to place people into hit the market. Today, VR enthusiasts already which is typically computer rendered. Research alternative realities and to offer new experiences have a number of options ranging from firm IDC predicted earlier this year that and perspectives. But will this new category of HTC’s high-end, PC-tethered Vive headset, worldwide shipments of virtual reality (VR) entertainment be a be a significant application to Samsung’s Galaxy smartphone-compatible hardware will “skyrocket” in 2016, reaching for broadcasters and TV service providers, and Gear VR, and Facebook’s Oculus Rift headsets 9.6 million units and revenues of US$2.3 if so, how should they be preparing themselves which launch in Europe in September. billion (e2.1 billion). A Diffusion Group for this? However, the October launch of Sony’s study from January claims that by 2025 VR PlayStation VR headset, which is designed to will have a global user base of more than 275 plug into PS4 consoles, and the autumn release million people and Futuresource Consulting Broadcasters get on board of Google Daydream – a mobile VR platform predicts that total global spend on VR video that encompasses smartphones, a reference and games content will reach US$8.3 billion by Jaunt is a California-based specialist in design for a headset and controller, and apps 2020. Meanwhile, Cisco’s most recent Visual cinematic VR – immersive, 360°, stereo video – means that by Christmas VR technology will Networking Index says that VR web traffic will experiences – that has already won the support

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p16-18,20 VR DTVE AugSep16v4am.indd 16 30/08/2016 20:46 Digital TV Europe Technology focus > Virtual reality August/September 2016

Jaunt’s Paul McCartney concert footage is technology that allows you to capture and which is helped by the use of the Vive’s hand among its most popular content to date. distribute this content, but using that not as gesture controls. “We’ve put these key narrative an end in and of itself but as a means to create beats though the story,” says Rogers, explaining these incredible experiences for consumers that while users are free to roam the virtual worldwide.” space centre, some areas are inaccessible and Anderman believes that VR is “the first cues from mission control are designed to entertainment medium that is native to keep users on track. “It’s kind of like putting smartphones” and claims that broadcasters, the bumpers up on bowling. You throw the ball operators and content makers are already down there and it will always go down and hit seeing the tremendous potential in VR as the pins at the end, but however you throw it is a platform. While there are a range of VR up to you.” headset options, he claims that smartphones Rogers claims that in a broad sense, many twinned with headsets are an inexpensive entry of the early VR projects being trialled by point for VR that will drive adoption to a much broadcasters and operators are essentially broader audience. marketing exercises that can be used to show “It’s a way to reach consumers worldwide,” off first-mover credentials and to generate he says. “It’s an IMAX-like experience, right headlines. However, he claims that Rewind VR in your pocket. There are a lot of companies will only take on projects where the content is – media companies in particular – looking to “very good” and will turn down work if it does have a stake in this growing VR landscape. As a not meet its standards. “Basically because we result, Jaunt continually gets inbound requests aren’t owned or invested by anyone externally, for investment. We’re already among the most we’re only as good as the last project,” he says. well-financed VR and AR companies, which At such a formative time in the industry, the gives us a huge advantage [but] we can certainly quality of work being made today will also use additional capital to scale the growth of the arguably have a very real impact on whether company very quickly and expand.” consumers embrace VR and opt to invest in In Europe, broadcasters like Arte have VR headsets. been among among the first to experiment with VR. The French cultural broadcaster released its first immersive cross-media doc Defining experience series, Polar Sea, way back in November 2014 and in January this year launched a dedicated For Rogers, the PlayStation VR launch will Arte360 app. The BBC is another early play an important role in the uptake of virtual mover in this space. In June the UK public reality, with an existing installed base of more of the traditional TV space. The company, broadcaster unveiled its first “true VR” pieces than 40 million PS4 consoles and a pre- which raised US$65 million in funding last of content, marking a distinction with the Christmas release date likely to drive healthy September, is backed by a number of high several pieces of 360° content that the BBC sales of the headset. Indeed, speaking at the profile investors, including Sky, Disney and has previously published. Each of the new recent Edinburgh Digital Entertainment ProSiebenSat.1. “What’s great about what Jaunt projects was designed to address challenges Festival, Simon Benson, director at the does is we have an end-to-end solution for that would provide “invaluable insights for the immersive technology group within Sony both creating, capturing, rendering and then organisation now and in the future,” the BBC Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios distributing 360 VR content,” explains chief said at the time. said that PlayStation VR had been designed business officer, David Anderman. “We also One of these projects was Home – A for a “really broad audience” and that for £349 have a studio that helps kickstart the creation of VR Spacewalk, a collaboration between (e409) in the UK and US$399 in the US, it content that goes into our library in addition to BBC Science, BBC Learning, BBC Digital has a “very low pricepoint when you compare working with partners, big media companies Storytelling and VR studio Rewind VR, which it to any other option in high-end virtual reality like ABC News and film studios.” was built for the HTC Vive VR headset and systems.” Before Jaunt, Anderman spent 16 years at is due out later this year. Discussing the Sony will play to its strengths by focusing Lucas Film where he served latterly as chief development, Rewind VR founder and CEO, on games for the launch of its forthcoming operating officer and general counsel before Sol Rogers said the aim of the project was to PlayStation VR system. However, in Edinburgh helping to sell the company to Disney in “really push the boundaries and create real- Benson did also demonstrate a number of 2012. “One thing I loved about being at Lucas time game engine-driven virtual reality”. non-gaming applications for the new headset, Film was George Lucas was just incredibly Home is essentially a short film, not a game, including a 3D concert recital that puts users interested in this intersection between media though Rogers says that the story gives the at the centre of the performance, and a and technology,” he says. “Jaunt has that in sense of freedom – “the illusion that you are forthcoming PlayStation title called VR Worlds its DNA in the sense of taking this incredible there and you are crafting your own story” – that includes one experience that does not have

Visit us at www.digitaltveurope.net 17

p16-18,20 VR DTVE AugSep16v4am.indd 17 30/08/2016 20:46 Technology focus > Virtual reality Digital TV Europe August/September 2016

any traditional “game mechanics”. into the media industry that as soon as we being offered a VR or AR or 360 experience.” “You’ve not got an objective, you’re not encounter some new form of media or new Nordic broadcaster Modern Times Group trying to score anything or achieve anything way of communicating with an audience, we (MTG) is one of a number of television players – you’re just experiencing it,” said Benson, instinctively feel that it must be important for currently figuring out where to navigate next describing Ocean Descent, an underwater us and we must engage in it.” in the VR space. Like NBC in the US and the diving cage in shark-infested waters, which is Harrison says that that there is huge potential BBC in the UK, MTG recently teamed up one of five virtual reality experiences included around gaming, but after that, the media with Samsung to make VR Olympics coverage in VR Worlds. He described this type of ‘virtual type best suited to VR is ‘experience’. This is available on Gear VR headsets. MTG made tourism’ as “a really interesting area” that has a category that he can see being very strong approximately 100 hours of content available the potential to reach a wide audience and in brand experiences, marketing in retail and through the Viasat Sport 360 app, using the bridge the gap between what does and doesn’t other areas such as training, education, health Games as an important learning opportunity. count as a “gaming experience”. He also said and “in some aspects of some of the things that “We believe that for these kinds of technologies that games developers were starting to explore TV does”. it’s a perfect moment to collect user data, look ‘tourist modes’ within games – to allow players “What TV is very best at is storytelling. into behavioural patterns and understand what to pause from the action and take in impressive When you really get down to the details of what are the key benefits and challenges with Virtual virtual vistas. immersive technologies are best at, they’re not Reality in general,” says Bartek Gudowski, The kinds of experiences described by best at storytelling – certainly not at long-form chief technology officer at MTG Broadcasting. Benson pose fundamental questions about storytelling,” claims Harrison. He believes Post-Olympics, Gudowski says that MTG the kinds of content that will start to emerge that the rise of immersive, VR content will not aims to understand how to build a narrative in the age of virtual reality, and about the necessarily be to the detriment of television – at and about different types of products and dividing lines between what games companies least not for a very long time. storytelling in VR. “I think our initial first stab is or entertainment specialists that should be “I partly base that on our current capacity going to be to try to extend existing productions looking to create. as human beings to keep on adding media with virtual reality,” he says, discussing ways to Mark Harrison, director of transformation, forms to our consumption behaviours rather enhance content outside of just purely sports design and engineering, at the BBC, says that than them being substitutional. The ultimate broadcasts. while he believes that immersive technology example of that is the rise of gaming,” he says. “I believe it’s primarily [about] – namely VR, AR and 360° video – will prove “I have a hunch that where we’ll see immersive experimenting with existing productions and “extremely important culturally”, they will tech provide very strong experiences will adding on new experiences and trying to find not necessarily be extremely important for actually be in different consumption contexts. the killer experience before we start with new television. “In my view, there is no broadcaster So by that I mean increasingly if we are buying productions of virtual reality – which is a very that has to invest in VR or 360° at the a holiday or we are buying a house or we are costful exercise,” says Gudowski. “One very moment. The desire to innovate is so baked looking to buy a new car, we will find ourselves interesting thing for us in general is that our Ultra HD initiatives are going quite in hand with virtual reality, because they all require the same enhancements in terms of the camera technologies, the distribution networks and the resolution on the screens. So there are great synergies long-term with these two technologies and how they actually [help to] develop each other in the right direction.”

Content strategies

Mark Atkin is director of Crossover Labs, an international training organisation dedicated to developing cross-media content and exploring challenges related to developing digital media. Crossover also recently worked on a VR project for the BBC called Easter Rising: Voice of a Rebel alongside BBC R&D, BBC Learning and VR specialists VRTOV – producing a “new form of history documentary” that uses VR to present

Easter Rising: Voice of a Rebel is among the BBC’s first ‘true VR’ projects.

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p16-18,20 VR DTVE AugSep16v4am.indd 18 30/08/2016 20:46 18658 VR and AR Advert V2_Layout 1 30/08/2016 10:38 Page 1

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p19 VR World DTVE AugSep16.indd 1 30/08/2016 11:00 Technology focus > Virtual reality Digital TV Europe August/September 2016

Rewind VR’s virtual experience for Bjork song Notget, for her Bjork Digital VR exhibition.

stakes in the entertainment business. “It’s not going to be a bubble that bursts, but there’s definitely going to be a good cooling off period when some of the people who aren’t making the good stuff, who are calling themselves VR specialists, get found out,” he predicts. At the BBC, Harrison is not quite so convinced that VR will be a big part of the broadcaster’s plans any time soon. While he sees the potential for more 360° video, he says that for “full-blown VR” it is probably more suitable for the BBC to provide input rather than try and build those experiences itself. “I’m sure that we will go on experimenting in this area but I wouldn’t see it becoming part of our mainstream output for a while yet. There are historical events from the perspective of those division, Anderman names a live Paul still so many questions that need to be resolved involved. McCartney concert film, one of Jaunt’s first and there’s so much that needs to mature in Atkin, who previously held a multi-platform VR experiences, as one of its most successful this area,” he says. commissioner role at Channel 4, believes that to date. Meanwhile, he also claims that news For others working in this space, the future VR is a good medium for documentary and the content tends to be very popular in the short- is clear, and it can be glimpsed through the type of drama where the viewer can actually term, but then “falls off as that topic tends to immersive lens of a VR headset. “I really do be on stage, interacting with the characters. fade away from the news”. An example of this think that the current generation of toddlers He says some news would also be interesting is was an ABC News-produced VR piece on probably will never ever turn on the television,” – “breaking news where there’s some value North Korea, which Anderman says got an says Crossover Labs’ Atkin. “These are the in being able to see all around you; things like incredible reaction in the first 48 hours with ones who will be growing up in adulthood in the recent primaries in America.” However, he is not convinced that sports, a category of content that is already designed for television “There are a lot of companies looking to would benefit. “You’ve got to think how does the experience in VR become enhanced? If all have a stake in this growing VR landscape. you’re doing is just sitting in a crowd, I can’t see As a result, Jaunt continually gets inbound the point of that.” MTG’s Gudowski says that for sports, requests for investment. ” such as boxing, VR works “very well because David Anderman, Jaunt you can actually get very close to the action”. However, he conceeds that that for some other 17 million 360° video views on Facebook alone, the post television screen world – they won’t sports, where you can’t be close to the action, before traffic tailed off. However traffic did rise need that in the house anymore. We all need the viewer does not get the feeling of presence again months later when North Korea was to prepare for that: the creative community and that they would necessarily expect. “Close up back on the news agenda. the broadcasters alike.” action, with a high degree of presence, makes Rewind VR has done work in the past for Jaunt’s Anderman agrees, claiming that the [for] virtual reality in its perfect form.” brands such as Red Bull, Nissan and singer “smart players” in media don’t want to miss Jaunt’s Anderman says that a lot of the Bjork, and founder Rogers agrees that certain another paradigm shift, with recent history early VR experiences that have appealed close up sports – like basketball and tennis – providing plenty of reminders about the need to consumers are focused on travel and and music or concert footage have a lot potential to keep up with digital trends. “The folks that adventure, storytelling, sports and music. in VR. However he says that the biggest area waited to make the shift to digital-only music With the recent launch of Juant’s publishing will be around “VR vignettes” – secondary and stubbornly held on to physical distribution programme, which allows VR creators to stories or spin-offs around popular stories or models literally got killed – they’re no longer in publish their content directly to the Jaunt VR characters. “VR can let me be in Harry Potter business,” he says. “I think in this day and age app, Anderman says “the content that we are and let me do a wizard’s duel,” Rogers says by and across all media and entertainment those accepting is fitting those criteria”. way of an example. that fail to embrace these new trends in how In terms of Jaunt’s own production Looking ahead, Rogers believes that the VR content is consumed will die. I think no media output from its two year-old Jaunt Studios space will grow “very rapidly” for those with company is going to take that risk.” l

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p16-18,20 VR DTVE AugSep16v4am.indd 20 30/08/2016 20:46 Q&A: Rahul Puri, Magine

Magine chief technology officer Rahul Puri talks about new market opportunities, the importance of Quality of Experience and how to make money from OTT TV.

What are the key underserved market opportunities in OTT TV and across many different consumer devices. We work very closely with ISPs, what challenges do content providers face in addressing these? cloud providers, and other suppliers to ensure that bandwidth is available The internet creates new opportunities and challenges. Opportunities lie in from the point we ingest content to the distribution to the home. For accessing new markets and audiences globally. You need to be excellent in example, we are placing our own edge nodes in key telecommunications micro-targeting, branding and online promotion, or find distributors that networks based on our customer behaviour to ensure that there is enough can promote you locally or in different interest communities. Additionally, bandwidth at a lower cost. there needs to be flexibility in monetisation strategies as one target group in a region may prefer to pay for content differently from another group. How important is consistent Quality of Experience and what do OTT The use of analytics is key to success. OTT can facilitate the acquisition operators need to do to ensure that it is achieved? of data in near real time that allows marketers and content owners to Consistent QoE is critical to success. People are used to the traditional means generate the most value from existing and new customer bases. of consumption – in cable, satellite and terrestrial distribution. OTT needs Magine’s global distribution network and commercial OTT experience to strive for the same quality. Magine consistently optimises picture quality are the key pillars of our managed streaming services for content providers delivery to ensure customers are happy with their experience. In addition, that want to go direct to consumer and aggregators who want a secure to have a stable and reliable back-end platform that can handle the right and reliable platform for anywhere in the world. Our view is that great number of concurrent viewers, the operator needs to add a set of features content coupled with deep analytics in a global framework helps bring that can secure a great quality of experience including adaptive bitrates, new opportunities that would otherwise go unnoticed in the traditional advanced filtering and algorithms determining local client performance in media value chain. This has been validated by both Magine’s direct to real time to optimise both back-end and client performance. consumer offerings in Germany and Sweden as well as in our partner network that looks to monetise globally. What are the most relevant opportunities to make money from OTT and what do operators need to do to maximise the available revenues? How significant a barrier to achieving sufficient reach is the bandwidth There is no single way to monetise content via OTT. Key here is providing challenge of delivering live and on-demand OTT video at consistent an integrated experience to create upsell and new opportunities for high-quality? monetisation. However, this is not enough. Global distribution with deep It is of course crucial. Magine started with the distribution of live and linear analytics creates new opportunities that would otherwise go unnoticed. channels via OTT so bandwidth optimisation is part of our DNA. No OTT New markets and segments continue to emerge and micro-targeting service is better than its weakest link and for example, DSL households them will be the name of the game in the future. will of course have less possibility to have an acceptable multi screen environment. What is Magine putting in place to broaden the OTT opportunity and Increasing deployment of fixed fibre networks and Mobile 4G is needed what are the minimum requirements for content rights holders? to meet the new demand from consumers. Market development is fast. Magine provides faster launch and The highest barriers exist in emerging markets (APAC, LATAM, Africa) implementation by offering TV Superhighway end-to-end solutions to due to lack of infrastructure and more importantly the costs of data. reach new audiences. Direct to consumer offerings, in combination with However, these parts of the world are on the cutting edge of mobile offering distribution via aggregating distribution partners, creates flexible networks and usage and this creates new opportunities for OTT in these monetisation models without sacrificing the traditional model. In fact, regions. Magine works with partners, local governments and ISPs to we have incorporated the traditional model, albeit through a facilitation mitigate these issues to ensure that consumers have the best experience and bet that OTT will be the future model of consumption. It needs to at the right price points. be very simple for content owners so they have time to create amazing experiences. Self-service monetisation, access to analytics, and global What do OTT providers need to put in place to ensure that they maximise distribution are key tenets of what Magine provides to simplify the work the bandwidth available? of the content industry. No OTT service is better than its weakest link. Magine has focused on creating a reliable end-to-end service from signal ingestion to the home Magine will be at IBC on Stand 14.E10. Click here for more information.

pXX Magine Q&A DTVE MS&OTT16v2st.indd 2 07/09/2016 11:08 The Power of IP Geolocation

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pXX Digital Element DTVE AugSep16.indd 1 22/08/2016 10:40 Q&A: Charlie Johnson, Digital Element

Charlie Johnson, VP, UK & Ireland at Digital Element talks about the merits of IP geo-location for broadcasters.

What is IP geo-location and what benefits, if any, could it bring to the We highly recommend a strong focus on the numerous types of broadcast industry? proxies being used, such as VPN’s, DNS, and Tor Exit Gateways, to allow IP geo-location data is a fundamental building block of the internet and broadcasters to create a solution that addresses their unique requirements allows online businesses to accurately identify user’s location – without rather than creating a “generic bucket” of proxies. Digital Element is the consumers being personally identifiable. This is useful to a number of online only provider that can help provide the detailed information needed to industries from advertising to commerce, and from financial services to identify different proxy types and empower online businesses to tailor criminal detection agencies such as INTERPOL. solutions to their own restriction needs. Although IP geo-location has long been used within the broadcast industry, broadcasters have taken a rather half-hearted approach to Which of the players in the distribution chain – studios, broadcasters, including it as part of their content distribution strategies – despite the use service providers – should have responsibility for content protection? of accurate data providing the first line of defence for content protection, Accountability ultimately lies at the point of consumption, but we are seeing and developing a robust solution for accessing data. more and more of the chain taking on responsibility – and rightly so. For example, we are seeing an increasing number of contract What are the challenges of using IP geo-location to manage specifications on providers and the type of content protection they use. geographic content rights and how can these be overcome? It’s no longer deemed acceptable to simply rely on services provided by Accuracy is probably one of the biggest challenges facing broadcasters your content delivery network (CDN), for example, as accuracy and data looking to employ geo-location technologies. With a plethora of low- coverage plays a key role. To maintain the value of content, everyone in cost solutions available, it is often easy to run with a supplier without the chain needs to take accountability – we can’t just pass the buck on confirmation the technology works or provides accurate data. this! Other challenges in using IP geo-location include ensuring the data More and more content creators are adding restrictions to targeting covers 100% of the world’s IP addresses, and checking that proxy detection type and pushing this on to the end distributor. If we all work together to is in place to help businesses protect themselves against IP spoofing. Some provide best of breed services, we can boost content protection success databases carry zero proxy detection within certain countries, which leaves rates and help defend revenue streams to fund more quality content. broadcasters open to being targeted by fraudsters masking their location. There’s a lot for broadcasters to contend with so an accurate IP data What can Digital Element provide to help content rights-holders and solution is vital. Digital Element maintains the world’s most comprehensive what further technological advances can we expect in this area? and accurate geo and proxy databases, and is the only Media Rating Council Digital Element’s team of specialist data engineers and analysts are (MRC) accredited service, assuring broadcasters they are working with a working hard to ensure we deliver the most robust and accurate solution leading frontline provider that is trusted by global content leaders. to address the problem of IP masking, at a commercial scale. By working with a premium IP intelligence provider, broadcasters are By working in conjunction with our clients (including those in financial safe in the knowledge that geographic rights loopholes can be efficiently services and government bodies) we are able to achieve the most monitored and minimised. comprehensive view of the IP space and win the fight against fraud. We are working across the broadcast industry to understand its unique How significant a challenge to rights-holders is IP spoofing and what challenges and provide comprehensive targeting solutions. can be done to combat it? We have been operating in the IP space for over 16 years and have a IP spoofing is a growing problem faced by all rights-holders. As content is unique understanding of IPv4 and, importantly, IPv6 – enabling us to becoming more accessible via the internet, so are the methods used by provide an in-depth level of detection. With today’s proliferation of devices fraudsters to overcome rights legislation. and content accessibility, the number of challenges for broadcasters has We have recently seen a greater focus on proxy detection from our clients, increased, but Digital Element’s unique geo-perspective, down to zip +4 especially the major players. If you Google how to watch BBC iPlayer abroad, or postcode level, which works with device-derived data, has enabled lots of services appear. However, when you then take a look at the forums much greater insight. you will find many irate users who have discovered these solutions do not This area of content protection is ever evolving, but we are proud to work. This is where our accurate proxy detection is working. say our solutions continue to develop and help protect data.

p23 Digital Element Q&A AugSep16v2st.indd 1 29/08/2016 11:01 Technology focus > Mobile TV Digital TV Europe August/September 2016

Moving media

The exponential growth in demand for video over mobile means 4G networks will eventually buckle. For 5G to provide the answer, does broadcast capability need to be built into the specification? Adrian Pennington reports.

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p24-26,28 Mobile Video DTVE AugSep16v4st.indd 24 30/08/2016 20:41 Digital TV Europe Technology focus > Mobile TV August/September 2016

video-over-mobile traffic networks. MBMS allows a UDP style of biggest challenge facing mobile networks. EE With forecast by almost everyone to broadcasting to mobile devices by reducing forecast 80% of all traffic on the network will be multiply exponentially in the next five years the need for a unicast connection for every video by 2020, and Matt Stagg, the operator's and represent 70-80% of all traffic by 2021, device and reducing the bandwidth required head of mobile video and content says that something, somewhere has got to give. Mobile for cellular data. maintaining the quality of mobile video in spectrum is only finite, after all. the face of demand is not just a challenge for “At a certain point the existing 4G LTE operators. “This needs to be looked at end-to- technology will not be sustainable to cope with Can 4G cope? end and new compression technologies can the massive growth in video data,” says Volker reduce the bandwidth required to deliver HD Held, head of innovation marketing at Nokia. According to handset manufacturer Huawei, video by more than half,” he says. “We need a new structure. This is the kernel video now accounts for over 50% of total In some places the bottleneck will be of the 5G business case. Utilising it means we traffic on many 4G networks. Each subscriber the backhaul from the mobile tower, notes won't need to talk about bandwidth constraints consumes an average of more than 3GB of Ampere's Maroulis. In others the bottleneck for the foreseeable future.” traffic per month, rising 60% a year. It argues will be the radio access network (RAN), when The fifth generation mobile network that network capacities must be expanded to too many devices try and connect to the same promises much, but there is life yet in 4G, accommodate more video service connections. tower. “Sometimes the bottleneck may even commonly known as 4G Long Term Evolution “With sufficient bandwidth and improved be the device’s modem – not all devices are (LTE) despite considerable debate about which video compression a lot of the obstacles faced by capable of 150Mbps LTE-Advanced,” he says. implementation of 4G matches the ITU current video could be solved,” says Maroulis. The LTE-B Alliance, founded by Verizon, EE, standard. Candidates include 3GPP LTE which Operators are optimising the 4G network Telstra and South Korea's KT in April, aims is often branded 4G-LTE, LTE Advanced (also using techniques such as ABR shaping to push for all new smartphones to have the known as 4G+) and WiMAX which is deployed and scheduled delivery. T-Mobile USA has chipset and middleware capable of supporting by some carriers in the US. launched a premium offer for its customers to the technology by the end of 2017. “It is uncommon to see operators sell price receive unlimited video – provided that video Consumers are demanding higher quality, plans that do not include 4G access if the plan is reduced to 480p and is from providers who fewer delays and buffering screens, and video has a data allowance,” says Tony Maroulis, agree to that limit – with apparent success. is not just limited to TV content and film, but research manager, Ampere Analysis. “There “Adaptive streaming approaches, such as a lot of social media is now video. Some 300 was a period around 2010 when AT&T, MPEG-DASH, also allow for a fine adaptation hours of video is uploaded to YouTube every T-Mobile USA and a few other operators advertised DC-HSPA+ as 4G, even though it only achieved data speeds of 42Mbps. 4G “With sufficient bandwidth and improved LTE is a more efficient technology and it generally starts at 50Mbps, with the potential video compression a lot of the obstacles to reach higher speeds when more spectrum faced by current video could be solved/” bandwidth is added.” As an example, in France, Spain, Poland, Belgium, and Moldova, Orange’s 4G coverage Tony Maroulis, Ampere Analysis has surpassed 80% of the population. In the US, Verizon covers 313 million people with 4G of the content delivery to the radio access minute, half of which is viewed on mobile LTE, and its VZW 4G LTE network now spans conditions and the terminal capabilities,” says devices, reports Huawei. In addition, 75% of 2.5 million square miles. Some 60% of data Gilles Teniou, senior standardisation manager, Facebook video browsing is performed on consumption over those services is video of content and TV service at Orange Labs. He smartphones. some kind including support for YouTube. thinks the HEVC codec is a clear answer The cost of producing HD screens has “LTE Broadcast – multicast – was seen as a to bandwidth-constrained environments, decreased drastically too. According to solution to the impending video demand, but enabling the delivery of video services in HD. statistics compiled by Huawei’s mLAB, 77% it never materialised as the demand shifted Since March 2015, a feature called MooD of smartphones delivered in the first half of from linear TV to video on demand, which (MBMS operations on Demand) was added 2015 had a resolution of 720p or above. The requires an individual, unicast, connection,” to 4G, permitting the dynamic switching standard 2K resolution on smartphones is says Maroulis. between unicast and broadcast. This makes it 2560 x 1440, which is three times higher 4G networks support MBMS (Multimedia possible for an operator to identify where and than 720p and Huawei expects that over 10% Broadcast Multicast Service), which enables when users are watching the same content at of new smartphones will be equipped with broadcasts to multiple devices over cellular the same time. eMBMS is then seen as a way 2K-definition screens this year. to control the dimensioning of the network A premium 2K video experience will be Ericsson believes that evolved 4G and 5G by efficiently offloading the network when one of the objectives of mobile networks and technologies will be crucial for the growth of needed. will become the mainstream requirement in mobile video. However, video delivery remains the single 2018, according to Huawei. It even observes

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p24-26,28 Mobile Video DTVE AugSep16v4st.indd 25 30/08/2016 20:41 Technology focus > Mobile TV Digital TV Europe August/September 2016

EE believes 80% of all traffic on its network will be video by 2020.

that smartphones equipped with 4K and 8K screens will soon be available. “HD video is imposing great challenges on the LTE networks, which cannot yet fulfil all the requirements of 1080p and 2K videos,” it warns. “The capacity of a single LTE cell must be increased to accommodate more video connections, while data rates at the cell edge must be increased to meet the minimum rate requirements of video watching.” Its version of LTE is branded 4.5G and, according to Huawei, can deliver peak rates ten times that of a single 4G cell. In December 2015, TeliaSonera and Huawei deployed the first LTE-Advanced Pro (4.5G) network with an outdoor peak rate reaching 1Gbps, claimed as by organisations like EU 5G PPP (Public Siebert believes that 5G sits at the peak the world's fastest mobile network. Private Partnership), initiated by the European of the Gartner’s Hype Cycle. “Even before “Even if LTE provides significantly higher Commission with manufacturers, telcos, the technology has been defined, various rates than the previous access technologies, service providers and researchers. operators have already promised field trials and the increasing demand for high quality content The specifications – some call them equipment manufacturers have given us the and the increasing number of simultaneous promises – include: regular mobile data speeds impression that 5G technology is just around accesses to unicast requests – e.g. SVOD surpassing 1Gbps, peaks of 10Gbps (South the corner,” he says. “A network would have to platforms – have to be considered,” points out Korea's SK claim to have lab tested 50Gbps be very dense with ample base stations, which Orange’s Teniou. – 1,000 times faster than 4G), and a latency need to be connected with high speed links to 360° video services for virtual reality also below 1 millisecond. the network. An important cost factor will be promise a new immersive experience for which “While 4G was all about delivering data at the higher frequencies to be used that will result the required bit-rates are still to be identified high speeds, 5G will enable real-time, live video in a more expensive network and consumer (3GPP SA4, the codec group, is conducting delivery,” says Arik Gaisler, senior director, equipment. All in all, building up a 5G network a study on VR in mobile environments). In product management, infrastructure, Kaltura. according to the current promises will be addition, says Teniou, a high number of “This opens up lots of possibilities for real- extremely expensive for the network operator.” simultaneous unicast requests impacts not time communication. We are starting to see The most efficient model, he suggests, is a only the available bandwidth on the access live streaming gaining huge traction, with ‘high tower – high power' approach on which network, but also the load on the cache or edge Facebook Live, YouTube Live, Snapchat, and current broadcast networks are built: “It would servers. “Getting the right video content closer real-time gaming platforms such as Twitch make a lot of sense to integrate this technology to the user may become challenging in such all investing significant resources in live video in the upcoming 5G specification,” he says. a case,” he says. “A new compression format delivery. 360° video and VR – both for VOD would help, for sure, under the assumption and live – will also benefit from 5G, because that it is optimised for the upcoming video VR relies on real-time data tracking and The hybrid proposition services such as Ultra HD and VR.” communication between the consumer and TV and video services are high-capacity the service.” Ericsson believes it critical for service providers services that require fast, reliable data However, 5G is not seen as a direct to develop a hybrid approach using the connections. As such, they define the replacement for existing TV platforms and its technology that makes the most sense for the essence of 5G networks, which are focused use case goes far beyond media. “For 5G to situation and type of viewing behaviour. on providing high-bandwidth, reliable and support broadcast it will have to have an efficient “We already know that in certain, rural parts consistent network services with Forward Error broadcast mode which goes beyond the current of the world a mobile network can compete Correction (FEC) capabilities. broadcast features in 4G,” says Peter Siebert, with fibre and meet the performance of even “Video consumption is expected to be a executive director of the DVB. “5G will have a fixed connection,” says Ericsson's Gordon continued driver in network traffic for years to to support broadcast features such as subtitles Castle, head of strategy area mediacom. “Fixed come and video use cases are on the roadmap and the operator will have to fulfil coverage and connections will never reach the majority of for 5G development,” says Adam Koeppe, VP quality of service requirements. The necessary the world's population so already we're seeing of technology planning at Verizon. tools to provide this have to be included in the that 4G LTE can be cost effective compared to The broad outlines for 5G have been agreed ‘still to be developed’ 5G specification.” installed fibre.”

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p24-26,28 Mobile Video DTVE AugSep16v4st.indd 26 30/08/2016 20:41 Q&A: Ferdinand Maier, ruwido

ruwido CEO Ferdinand Maier talks about haptic feedback, voice interaction and the central importance of design in TV control devices.

What key features do consumers value above others in the device they Are voice and touch complementary or substitute input methods? use to control and input choices for the TV? Voice is complementary as an input mechanism. It is fantastic for searching for Findings of our applied scientific research show that, given the fact that specific content or for making interaction with TV a more personal experience the TV screen in the living room is getting larger, but remains three to five but not for navigation. Multimodal input devices show the potential of voice meters away from the user, eyes-free interaction such as haptic feedback are but always in combination with an analogue interaction mechanism. welcomed. People also value reliability, permanent availability and ease of Touch interaction, like developed for smart devices, has got its limitation for use as key features for convenient TV navigation. precise and eyes-free input on a screen 3-5 meters away from the user. But When it comes to the question of which device to use for TV navigation the combination of touch with special haptic feedback can indeed become a our research showed that even among 19-25 year olds the remote control substitute input method. is rated as being more “natural” to use for navigation than using an app We will see new combinations of different modalities that will make on a tablet. Modern and well-designed multimodal input devices are also interaction with TV even more enjoyable and natural than in the past. The key rated higher in user experience than current tablet apps, including control to success lies in selecting the right type of modality to support standard tasks. features. Our findings have also shown that input devices have to keep up with the evolving TV landscape. User experience was rated higher for tablets To what extent can the principle of simple, clear design of remote controls and tablets apps compared to standard remote controls that aren’t carefully ultimately be reconciled with the growing complexity of navigating structured and designed. through layers of TV content including linear, catch-up, recorded content, VoD, SVoD, OTT apps and so on? How important do you think haptic feedback will be to remote controls A straightforward design set represents a clear interaction mechanism, and other devices in the coming years, and why? giving the user the feeling of always being in control of content. As long as Interaction mechanisms of the future need to optimally support user the interaction mechanism is simple in its structure and supports the user behaviour. Consequently, haptic feedback is and will remain a vital input to discover and control available content, without the need for complicated technology either for new forms of continuous input or to make touch a control sequences, we can have hundreds of apps and thousands of channels modality that can be used eyes-free. Haptic feedback enables users to to navigate within. stay engaged with the action on screen while remaining in control of the And this is exactly what we are excited about. At ruwido we are constantly viewing experience. working on evaluating different interaction mechanisms that can be applied to large amounts of diverse content and elements in the user interface always How significant do you think voice will be relative to other input methods aiming to support what we call: “the synchronization of mind and sense”. for remote controls? We do expect to see voice playing a more prominent role in the user What is ruwido planning to highlight at this year’s IBC and why? experience. Results of our scientific research as well as the emergence of We will demonstrate how to take up and support the kernel behavior of the voice-activated assistants, such as Siri, point to the fact that voice in TV will user and how the human computer interaction can be improved, towards a be used predominantly for search. more natural experience. In addition to search, voice will be incorporated into user identification, At the show, we will unveil a way to transfer the learned usage of smart user dependent voice recognition, personalization and recommendation. devices into the living room on the TV. The best elements of touch interaction Biometric voice recognition will improve over time and we’ll start using are combined with haptic feedback enabling eyes-free interaction; voice where other input methods become cumbersome or tedious. synchronized with a corresponding user interface. At ruwido we expect about 30 per cent of IPTV remote controls to include some sort of voice input by 2018. ruwido will be exhibiting at IBC on stand1.D69

p27 Ruwido Q&A AugSep16v2st.indd 1 26/08/2016 10:41 Technology focus > Mobile TV Digital TV Europe August/September 2016

Ericsson argues that for highly popular 5G use cases. Verizon’s Koeppe says: “While it Some, like Kaltura's Gaisler, believe 5G short/mid-tail content, broadcast technology is early in the development process, we expect networks can ultimately replace legacy continues to make the most sense as its very there'll be a need for additional hardware, cell technologies such as WiMAX, DTT and legacy cost effective. For VOD and niche linear long- sites, and other infrastructure. Part of the work mobile technologies for broadcasting. tail TV content, service providers can use at our innovation centres and with our partners “And with fast, reliable, two-way broadband unicast to improve efficiency. will be creating much of this equipment – for communications comes the promise of further “Many devices are already connected to example, developing even smaller cells with enhancement of the video streams: time- several access technologies, such as terrestrial/ greater network efficiencies. shifted TV services over 5G,” he says. satellite antennas and fixed or mobile The availability of spectrum is key to the Ampere's analysis is that while 5G could be broadband,” Castle says. “By integrating success and advancement of 5G technology. used as a terrestrial substitute, it would likely content from these different inputs into one We are very pleased with the actions the FCC require upgraded terminals – including TVs user interface, an improved user experience is taking to ensure that 5G moves forward and and set-top boxes. will be achieved and the content delivery fully expect 5G to be an evolution of our 4G LTE “Additionally, if 5G was used to replace digital- costs will be reduced. LTE Broadcast will network.” terrestrial TV, then it would be competing with play an increasingly critical role in the future other data connections for bandwidth, unless distribution of video to consumers, given it had a dedicated bandwidth assignment, that the majority of terrestrial TV is delivered 5G trials which would make it not too different from the via broadcasting, whereas mobile video is current set up,” notes Maroulis. delivered through cellular networks using A clutch of European telcos, including EE's Stagg strikes a note of caution amid all unicast through a separate video stream. Deutsche Telekom, Nokia, Telefonica and the hype. “As a service [5G] needs to be looked Mobile networks can also provide broadcast Vodafone, say they will begin conducting large- at end-to-end to ensure an optimal experience delivery with the mobile network dynamically scale tests by 2018, with a launch in at least one and we cannot be complacent and file the switching between unicast and broadcast, city in each EU country by 2020. requirement under ‘5G has lots of bandwidth to support 8K resolution’,” he says. “Another aspect we are addressing within the industry “Live sport and popular events put is ensuring that all video is not treated the same and labelled OTT content. Through completely different demands on the our research and analytics we now know that network and must be addressed with a one- live sport and popular events put completely different demands on the network and must to-many technology such as broadcast.” be addressed with a one-to-many technology Matt Stagg, EE such as broadcast.” BT and EE are also keen to look at thereby optimising resource utilisation.” BT and Nokia are to collaborate on 5G use convergence in 5G. To drive this forward, they As user behaviour evolves and technology cases and trials, and to jointly develop 5G are part of the consortium supporting the advances, Ericsson expects to see a crossover standards and equipment. The work will 5GPPP working group (5G-Xcast). point where broadband will prove to be a underpin the forthcoming rollout of LTE- This media delivery solution will have built- superior form of delivery compared to fixed-to- Advanced Pro and 5G services by EE. Nokia in unicast/multicast/broadcast and caching mobile and where mobile will have a greater is also already conducting trials of its latest capabilities, and it will enable media services to impact in terms of reaching television. 5G-ready radio equipment at BT Labs in use any mix of the available mobile, fixed and It gives the example of in-home solutions Suffolk. Forthcoming proof-of-concepts will broadcast networks, explains Stagg. that require high spectrum efficiency. “Globally, focus on technology enablers for 5G, including “The project will take a holistic approach fixed broadband deployments lack the quality millimeter wave radio and convergence, as well in order to minimise the media delivery and capacity to provide a high level TV service as commercial applications of ultrafast mobile differences between the considered types of and the majority of global households are unable broadband, mission-critical services and the networks,” he says. “It will be end-to-end and to receive a fixed broadband connection,” says Internet of Things. cover everything from the physical layer and the Castle. “New mobile technologies with higher Ericsson says it has trials with 20 operators radio interface to the transport and application spectral efficiency, directional antennas and in the works and will collaborate with Cisco and layers including protocols and APIs. The portable home gateways optimised for video Intel to develop the industry’s first 5G router. project will contribute to the definition of 5G distribution, will reduce mobile broadband “This will be a critical addition, particularly critical technologies and its standardisation in delivery costs. Evolved 4G and 5G technologies when you consider the numbers of viewers 3GPP with the development of 5G broadcast. will play a crucial growth role in enabling streaming high quality video content on a daily This is a very important topic that has gathered mobile video to be a cost competitive alternative basis,” says Castle. By developing the router, very little, if any, attention so far, and is key to fixed broadband and grow at a much faster Ericsson wants to enable ultra-high speed to achieving the ubiquity, scalability and rate than any other network traffic.” wireless bandwidth and facilitate the growth of cost-efficiency required by the core KPIs for In the US Verizon is trialling fixed wireless new internet-connected devices. sustainable immersive large scale video.” l

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p24-26,28 Mobile Video DTVE AugSep16v4st.indd 28 30/08/2016 20:41 DTVE.indd 1 p29 MIPCOM DTVE AugSep16.indd 1

TO DISCUSS HOW TO AMPLIFY YOUR CONTENT ANDPRESENCEAT MIPCOM PLEASE CONTACT MIPCOM® MIPJunior® are registered trademarks of Reed MIDEM. Création [email protected] /+ 44 (0)207 653 3927 THE WORLD’S ENTERTAINMENT CONTENT MARKET 17-20 OCTOBER 2016 // CANNESFRANCE PAUL NICKEAS MIPCOM.COM 26/08/2016 15:57 29/08/2016 10:41 Technology focus > Advanced advertising Digital TV Europe August/September 2016

TV on target

Does TV need to deliver targeted advertising to survive, or does its ability to deliver reach protect it from the threat of internet video? Stuart Thomson reports.

promise of targeted advertising for its own channels. AdSmart had run over linear TV ads remains challenging for a The has been held up as a way to 4,000 campaigns by February this year, just number of reasons including the ability to safeguard the future of free TV – and deliver over two years after it launched, according to deliver campaigns over multiple distribution added value for pay TV – for a long time now. figures provided by media agency Group M. platforms to achieve sufficient scale to make In Europe, the UK has been the pioneer, with About 2% of potential inventory was taken the campaign worthwhile. Sky and Channel 4 taking the lead in investing up by AdSmart campaigns across about 70 In the US, the practice of TV networks in and advocating the benefits of targeting. channels, which is expected to rise to about 100 giving cable distribution platforms the right to Sky has had the advantage of being both a pay by the end of this year. Sky is likely to roll the sell a limited number of minutes per hour of TV platform provider with a direct subscriber platform out in Germany in the next two years advertising inventory by ad replacement has relationship with viewers and a content provider or so, while Sky Italia is expected to launch created a significant business that can serve with advertising inventory in its own right. The targeted advertising a bit sooner, possibly next as the basis for delivering more sophisticated company developed its AdSmart platform as a year or in 2017. forms of targeted advertising. Commercial client-side way of delivering targeting, initially For broadcasters, however, targeting of arrangements between platform operators and

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p30-32,34 Advertising DTVE AugSep16v4st.indd 30 30/08/2016 20:53 Digital TV Europe Technology focus > Advanced advertising August/September 2016

broadcasters are already in place. broadcaster and another. While advertisers says Brunier, it may make sense to run In Europe, it has proved somewhat more don’t necessarily care about how an audience split campaigns, with creative specially challenging to get operator-based targeting off is being reached, they care about how they can commissioned to target specific segments of the ground because broadcasters, who hold segment their audience,” says Sewell, who the audience with messaging to complement the rights to all their own advertising inventory, adds that broadcasters are using the technology a broader national campaign. have to see an advantage in coming to terms both to sell unused inventory and by charging Brunier says that STV is also trialling with platform operators for it to work. more to reach desired demographic groups. programmatic – or automated – selling of The key to unlocking the true potential inventory alongside targeted advertising but of targeted advertising, however, is data. that this is at an early stage. For broadcasters, Large footprint “Broadcasters with data available can increase the jury still appears to be out on programmatic the value of their inventory and target more – and there remains a question over whether For Tim Sewell, CEO of advertising replacement specialist Yospace, the launch of targeting by broadcasters is basically dependent on different “The challenge for sellers is that they are elements coming together such as the ability of broadcasters to provide a digital footprint that now losing linear audience share to YouTube justifies the investment and media agencies and Facebook.” taking an active interest. Yospace has worked closely with Channel 4 and Scottish broadcaster STV in delivering Alex Merwin, SpotX a platform that enables them to offer targeted advertising. Sewell says that the experience of efficiently to make the best use of that inventory. direct sales deliver more value. the Channel 4 in bringing targeted advertising Their audience goes further. Targeting For STV, the main gaps in its targetable to its digital video-on-demand platform has strengthens the argument for increased CPMs inventory currently are those on streams enabled it to “push targeting to live” as well. [cost per thousand impressions] and it also delivered to TV platforms including free-to- “The key thing about the ability to extends the number of campaigns broadcasters air platforms Freeview, Freesat and YouView. improve targeting to the end user is that it can deliver to a fixed number of viewers, as Brunier says that STV is advancing towards unlocks inventory that previously couldn’t be opposed to delivering a million eyeballs for one universal targeting. The company plans to test monetised,” says Sewell. campaign,” says Sewell. the technology on Freesat next month and plans Targeting has often been seen as all about Scottish commercial broadcaster STV has to develop the service on YouView following its enabling broadcasters to offer advertisers the been at the forefront of adopting the technology. imminent transition from Flash to HTML5. ability to reach desired socio-demographic Rémi Brunier, product owner for STV Player “The TV is definitely of interest,” says Brunier. groups, and ultimately to deliver truly for both linear and VOD at the broadcaster, says “It also offers a slightly different demographic personalised advertising based on individual that STV now has about two million registered [meaning] we can cover all bases.” tastes and preferences. But more prosaically, it users, out of a total population in its footprint Yospace’s Sewell also says that his company can also enable them to target new advertisers of five million people. As with Channel 4, it is working with a number of player vendors that previously would not have considered TV has obliged people to register in order to see to ensure that HTML5 implementations will as a suitable medium such as local businesses premium and on-demand content they would support dynamic ad insertion, while MPEG with a limited geographical market. The not otherwise have access to. Mandatory fields DASH will support insertion later this year. ability to offer highly specific postcode-based included name, date of birth and first line of advertising enables them also to resell the address, with a few more fields added to enable same inventory to multiple advertisers. more granular targeting. Demand-side push While video-on-demand has been a testing STV introduced live ad targeting on STV ground for ad replacement, the ability to Player after introducing the technology for its Alex Merwin, vice-president, global seamlessly stitch ads into linear streams is VOD streams. The technology is available on programmatic demand at advertising potentially far more lucrative. “The view- iOS and Android devices and the web. The technology provider SpotX, meanwhile through rates on linear streams are substantially broadcaster offers targeting based on micro- contends that requests for targeting – like higher than on VOD,” says Sewell, citing a regions, enabling it to offer advertising to local demand for programmatic buying of spots – is view-through rate – essentially a measure of businesses, and can also segment the audience coming from the demand side rather than the post-impression response to ads seen – of on the basis of age group and gender. Brunier suppliers of advertising inventory. 97-98% in the case of linear replacement ads says that 80% of inventory is “targetable”, “The challenge for sellers is that the control against 75-85% for mid-roll VOD ads. although the proportion that is actually [of the inventory] they had helped them keep “There are more and more broadcasters ‘targeted’ in practice is considerably less. control of their rate-card, but they are now doing targeting across linear TV. The technology For local businesses and niche brands, losing linear audience share to YouTube and has matured and it is a viable thing to invest targeting on a geographical or demographic Facebook. The trick for broadcasters is to in. It is potentially a differentiator between one basis makes sense. For larger brands, maintain the rate-card and the value they bring

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p30-32,34 Advertising DTVE AugSep16v4st.indd 31 30/08/2016 20:53 Technology focus > Advanced advertising Digital TV Europe August/September 2016

to the content in terms of audience and the and smartphones.” interacting via second screen devices. When value of their programming,” he says. “There TVSquared provides a platform that is TV spots appear, it is possible to judge which of are now other content creators – MCNs and so designed to help agencies and advertisers them are driving the best response rates. on – that are starting to compete, along with measure the responsiveness of TV ads by SVOD providers and that is creating pressure.” analysing data to assess the way consumers use According to Merwin, while broadcasters second-screen devices to engage with brands. Strength in reach have the high-quality content that advertisers While only a small amount of TV content want to associate their products with, they are is consumed via video-on-demand and live Not everyone believes that broadcast’s days are “not coming to the table with a great targeting unicast streams, such streams are potentially numbered unless they can deliver addressability story to justify the rates they charge”. valuable because it is possible to track who an across their inventory immediately. He says that some broadcasters are now advert was served to at what time. TVSquared Matthew Huntington, chief technology making some of their inventory available for attempts to take this further by figuring out officer at UK free-to-view satellite platform programmatic buying via private exchanges. whether consumers respond to such ads by Freesat, argues that TV has “seen the threat Buyers use their own data sets or buy in third-party data to enable them to target their ads. Large corporations have gathered huge The challenge of delivering scale amounts of data about consumers as part of their product development activity that they can One of the key challenges faced by broadcasters could emerge, where equipment manufacturers now apply to advertising “that drives results at in delivering on the promise of targeted provide technology that broadcasters can then lower prices”, says Merwin. advertising is that the fragmented and localised use to make their own ad inventory addressable. While media owners are under pressure, systems in place lack the global scale of internet- “If you look at the free-to-air market in the UK delivery of meaningful targeting requires delivered video platforms. it is dominated by smart TVs. Connection rates content to be delivered over addressable IP Matthew Huntington, chief technology officer are impressive and in a few years you will have a networks. In Europe, says Merwin, where of UK free-to-view satellite platform Freesat, very high level of connectivity,” says Huntington. large numbers of people still consume TV says that “there is a real market for addressable In addition, the prevalence of updateable over free over-the-air broadcast networks advertising”. However, a lot of work needs to Freeview Play, Freesat Freetime and YouView that are not addressable, “TV is safe for now” be done to enable targeted advertising with boxes could help deliver the scale necessary to from competition. Nevertheless, he says, even sufficient scale that makes economic sense. launch aunified targeted advertising platform. mainstream over-the-air TV will inevitably Huntington makes the point that Sky TV manufacturers looking to join the come under more pressure as younger AdSmart – the major platform enabling conversation will need a Europe-wide approach. audiences drift towards YouTube. In addition, Huntington believes that this could happen the global nature of the internet and IP when Sky launches AdSmart in Germany provides a global platform for advertisers that and Italy, which would boost interest and broadcast TV can’t match – so there is likely to concentrate minds. Ahead of targeting being be pressure in the longer term for TV to give widely deployed, says Huntington, broadcasters up its legacy – scattered, localised – broadcast would do well to focus on other innovations that platforms and move everything to IP. can add value to advertising, such as mearuing “In TV, every market does everything the viewing of ads on “a census basis rather differently – there is no single protocol. Digital than a panel basis” by using connected devices has a big advantage over TV because it is global. Platforms such as Freesat could be part of a to measure what ads have been viewed and Whether in the future the market tries to create wider targeted-advertising ecosystem. for how long. Another possibility is using the a global linear TV solution or put linear content ability to measure viewing on connected TV onto the existing global platform is an open addressable advertising in the UK today – is platforms to enable targeting of ads on non-TV question, but I would bet on the latter,” he says. based on technology that was defined almost digital platforms, something he describes as ‘re- Measuring the responsiveness of consumers 10 years ago, and a lot has changed. AdSmart targeting’. “A lot of digital advertising is wasted to TV advertising is a key part of the value of works without boxes being connected to the because it only works if a brand impression ad targeting, but it is also challenging. TV, unlike internet with ads being synchronised from the is delivered to the viewer first,” he says. “If you the web, does not provide an instant feedback internal hard disk. Now, delivering replacement know which consumers see which TV ad, you mechanism in the form of click-throughs. ads on a ‘just-in-time’ basis from the web is more can target a digital ad and that combination For Kevin O’Reilly, chief technology officer of practical and can help unlock additional value. makes digital advertising a lot more effective.” advertising data analysis specialist TVSquared, Huntington is sceptical that broadcasters in It would be important to enable this kind the TV business remains fragmented in terms the UK and elsewhere in Europe will be willing to of targeting while at the same time avoiding of platforms and technology. “Putting together give up inventory to platform operators on the the sharing of personal data, says Huntington. a measurement platform that looks like the model that prevails in the US. He suggest that At the same time, consumers could be given web is very far away,” he says. “People don’t something more akin to a ‘federated’ model incentives to opt in, he suggests. interact with the TV. They interact via tablets

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p30-32,34 Advertising DTVE AugSep16v4st.indd 32 30/08/2016 20:53 DigitalTV Europe.pdf 1 29/08/2016 15:21

Make streaming personal. 8 of 10 millenials say that they prefer to see targeted advertising and almost two thirds would click on online advertising they liked.*

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p33 YoSpace DTVE AugSep16.indd 1 29/08/2016 16:11 Technology focus > Advanced advertising Digital TV Europe August/September 2016

from the internet come and go” and contends For Bremond, advertisers already have tried- cites the statistic that 70% of Sky AsSmart users that budgets that previously migrated to digital and-trusted ways of measuring responsiveness were new to TV advertising as of February this platforms are in many cases returning to TV. of audiences to TV spots. The key to realising year – and adds that this represents a decline “Watching TV is done in a different mental the value of targeting, however, is in using it to on the previous year’s figure of 80%, probably state than surfing the web. Part of the value is unlock hitherto untapped markets. because earlier users were satisfied with the its ability to deliver a message when you are “People who have always advertised on TV product and came back for more. more open to brand messaging. There is not an will continue to do that. The interesting piece The overall numbers remain relatively small, imperative to improve what it does, although is identifying the brands that could go to other however. Smith cites eMarketer research that there is an argument that unless TV advertising channels that are currently given away as part shows worldwide addressable TV advertising is fully measured money will disappear,” says of the brand campaign because they are not totaling US$400 million (e350 million) Huntington. “However, the problems with measured by BARB. It could make sense for in value in 2015, a figure he describes as measurement on the web are far greater than people who have never advertised on TV, as “plausible”. The value of UK addressable TV for BARB in the UK, for example, and in some they now have impression-based advertising advertising was estimated at US$50 million ways TV is a better position.” measurement and can target their audience a last year. Smith says that global addressable TV Huntington believes that the real threat to bit better,” he says. ads could be worth US$2 billion by the end of free TV is not the web, but pay TV, which has Further down the line, says Bremond, next year – still only 1% of total TV investment. put in place platforms that have the capability broadcasters will see a lot of value in “Our first priority has to be to get TV and to deliver addressable advertising. He says integrating linear and non-linear platforms to gaming content measured across various that free TV broadcasters will need to deliver be able to offer integrated campaigns targeting platforms,” says Smith. “These platforms are something similar or better, given their much consumers across multiple devices for both not substitutes for one another. Reach has greater dependency on advertising as their linear TV and VOD. FreeWheel is currently a time dimension as well just being about chief source of income. working on a platform that can deliver this, the numbers. Marketing comes with time None of this is to say that targeting is seen which Bremond says is being beta-tested with constraint attached. You need to achieve your either as an absolute immediate imperative or a number of broadcasters. reach within a given month, for example.” as a panacea in the face of a perceived online Online video comes with other problems onslaught on TV advertising budgets from the attached. While marketers often want to web. Many observers believe that the ability No crisis achieve an immediate response to a campaign, of TV to deliver a common brand message this can be difficult to achieve in a digital-only to a very large audience remains one of the Adam Smith, futures director at WPP-owned domain. In the absence of direct response to medium’s strengths. global media agency Group M, also strongly ads, advertisers need to be able to measure both Thomas Bremond, commercial director, believes that TV still provides a unique selling reach and the frequency with which videos are northern Europe, at advertising technology company FreeWheel, believes that reach remains a strong selling point for TV. “Broadcasters have a pretty powerful “Broadcasters have a pretty powerful message for advertisers in terms of offering message for advertisers in terms of offering reach,” he says. reach.” Bremond believes that targeting will have an appeal for certain types of channels, such as smaller niche services whose audiences does Thomas Bremond, FreeWheel not appear on BARB ratings or their equivalent and whose inventory is typically packaged point, which online platforms simply can’t consumed. Large amounts of online video are up with that of other channels and possibly match. “What advertisers buy is reach,” he being consumed by a small proportion of the undervalued. However, the key remains says, adding that recent predictions of TV’s overall population, meaning that advertising measurability and data, as well as targeting in a imminet decline are misplaced. “TV isn’t in around that could create a problem of ads way that advertisers can make sense of. crisis because it has not lost much reach.” being seen too frequently by a small number of “Some operators want to offer more than While a significant number of younger people while others never see them at all. 50 attributes. No one is going to target to that people may not watch TV – or watch a lot less Nevertheless, Smith concedes that TV will many because you run risk of targeting no one. than previously – TV as a medium has lost need to embrace targeting, because it remains It makes sense to focus on two or three – age “only about three points of reach”, according to quite likely that TV’s lost audiences at the gender, geo-location, kids, no kids, degree of Smith. TV, he says, is not in the same spiral of younger end of the spectrum will remain lost affluence – those kind of things. You don’t want decline as newspapers. as those people grow into adulthood. to get down to things that are too uncommon,” Smith agrees that addressability can help TV “‘Addressable advertising will maximise says Bremond. “TV is not direct response by extending the market for TV advertising. TV’s reach in the fragmented future, because marketing. Advertisers are looking for brand Local ad replacement can open up the market it replaces broad demographics with real affinity rather than specific product targeting.” to local restaurants and other businesses. He individuals aggregated at scale,” he says. l

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p30-32,34 Advertising DTVE AugSep16v4st.indd 34 30/08/2016 20:53 COLOCATED FOR 2016!

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pXX CDW+OTT DTVE AugSep16.indd 1 29/08/2016 10:47 Content Innovation Awards 2016 > Preview Digital TV Europe August/September 2016

Content Innovation Awards 2016: The preview Following last year’s successful event, the 2016 Content Innovation Awards returns to Cannes’ Carlton Hotel in October.

TV Europe and its television industry. technology providers. For the complete Digital sister publication TBI New categories this year include Advanced shortlist, visit www.contentinnovationawards. have now unveiled the shortlist for this TV Innovation of the Year, Most Innovative com/2016-shortlist. year’s Content Innovation Awards, with Digital Project, OTT TV Initiative of the Year, The winners will be decided by a panel of 14 entries from a wide range of top-tier pay TV UHD Initiative of the Year, the Millennials expert judges that includes media investor and operators, content companies and technology Award and Virtual Reality Initiative of the entrepreneur Bruce Tuchman, Arris’ Cornel providers competing for the top honours Year. Other categories include Best Content Ciocirlan, Cisco CTO Ken Morse, Endemol across 18 awards categories. Distributor, Best New Channel Launch, Shine executive Mark Lawrence, RTÉ CTO Following the success of the inaugural Best Series Launch of the Year, Breakout Richard Waghorn, TalkTalk head of pay TV Content Innovation Awards in 2015, this International Drama, Channel of the Year, content Will Ennett, Sonar Entertainment’s year’s event, which Digital TV Europe is the Content Discovery Technology Award, David Ellender and StoryTechLife’s Claire hosting in partnership with TBI, will be Industry Innovator of the Year, Pay TV Tavernier, among others. even bigger and better, celebrating the Initiative of the Year, the Second Screen The 2015 inaugural event welcomed over most impressive innovations in TV content Experience Technology Award, Social TV 120 guests with BT, Discovery Networks creation, distribution and technology over the Innovation fo the Year, and the Multiscreen International, Eurosport and Videocon d2h past year. TV Award. among the big winners. The awards ceremony will take place on This year’s shortlist comprises a total of The highlight of this year’s Awards will be Sunday October 16, 2016 at the Carlton Hotel almost 90 top-flight companies spanning a glittering awards gala dinner at the Carlton in Cannes. content creation, distribution and technology. Hotel where over 150 of the industry’s most Launched in 2015, the Content Innovation The list features pay TV operators senior executives will attend the reception, Awards is the premier event celebrating including Liberty Global, Sky, Vodafone, awards dinner and ceremony and network at innovation in content, distribution and Orange and Modern Times Group, and the after-party. The ceremony will take place delivery and the wide-ranging achievements broadcasters and content providers including in the hotel’s Grand Salon from 20:00-24:00, of the companies and individuals who bring Euronews, Channel 4, AMC, Scripps with entertainment provided by award- video content to the world. Networks Interactive, Fox, Red Bull Media winning singer-pianist Liane Carroll. The awards recognise innovation from House and NBCUniversal, as well as a host of For more information about the Last year’s Cable Congress was held in content providers, distributors and technology leading OTT TV service providers, top-flight Content Innovation Awards, visit www. Brussels; this year it heads to Warsaw. companies that are helping transform today’s production companies and industry-leading contentinnovationawards.com. l

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p36 CIA Prev DTVE AugSep16v4st.indd 36 30/08/2016 19:44 Digital TV Europe IBC 2016 > Preview August/September 2016 IBC 2016: the preview This year’s IBC exhibition will take place at Amsterdam’s RAI from September 9-13. Digital TV Europe takes a look at some this year’s highlight technologies.

platform can decode HEVC with services. It provides support for ABOX42 up to 60 frames per second. secure media sharing in order Agama STAND 14.J20 The box supports an HTML5 to deliver assets to authorised STAND 5.A73 browser-based user interface consumers. and application environments The platform has been extended WHAT’S NEW? including HbbTV. All major to adapt to increased time-to- New video service assurance streaming formats for OTT, IPTV market pressures, and to offer solution and DVB are supported. On the compliance with the latest media WHAT’S NEW? DRM/Software-CAS side the M30 sharing and security standards. WHAT DOES IT DO? M30 is ready for Verimatrix VCAS, Client SDKs are available for a Agama Technologies will use IBC Marlin, Playready, SecureMedia wide range of devices such as to launch the new version, 5.1, WHAT DOES IT DO? and WideVine. The M30 SmartSDK set-top boxes, TVs, iOS, Android, of its video service assurance ABOX42 will use IBC to unveil is upgraded to support HEVC on Windows mobile devices as solution. Agama will showcase its its new Smart STB platform Full-HD in all combinations and well as Mac OSX and Windows solution for monitoring, assurance M30 with a built-in Smart Home with all streaming formats like computers. This enables operators and analytics. Highlights include Gateway. The box contains a radio HLS and DVB-T2, according to to utilise the same technology enhanced incident and problem package to communicate with ABOX42. An OTT/IPTV version is for all devices, improving reach management for cable. Fault the latest standards required available for pure IP operators. at a fraction of the cost. To help detection and visualisation tools for connecting sensors in the M30 Hybrid-DVB versions are operators better understand pinpoint where in the RF-access home. The M30 communication available for DVB-C, DVB-T/T2 and subscribers, Access Twine provides network problems have occurred interfaces supports Thread, DVB-S/S2 networks to support data generation and aggregation and what the impact is. Another RF4CE and WiFi extensions. In traditional Pay-TV environments in over its cloud-based service feature is support for Ultra HD/4K addition it supports the latest combination with hybrid-DVB and components together, which can service monitoring, with analysis ZigBee 3.0 standard. The device OTT/IPTV. be integrated with existing tools, of HEVC-encoded content so that can connect to in home sensors such as the Verimatrix Verspective video operators’ UHD video servic- like door/window open detection, CONTACT www.abox42.com operator analytics solution, to es meet expectations, according smoke, fire and gas-sensors, water deliver user-friendly analytics. to Agama. The third new feature leak detectors, motion sensors This development is part of the introduced by Agama at the show and light bulbs. Via WiFi the M30 Access extended ACCESS and Verimatrix is an extended solution for OTT can control sensors like cameras STAND 14.D14 partnership, which prepares service assurance. The Agama with optional microphone and the ground for a fast and easy Analyzer and Analyzer OTT enable speaker functionality. The M30 integration of the Verimatrix proactive monitoring in all stages provides advanced built-in security ViewRight technology as a CA/ of OTT playout and delivery - from and encrypted data transmission DRM complementary and separate ingest to edge cache and from to the ABOX42 cloud services. add-on to Access Twine, in order manifest to video content - with Alongside the M30 Smart STB, to secure media sharing within support for HLS, MPEG-DASH, ABOX42 offers a range of SaaS/ the entitled domain. This ensures Smooth Streaming and now HDS. cloud IoT backend services to WHAT’S NEW? the same level of protection for all Combined with Agama monitor- communicate with the gateway, to Access Twine media sources, including premium ing in subscriber devices, such collect sensor data, to aggregate assets and the consumer’s private as tablets and smart TVs, the and store the sensor data. On top WHAT DOES IT DO? library, as well as local and remote, solution is designed to give insight of these SaaS services, a range Access will use IBC to demonstrate free or premium, subscribed or and transparency to the quality of Smart Home Solutions can be its extended Access Twine owned content, according to for each customer and stream, implemented. The M30-Series multiscreen media sharing and Access. according to the company. Smart STB is based on Broadcom’s management platform. The latest HD high performance company says that the product is CONTACT CONTACT 5,000 DMIPS ARM based system- designed to ease the development www.access-company.com www.agama.tv on-a-chip BCM7250. The M30 and operation of multiscreen

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p37-42 IBC Preview DTVE AugSep16v3am.indd 37 30/08/2016 21:25 IBC 2016 > Preview Digital TV Europe August/September 2016

clients to deliver IP video to TVs as ATX’s VersAtivePro licence-free WHAT’S NEW? ATX well as clients for PCs, tablets and transcoding platform is designed BkS350 Origin Packager V2.0 STAND 14.G16 mobiles. VidiPlay also manages to be a budget-friendly solution in client authentication and access the professional quality transcoder WHAT DO THEY DO? control, provides UI customisation market, according to the company. Broadpeak will highlight and supports advanced features The UCrypt IP to PAL (IP2PAL) multiscreen video delivery on such as an interactive programme mini-headend is designed for managed networks and the guide, VOD, nPVR, digital signage conversion of IP video streams to open internet through on- WHAT’S NEW? and more. DigiVu II multichannel PAL in a space-efficient and cost- the-fly packaging and cache VidiPlay; DigiVu II; VersAtivePro; encoders are designed for effective manner. This device can management. New at the show UCrypt encoding locally generated ingest up to 60 MPEG-2/H.264, is a TS input for the BkS350 content and studio feeds as well HD/SD video streams and convert Origin Packager, allowing use WHAT DO THEY DO? as for transporting video feeds them to PAL. of a single packaging process in ATX is highlighting four product between locations. Video inputs CONTACT www.atxnetworks.com the content delivery workflow, lines – end-to-end IPTV solutions, include HD/SD-SDI, CVBS, HDMI, according to the company. encoding with reliable video and Component. Outputs include Broadpeak will show nanoCDN delivery over the internet, licence- MPEG-2/H.264, SD/HD, and Broadpeak Multiscreen for satellite, allowing free transcoding, and an IP to PAL multiple output profile encoding. STAND 5.B72 satellite operators to deliver live mini headend. VidiPlay middleware They feature optional integrated and on-demand services across is a part of ATX’s end-to-end IPTV Zixi Feeder or VideoFlow DVP tablets, smartphones, connect solution. The system can include technologies for reliable video TVs, and other OTT devices by IP set-back boxes and smart TV delivery over the internet. leveraging a STB and Broadpeak's nanoCDN technology. Also on show is the Broadcache box, a BT to highlight Ultra HD outside sports STAND O.C01 local cache solution for content providers to reduce CDN costs. BT is to unveil the latest UHD and satellite simultaneous- stream, the BBC, Ericsson, Eu- The Broadcache box is a local outside broadcasting links truck ly, according to BT Media and rovision, Megahertz and Nevion. cache closer to end-users. For at this year’s IBC conference in Broadcast. The truck will use The sessions will cover The Next OTT TV providers, Broadpeak Amsterdam. The vehicle will be the latest encoding equipment, Generation of Networking, 4K will showcase umbrellaCDN used by BT’s Media and Broad- which has been specifically de- HDR and Beyond, Designing a CDN selection, enabling content cast division to broadcast BT signed for premium live sports Broadcast Truck for the Future providers to choose the most- Sport’s live coverage of the broadcasting, according to the and Cyber Security. adapted CDN for delivering video round two Aviva Premiership company. BT Media & Broadcast recent- content. umbrellaCDN offers a Rugby Matches in 4K. BT’s digital and media broad- ly completed work upgrading 20 variety of advanced capabilities, The TES52 truck, which was cast services arm will display leading football stadiums around including CDN Diversity, a new designed and built by systems the TES52 truck on its stand in the UK with a fibre network technology that allows content integrator Megahertz, is the the outside exhibition area. that can support multiple cam- providers to take into account the first vehicle in the UK capa- The showcase will also host era feeds simultaneously. The instantaneous quality of several ble of transmitting multiple HD panel speaker sessions which upgrade means that 40Gbps of CDNs as a service to deliver the and UHD/4K visions via fibre will include experts from Ad- fibre capacity will run directly content with the highest quality from each Premier League foot- possible. Broadpeak will also ball ground to the BT Tower. The highlight its new standalone video fibre cabinets which are part of analytics solution for displaying the new network will also be on key video parameters to IBC2016. display at BT’s IBC stand. Other highlights include Cloud BT recently signed a deal PVR, enabling operators to deliver with the BBC to provide the start-over, time-shift, and catch-up broadcaster with global IP net- TV, as well as impulsive recording, work services for at least seven while only storing content once, years. Under the agreement, BT according to the company. is delivering a fibre network de- Broakpeak will highlight nanoCDN signed to give the BBC network multicast ABR – multicast ABR capacity to support its needs. solution for 4K content. It will also demo its CDN in a box CONTACT www.btplc.com solution to provide operators with

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p37-42 IBC Preview DTVE AugSep16v3am.indd 38 30/08/2016 21:25 Digital TV Europe IBC 2016 > Preview August/September 2016

essential capabilities, such as CDN Mind – claimed by the company to based upon Comigo's widgets leading solutions (e.g. CAS, DRM, management, video analytics, be the TV industry’s first form of catalogue or custom-developed SSL), according to the company. video streaming servers, and artificial intelligence. During the leveraging the WatchApp SDK. MCAS allows operators to choose origin packaging. Broadpeak's show, Comigo will also highlight its EI Mind uses big data and deep the applications, middleware and CDN services support a variety of Android STB range, running EI learning algorithms on top of NLP the security solutions for its STBs, OTT applications for operators, Middleware that interacts with to create a cloud-based Platform according to Fastcom. If required, including disaster recovery, the EI Cloud. Comigo says that as a Service (PaaS) that uses a multi-vendor approach is also overflow, and fail-over scenarios. EI Cloud is capable of working artificial intelligence to boost TV possible. Updates and changes with any OTT back-end in the experiences, according to Comigo. can be done at any time for a CONTACT www.broadpeak.tv market, while exposing a full set EI Mind drives a new set of AI minimum cost, even when the of APIs to support any front-end, capabilities to video front-ends, STBs are deployed in the field. whether it is already deployed or and is built to work in tandem Customers include Foxtel, which Comigo in development. EI Cloud provides with the EI Cloud, according to the used MCAS to control iQ3 set- STAND 3.B52 Experience Management tools to company. top-boxes while leveraging two operators, empowering content- proprietary CAS solutions running related applications and services CONTACT www.comigo.com in parallel on the box, according to that encourage contextual Stephen Joyce, Senior Platform viewer engagement. EI Cloud Security Lead at Foxtel. also houses Device Management Fastcom functionalities to simplify multi- STAND 5.C35 CONTACT www.mcas.ch device registration, maintenance, WHAT’S NEW? measurement, upgrades, and WHAT’S NEW? EI Cloud; EI Mind STB-specific operations, according MCAS Genius Digital to Comigo. EI Middleware is STAND 5.A59 WHAT DOES IT DO? Comigo's software solution for WHAT DOES IT DO? Comigo will highlight its STBs and TVs, which supports Fastcom is a licensing authority WHAT’S NEW? Experience Intelligence (EI) both AOSP and Android TV services company for connected Joint QoS solution with Verimatrix product line. Comigo EI is platforms. The platform can be devices. According to the firm, described by the company as used for OTT, IPTV, or hybrid MCAS can manage multiple WHAT DOES IT DO? a holistic approach to content (i.e., terrestrial, cable, satellite) security assets throughout their Analytics specialist Genius and user interaction as well as TV services. EI Middleware also respective lifecycles and is based Digital will be on the Verimatrix automatic metadata enrichment, includes support for a range of on industry standards. Typical stand at IBC demonstrating the leveraging TV with the best WatchApp HTML widgets that connected devices are set-top companies’ joint secure QoS of the Internet. Comigo will offer contextual interaction with boxes. Thanks to MCAS, the data-gathering solution. “We demonstrate its EI Cloud, which content for sports, ads, commerce, operator keeps direct control over still see large operators using drives contextual, personal, and and many more applications. STBs deployed in the field, while different systems to collect from social viewing experiences with EI EI Middleware can be created preserving the security level of multiscreen devices and set-top

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boxes, causing inherent technical insight can only be delivered in collaboration with Dutch Viaccess-Orca's Connected and operational challenges. It’s our successfully by a holistic approach research institute TNO. Powered Sentinel player, the demo will philosophy that making the most to data gathering and analysis.” by TNO's HEVC tiling technology, simulate a live VR environment by of big data needs a holistic view of which enables distribution of providing synchronised, multiple the customer – and this can only CONTACT www.geniusdigital.tv VR content over existing CDNs, perspectives. Additionally, during be achieved via a single system, the demo will include a VR IBC, Thierry Fautier, vice-president, rather than a number of disparate, experience on head-mounted video strategy at Harmonic, cobbled-together options,” said Harmonic devices, with video resolution 10 will share his expertise on VR Tom Weiss, CEO, Genius Digital. STAND 1.B20 times higher than that offered by technology as a presenter at a “Through combining the science existing commercially deployed conference session dedicated of data through our holistic data WHAT’S NEW? VR services, according to the to new ideas in VR and 360° gathering technology with the VR with native UHD resolution tech company. Harmonic will immersive media. His paper instinct and experience of our also showcase its VR innovation presentation, titled ‘VR Video ‘data artists’ we use big data WHAT DOES IT DO? alongside Viaccess-Orca through Ecosystem for Live Distribution,’ to make and save money for Harmonic will use IBC to showcase a new multiview app. Using is slated for Saturday, September our customers. For us IBC is all what it describes as the industry's space-related content from 10, at 10:45 at the RAI. Harmonic about communicating why the first native UHD virtual reality Harmonic on a Samsung Gear is also participating in the DVB revolutionary effects of big data (VR) technology demonstration VR headset and leveraging Commercial Module Study Mission Group report on VR. The group's main objective is to investigate IBC launches interoperability zone STAND 8.D10 the commercial case for VR technology. Based on findings, casing interoperability and the the DVB will then offer insight IP studio at its heart, the zone into commercial requirements, also provides space for visitors and consequent technical to discuss the benefits and chal- specifications, for distribution of lenges of IP workflows, accord- VR content over broadcast or IP ing to the IBC. networks. Results of the study are “Visitors will be able to see expected to be published after IBC. verified technical interoperability over IP from more than 30 CONTACT companies and the same tech- www.harmonicinc.com nology being used in a real production environment. It will be a showcase for the reality of the Massive technology and a demonstration STAND 14.B20 that the industry is converging on a common roadmap,” said Mi- IBC is launching a zone specifi- Networked Media: a combined in- chael Cronk, VP of core technol- cally dedicated to IP interopera- itiative of AMWA, EBU, SMPTE ogy at Grass Valley and chair- bility at this year’s show. and VSF) and the AES on a com- man of AIMS. According to IBC, the transi- mon roadmap for IP interopera- Peter White, CEO of IABM, the tion to IP is one of the biggest bility. Central to the IBC Feature body that represents vendors challenges facing broadcasters Area will be a live production across the broadcasting indus- and media companies today, with studio, based on the technolo- try, said, “For a number of years fears over limited inter-working gies of the JT-NM roadmap that now the industry has needed a and a lack of recognised stand- Belgian broadcaster VRT has way forward to collaborate on WHAT’S NEW? ards the most common brake on been using daily on-air as part of IP interoperability. It was criti- Axis Video UI solution, Halo progress. the LiveIP Project: a collabora- cal that the industry’s vendors The IBC IP Interoperability tion between VRT, the European came together to achieve this WHAT DO THEY DO? Zone, presented for the first Broadcasting Union (EBU) and and at IBC we will see the fruits Massive’s Axis Video UI solution time this year with the cooper- LiveIP’s 12 technology partners. of the labours of the organisa- is a platform for app creation and ation of the Alliance for IP Media The new initiative will see a tions behind the JT-NM and the control across multiple platforms. Solutions (AIMS) and the IABM, 150 square metre area in Hall 8 Live IP project.” It includes an app management will demonstrate the work of the given over to the zone. With ded- server and reference apps. JT-NM (the Joint Task Force on icated demonstrations show- CONTACT IBC.org/IPzone Massive empowers clients such

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p37-42 IBC Preview DTVE AugSep16v3am.indd 40 30/08/2016 21:25 Digital TV Europe IBC 2016 > Preview August/September 2016

as BBC Worldwide, Channel 5, platform has been designed to contribution, facilitating the live to its new REST-based API. Lionsgate and Sony Pictures provide topology maps which media production ecosystem, It also offers new features to Television to shape the long-term display network elements media contribution over the enhance the monitoring of links, evolution of their video offerings across the LAN and WAN. An internet, customer and application devices and services, according and maximise their investment. At integrated SDN (Software Defined provisioned networks with to the company. LiveIP is a proof IBC, Massive will also share news Networking) and MDN (Media focus on Ethernet data services of concept of a complete live of key deployments and discuss Defined Networking) platform and FileTeleport, and resource production that relies exclusively the drivers for its rapid growth, allows performance optimisation scheduling solutions for media, on IP. The VideoPath service including the creation of Comic- for high bandwidth multi-media broadcasters and transmission management platform formed the Con HQ, the new SVOD channel services. Several NetGazer businesses. backbone of the set-up used in the that Lionsgate unveiled earlier this editions are available that scale live production and was used to year for Comic–Con International from single studio environments CONTACT www.netinsight.net assist the European Broadcasting in San Diego, as well as the launch to large enterprise and global Union (EBU) and Belgian public of Massive Halo, described by the networks, according to the broadcasting company VRT in company as the industry’s first company. Nevion delivering the first live on-air video UI server solution designed STAND 1.B71 broadcast using the VRT Sandbox to bring managed multiscreen CONTACT www.medialinks.com LiveIP Studio. video UI to market for mid–tier WHAT’S NEW? video operator clients. Also at IBC VideoPath 5 CONTACT www.nevion.com Massive will highlight its selection Net Insight by DAZN to deploy a new live STAND 1.B40 & 1.D30 WHAT DOES IT DO? and on-demand sports streaming Nevion is launching its new TV2U service with unlimited access to VideoPath software to meet the STAND 9.LP12 over 8,000 live sporting events emerging network and service per year, and its partnership management challenges for with Ooyala to launch Ooyala broadcasters and service providers AppStudio – a new platform that of IP production in a world where enables video providers to build the distinction between facilities and deploy app and web–based WHAT’S NEW? and contribution is blurring, and entertainment services. Sye where virtualization will play an increasing role, according to the WHAT’S NEW? CONTACT www.massive.co WHAT DOES IT DO? company. The new VideoIPath 5 IVAN Net Insight’s demo of its ‘true live’ is described as a major software OTT solution, Sye, will showcase upgrade in terms of architecture WHAT DOES IT DO? Media Links its frame-accurate synchronisation and functionality to enable higher OTT/IPTV technology specialist STAND 1.C31 and fixed low-delay to deliver live scalability, responsiveness and TV2U is using IBC to unveil its new OTT video across multiple screens ease of use. it will be shown for real-time analytics service and WHAT’S NEW? and discuss the impact it expects the first time at IBC 2016 both content aggregation engine and NetGazer to have on social TV and real time on Nevion’s booth and in the is also showcasing its Intelligent social media interaction. By true LiveIP set-up used by IBC TV Video Accessible Network (IVAN) WHAT DOES IT DO? live OTT it means harmonising (Hall 8.D10). It will demonstrate white label OTT/IPTV delivery Network management system the first and second screen, how operators can handle more service that unifies the delivery of NetGazer monitors and manages which opens the door to more devices and larger network content straight to the playout de- both local and wide area IP interactivity such as advertising, infrastructures, simplify the set-up vice. The company says that a key networks and is designed to betting and voting. Net Insight of devices and links and provision objective of the IVAN platform is enable performance optimisation believes Sye is a game changer end-to-end paths across COTS to offer customers the advantage for high bandwidth multimedia for the live OTT market, providing routers/switches using Software of tapping into real-time analytics, services, according to Media Links. unprecedented TV experiences Defined Networks (SDN) and which are gathered from multiple For live remote production over – all of which have the potential technologies like IGMP (Internet sources including the delivery IP, NetGazer helps carriers and for enhanced viewer engagement Group Management Protocol), platform, player applications, broadcasters deliver signals on and the ability to monetize OTT OpenFlow and native interfaces, and social media. The analytics time and in the right order by content in new ways. In addition, says Nevion. The upgraded generate detailed insights about enabling users to send services Net Insight will launch and demo software also provides support for users such as their demograph- across a WAN and providing a number of solutions that it says third party products, and increases ics, location (with the ability to status information at every step, will simplify workflow and network openness and integration with pinpoint their postal code) and according to the company. The complexities. This includes live the third party interfaces thanks viewing habits including their

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content consumption patterns, its better user experience and the bitrate for its HD IP service display HD or higher. V-Nova will details on which devices they use, lower data rate cost per minute, from 8Mbps to less than 4Mbps. also take part in a number of IBC and their likes and dislikes. The FastFilmz is expanding its user For 4K contribution, V-Nova is speaking engagements, including: real-time analytics engine, lets base and demonstrated increases demonstrating the contribution IBC Future Zone (Hall 8): Video content owners and advertisers in mobile data consumption per of 4K international feeds of encoding to boost the value know to what extent customers user. Other applications of Perseus the Euro2016 championship proposition of VR and 360 video, are engaging with their material, include live full HD sports over to Eutelsat for the launch of Saturday September 10 at 16:30- according to the company. Also mobile, delivering high quality RAI’s UHD channel. According 16:50; IBC Content Everywhere being highlighted at this year’s IBC full 1080p HD video to mobile to V-Nova, the demonstration Hub (Hall 14): Turbocharging is the TV2U’s vision of the merging devices at less than 1.5Mbps. For shows how Perseus enables video delivery, Sunday September of new media, connected homes IPTV distribution V-Nova claims the contribution of intra-only 11 at 11:30 -1:50; IBC Business and Internet of Things and the Perseus can extend service reach visually lossless 4K/UHD video Transformation track (Emerald Karaoke2U platform-as-a-service to existing deployed STBs by eight alongside HD using today’s telco Room): ‘Is there a business case for karaoke content owners and times or more, via a software contribution circuits. For VR/360 for UHD?’, Sunday September 11 at publishers. upgrade. The on-stand case study video: V-Nova says that Perseus 17:00-18:00. is based on a deployment for Sky increases quality and reach to CONTACT Italia, which it says has reduced power mobile devices capable to CONTACT www.v-nova.com www.tv2u.com

WISI to demonstrate Katamaran STAND 4.B50 V-Nova STAND 14.K17 iOS Intelligent Video Delivery solution and introduces new features including support for subtitling, multilingual and multi-track audio, capacity for up to 5000 simultaneous user connections, and support for publishing to third-party CDNs such WHAT’S NEW? as Akamai. Perseus WISI has meanwhile also equipped its headend system WHAT DOES IT DO? Tangram for IPTV and analogue/ Perseus is V-Nova’s encoding digital TV deployments with software that the company says a new software architecture. can support UHD video delivery This in-house development dou- at HD bitrates, HD at SD and SD bles the performance of Tan- at sub-audio rates on current WISI will present a live demo of Katamaran is initially aimed at gram modules for the reception infrastructure and on deployed its multiscreen and OTT delivery independent video operators and play-out of IPTV streams devices. The IBC demonstrations in platform Katamaran for the first and provides the opportunity without any more energy con- Stand 14.K17, Balcony Suite BM15 in time at IBC 2016. to deploy and support scalable sumption, according to WISI. Hall 1 and multiple partners’ stands WISI has combined key com- multiscreen services on IOS, It has also equipped its head- will include mobile VoD platforms ponents and software infra- Android, and Roku, with further end system Chameleon with its The on-stand demonstrations structure of the platform it has HTML5 browser support. The new software architecture and include the use case of FastFilmz acquired from US firm Aereo platform features cloud DVR xView. WISI’s headend systems in India which deployed Perseus with its established WISI Tan- capabilities, catch-up TV, au- Tangram 3.0 and Chameleon to provide quality video streaming gram, and Chameleon reception thentication, back office, EPG now also can be monitored with over the 2G networks that 70% and processing platforms and management and other adminis- the end-to-end network man- of the region’s consumers use for the high-density, modular linear trative tools. agement system xView. This Internet access. In its launch in and multiscreen ABR transcod- WISI is also showcasing its allows for status monitoring and the Tamil language South Indian ing platform WISI Inca 4430 5420 packager and origin serv- the control of any device in the region, V-Nova has enabled for MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 AVC. er suitable for integration into entire transmission chain from FastFilmz to expand its total The result is a solution that both Katamaran and non-Kata- headend to HFC network, ac- addressable market from 30 meets the multiscreen and OTT maran multiscreen and OTT ap- cording to WISI. million to 120 million consumers, delivery needs of network and plications. The 5420 continues the company claims. Thanks to independent video operators. support for Inca’s famous Vid- CONTACT www.wisi.de

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pXX DTVCEE DTVE AugSep16.indd 1 26/08/2016 15:29 Technology > in focus Digital TV Europe August/September 2016 Technology in focus Infrastructure, equipment and product news for digital media distribution

In Brief McClelland: Industry at ‘front end’ of upgrade cycle

Google to ‘launch VR’ Arris’ new CEO Bruce McClelland foundation of what they offer. It is a Google is reportedly gearing up says that the industry stands McClelland: way to generate confidence in the to release its new Daydream vir- “at the front end of a significant content deliv- service.” tual reality platform. According upgrade cycle” as operators seek ery is moving He said that CE devices will to a Bloomberg report, which “more bandwidth into residential as to IP. become more relevant as consum- cited people familiar with the well as corporate networks”. ers seek to move content around matter, Google is investing in There will, however, be no radical the home wirelessly. However, VR films and programmes. It shift in strategy under McClelland, McClelland said he did not expect is also said to be funding the recently named as successor to as well as a route into the satellite the set-top market as a whole to production of 360° videos long-serving CEO Bob Stanzione, business where it lacked a strong see significant growth as operators with various popular YouTube who is to take on the new role of presence. He added that most of focused on a wider range of client stars. The news came as Google executive chairman within the ca- the work to integrate the Arris busi- devices, including gateways. rolled out Android 7.0 Nougat ble and video technology company. ness has already been done. McClelland said that cable opera- to Nexus devices – the latest Interviewed after the an- “The business is going to tors, including in the US, had shown version of its mobile operating nouncement was made in August, change,” said McClelland. “At some their strength as they ramped up system, which includes support McClelland told Digital TV Europe point, all delivery of content will growing numbers of broadband for Daydream-ready phones, that the pay TV market remained be over IP. Operators are doing customers. One task for compa- headsets and controllers. Google robust and that the service pro- that to provide an enhanced user nies such as Arris is to help these first announced its Daydream vider consumer premises business experience and bring in OTT con- operators manage the migration to VR plans at its I/O developers – encompassing both set-top boxes tent as well as their own services’ all-IP networks, he said. conference in May. and IP gateways – remains “very content. That will mean evolution Looking forward, McClelland said strong” despite earlier concerns of the type of devices they deploy. that he wanted Arris to address Rovi agrees DISH deal that it faced long-term decline. However, the majority of pay TV some gaps in its presence inter- Rovi has signed a 10-year patent Arris’ recent acquisition of Pace service providers market services nationally, which could possibly renewal license agreement can be seen as a vote of confidence around the consumer experience be through further acquisitions. with US pay TV operator DISH in the continued robustness of this in the home and they highlight International business is likely to Network. Under the deal, DISH business. McClelland said that the the capabilities of their devices be the key driver for Arris’ future will continue to license to Rovi’s acquisition gave Arris “more scale” – and that is a crucial part of the growth as a company, he said. natural language platform, Conversation Services, as well as other Rovi products. Rovi said Espial closes acquisition of Arris’ Whole Home that the patent licence renewal is subject to “certain contingen- Espial has completed its acquisi- Washington, the WHS Network Dolvane. cies” relating to the closure of tion of Arris’ Whole Home Solution Operations Center, and two “Espial gains a broad base of Rovi’s acquisition of TiVo, which (WHS) platform, the end-to-end, geo-redundant data centres. new customer relationships and is due to become effective on cloud-hosted video service that it Ron Miller will move from Arris further scales our world-class September 7, 2016 – subject to agreed to buy in July. to lead the business as general integration, operations, and stockholder approval and other Espial said that the deal will manager for Espial. software development teams. We customary closing conditions. enable service providers to “WHS expands our solution look forward to collaborating with Verizon Communications has quickly meet increasing consum- portfolio with a cloud-hosted Arris to enhance the Whole Home also signed a multi-year patent er demand for next-generation video-as-a-service platform that Solution, strengthen support, and licence renewal with Rovi that video services. is complementary to and will expand the customer base going is due to run “into the next The acquisition includes the leverage Espial’s current solutions forward,” he said. decade”. WHS software engineering and for next-generation IP video ser- Terms and conditions of the operations teams in Kirkland, vices,” said Espial’s CEO, Jaison deal were not disclosed.

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p44-48 DTVE Tech AugSep16v4am.indd 44 30/08/2016 20:21 Digital TV Europe Technology > in focus August/September 2016

Cisco unveils DOCSIS 3.1 reference design In Brief

Cisco has unveiled a reference from 200MHz/1.7Gbps up to Eurofins buys Labatus design for Full Duplex DOCSIS, the 1.2GHz/10Gbps. Quality assurance firm Eurofins latest iteration of the cable broad- CableLabs revealed its plans for Digital Testing has acquired band technology that is designed Full Duplex DOCSIS in February Swedish-based rival Labatus as to deliver fibre-type speeds over at its Orando winter conference. part of an expansion drive. hybrid fibre-coax networks. The technology taps techniques As part of the deal, Eurofins Cisco says the technology will currently used by wireless net- gains additional offices in let cable operators deliver mul- works to combine upstream and Sweden and other locations ti-gigabit speeds over their HFC downstream bandwidth rather basis. “By making this royalty-free globally, and benefits from networks, enabling the deploy- than having a dedicated upstream design available to the industry, Labatus’ experience supporting ment of new services such as 4K channel. we can help our cable customers companies like TiVo on operator TV, security and managed busi- According to the standards evolve to more rapidly deploy deployments such as Com Hem ness services without the need to body, the technology could virtualised, fibre-deep, and in Sweden. At the same time, drive fibre to the premises. double the capacity available for all-IP infrastructures,” said John Eurofins also announced that it The company says that Full upstream traffic by simultane- Chapman, Cisco fellow and CTO, has opened a new test facility Duplex DOCSIS will also enable ously using the same spectrum, cable access business. “We hope in Gdansk, Poland to provide a the deployment of symmetrical unlike current technologies such to accelerate the transformation “highly cost-effective, near- bandwidth services. as frequency division duplexing of the cable industry to deliver shore testing facility for Euro- Cisco has developed a refer- – currently used by DOCSIS – and multi-gigabit speeds and new high pean operators”. Labatus offers ence design for a ‘multi-slice’ time-division duplexing, used by bandwidth services and products, automated test development, digital echo canceller for the WiFi and G.Fast networks. and in the near future, customers planning and strategy solutions Full Duplex DOCSIS specification Cisco is making its own technol- can begin to enjoy the benefits of for TVs, set-top boxes, smart- that can support return paths ogy available on an open source Full Duplex DOCSIS technology.” phones, tablets, and applications across iOS, Chromecast and Android platforms. Eurofins said GS Group unveils first Russian 4K UHD TV box that Labatus’ test solutions complement its suite of products Russian technology provider GS under the General Satellite brand, and services aimed at ensuring Group has unveiled the first Rus- aimed at internet service provid- quality-of-service for service sian-made 4K UHD TV set-top box. ers, OTT operators and content providers. Financial terms of the The GS A230, to be marketed aggregators. The GS H5912 device deal were not disclosed. under the General Satellite brand, integrated 802.11ac dual-band WiFi is designed to provide TV over is equipped with a ST Microelec- router and an HDMI 2.0 interface. IP-based networks and supports Red Bull selects Arqiva tronics processor, WiFi router and “GS Group has made a new HD channels and video-on-demand Red Bull Media House has struck built-in 1 TB hard drive. generation of television affordable functionality. GS Group said that a partnership with Arqiva, which Pay TV operator and GS Group for millions of Russian viewers. the box, which was developed over will distribute live sports for the strategic partner Tricolor TV has The first Russian set-top-box for six months at GS Group’s GS Labs media company to international previously launched the first bun- UHDTV is a brand new device not centre, is initially targeted at IPTV broadcasters. The multi-year oc- dle of three UHD TV channels in only for the domestic market: it can providers but will be available for casional use partnership will see the Russian market. GS Group said easily compete with western and OTT service providers in the near communications infrastructure that about 15,700 4K TV sets were Asian equivalents when comparing future. and media services company sold in Russia in 2015. technical performance and cost. “We follow global trends and Arqiva distribute the content The device is available for sale As a national technology leader in strive to provide access to the globally to rights takers through from General Satellite authorised the field of consumer electronics high-quality digital TV services its teleports. Red Bull hosts a dealers in Russia. The box provides development and manufacturing, to an increasing number of users range of sports events across access to interactive services GS Group is the first to bring a across the country,” said Bezrukov. the globe, including the Red Bull such as Kinozaly. Tricolor TV, home-produced modern device “We’ve analysed the rapid spread Cliff Diving World Series and the and is equipped with two DVB-S/ for UHD content viewing to the of OTT technologies and have UCI Mountain Bike World Cup. DVB-S2 tuners. It is powered Russian market,” said Andrey discovered great prospects in its Among the content that Arqiva by a new quad-core single-chip Bezrukov, director for strategic development in Russia.” will handle is the second season STMicroelectronics microprocessor marketing of GS Group. The boxes will be manufactured of Red Bull’s Beach Volleyball and a co-processor designed by Separately, GS Group has at GS Group’s facility in the Kalinin- coverage. GS Group. It also comes with an launched the first IPTV set-top box grad region.

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p44-48 DTVE Tech AugSep16v4am.indd 45 30/08/2016 20:21 Technology > in focus Digital TV Europe August/September 2016

In Brief Intel unveils new ‘merged reality’ system

ADB adds second-screen Intel CEO Brian Krzanich has used head-mounted displays. The pair Technology provider ADB has his company’s Developer Forum Krzanich: plan to publicly release version launched new second-screen in San Francisco to unveil a new Project Alloy one of the spec at the Windows companion app features to integrated virtual reality system will “take the Hardware Engineering Communi- its graphyne2 TV software – Project Alloy – that allows users cord off the ty conference in Shenzhen, China, platform. The platform is due to untether themselves from VR headset”. in December. to be launched at IBC. The sec- computers and other external Microsoft also plans to release ond-screen application, which devices and interact with the an update of its Windows 10 op- is free of charge, is designed to real world. Intel has also teamed and avoidance technology. Intel erating system next year that will allow service providers to give up with Microsoft to optimise RealSense cameras attached to enable PCs to run the Windows users access to features such as Windows-based content on the headset take the place of Holographic shell – a framework global search, management of Intel-based VR devices. any external sensors or cameras that allows for the blending of multiple recordings and channel Project Alloy will be offered placed around a room. 2D and 3D apps simultaneously lists, along with the capability by Intel as an open platform The device allows users to along with mixed reality applica- to browse multiple personalised next year, enabling developers to use their hands to interact with tions. VOD libraries on their chosen create their own products from elements in the virtual world, cre- “Project Alloy takes the cord device, according to ADB. The the Alloy design. ating “merged reality”, in Intel’s off the virtual reality headset,” app is also designed as a com- The design demonstrated parlance. said Krznanic during his keynote. munication channel. Clickable by Krzanich in San Francisco Intel’s collaboration with “It is completely contained… It is a push messages and ad displays has computing power located Microsoft will see the pair work completely self contained virtual allow operators to execute in the head-mounted device, to build a range of devices for world all in one package.” personalised communication giving users free range of motion the consumer and business He said that the device provid- campaigns, while interactive across open spaces. The device markets based on a specification ed the ability to “merge the physi- messages allow viewers to com- integrates collision detection for ‘mixed reality’-ready PCs and cal and virtual world together”. plete additional actions, such as selecting a movie or activating a new service, according to ADB. BBC Worldwide teams up with Thoughtly

Oculus Rift for Europe BBC Worldwide has teamed in large clinical data sets or help Virtual reality headsets from up with artificial intelligence scientific researchers navigate Facebook-owned Oculus Rift start-up Thoughtly to explore unstructured text for automated will be available in Europe and how machine learning can help screening of ‘noisy’ data sets. Canada from this month, the it understand which genres of BBC Worldwide is using the company has announced. Rift content are most in demand in technology to identify themes headsets and in-store demos will which territories. that are under or over-represent- be available from Amazon.co.uk, Following an initial trial of ed in its content, to identify recur- partners,” said Boyle. “We are John Lewis, Currys PC World, Thoughtly’s technology, the ring and possibly unseen patterns working together to answer some Game Digital and Harrods in the pair have completed a detailed across the various genres in its key analytical questions including: UK, from Amazon.fr and Fnac analysis looking at synopses and catalogue, identify which themes What are the recurring and elu- in France and from Amazon. descriptions of programming have grown and which have de- sive patterns that transcend the de. MediaMarkt and Saturn in alongside data mining to figure clined over the years and gener- various genres in our catalogue? Germany. In Canada the devices out how best to categorise individ- ally build a deeper understanding And how have themes evolved will be available via Best buy and ual programme titles. of its content with the objective of over the years – which have Microsoft Store Online. Thoughtly’s flagship plat- matching it with the most relevant grown, declined, appeared and The suggested retail price form, Ellipse, is designed to map audiences, according to David dissipated?” for the UK is £549 and, for themes, generate summaries Boyle, EVP of insight. Chase Perkins, founder and France and Germany, €699. and identify anomalies in text. “Through working with CEO of Thoughtly, said: “Thought- Oculus Touch, the company’s It was originally designed to Thoughtly, and utilising machine ly makes machine learning-based hand-movement-mapping con- assist researchers in academic learning, we are building a deeper research tools for non-technical trol software, is meanwhile being institutions to draw insights from understanding of our content professionals. If you want people showcased at the Gamescom very large volumes of text, such so that it can be paired with the to reap the utility of AI, you need event in Cologne, Germany as helping medical researchers most relevant audiences for to provide them with an immer- identify unexpected anomalies both the BBC Worldwide and our sive, app-like experience.”

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p44-48 DTVE Tech AugSep16v4am.indd 46 30/08/2016 20:21 Digital TV Europe Technology > in focus August/September 2016

Chinese telecom group to acquire Spacecom In Brief

Israeli satellite operator Space- nications satellites is undergoing AMC teams with Snapchat com is to be sold to China’s a consolidation process, enabling AMC Global has teamed up Beijing Xinwei Technology Group the merging companies to with Snapchat to create an for US$285 million (€253 million) improve their competitiveness,” exclusive Fear the Walking Dead in a deal that values the operator said Spacecom CEO David Pollack zombie-themed ‘Snapchat of the Amos satellites at a sig- in a statement. Lens’ ahead of the launch of nificant premium to its average “Beijing Xinwei is a strategic the second half of season two stock price for the last month. partner, expert in the field of of the show. A Snapchat Lens Under the terms of the deal, telecommunication, planning to allows users of the mobile mes- the Chinese conglomerate will re- expand its business the com- saging app to apply filters and portedly take on ILS1.478 billion munication satellites field, The animations to their selfie snaps, in debt (€347 million). Space- is led by chairman, CEO and Chi- merger will provide the company transforming the images which com’s majority owner is Eurocom, nese billionaire Wang Jing. The with financial strength and will can then be shared with con- Israel’s largest privately owned group is known to have close ties enable further development and tacts. The Fear the Walking Dead communications group. to Great Wall Industry, China’s growth.” Lens will allow fans of the series Under the agreement, which main space industry group, and Major General (Res.) Ami to transform themselves into reportedly could face regulato- is involved in plans to launch a Shafran, representative of Beijing the undead within the Snapchat ry hurdles in Israel, Spacecom group of low-Earth orbit satellites Xinwei Group said: “The impres- mobile picture messaging app, will be under the control of to enable mobile communications sive accomplishments and capa- according to AMC. The company Israel-domiciled company Big in China following a move in 2014 bilities of Space Communication says that this is the first time Bird, led by a former head of the by the Chinese State council to is well known in the industry. The that a Snapchat Lens has been communications arm of the Israel open the country’s telecommu- merger perfectly fits the Group’s created for a TV series across Defence Force. The company is nication infrastructure to private moves to expand its operations multiple territories. a wholly-owned subsidiary of investors. It has also reportedly in the worldwide communications Beijing Xinwei-owned, Luxem- been involved in satellite plans in market. At the same time, the Microsoft buys Beam bourg-based, Luxembourg Space a number of international mar- transaction will provide to Space Microsoft has agreed to buy Telecommunications. kets, including in Latin America. Communication financial stability Beam, a live-streaming video- Telecom group Beijing Xinwei “The global market for commu- and will boost its growth.” game service that lets viewers watch and play along with other gamers in real-time. The LG units roll Vodafone offers ‘Smart Router’ Seattle-based company, which launched in beta in January, out Connect Multi-play service provider Voda- Vodafone subscribers include claims to have evolved game fone Portugal has launched a the Smart Router App, and streaming from a passive, Liberty Global-owned cable oper- new 5GHz 802.11ac WiFi-enabled Android app that allows users watch-and-chat experience into ator UPC Central Europe, which ‘Smart Router’, provided as an to control their home network one with real-time participation operates in Switzerland and Aus- integrated part of its TV Net Voz remotely, turning the signal on by the viewer. Viewers can per- tria, is to provide 300,000 new OTT TV offering. or off, changing the name of the form tasks like choosing weap- Connect routers free of charge to According to The Portuguese password and determining which ons, setting challenges, selecting customers across both countries. operator, the router delivers inter- devices are connected. quests and making movements UPC is to deliver the new Con- net around the home four times The router is being offered as using “simple visual controls”, nect boxes to existing customers faster than current devices. part of Vodafone’s TV Net Voz with interactivity designed to as part of an ongoing upgrade The device also supports Guest OTT TV service for new customers work with any game. “We at programme. The 300,000 devices WiFi, a service that allows sub- at a promotional price of e28.90 Xbox are excited about this con- are expected to be installed by the scribers to create an additional a month for 24 months. vergence between playing and end of next year, replacing older WiFi network that can be shared The launch of the Smart Router watching, and want to provide routers. Some 160,000 boxes will with friends and family while pro- follows Vodafone Portugal’s gamers with the freedom and be rolled out in Switzerland this tecting the security of the main launch of a 4K UHD TV offering, choice to have great multiplayer year, with Austrian customers to network. along with other recent additions experiences across all of Beam’s receive their boxes next year. The Guest network can be to its TV service including access platforms,” said Chad Gibson, The initiative follows a Swiss customised with regard to speed to SVOD service Netflix, and the partner group program manag- pilot where over 75% said they or time of availability. recent launch of Brazilian interna- er, Xbox Live. were happy with the new device. Other features available to tional TV channel Globo.

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p44-48 DTVE Tech AugSep16v4am.indd 47 30/08/2016 20:21 Technology > in focus Digital TV Europe August/September 2016

In Brief Virgin Media unveils new V6 box and TiVo UI

NextVR raises US$80m Virgin Media has unveiled new de- previous Virgin Media boxes. Virtual reality broadcast special- tails about the Liberty Global EOS The EOS box has been designed ist, NextVR, has raised US$80 platform-based box it is to release, by Liberty Global as a standard million (e72 million) in Series B and has launched its updated advanced TV hardware platform funding, which it said will help TiVo user interface, including a that will be rolled out across its to expand its global footprint. new feature that will enable users European footprint and in Latin With the new financing, NextVR to find, save and group together America. While the device will car- find all related episodes available said that it will accelerate content across linear, on-demand ry the updated Horizon interface on-demand, including on stream- development of its virtual reality and online TV services. elsewhere, the UK operation is ing services such as Netflix. All platform and international op- Virgin Media will market the sticking with an updated version of the shows will be put into a My erations. The company, which Liberty Global EOS box design in of its TiVo interface for the time Shows folder ready for them to specialises in streaming live VR the UK as the Virgin TV V6. being. watch later. content, said that it plans to “We have confirmed that the That new TiVo interface has Other key features of the up- deliver “considerably more live box will be called the Virgin TV now gone live, featuring Series date are: smart search, enabling entertainment” to consumers – V6 and it is of course powered by Link+, a capability that, according viewers to find shows by entering including concerts, sports and TiVo. It is 4K UHD ready on Netflix to the operator, will enable users only the first letter of the pro- other performances. The major- and YouTube. Apart from that to group together TV services into gramme title; a reduction in the ity of the Series B funding came we are not releasing any further one place, including live channels, number of lists and text on the from Asian investors involved in details at this stage, but please on-demand content and online guide in favour of more images; the entertainment, content and stay tuned, because there will be services including Netflix and BBC the ability to pick up on-demand technology markets, as well as more news to come,” the compa- iPlayer. programmes as well as recorded new US investors. ny said in a Tweet response to a By using Series Link+, viewers content from the moment viewers consumer who used social media will be able to instruct their boxes stopped watching; and bookmark- Telekom Euro-network to complain about the quality of to record entire series but also to ing of programmes in a folder. Deutsche Telekom has moved forwards with plans to build a pan-European network by Ooyala launches AppStudio user interface opening the first production site for the project in Budapest. The Telstra-owned OTT TV special- page-level analytics delivered by Hungarian development will be ist Ooyala has teamed up with Lepe: media Google Analytics. followed by the launch of two Massive Interactive to launch companies “Media companies want to tap further production sites in Po- Ooyala AppStudio, a new platform have been held into the fast-growing opportunity land and Greece in 2017, which to enable video providers to build back by the OTT represents, but have been together with Hungary will form and deploy app and web-based cost of apps. held back by slow pace and high the back-end of Telekom’s future entertainment services. cost of developing apps for the European infrastructure. The The AppStudio is designed to broad array of connected devices Hungarian facility will be fully enable providers to deploy OTT components of a cloud-based OTT in the consumer market. Ooyala operational and ready to run the services with simple interfaces service, according to Ooyala. Rev- AppStudio changes that. There first services for all European without the need to hire technical enue models supported include is tremendous growth in OTT subsidiaries by the end of staff to build or manage services, subscription or advertising-sup- demand particularly outside of this year. The company has a according to the company. ported VOD as well as hybrid the US, where broadband and 4G long-term project to migrate Ooyala says that content models. connectivity is improving, making fixed and mobile services to a providers can use the AppStudio User registration is provided via offerings accessible to huge new pan-European infrastructure to automate the building of OTT Massive Interactive’s Massive Halo audiences. For local content pro- that will simplify its operations apps for devices including Apple product, while video management viders who want to hedge against and remove inefficiencies – TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV and and delivery, content recommen- larger OTT incumbents entering Telekom currently operates up Chromecast as well as iOS and dation and analytics and ad server their market, Ooyala AppStudio to 13 different TV platforms, Android devices and the web. support is provided by Ooyala. is a perfect fit,” said Ooyala’s for example. Local operational The AppStudio was developed Other contributions include co-founder and senior vice-pres- subsidiaries will use the modular in partnership with Massive payment management and ident of products and solutions, functionality to create services Internactive and includes capa- subscription billing from Stripe, Belsasar Lepe. for individual markets. bilities to deploy, manage, track, Quality of Experience analytics The product will be demonstrat- analyse and make money from all from Nice People at Work and ed at IBC in Amsterdam.

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p44-48 DTVE Tech AugSep16v4am.indd 48 30/08/2016 20:21 14 - 18 November 2016 CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa

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pXX AfricaCom DTVE AugSep16.indd 1 26/08/2016 15:28 People > Places Digital TV Europe August/September 2016

On the move

TV Liberty Cable and video technology Fox Networks Johannes Leppännen becoming Global’s co- group Arris has appointed Group has head of pay TV. Nordlund has chief financial Bruce McClelland as CEO, hired a former hired Vikback from Discovery officer Bernie with current chief executive senior CNBC Networks Sweden, where had the Dvorak is to Bob Stanzione taking on the executive to role of revenue director, to take retire from the role of executive chairman. become general charge of the advertising-led group, with McClelland, who will take up the manager of a business as vice-president. Prior Charlie Bracken (pictured) taking role on September 1, is currently restructured African operation. to joining Discovery, Vikback over as sole CFO. Dvorak, who president, network and cloud Gary Alfonso (pictured) will was president of SBS Finland. currently serves as EVP and co- and global services, responsible lead FNG Africa, taking control Leppännen, who was previously chief financial officer responsible for overseeing the development of sub-Sahara operations for CEO of Modern Times Group’s for accounting, compliance and and delivery of Arris’s portfolio the broadcast group and sister Viasat Broadcasting in Finland investor relations, will retire at the of broadband and video network business National Geographic and the Baltic states, becomes end of this year. Effective from infrastructure products and Partners. Nami Patel and vice-president, consumer January 1, Bracken, currently cloud-based software, along with Makhosazana Khanyile have business, taking charge of the EVP and co-CFO responsible for an its technical and professional also landed senior roles in a broadcaster’s pay TV operations. finance and treasury operations services organisation (see rejigged FNG operation, Patel Other new recruits to MTV’s will become the group’s sole CFO. separate story, p.44). is promoted from VP, business management team include HR Liberty Global has also named development, Europe and Africa, director Manne Tiensuu and CFO Jason Waldron as senior vice- Canada-based to CFO, UK and Africa, while FNG Marina Ruohonen. Nordlund, president and chief accounting video app Africa marketing head Khanyile who took over at MTV in January, officer, reporting to Bracken. platform You.i has been named director of sales was previously managing director Waldron is currently a partner TV has hired and marketing. Alfonso joins from of Universal Music Finland and for KPMG in its telecom practice Dan Beer in Nigeria-based broadcaster Gotel the Baltic states. in Denver, Colorado and served the new role of Communications, where he as KPMG’s lead audit partner for chief operating was COO, and was previously Scripps Liberty Global from 2010 to 2014. officer to help drive international managing director of CNBC Africa Networks growth. He previously headed and GM of Summit TV. The news Interactive Polish broadcaster Polsat Group’s up two groups at IBM – the comes soon after Adam Theiler, has hired A+E chief financial officer, Tomasz performance management FNG’s executive VP, Nordics, Networks Szelag, has been made a member software division, at which he was Turkey, Greece, Israel and Africa, UK’s Kasia of the supervisory boards across responsible for strategic direction tweaked FNG management in Jablonska the companies of parent company and operations, and mergers Turkey, promoting Cenk Soner to become VP, affiliate sales in Solorz-Zak Group. Szelag, who and acquisition integration, for and Mehmet Icagasioglu to new EMEA. Jablonska has been with is already a member of the which he led due diligence and top-level positions. It is the latest A+E for three years, but will supervisory board of free-to-air integration of more than 20 change at FNG Europe and Africa, now report to SNI’s senior VP, TV arm Telewizja Polsat Sp. z oo, acquisitions. which came into being in January commercial, UK and EMEA Ross ZE PAK SA and Plus Bank SA, will with the 21st Century Fox-owned Hair. She will be responsible for now also serve on the boards of SFR Media, the recently created networks business dropped distribution of Scripps’ lifestyle pay TV operator Cyfrowy Polsat content arm of Altice-owned its Fox International Channels channels, including Food Network, SA and telecom arm Polkomtel French service provider SFR, has moniker and said goodbye to Travel Channel and Fine Living, Sp. z.oo. As part of the change, named Clément Courvoisier as long-serving international chief and the soon-to-launch HGTV, Szelag will no longer serve on the director of digital. Courvoisier Hernan Lopez. which debuts in Africa and the separate management boards of will join on September 19 and will Middle East in November. At A+E, Cyfrowy Polsat and Polkomtel. report to Damien Bernet, deputy Bonnier Broadcasting-owned she was director of distribution, His place will be take by former CEO of SFR Media. Courvoisier Finnish commercial broadcaster UK, central and eastern Europe, deputy Katarzyna Ostap- previously served as director of MTV’s CEO Jarkko Nordlund has Benelux, Africa and the Middle Tomann, who already sits on the marketing at newspaper publisher named a new management team, East. l management board of Telewizja Group Figaro and as director of with Discovery’s Sami Vikback Polsat. The changes will take digital activity at financial daily taking charge of the group’s Please email contributions to: effect on October 1. Les Echos. advertising business and Viasat’s [email protected]

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p50 People DTVE AugSep16v4st.indd 50 30/08/2016 21:27 p51 Discop DTVE AugSep16.indd 1 25/08/2016 12:07 Final analysis > Kate Bulkley Digital TV Europe August/September 2016

“Hedging your bets is a good idea. All media companies with any sense are doing the same because although the times they are a-changin’, there is still a lot of money and branding potential in linear TV channels.”

Content is still King

march towards convergence has in ESL, betting that eSports is at least one of The been going on a while but it has the next big things? The answer is tradition- A sharper picture taken the digital darling of the moment Vice al media outfit Modern Times Group. Both Media to remind TV executives that “millen- Turner and Scripps Interactive Networks are 4K UHD content is increasingly seen as a nials are now a bigger group than baby boom- investing in eSports as well. key differentiator. Despite recent surveys like ers” and that anyone not embracing the new Vice has itself attracted the attention of one from Irdeto and SNL Kagan that found audience and appetites is facing extinction. old, traditional media companies, including that 64% of video service providers and 73% Well, maybe. The remarks were from icon- Disney, 21st Century Fox and A+E Television of content producers believe that consumers oclastic Vice founder Shane Smith, never shy Networks. And it is interesting to note that, al- are willing to pay 10%-30% more for access to to express a self-aggrandising opinion, speak- though its video output was born online, the 4K content, there is still a lot to do to make it ing at the Guardian Edinburgh TV Festival. youth-oriented business is now embracing mainstream, including creating enough con- His view is that the traditional media faces “old” distribution, with the rollout of a line- tent to drive screen purchases. On the plus a “convergence bloodbath” as it tries to keep ar TV channel. Viceland aims to be up and side, the Consumer Technology Association up with more nimble online folks like Vice. running in 50 countries by next year. Many predicts that 2016 will see 4K UHD TV ship- This is both a thinly-veiled appeal to tradition- of those launches will be in partnership with ments reach 15 million units in the US. al media players to work with – or invest in more traditional media companies with local There is a danger, however, that 4K resolu- – Vice as much as a reminder that tech-en- connections, including The Times of India tion could be superseded and leapfrogged by abled, younger viewers act a lot differently and Greece’s Antenna Group. 8K. Given that both Panasonic and Sony have than audiences in the past. Hedging your bets is a good idea. All me- planted the 8K flag in the ground in part- Maybe Smith’s most interesting warning dia companies with any sense are doing the nership with NHK, and given that the next was not to discount the appetite that young- same, because although the times they are Olympics – always a driver for consumer up- er audiences have for “real stories” as long as a-changin’, there is still a lot of money and take of new tech – is in Japan in 2020, maybe they are presented to them by peers and not branding potential in linear TV channels. there is a case for delaying 4K and waiting for in a condescending, “old media” manner. Traditional TV companies know that having 8K. Japan plans to begin full-scale 8K broad- Broadcasters would do well to heed warn- the best content is key and the best content casting as early as 2018. ings. In the UK, BBC broadcast TV viewing includes exclusive content and, in the future, Liberty Global boss Mike Fries is taking dropped by 8% in the second quarter of 2016 high-value 4K UHD content. a wait-and-see approach to 4K because he compared to 2015, according to Ofcom. In Sky has known this for a while now – the is concerned there isn’t enough 4K content the same period, viewing fell a staggering joining together of its three European TV op- available to make it a strong selling point. 18% among those aged 16 to 34, which was erations under one content chief, Gary Davey, However Liberty’s new set-top boxes will driven in large part by the BBC Three TV is all about creating programming that will be 4K capable. Perhaps some of that origi- channel becaming online only. Interestingly, work across its operations. Meanwhile, Liber- nal content Liberty is commissioning from BBC iPlayer online viewing was only up by ty Global has unveiled its first original series All3Media will be in 4K. Given that attracting 4% in the same period. deal with its part-owned All3Media. consumers is a key strategic ambition in a Meanwhile, online giants like Facebook So everyone agrees that having the right media landscape awash in choice, that’s not and Twitter are adding live video to their so- content is key, which is good for producers much of a leap. l cial media platforms, while Yahoo has recent- and consumers living in a world of nearly in- ly teamed up with eSports company ESL to finite choice from a variety of sources. Hence Kate Bulkley is a broadcaster and writer offer live streams of ESL-produced gaming the predictions of a “convergence bloodbath” specialising in media and telecommunica- tournaments. But who has taken a big stake as companies jockey for position. tions. tellkatenow@aol.com

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p52 Final Analysis DTVE AugSep16v4st.indd 52 30/08/2016 21:11 2017

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pXX Arabsat DTVE AugSep16.indd 1 17/08/2016 17:49