NAGRA and MTM have published key findings from the European edition of the 2019 Pay-TV Innovation Forum.
The global research seminar saw senior pay-TV and content provider executives identify five priorities for the industry:
- Industry executives are optimistic about the pay-TV industry’s ability to reinvent aggregation models. These must evolve in response to the rising popularity of OTT services. The changing dynamics of the wider industry means that some smaller channels will become unsustainable
- The anticipated proliferation of subscription OTT services presents opportunities for pay-TV providers to become ‘super-aggregators’ of content – 79 per cent of executives believe that major OTT subscription services can be valuable as part of the pay-TV offer
- Digital transformation is critical to future-proofing the pay-TV business. Over half (57 per cent) believe that costly legacy platforms represent a major operational challenge to pay-TV businesses as they look to transform. Deciding when, where and how to change also remains a key challenge
- Now more than ever, data and analytics are perceived as a business priority. Many content providers argue that the historic reluctance of pay-TV operators to share viewer data is outdated and needs to be re-thought in order to support competition with the major international OTT providers
- Content piracy in Europe remains a challenge yet can be contained. New forms of content piracy (such as the rebroadcasting of live streams on social media platforms) are a concern, impacting churn and revenue. Content owners are increasingly engaged in combatting piracy with a combination of technology and cross-industry initiatives.
“The growth of OTT services is undoubtedly having an impact on the pay-TV and content industries and digital transformation is emerging as a key priority,” said NAGRA senior director, product marketing, Simon Trudelle. “It is exciting to see that while challenges exist, focus is on creating opportunities for growth and in the end, delivering services that will delight consumers and keep them engaged. The next few years will prove to be pivotal in this regard.”
“Europe’s pay-TV industry is at a crossroads, with slowing growth in many markets and increasing competition on the horizon,” added MTM managing partner Jon Watts. “After nearly two decades of growth, we’re starting to see the signs of a very different industry – with a greater focus on the network, a broader offering of products and services, and new approaches to aggregation and content retailing. It’s encouraging to see signs of optimism and widespread interest in these new approaches, as the industry looks for the next wave of growth opportunities that will see it into the 2020s.”
