Personalisation And Interactivity Key Drivers of Mobile TV

The report, titled This Box Was Made For Walking, predicts that the introduction and adoption of mobile TV will ultimately give way to a more personal and private TV experience than that of traditional broadcast TV, with big implications for users, content providers and advertisers.

Users will be able to receive content anytime, anywhere, choose what is most relevant to them, and even create and upload their own television content, while content providers and advertisers will be able to tailor their offerings more specifically to users.

According to the report, the current trend of user generated content, as seen by the phenomenal growth of YouTube, will be a key feature of mobile TV.

The report also reveals that advertisers are currently experimenting with five and seven second-long ad spots to be better suited to the ‘snacking culture’ of mobile TV viewing.

It is expected that the most popular genres and programmes on mobile TV will be news, entertainment (soaps, reality shows, comedy, animation), sport, music and children’s programmes.

The content is also predicted to be tailored with the mobile viewer in mind, with much shorter and more concise news bulletins, growing importance of user-generated content and new distribution formats. In China, for instance, the movie Kung Fu Hustle was made into ten segments for mobile TV.

Broadcasters are likely to see a new midday prime time with mobile TV according to the report. This is backed up by consumer trials of mobile TV in Europe which revealed heavy usage of mobile TV during the day as well as during the more traditional early morning and late evening prime times.

In October, Telephia published research which showed that primetime viewing for mobile video in the US is in the afternoon and early evening (see US Mobile Video Viewed Most In Daytime).

Dr Shani Orgad, who carried out the study for the LSE, said: “For mobile TV to become more than just television on the move, it will have to build on existing channels, programmes, and ways of watching television and using the Internet.

“Mobile TV will become a multimedia experience with an emphasis on personalisation, interactivity and user-generated content.”

Harri Mannisto, director, multimedia, Nokia, said: “We are currently entering a new era in television, that of personal TV and video consumption.

“This LSE report highlights the opportunities for both broadcasters and advertisers in this new mobile television era.”

At the very end of October, Ovum said that with regard to how much consumers are willing to pay for mobile TV, service providers will need to consider advertising-supported models (see Mobile TV Providers Could Have To Consider Ad Supported Models).