i3 - March/April 2021 - 35

By Gary Arlen

Business

C S PAC E

Streamlining
Video Discovery

Vertigo 3D/Getty Images

inding your way through the growing roster
of video programming is a challenge, despite
new tools to help viewers discover and navigate to the show they want to see. Experts speaking
at several #CES2021 sessions about streaming video
developments acknowledged viewers' frustration
while discussing solutions to help in the search for
content across streaming and conventional channels.
Yet the process is still a work in progress.

Predictably, data is at the heart of video
navigation and search. Sandeep Gupta,
vice president and general manager of
Amazon's Fire TV, explained his company - recognized for its algorithmic
awareness of customer preferences and
usage - has identified " the key thing is
helping [viewers] discover content in
ways they didn't think of before. " It's
done through processes which highlight
the user's experience and adds marketing insights, Gupta explained.
" We work closely with partners to
highlight their content which is unique
and to develop content integration, "
Gupta said. " We highlight recommendations that relate to a movie or show that
[customers] watch, " including the transition of viewing actions from a single
program to a library of shows.
Gupta said the uptick in streaming
video access during the pandemic has
" accentuated that kind of decision-making. We saw very different patterns. "
Online program navigation is not a " one
size fits all " process. " They're starting to
recognize that they can get (whatever they
want to see) in a way that meets what
they're looking for, " Gupta explained.
" People recognize there are different ways
to interact and personalize, " he added.
Other CES panelists agreed the
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i3_0321_35_Business_CSpace.indd 35

streaming video deluge has catered to
viewers' desires " to watch shows, not just
watch TV. "

that curation, " Lyons explained. " You need
to make sure data is targeted to the individual user at the time it is most appropriate. The blend is the magic. "
Stefanie Meyers, senior vice president of
Video Magic
distribution at Starz, emphasized a comOn another panel, Brian Fuhrer, senior
mon goal of program suppliers. " We are all
vice president, product strategy &
in this battle to make sure our customers
thought leadership at Nielsen Global
can find our content as easily as possible
Media, said his data found a " fundamenon whatever platform, " Meyers said. She
tal shift " during the pandemic as the new
said Starz is identifying " microtrends
multi-platform audiences wanted to find
around usage, " observing that " savvier cusshows their friends mentioned or to sumtomers " are choosing what they want to
mon favorite old movies or TV shows.
see " with more discrimination. "
Fuhrer cited kids shows and movies as
Scott Reich, senior vice president,
" key considerations " in the video program
programming at Pluto TV (owned by
search process. He also suggested the
ViacomCBS), noted Pluto's platform
navigation/discovery process may get
is " optimized to get people into new
more complex as media and platform
categories, " including CBS and Viacom
companies continue to make " big bets " in
content such as " bringtheir streaming ventures.
ing classic TV shows
Sarah Lyons, senior vice
to a younger demopresident, product experiThe key thing is graphic. " Reich added,
ence at WarnerMedia, estimated that two-thirds of
helping [view- " This is not a winner
take-all marketplace. "
the time viewers know
ers] discover
also expects " more
what they want to watch
content in ways He
experiments " as the
and can find it. But, onethey didn't think industry determines
third of the time, they are
of before.
how many Subscription
" looking for something
- Sandeep Gupta, VP and General Manager
Video-On-Demand
new. We believe in a blend
of Amazon's Fire TV
(SVOD) services the
of human curation with
market will support.
underlying data to facilitate
MARCH/APRIL 2021

3/11/21 12:41 PM

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i3 - March/April 2021

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