NEW YORK—In what researchers are calling an inflection point in the time Americans’ spend viewing video, a new forecast from Insider Intelligence is predicting that for the first time, U.S. adults will spend more time watching digital video than traditional linear TV, according to the latest time spent forecast from Insider Intelligence.

In 2022, digital video time among US adults nearly caught up to TV time. U.S. adults spent an average of 3 hours and 2 minutes per day watching digital video and 3 hours and 7 minutes watching linear TV. Except for a slight uptick in 2020, daily TV time has declined every year since 2013, and it will continue to drop through 2024, the researchers said. 

Conversely, digital video time saw double-digit growth every year between 2011 and 2021. Growth slowed to single digits in 2022 but will remain positive through 2024, Insider Intelligence is predicting. 

This year, Insider Intelligence is forecasting that U.S. adults’ daily TV time will drop to 2 hours and 55 minutes, while digital video time will climb to 3 hours and 11 minutes. Linear TV will now represent 47.7% of total time spent with TV and digital video per day (the first time it’s dropped below 50%), while digital video will make up 52.3%.

The researchers noted that TikTok is driving social video consumption and they are predicting that TikTok's total viewing time will surpass Facebook in 2024

The researchers have defined traditional linear TV as any type of video content delivered via cable, satellite, telecom, or over-the-air antenna; they define digital video as video viewed via over-the-top or connected streaming services, as well as video viewed on social media, including YouTube.

“This milestone is driven by people spending more and more time watching video on their biggest and smallest screens, whether it’s an immersive drama on a connected TV or a viral clip on a smartphone,” said Paul Verna, principal analyst and head of the digital advertising and media desk at Insider Intelligence. “The growth of digital video is especially impressive when you consider that, as recently as four years ago, it accounted for roughly half of TV time. And bear in mind that our time spent forecasts are for adults only. Given teens’ preferences for social and streaming video over TV, we can expect these trends to continue to shift in favor of digital.”

Live sports shifting to streaming services is one reason why digital video consumption is surpassing TV. YouTube won the NFL Sunday Ticket at the end of last year, stealing Sunday evening football games away from DirecTV. Also, MLB sold the streaming rights to Friday night games to Apple TV+ and Sunday morning games to Peacock, Insider Intelligence reported. 

Its forecast also shows that YouTube and Netflix are neck and neck in terms of viewing time, with each grabbing an average of about 33 minutes per day among US adults. Hulu is in second place with 24 minutes, followed by Amazon Prime Video with 11 and Disney+ with 8, the company reported. 

Another key driver of digital video time is social video, the researchers said in a blog post. Average daily time spent with videos on social networks among US adults will climb 9.3% to 45.2 minutes this year. 

“TikTok is a key driver: Its total time spent among all US adults* will climb 14.2% this year to 17.4 minutes. With time spent with Facebook on the decline, TikTok will overtake it next year as the most-consumed social network among US adults. TikTok has been well ahead of Facebook among adult users of each platform since 2020,” the blog post explained. 

“Looking only at adult users of each platform, TikTok is already well ahead of every other social network and YouTube in terms of time spent. Adult TikTok users will spend roughly 56 minutes on the app each day in 2023, versus 48 minutes for adult users of YouTube,” the researchers said. 

“TikTok versus Netflix will be a major trend to watch this year,” said Jasmine Enberg, principal analyst at Insider Intelligence. “The lines between social and entertainment have blurred, and TikTok is now coming for the bigger-screen video players. New TikTok users add incremental new time spent, while its efforts in longer-form video, livestreaming and, more recently, music streaming, keep users on the platform longer. Growth in time spent on Netflix, meanwhile, is stagnant.”

“TikTok’s enormous popularity among young consumers is also what gives it an edge: We expect 18-to-24-year-old TikTok users in the US to spend an average of 1 hour on the app per day this year,” he continued. “With TikTok sending notifications to users ages 13 to 17 when they’ve spent more than 100 minutes on the app in a day, it stands to reason that teens are spending an exorbitant amount of time using TikTok.”

Although it’s not primarily a video platform, it’s worth noting that total time spent with Twitter among US adults will drop 10.7% this year and another 13.3% in 2024, the company predicted. A key reason is that they are predicting a 6.2% decline in monthly active Twitter users in 2023 in the US, and another 8.3% drop next year. Among the six social platforms they cover for time spent, Twitter has ranked next-to-last since TikTok overtook it in 2020. Reddit is sixth.

“As a primarily text-based platform, it’s easy to assume that video is an afterthought for Twitter,” said Enberg. “But videos about news and world events are an important engagement driver for the platform. The problem is that Twitter’s efforts to encourage more original videos, from Vine to Fleets, have so far been unsuccessful. Twitter owner Elon Musk’s attempts to bring more video to the app, including potentially incentivizing YouTube creators to post to Twitter, will be futile at improving time spent among all US adults unless he also manages to stave off a user decline.”

NEW YORK—The key challenge facing publishers of digital video—whether they’re broadcasters, publishers or even creators of online courses—is finding a way to increase viewer engagement, according to a new report from JW Player, a video services platform provider.

Based on the findings of a survey taken in January, the report, “Digital Video Industry Insights for Media Companies in 2021,” says half of respondents identified increasing viewer engagement as their No. 1 challenge. Among TV and film sites, more than 75% said viewer engagement topped their list.

“With more digital media consumers online (especially since the pandemic), increasing engagement has become essential,” the report said. 

However, respondents noted several other key challenges. For instance, 54% of broadcasters identified reaching audiences on new screens and doing more with less as other key challenges. Forty-two percent of publishers saw insufficient advertising demand as a major challenge. Respondents from the eLearning sector said doing more with less was their top challenge, the report said.

More than half of the digital video publishers responding identified increasing video ad revenue as their top goal for 2021. The survey found that news and lifestyle media in particular are searching for ways to grow ad revenue, it said.

The pandemic has increased video viewing, and as a consequence brands are starting their own digital media outlets, including online learning courses and live fitness streams, it said. 

The report looked at what characteristics brands starting their own digital media outlets, especially those launching online courses, are looking for in  online video.  A total of 44% of respondents identified reduced video platform cost, 40% said ease of use and 30% selected scalability and performance of live video delivery, it said. (Respondents could choose more than one characteristic.)

“New media are looking for flexible and customizable APIs [Application Programming Interfaces] that can easily integrate within their existing content management software,” the report said, noting that APIs are enabling video players to be integrated with a brand’s web infrastructure.

The report is based on the findings of a survey of publishers, broadcasters, online course creators and other digital content producers conducted in January 2021. A total of 1,812 people responded, and 221 companies were represented. Of the companies, 51% were publishers, 14% broadcasters and 12% were online course creators.

More information is available on the company’s website. 

WASHINGTON D.C. (Nov. 24, 2019) — Attendees at The Video Show, coming up on Wed. and Thurs., Dec. 4 and 5, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in the Nation's Capital, will be getting more than just an exciting, video-focused exhibit floor and a conference with over 100 sessions. 

A range of information-rich features will be available in addition to the show's slate of content sessions and its FREE exhibition of the latest in video production, post and audio gear (where companies including Sony, Canon, AJA, and Nikon will take part). For a full rundown on the content streams, visit the conference web site.

• C-SPAN's Bus, an interactive mobile exhibit and production studio, will be on site.

• Podcasting expert Eric Nuzum, video producer Amy DeLouise and America's Cup documentarian Gary Jobson will sign copies of their new books.

• TIVA-DC will live stream both days, and AVNation will be producing live podcasts from the show

• Live VR demos will be provided by studio Balti Virtual, while AR expert Stephen Black will share his groundbreaking work.

Anyone with a floor pass to the exhibit space – FREE if you register before Tuesday, Dec. 3 – will have access to a range of innovative features designed to enhance The Video Show experience and provide them with even more actionable insight and knowledge. 

One of the largest conferences and exhibitions on the East Coast, it promises to be a must-attend event for everyone from working professionals to serious enthusiasts.

C-SPAN is There!

Attendees can tour the C-SPAN Bus, an interactive, multimedia mobile classroom and production studio that travels the country, showcasing the network's public affairs programming and resources. The high-tech, interactive C-SPAN Bus comprises: 

• Access to an exclusive interactive experience available on 11 large-screen tablets featuring C-SPAN programming and myriad of political and educational resources.

• A smart TV and classroom area for conversations with students and teachers.

• A high-definition TV production studio for taped and live programming.

• A 360-degree video station featuring C-SPAN's unfiltered coverage of high-profile events and insightful, behind-the-scenes tours of U.S. landmarks.

• A D.C.-themed selfie station where visitors can share their Bus experiences through social media.

TIVA-DC's Live Streaming Studio

TIVA-DC, the Television, Interactive & Video Association of D.C., will be streaming live from the show floor throughout both days. TIVA-DC is a not-for-profit trade group formed to serve the needs of the growing DC-area production community, including Maryland and Virginia. With its focus on the fast-growing local market, TIVA offers a range of career growth opportunities, tech seminars, educational outreach, mentoring and award ceremonies. Attendees are invited to stop by their booth at the exhibition hall to get a tour of their streaming set-up or sign up to be interviewed.

Read more: The Video Show Lands In Nation’s Capital For Inaugural Conference

Book Signing With Podcasting Expert Eric Nuzum

Eric Nuzum, a veteran of NPR and Audible, co-founder of Magnificent Noise and a leading podcast consultant, has had a hand in launching more than 130 podcasts, including some of the most successful out there like “TED Radio Hour,” “Invisibilia,” “Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel,” The Butterfly Effect” and “West Cork.” He'll be on hand both days to sign his brand-new book, “Make Noise: A Creator's Guide to Podcasting and Great Audio Storytelling.”

Book Signing With Producer and Educator Amy DeLouise

Video producer and author Amy DeLouise will be on site to sign copies of her new book, “Nonfiction Sound and Story for Film and Video: A Practical Guide for Filmmakers and Digital Content Creators (The Producer's Playbook).” Co-written with audio expert Cheryl Ottenritter, the book guides nonfiction storytellers in the art of creatively and strategically using sound to engage their audience and bring stories to life. 

Book signing With Sailing Pro, ESPN Commentator and Filmmaker Gary Jobson

Gary Jobson has spent 31 years with ESPN covering nine America's Cup events. During this time he's also covered six Olympics, produced many documentaries and competed in over 5,000 races. His TV work has won him Emmys, Telly's and an ACE Award, he's authored 19 books and he happened to be the tactician for Courageous, skippered by Ted Turner, when it won the America's Cup in 1977. A prolific lecturer, he'll be on site to sign copies of his books and will be presenting a special session.

Balti Virtual's VR Demos

The team from Balti Virtual (www.baltivirtual.com) will be hosting VR demos on the show floor on Wednesday, Dec. 4, and all attendees are invited to experience some of the VR projects they've completed. Balti Virtual has created VR experiences for such brands as Starbucks, Marvel, Hallmark, Under Armor, Budweiser and Stanley Black & Decker, and they understand the game-changing ability of this technology when it comes to commercial, corporate and government users. 

Artist Stephen Black's AR Demos

AR expert and author Stephen Black will be conducting demos throughout the show, and invites attendees to stop by his booth in the exhibition space to see what's possible with this fascinating technology. Black is an artist who's worked extensively in the areas of fine art, publishing and visual media, tapping AR and other new technologies to create content for broadcast and independent film. 

AV Nation's On-Site Podcasts

AVNation, the network for the audio visual industry, will be hosting a live podcast at The Video Show in Washington D.C. on Dec 4. Tim Albright, AVNation's founder, will be joined on stage by Megan A. Dutta, Content Director for Systems Contractor News, where they'll discuss the expo and current pro AV events. In addition to this session, AVNation will be podcasting from The Video Show exhibit floor, interviewing speakers, instructors, exhibitors and attendees. 

See Video Show Content in the Screening Room

Much of the content that's being discussed in The Video Show's content streams and studios will be available for screening in the conference's Screening Room, accessible to all attendees. In addition to a screening of the documentary 17 Blocks – whose filmmakers will be taking part in the Independent Film content stream – other video sources will include NASA, the National Parks Service, and World Wildlife Fund.

Connect with Your Colleagues

The Video Show represents an unparalleled opportunity for networking and making connections. A number of both national and local trade groups and associations will be on site and well-represented during the event, including SMPTE, TIVA-DC, AVIXA, WIFV, #GalsnGear and DDC. Attendees are invited to take full advantage of this unique gathering of industry leaders and influencers. 

Attendees can register now at The Video Show's registration page to save $25 and secure Early Bird rates for The Video Show's premium Studios. Registration for The Video Show is free through Dec. 3, allowing access to the 80+ exhibitors on the show floor. Early Bird rates for premium Studio content streams are $49 for a one-day Studio Access Pass and $75 for a two-day Studio Access Pass. At the door Dec. 4–5, registration for The Video Show goes up to $25, with one-day Studio Passes available for an additional $49 and two-day Studio Passes available for $75.

Media Contact and Press Registration: Anthony Vagnoni, avagnoni communications, 973-493-8736, anthony@avagnoni.com

Exhibit/Sponsorship Opportunities: Jackie Gospodinoff, jackie.gospodinoff@futurenet.com 

Speaker Opportunities: Cristina Clapp, cristina.clapp@futurenet.com

Meetings & Partnerships: Danielle Blanchette, Danielle.blanchette@futurenet.com

About The Video Show

A premier two-day event aimed at video professionals and enthusiasts alike, The Video Show encompasses every aspect of video and content creation, showcasing industry-leading brands and innovative tech startups and allowing attendees to discover and get hands-on experience with the latest gear and software. Serving the education, government, production, AV and broadcast sectors, as well as vloggers, online content creators and more, The Video Show also includes a robust program of seminars, live demos and masterclasses delivered by industry experts and inspirational speakers across 16 dedicated premium studios. The inaugural 2019 event takes place Dec. 4–5 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. Learn more at https://www.thevideoshow.com/.

About Future PLC

Future is a global platform business for specialist media with diversified revenue streams. Its Media Technology group comprises such industry- leading brands as TV Technology, Digital Video, Video Edge, Government Video, Broadcast Engineering Extra, Radio World, College Media Brief and other titles. Future's wider brand family also includes technology, games, music, home interest, hobbies and B2B, with brands like TechRadar, PC Gamer, Tom's Guide, Homebuilding & Renovating Show, GamesRadar+, The Photography Show, Top Ten Reviews, Live Science, Guitar World, MusicRadar, Space.com and Tom's Hardware. Its magazine portfolio titles also include Classic Rock, Guitar Player, FourFourTwo, Homebuilding & Renovating, Digital Camera, Guitarist, How It Works, Total Film, What Hi-Fi? and Music Week. 

https://www.futureplc.com/

SAN JOSE, Calif.—Red’s patented process for compressing digital video so footage can remain as high-quality as possible, which is part of its Redcode codec, is coming under fire from Apple.

Apple filed a petition against the patent in May of this year, arguing that Red simply combined previously developed processes resulting in nothing novel, and therefore not protectable. This would allow for Apple—which currently has to pay a fee to Red to use the technology for its own ProRes Raw technology—and other companies to use the technology without paying a fee.

Red recently came back disputing Apple’s petition, saying that the process for its technology was first discussed in 2005 and developed for the Red One Cinema Camera in 2007.

Sony has previously attempted a similar lawsuit against Red in 2013, but it was defeated.

Read the full story at Digital Camera World.

NEW YORK—Traditional TV watching continues to wane, especially among younger consumers, as more homes get connected devices and streaming services.

In its Total Audience Report for the third quarter of 2018, Nielsen says that overall media use is little changed from a year ago at 10 hours and 30 minutes per day. Total video consumption dropped a bit but the ways in which that video is being watched continues to shift, with young adults in the 18 to 34 year old age bracket watching more video on their smartphones than the shrinking amount of time they spend watching linear TV.

Internet-enabled TV connected devices can be found in 68 percent of U.S. households, up from 63 percent in the third quarter of 2017. Homes with smart TV as are up to 41 percent from 32 percent. And the share of homes with a streaming video subscription, be it Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and such, was up to 67 percent of homes, up from 61 percent.

While streaming grows, Nielsen said the total number of multichannel TV households in the U.S. dropped to 80.1 percent of U.S. homes from 82.1 percent a year ago. The gradually dropping number is important to programmers who receive subscriber fees to pay for the shows they produce.

The number of traditional cable home fell to 76.4 percent from 80.4 percent, but was supplemented by the growth of virtual MVPDs such as Sling TV and YouTubeTV. Homes with subscriptions to vMVPDs nearly doubled to 3.7 percent from 1.5 percent.

Over the air households continued to grow, reaching 12.9 percent of U.S. homes from 12.7 percent a year ago. And broadband only homes jumped to 7 percent from 5.2 percent.

Of the 10 hours and 30 minutes per day adults in the U.S. spend with media, the amount spent with live TV dropped to 3 hours and 44 minutes from 3 hours 54 minutes a year ago. Time shifted TV was down to 30 minutes per day from 31 minutes per days.

Usage of internet connected devices and smart TV showed their biggest ever jump, rising to 29 minutes per month from 21 minutes per month. Watching video via apps or the web on a smartphone increased to 2 hours 31 minutes from 2 hours 14 minutes.

The average time spent on video declined to 5 hours and 24 minutes from 5 hours and 27 minutes, but viewing was unchanged from the second quarter.

The average time spent per adult on live plus time shifted TV fell to 4 hours 13 minutes per day from 4 hours 25 minutes per day a year ago, while the amount of time spent with TV connected devices rose to 47 minutes per day from 40 minutes per day and the use of video-focused apps on a smartphone rose to 11 minutes from eight minutes.

Live plus time-shifted TV use was the highest among the adults 65-plus set at 6 six hours 51 minutes, down slightly from 6 hours 52 minutes. Among adults 50 to 64, viewing of live plus time shifted TV was down to 5 hours 29 minutes from 5 hours 37 minutes.

Viewers in the 18-34 demographic spent a greater share of their media time using a smartphone than a TV. Those young-adult consumer spent just 1 hour 51 minutes with live or time shifted TV, down from 2 hours 14 minutes, while viewing on the web or an app on a smartphone was up to 2 hours 50 minutes from 2 hours 27 minutes. Among 35 to 49 year olds, TV viewing was down to 3 hours 34 minutes from 3 hours 48 minutes, while phone use rose to 3 hours 1 minute from 2 hours 43 minutes.

“Overall total media use among U.S. adults remains unchanged year-over-year at 10-and-a-half hours per day," said Peter Katsingris, senior VP audience insights at Nielsen. "But there are shifts in were that time being spent is dedicated to, as we see increases in internet connected devices and app/web smartphone usage that are gradually replacing time spent on other sources. These shifts are not surprising, as nearly seven out of 10 homes now have a device capable of streaming content, and a similar amount have access to a streaming SVOD service.”

With the growth of streaming services and the rush of big media companies—Disney, Time Warner, Comcast—to get into the subscription business, Nielsen looked at consumer attitudes towards streaming.

Consumers said that what they were looking for in a streaming services was a variety of content (57 percent), easy to use technology (56 percent), access to movies (52 percent), accessibility/search of desired content (51 percent), access to local programming (43 percent), resolution options (40 percent), ability to record and control playback (39 percent), access to specific network programs (38 percent) and access to live sports (35 percent).

Streaming consumers said there were a number of things that influence which content they watch on streaming services. The top thing they watched were existing shows they used to watch on broadcast media, which was cited by 67 percent of those responding. Recommendations from family and friends was mentioned by 66 percent; browsing streaming service websites 59 percent; new shows I learned about on broadcast media/channel websites 54 percent; reviews 52 percent; recommendations provided from streaming service websites was 48 percent; and promotion and introductions on social media was 42%.

Only 34 percent of viewers credited advertisements on billboards and magazines as influencing what they watched.

Ooyala, a leader in content supply chain solutions for OTT, content production, and digital distribution, announced a collaboration with Google Cloud to leverage robust Google Cloud technologies for the cutting-edge Ooyala Flex Media Platform, which empowers media owners to automate their video workflows, expand their audiences and get content to market faster, and with greater flexibility and security.

One of the world’s fastest growing content supply chain solutions being used by innovative content owners to simplify millions of video workflows, the Ooyala Flex Media Platform is an open and extensible solution that powers media delivery, workflow orchestration and content monetization. The platform will now run on the modern, scalable and secure Google Cloud Platform, tapping into the Google Compute Engine for scalability and robust performance, Google Cloud Storage for unified and secured storage, and the Google Cloud global network for fast and high performing content delivery.

“We’re excited to be collaborating with Google Cloud. Around the world, media companies are looking for ways to deliver and monetize their content faster, and with far greater flexibility and efficiencies.” said Jonathan Huberman, CEO, Ooyala. “Our collaboration with Google Cloud will further strengthen our position as a leading technology provider for global broadcasters and media companies.”

The Ooyala Flex Media Platform running on Google Cloud Platform will empower innovative media owners to automate video workflows for greater efficiencies, expand their audiences globally, scale their business with confidence and drive more revenue.

TV will represent 80 per cent of global video ad spend in the next five years, according to a new report from analysts Strategy Analytics.

In their Global Advertising Forecast - 2-20-2023 report, the company says this year, global TV ad spend will be over $195 billion and grow to $210 billion by 2023.

Digital video will represent only 20 per cent of global video ad spend in 2023, despite being the fastest growing digital advertising category (+10.8 per cent CAGR over 2018-2023), reaching nearly $51 billion in 2023.

The report says the U.K., which has been a leader in adoption of digital advertising and was the first country to see total digital advertising eclipse that of TV advertising, leads global territories in terms of digital’s share of total video, accounting for 44 per cent in 2023, followed by the U.S. (30 per cent) and China (27 per cent). On a per capita basis, marketers will spend $67.27 per person on digital video advertising in the U.K. versus $65.76 in the US.

Michael Goodman, director, television and media strategies, at Strategy Analytics said, “With consumers increasingly watching video across platforms, including mobile devices and connected TV screens, audience measurement agencies are evolving their tools, however, cross-device measurement solutions are still geared towards reach-based metrics, and in a fragmented online world, no media can provide reach better than television.”

NEW YORK—A majority of advertisers recently surveyed said that 59 percent of their digital budgets are now allocated to video. This represents a “steady rise” since 2016, according to Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)—a trade group comprised of 650 media and technology companies, which conducted the survey.

In its latest market research report, “Digital Content NewFronts: 2018 Video Ad Spend Study,” the IAB—which promotes more effective sales, delivery, and optimization of digital advertising and marketing campaigns—also found that over 50-percent of ad buyers plan to increase their digital and mobile video spending in the next 12 months. Compared to two years ago, this spending has risen 53-percent, to an average of roughly $10 million annually.

Investment in original digital video (ODV) programming has also climbed steadily since 2016 and is expected to surge to 68-percent by the end of 2018. The IAB report claims that 9 out of 10 advertisers consider ODV programming essential to their marketing mix, with a majority saying the online video medium enables them to reach audiences that are not watching linear TV.

[Read: Report: Local TV Faces Growing Competition For Ad Dollars]

Conducted by Advertiser Perceptions in mid-March 2018, the study surveyed 353 ad agency and marketing executives that are involved in their companies’ digital video advertising decision-making, having spent over $1 million on advertising buys in 2017.

“These findings reflect consumers’ enthusiasm for the dynamic storytelling, which original video programming delivers in spades, and the power of the medium to deliver strong ROI,” said Anna Bager, Executive Vice President, Industry Initiatives, IAB. “Marketers’ commitment to digital video—especially original digital video—has been skyrocketing over the past few years.”

Half of the ad execs surveyed also plan to increase spending on social media video advertising in next 12 months, and 44-percent have strong interest in buying interactive ads on connected TV. 

NEW YORK—Meredith Corporation has named Andrew Snyder Senior Vice President/Head of Video, reporting to Stan Pavlovsky, President of Meredith Digital. In this new role, Snyder now oversees the company’s digital video business, including digital programming and production, business affairs and studio operations, as well as video revenue strategy.

"A digital media veteran, Andrew is a talented and seasoned leader with a proven track record of growing video businesses," said Pavlovsky. "With a keen understanding of the marketplace, Andrew is the right choice to extend our premium brands to this platform in ways that will deliver unmatched consumer experiences."

Snyder replaces Ian Orefice, who will leave Meredith at the end of the summer to focus full-time on television and film development. Until he leaves, Orefice will continue working on select television projects and help with the transition. He continues to report to Bruce Gersh, Executive Vice President, President of “People” and

“Entertainment Weekly,” who also oversees Meredith's National Media Group television and digital video entertainment production.

[Read: Meredith Promotes McCreery To EVP Operations For Local Media Group]

With a 115-year history in service journalism, Meredith states that its National Media Group now reaches nearly 200 million Americans per month, including 85% of U.S. millennial women, and delivers content pertaining to celebrity, food, lifestyle, home, parenting, beauty and fashion via broadcast television, print, digital, mobile and video platforms.

Lauren Mikler, Executive Producer, Video, Entertainment Group, which includes the soon-to-launch daily live show, "Chatter on Twitter," will now oversee the group's digital video programming, reporting to Will Lee, Senior Vice President, Digital, Entertainment Group.

According to Lee, "Lauren is an immensely talented creative producer for short- and long-form video and will be instrumental in the growth of our entertainment video programming.”

ARMONK, N.Y. & AMSTERDAM—Digital video from sources like Netflix and YouTube are directly competing with traditional broadcasting services, but what do consumers think of the new viewing opportunities? Also, what impact could cognitive computing have on the broadcasting industry? These were two of the main questions that IBC and IBM attempted to answer with the “Creating a ‘Living’ Media Partner for Your Consumers: A Cognitive Future for Media and Entertainment” study, released at IBC 2017.

The first part of the study was a survey conducted with 21,000 consumers from 42 countries about their video consumption habits. The results showed that 51 percent of those surveyed—67 percent in emerging markets—access free, over-the-internet video; 48 percent access video through regular subscription services from traditional pay-TV providers.

Watching content on mobile devices is also becoming more popular, as 55 percent of respondents said they watch streaming videos every day on mobile devices; about a quarter use mobile broadband instead of Wi-Fi for one or two hours. However, respondents said the experience could be improved; 65 percent say they experience buffering problems very often or regularly, while 62 percent have long waiting times for a video to start.

One of the possible solutions the industry is considering to help improve these experiences is cognitive technology. Using cognitive technology could interpret data that would reportedly yield audience, content and contextual insights. Ninety-two percent of the 500 surveyed media and entertainment executives believe cognitive technology will be an important part of the future of the industry.

As a result, IBC and IBM recommend organizations do three things: apply cognitive technology to achieve personalization; revamping infrastructure to meet the coming demands; and reengineering business models to profit from the new media landscape.

IBM will be offering these findings at its booth, 15.MS13, throughout IBC 2017.

BURLINGTON, MASS.—Hawaii television is getting a new channel to cover political news in the state capitol building in Honolulu, and ‘Ōlelo Community Media is aiding the effort by deploying Volicon’s Observer digital video monitoring and logging system. The system will capture feeds from chamber meetings and auditorium hearings and make it accessible through a single interface for video review and trimming for the new Hawaii Government Public Network.

The Observer receives video over a fiber infrastructure from up to four cameras in each hearing room, which is consolidated into a single picture-in-picture feed. Stored video can be accessed through a media player interface and use “mark in” and “mark out” controls to create clips and video segments.

The installation of the Volicon Observer is part of a larger infrastructure and signal transport upgrade put in place by ‘Ōlelo Community Media, Oceanic Time Warner Cable, the Hawaii State Legislature and the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

NEW YORK—The number of regular viewers for original digital video programming has increased by nearly 18 million since 2013, with the “2016 Original Digital Video Study” from the Interactive Advertising Bureau indicating that the current number of regular viewers is around 63 million. According to the study, those who regularly tune in to digital video content actually prefer it to more traditional TV programming, including primetime TV, which IAB says is a first.

This growth is being led by the 18-34 age group, particularly males in that age range, which are twice as likely as adults 35 and older to watch made-for-digital content, IAB says. Some of the top reasons cited for watching digital content were viewing flexibility and exclusive, original content. Consumers also maintain a positive perception of digital video, describing it is “innovative,” “younger,” “unique” and “new.”

Digital video viewers also say they remember ads more, with 38 percent claiming they do compared to 29 percent a year ago. Among 18-34 year olds, 48 percent say they are more like to remember an ad shown with original digital video content (more than the 27 percent in 2015). Of all respondents, 36 percent said they find ads shown during original digital video content to be “more interesting.”

In addition, IAB indicates that the audience for digital video programming has seen an increase in median household income; up 9 percent from 2015.

“This growing format not only attracts a valuable young demographic, but also appeals to the notoriously hard-to-reach audience of cord-cutters/nevers,” said Anna Bager, senior vice president and general manager, mobile and video, IAB. “So, it is no wonder that marketers and media buyers are crowding NewFronts presentations to see the latest in premium original digital video programming.”

To read the full report, visit iab.com/originalvideo.

NEW YORK—The IAB Technology Laboratory has announced a revision to its “IAB Digital Video In-Stream Ad Format Guidelines and Best Practices” for public comment. The upgrade will allow digital video in-stream ads to render across HD screens of all sizes. The revised set of digital ad formats and creative submission guidelines further enables cross-screen ad portability.

New guidelines include file submission recommendations that detail “ready-to-serve” files for streaming, progressive download, and adaptive bit rate streaming formats. They also recommend providing the source mezzanine file, which allows a publisher to transcode the file to best suit the environment into which it is served.

The public comment period on the guidelines will run through Oct. 16, after which time the IAB Digital Video Ad Format Guidelines Working Group will evaluate the comments and make necessary revision before releasing a finalized version. Comments are being accepted at https://goo.gl/SASR1r or via email to Luke Luckett at luke@iab.net.

“These guidelines for video ad file submissions will help streamline ad development and placement operations, while meeting the growing demand for high-quality digital video from consumers, and the advertisers that want to reach them,” said Scott Cunningham, senior vice president, technology and ad operations, IAB and general manager of the IAB Tech Lab.

To review the new “Guidelines and Best Practices,” visit www.iab.net/dvadformats. 

RASTATT, GERMANY – China’s Zhejiang TV’s recent renovation of its studios includes the addition of new video units from Germany-based Lawo.

Lawo V_pro8

ZJTV will bring in six Lawo V_pro8 digital video processors for its new studios. The Lawo V_pro8 is an eight channel, 1 RU rack-mount unit that combines both video and audio management. The units offer SDI embedding and de-embedding, color correction, up/down conversion and MADI interfacing.

ZJTV has been using Lawo products for six years, including at ZJTV’s Concert Hall and studios in Hangzhou City, China.

Lawo is a developer of audio and video technology for TV and radio broadcast.