MGEITF 2006: New Media Platforms Will Not Destroy Old Media
New media rights and the exploitation of new platforms are hugely important aspects of the ongoing digital revolution in television and the subject was up for discussion at the weekend’s MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival (MGEITF).
The subjects were debated across Saturday morning in two seperate sessions, which brought together some of the most powerful individuals in the television industry.
Alex Mahon, chief operating officer of talkback THAMES, began by talking about the 360 exploitation of shows such as the X Factor and about making more of user-generated content for that programme. Charles Wace, managing director of TwoFour Productions commented that: “It’s a lot easier to see how to make money if you have an established brand in the online space.” He added that different approaches would need to be adopted by producers, saying that in contrast to Mahon’s company, already in possession of a strong brand in the X Factor, TwoFour productions has taken a collaborative approach towards expanding into new media spaces, for example partnering with BT Vision to offer videos to download.
Wace also spoke about offering bespoke programming for mobile phones and was optimistic about the openings this platform may provide with regard to consolidating a secure position as a new revenue-generating model. Moving on to talk about issues with content rights, Wace said that when offering sports clips TwoFour productions had been able to avoid any problems by creating revenue share models with some of the people who own the rights.
Anthony Lilley, chief executive of Magic Lantern Productions, said that Magic Lantern takes a multi-tier view of the exploitation of new media platforms, with distribution a hugely important factor in making money from content which producers already have, although he stressed that it is vitally important to tailor the content to the platform and not to be happy with just “bunging it out” without any consideration for the end user experience. Another way in which Magic Lantern looks to make the most of new media opportunities, said Lilley, is working with partner companies in order to develop properties which are tailor made for the interactive media world. He also emphasised that there is no one set way of doing things in the uncharted waters which media companies are entering.
Jeff Henry, director of ITV consumer, said that ITV has already put in place a structure to deliver its content in the new television terrain and in the near future will offer a simulcast service that will see its content free at the point of consumption, as well as a pay-per-view service. Of the forthcoming challenges ahead, he said: “In an on-demand world you have to be in the business of content syndication, making content available to selected destinations where people go rather than expecting them to come to you.”
With regard to the place of traditional broadcasting models, Lilley said that: “One of the worst tendencies of new media people is to claim that we’re all going to eat the traditional television world, but I’ve never been somebody who did that because it’s absolute arrant nonsense.”
The overall impression that was given is that the increasing opportunities available in the broadcast arena are massively exciting, although it is clear that content and the way it is handled by producers, broadcasters and other parties is crucial to the user and, therefore, to the future success of any new ways of delivery. In addition, it almost goes without saying that the traditional broadcasters have to adapt to the changing environment if they want to carry on with the successes they have already experienced.
MGEITF www.mgeitf.co.uk