Whether we like it or not, the future is already here with us. Hot terms like AI and machine learning have been with us for some time now. Automation is rapidly replacing manpower and only the owners of such technology seem to be benefiting. Consumption encouraged with the masses as they reap rewards. What does this mean for us in the technical landscape? Like our ancestors before us, we adapt. In this article we look at some trends in broadcast and media content delivery and their technical implications in engineering.
Times have been changing and with new technology come new ways to do things. Recently, promising platforms have taken root and seem to be growing year by year. Just to highlight a few areas that have captured my interests, they are:
- OTT (over-the-top) services
- VOD (video-on-demand) services
- AR (augmented reality), VR (virtual reality) and interactive media
- Viewer data analytics
We have interacted with some of these already with the likes of Youtube (AVOD – Advertising VOD) and Netflix (SVOD – Subscription VOD). AR and VR have featured in popular mobile and video games in the last few years. Viewer data analytics has extensively been used to recommend content based on your profile, geographical location, usage history and the complexity of the algorithms used increase each day.
OTT and VOD Services
OTT services are those where audio and video content offered by the content creator goes directly to the viewers via the Internet. This means that conventional broadcast infrastructure used for terrestrial broadcast for TV and radio, as an example, are not used in this process. All that is required is a screen and an Internet connection, which as we have seen before will not be much of a problem in the coming years.
VOD services, Figure 1, are those that offer audio and video content to the consumers at their convenience, hence the on-demand part. These services have been growing in Kenya with the initial embrace of Youtube then other SVOD services like ShowMax and Netflix entered the country and recently Viusasa, a Kenyan-owned SVOD platform was launched and has been popular since.
AR and VR
Augmented reality is a video technology that has grown in popularity in the past years. It’s basically a concept that enhances the perception of reality by superimposing images, text or other graphics layered on live video captured by fixed or mobile cameras. AR has been increasingly used globally for video entertainment and gaming. In Kenya, AR offers opportunities for use in education with collaboration as a key application and in business with applications in e-commerce, real-estate, advertising and in the auto industry (Nyamwamu and Onsongo, 2016).
Virtual reality is an immersive experience in a computer generated environment usually by means of a head gear, Figure 2, allowing the user to see the immersive content while everything else is blanked out. Globally, companies like Google and Facebook have invested large sums into this technology. Locally, we are seeing the likes of BlackRhino VR already competing in this space. The firm has been able to provide VR solutions for major corporations in the country notably Safaricom and the Kenya Wildlife Service. Increasing demand for VR technology could mean more space for other firms to develop.
Viewer Data Analytics and Big Data
This is quite a complex topic and deep discussions on data can be had with my girlfriend Cate Gitau. In our focus today however, I’ll look at the impact of viewer data analytics and why it leads to greater user engagement and retention in media. In recent years, practices of data analysis have become even more advanced as it is ubiquitous. Media companies have embraced it to get the most out of their platforms. It involves the systematic analysis of the viewers patterns such as their watch/listen time, history, devices and other, maybe intrusive, areas that we clicked ‘Agree’ on the Terms and Conditions we should probably have read. This analysis is then used by the companies to present the content in such a way that is most appealing and most likely to keep us engaged. For a lot of these platforms, engagement time, is a key metric. I recently had a demonstration with Futuri Media on how they are using data to drive engagement for media broadcasters.
However, this is not the only way big data can be used. To provide more meaningful content in our country, analysis of the different regions can be gathered to ensure better spread of infrastructure to lessen the burden of connectivity to majority of the population.
The Numbers
We are likely to react when the money is on the table so lets get to it!
According to PwC’s Entertainment and media outlook: 2017 – 2021 An African perspective report, the full spectrum of Kenya’s entertainment industry was worth USD 2.1 billion and is expected to reach USD 3.2 billion in 2021. Revenues from the Internet services discussed earlier are expected to rise at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.5% to USD 1.0 billion by end of 2021 and by this period the Internet advertising budget will have doubled to USD 227 million, a CAGR of 13.6%.
Interestingly, the report also details Kenya’s preference for PC and console gaming over casual/mobile gaming and this industry is set to grow to USD 104 million at a CAGR of 11.5%. This will also enhance the growth of e-sports gaming in the country. Revenues from e-sports will likely be from streaming advertising, consumer contribution, consumer ticket sales and sponsorship revenue.
In South Africa, revenues from VR technology are expected to grow at a very steep CAGR of 72.6% to R422 million.
Technical Implications
Darwinism is always a factor when it comes to who gets to thrive. The engineering community is faced with a lot of expectations in leading the way forward. As Marshall McLuhan put it in 1964, the medium is the message, we ought to find innovative ways to deliver content and create ways for advertisers to reach audiences.
As data remains to be the biggest challenge in distribution, leading telcos are continually laying the infrastructure to ensure greater accessibility to these services. However, there is still space to competitively innovate alongside the major players. We could see other cheaper ways of broadcasting information to viewers, maybe even harnessing underutilized existing technology such as Bluetooth, or a home set-top box that uses Wi-Fi radios to push content it receives through existing terrestrial TV infrastructure.
To avoid being left out, engineers should explore ways of maximizing available resources. One way to do this is through software. With an understanding of how signal flow works in the air-chain, we can build more sophisticated models and software to maximize their reach to the end user. What about VR? Are there ways to improve VR video capture? What sort of lighting complements an AR enabled museum? We are yet to have a universally accepted and commercially successful OTT/VOD platform in the country. The possibilities may be endless.
It’s a great time to be in this industry, however, you have to act fast. I’ll personally be looking further into these fields and the solutions that may be required.