2 EDITORIAL

Today , viewers do not really concern themselves with the platform on which content is available on … as long as the platform fits into their lifestyles and allows them to watch the content anytime , anywhere and on their chosen devices .

According to their convenience , viewers are as likely to select a linear platform as they would a non-linear one .

To them , there is no clear differentiation between one and the other . Thus , should broadcasters start to recognise this when it comes to content consumption today and that there should no longer be a differentiation of platforms ?

For Singapore terrestrial broadcaster Mediacorp , this is the key philosophy that is driving its ongoing nationwide roll-out of its Toggle Red Button service . Launched in 2013 , Mediacorp ’ s Toggle over-the-top ( OTT ) service started off by primarily offering catchup services to its linear channels , and has progressively evolved to offer a wider range of premium content via video-on-demand ( VoD ), including a selection of Barclays Premier League ( BPL ) football in the 2016 / 17 season , which is kicking off to much fanfare this month .

The ultimate goal of the Toggle Red Button service , said Anil Nihalani , head , Connected Media , Media corp , is not only to blur the boundaries between linear and VoD worlds , but to completely eliminate them , thus offering viewers a single environment to consume Mediacorp content .

In launching the Toggle Red Button service , Media corp also becomes the first terrestrial broadcaster in South-east Asia to launch a HbbTVsupported service , following in the footsteps of FreeviewPlus , which was launched in Australia and New Zealand , in 2014 and 2015 respectively .

HbbTV , as an enabler and delivery platform , said Nihalani , allows Mediacorp to curate and customise content across every screen , and provides the interactivity and integration between linear and VoD platforms . The technology also allows Mediacorp to reach out to the segment of audiences who still prefer to consume content on the TV screen . This , stressed Nihalani , remains a robust and growing segment for Mediacorp .

Mediacorp ’ s assessment would appear to be in

contrast with recent findings by French audience measurement company Eurodata TV Worldwide . Perhaps , surprisingly , considering the low level of broadband penetration in many Asian countries , Eurodata TV Worldwide reported that more than any other regions in the world , Asia-Pacific viewers are displaying the greatest tendency to move away from traditional TV viewing .

This can be partly explained by the recent proliferation of new regionalised players such as HOOQ , iflix and Viu , not to mention a slew of apps that allow consumers to download content for free .

The silver lining , however , can be found in broadcasters ’ willingness to adapt to evolving TV viewing habits by , for instance , developing their own catch-up and online VoD services .

Regardless of the platform , the key to retaining eyeballs is still content . Differentiated and engaging content , adapted to the needs of today ’ s viewers , will go a long way in ensuring that traditional broadcasters will be a part of the online video market that will only become more fragmented over time , said Eurodata TV Worldwide .

And lest anyone forgets , the ability to create compelling localised content remains a key strength that broadcasters need to take advantage of , reminded Mediacorp ’ s Nihalani .

For broadcasters , the local content that they produce is very much the key differentiator . Making this content available anytime , anywhere will , in all likelihood , allow broadcasters to complement their linear services with their non-linear services , and vice versa .

When that happens , broadcasters will be well on their way to winning the battle to retain eyeballs — no matter which platform viewers eventually choose to consume content from .

SHAWN LIEW MANAGING EDITOR

August 2016 ( volume 33 issue 7 )

EDITORIAL managing editor Shawn Liew , shawn @ editecintl . com contributing editor Millette Manalo-Burgos , millette @ editecintl . com contributing editor ( technology ) Karl K Rossiter , karl @ editecintl . com reporter Josephine Tan

CORRESPONDENTS

■ India Shirish Nadkarni , shinads @ yahoo . co . uk

■ USA Mike Feazel , mfeazel @ gmail . com

PRODUCTION production editor Zuraini Ridzwan , zuraini @ editecintl . com junior sub-editor Genevieve Chan , genevieve @ editecintl . com senior multimedia designer Raymund Jaudian , raymund @ editecintl . com multimedia designer Waldomar Zuniga , waldomar @ editecintl . com ad / office administrator Irene Lok , irene @ editecintl . com accounts manager Tan Hui Min , huimin @ editecintl . com

MARKETING director - sales & marketing Jessie Tan , jessie @ editecintl . com manager - sales & marketing Lynn Chee , lynn @ editecintl . com

CIRCULATION & PROMOTIONS executive - circulation & promotions Jotham T Lim , jotham @ editecintl . com

PUBLISHING publisher / editorial director Andrew Yeo , andrew @ editecintl . com

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