TV broadcasters can offer OTT benefits with their OTA service

Is there a way that broadcasters can play in the OTT market space with their OTA service?

That provocative question evokes a resounding “Yes” from Cedric Fernandes, CTO of MobiTV. At the 2013 NAB Show, Fernandes showed me how the company is pioneering efforts to integrate watching TV on a primary screen with a host of other secondary devices.

The key, according to Fernandes, is attracting viewers to the combined first- and second-screen experience by giving cable, IPTV and satellite operators the ability to customize the experience based on knowing who’s watching — not simply the household or set that’s in use.

With the advent of smart televisions, smartphones and media tablets — all of which have an IP backchannel — OTA broadcasters also can play in this space.

I invited Fernandes to the Broadcast Engineering booth at the 2013 NAB Show to discuss how broadcasters can play in the OTT market space.