Just as multichannel networks (MCNs) threatened to pull the millennial audience away from TV for good, operators have spent big to get them on board. It’s a synergy that benefits both parties and a topic covered in depth at the IBC2016 Conference.
MCNs started out linking millennial content creators with video aggregation platforms, principally YouTube. Sandwiched between the content creators and the audience for YouTube channels, “uncharitably you could call them middlemen”, says Ampere Analysis research director Richard Broughton. “That model had to evolve.”
‘Is it the End of the Free Lunch or the Beginning of a New Era?’ (9 September, 15:15) reviews the journey MCNs have made in the last two years, and considers what the future looks like. Speakers include Bengu Atamer, co-founder and director, BuzzMyVideos; Brittany Bagnall, commercial director, Diagonal View; and Damon Berger, VP, business development at Fullscreen.
One strategy adopted by MCNs was to work more closely with brands and ease the reliance on ads. Examples include Fullscreen’s partnership with GroupM to form Playa, which exclusively services GroupM and WPP clients.
“Influencer marketing matters where the big agencies, that have historically bought lots of TV and lots of preroll ads, recognise this as a way to market and reach customers,” says Fullscreen CEO George Strompolos.
In ‘Harnessing the Power of Influencers’ (10 September, 11:30) Nic Yeeles, founder and CEO at Peg, joins Ben Speas of YouTube to discuss how vloggers can benefit TV brands.
A related session asks how broadcasters can best use Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube and other social platforms to super-serve fans? ‘How to Make Friends and Engage Audiences (10 September, 17:45) features insight from Mallika Bajaj, CMO, Little Yellow Beetle & Mixilion.
In a flat to declining market broadcaster operators have identified MCNs as a source of growth. MTG has control of Splay; Fullscreen is owned by AT&T; The RTL Group has invested in Divimove and BroadbandTV. In ‘Rich Creativity and Multiplatform Content’ (09 September, 12:15)
Sam Barcroft, founder and CEO of MCN Barcroft and Scott Ehrlich, CEO of MCN The QYOU, share advice for producing content for multiple platforms and highlight the business models that work.
Instead of buying an MCN, some broadcasters choose to go direct to consumers. Disney is doing so with the Disney Life app. NBCU has a similar aim with Hayu. Hendrik McDermott, SVP – Branded on Demand (SVOD) – NBCU speaks about this (08 September, 10:45) in the session
‘The New Broadcasters: The rise of Internet TV networks’.So if the audience has moved, is broadcast still the de-facto choice for a new show? Join Matt Campion, founder, Spirit Media and Charlie Palmer, managing editor of All4, at Platform Futures (09 September, 10:30) to learn more and hear from Europe’s #1 Periscoper Alex Pettitt who will show us why millions are tuning into people like him, live, every week on this blossoming new platform.
