App Developers Go for the Personal Touch; Technology trends at CES will focus multiplatform strategies toward attracting choosy consumers

WITH TV CHANNELS NOW OFFERING thousands of apps where consumers can view TV programming, developers will be flocking to the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas from Jan. 5-9 to survey the newest devices and features in app development.
WHY THIS MATTERS
With TV ratings down, networks need to boost multiplatform consumption by improving apps and digital products.
To better engage consumers that frequently have scores of apps on their phones, developers working at programmers and operators say they are focusing on personalization, social media tools, improved TV
Everywhere offerings and tools to help with better understanding of how consumers use various devices.
“Every platform is slightly different,” says David Wertheimer, president of digital at Fox Broadcasting. “The Xbox viewer watches a different mix than the iOS tablet user. It creates a great opportunity to think about how we can better program, promote and design those products.”
That makes tools to understand consumer behavior increasingly important. “Better measurement is at the top of our list as well as improved video content discovery, personalization and the ability to improve engagement by allowing users to interact and share content,” says Tamara Franklin, executive VP, digital, Scripps Networks Interactive.
These tools are also crucial for the ongoing attempts to boost digital ad revenues. “Mobile is a big driver for growing consumption of video because everyone has a smartphone and a lot of people have a tablet,” says Colleen Fahey Rush, executive VP, chief research officer, Viacom Media Networks. “But as you’ve seen on the earnings calls this fall, a lot of people are frustrated that Nielsen is not keeping up with measuring how consumers are watching TV programming.”
“There really is a need to get a good currency in place,” adds Ashley Still, senior director of product management, Adobe Primetime. She notes that Adobe recently formed an alliance with Nielsen to offer cross-platform measurement. “The intention is to provide publishers with the flexibility to use C3 or dynamic ad insertion or a mix of them,” she says.
Beyond the Second Screen
In developing new products for digital platforms, some of the hype around second-screen experiences synced to live television has dissipated. “A lot of the attempts have been forced or manufactured, and haven’t really added value in terms of the consumer experience,” says Franklin.
But others stress the importance of second-screen efforts, at least for some types of programming, particularly sports and reality. “We haven’t really changed our strategy for second screen,” says Wertheimer. “We continue to believe it is a great place for supporting content in the digital space and continue to invest heavily around our unscripted shows like American Idol that we will be bringing back in a big way in January.”
FIVE PRE-CES APP TAKEAWAYS
During CES, TV app developers will be paying particularly close attention to these tech trends:
The Mobile Hub. Programmers and operators are looking at mobile devices less as a second screen and more as a hub for a much wider array of activities, and are placing more emphasis on smart-phones, which are becoming increasingly important.
Personalization. As more content becomes available on apps, personalization tools will play a key role in helping consum ers quickly access the content they want.
Social Media. Programmers are finding more sophisticated ways to use social media to boost engagement and drive view-ership in an increasingly competitive landscape.
Measurement. With TV viewing on mobile devices still not measured, technologies for tracking that viewing are a top priority.
Upgraded TV Everywhere Apps. The industry is making a major push to improve TV Everywhere apps with more live content, easier authentication and other features. —GW
Adds Ryan Spoon, senior VP of digital product development at ESPN: “Fantasy football is probably the largest second-screen experience,” and the growing popularity of connected televisions will allow them to further improve.
Much of the focus on second-screen continues to revolve around mobile and social media. “Second-screen and social are really growing areas,” says Jonathan Weitz, partner at IBB Consulting, which works with a number of major companies on their apps. “Programmers are making a much bigger effort to integrate social conversations into their apps and to offer shareable content on the second screen that will help activate the first screen so that the mobile app will help drive engagement and tune-in on the TV set.”
Social at the Hub
Given the widespread availability of mobile devices, a number of companies are placing mobile at the center of their efforts. “I have a sign in my office that says there are 1.4 billion smartphones in the world,” says Josh Cogswell, Viacom senior VP of multiplatform product. “Mobile devices are really at the core of what our consumers and fans are doing. They have really become the digital hub of their lives.”

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