ESports direct A game changer for TV? - August/September 2017 - Digital TV Europe
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August/September 2017
eSports direct
A game changer for TV?
pOFC DTVE AugSep17.indd 1 05/09/2017 17:21
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Digital TV Europe
August/September 2017
Contents August/September 2017
14. TV plays the millennial game
The meteoric rise of eSports has caught the attention of TV operators and broadcasters, both
of which are investing in rights and dedicating airtime to gaming. But how likely is this to win eSports direct
back millennial viewers? Andy McDonald reports. A game changer for TV?
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18. Talk TV
With the advent of popular digital assistants such as Amazon Echo and the launch of next-
generation TV devices like Sky Q, there are signs that using your voice to control the TV is finally
filtering into the mainstream. Stuart Thomson looks at some of the latest moves.
18
26. Diving deeper into data
Video service providers are still attempting to come to terms with how to manage and use big
data. Identifying and focusing on key areas such as specific elements of marketing, targeted
advertising and churn reduction can point the way ahead, writes Anna Tobin.
26
32. Hack attack: TV and cybersecurity
Cyber attacks are increasing in number and becoming more sophisticated, with the cost
to corporations running into the billions. With conventional security concepts increasingly
powerless against it, protection requires a paradigm shift. Adrian Pennington reports.
42. IBC 2017: the preview
This year’s IBC exhibition will take place at Amsterdam’s RAI from September 15-19. Digital TV
Europe takes a look at some this year’s technologies. 32
Regulars
2 This month 4 News digest 50 Technology 54 People 56 Final analysis
Visit us at www.digitaltveurope.com
1
p01 Contents DTVE AugSep17v2am.indd 1 05/09/2017 17:59
This month > Editor’s note Digital TV Europe
August/September 2017
Issue no 333
Published By:
Four faces of content
KNect365 TMT
Maple House
149 Tottenham Court Road
London W1T 7AD
New content, new ways of finding it, new ways of making
money from it, and new threats to it: this month’s issue
of Digital TV Europe looks at four key aspects of the emerging content
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7017 5000
distribution universe.
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7017 4953
First, the content that is being distributed is changing. Pay TV opera-
Website: www.digitaltveurope.net
tors and broadcasters are desperate to win over younger audiences that
are in danger of becoming disengaged from traditional TV. One of the
Editor Stuart Thomson emerging genres that seems to appeal to at least a significant sub-section
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7017 5314 of this generation is eSports, which has grown massively in terms of its
Email: stuart.thomson@knect365.com audience and appeal over the last couple of years, to the point where me-
dia companies such as Modern Times Group see it as central to their future, and service provid-
ers such as Telefónica are investing in their own gaming teams and platforms. In this issue, we
Deputy Editor Andy McDonald speak to the key players and assess their future prospects and likely evolution.
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7017 5293 Second, sources of available content are proliferating and pay TV platforms are increasingly
Email: andrew.mcdonald@knect365.com embracing OTT TV services from third parties, but viewers still complain that they can’t find
content that they want to watch. To help cut through the complexity of navigating through mul-
tiple menus, voice control has now arrived, boosted by the popularity of digital assistants such
Contributors
as Amazon Echo. Also in this issue of Digital TV Europe, we look at how effective voice will be
Kate Bulkley, Andy Fry, Adrian Pennington,
as a content discovery tool and as a way for platforms to differentiate their offerings.
Adam Thomas, Anna Tobin, Jesse Whittock
Third, the proliferation of available content sources also raises the challenge of how to make
a business case for service providers and content suppliers alike. With audiences fragmenting,
Correspondents and the traditional advertising model now facing a long-term decline, we look at the promise
France: Julien Alliot; Germany: Dieter of big data and the ways in which more sophisticated use of the data available could enable TV
Brockmeyer; Italy: Branislav Pekic operators and channel providers to improve marketing, reduce churn and build a sustainable
business model.
Fourth, the industry’s move to IP and OTT platforms means that new security threats are
Commercial Director Patricia Arescy emerging. On top of traditional content security concerns, TV operators and broadcasters are
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7017 5320 increasingly the target of cybercriminals. In this issue we look at the nature of emerging threats
Email: patricia.arescy@knect365.com not only to the intellectual property rights of operators and broadcasters, but to the personal
lives of their subscribers.
Finally, we take a look at some of the technologies at this year’s IBC show and provide our
Art Director Matthew Humberstone
usual digest of all the latest industry, technology and people news. l
Marketing Manager Marita Eleftheriadou
Printing Wyndeham Grange, West Sussex
To subscribe to this magazine or our
daily email newsletter please visit
digitaltveurope.net/registerhere
© 2017 Informa UK Ltd
All rights reserved
Stuart Thomson, Editor
Reproduction without permission is prohibited
stuart.thomson@knect365.com
Visit us at www.digitaltveurope.com
2
p02 Ed Note DTVE AugSep17v3am.indd 2 05/09/2017 18:00
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News > digest Digital TV Europe
August/September 2017
News digest
> 4 Deutsche Telekom taps Netflix, Fox+ and UFA for EntertainTV > 5 LG sees upside
from ‘fragmented’ OTT market > 8 Disney strikes deal with Iflix after cutting Netflix >
10 Canal+ needs level playing field, says Vivendi > 12 Ofcom submits new Sky advice
Deutsche Telekom taps Netflix, Fox+ and UFA for EntertainTV
By Andy McDonald > The Walking Dead and 24. MGM-produced The Hand-
On top of this, a new part- maid’s Tale, Sienna Films and
Deutsche Telekom is adding nership with German film and eOne Entertainment’s Cardinal,
Ultra HD support and direct ac- television production company and FX Productions, Pig New-
cess to Netflix to its EntertainTV UFA adds a wide selection of ton and 3 Arts Entertainment
offering, along with a raft of new German movies and made-for- co-produced Better Things will
content from the likes of Fox. TV films to the service. be available on EntertainTV
Deutsche Telekom’s new Ul- “Deutsche Telekom sees itself starting October 4.The Fox+ cat-
tra HD-ready MR 401 media re- as an aggregator on the media Sky and Insight TV will also be alogue will launch at the same
ceiver will provide EntertainTV market – we bring together the available through EntertainTV. time.
customers with direct access to best content on our TV plat- The Fox+ deal establishes Deutsche Telekom said that
Netflix following its launch this form so that we can offer our Deutsche Telekom as the first all EntertainTV customers will
autumn, with the release accom- customers the best package,” German partner to launch the be able to access UHD content
panying a major content push said Deutsche Telekom’s head non-linear service, which is al- on demand, but only customers
by the firm. of consumer, Michael Hagspihl. ready available in France, Swe- with a MagentaZuhause L rate
For the first time the operator, “Combining superior tech- den, Norway, Denmark, Finland plan and download speeds of
which already boasts exclusive nology, strong partners and and Greece – with more launch- up to 100 Mbps will be able to
sports rights, has taken German exclusive content is crucial to es due to follow before the end watch UHD live.
premiere rights to three major achieving that aim. With televi- of the year. Deutsche Telekom an-
new TV series – dystopian dra- sion in Ultra High Definition, “As we bring Fox+ to another nounced the news at the IFA
ma The Handmaid’s Tale, Cana- Netflix and Fox as well as our ex- key territory, the results we are technology trade show in Berlin.
dian crime series Cardinal and clusive top series, we are taking seeing from the product are sur- Entertain TV is an IP-delivered
comedy Better Things. the next step and underline our passing our expectations, and multiscreen TV service from
Deutsche Telekom has also leadership in the German TV we’re thrilled to be partnering Deutsche Telekom, which offers
secured the German launch market.” with Deutsche Telekom, the content live and on-demand and
rights to Fox Networks Group The launch of the new MR leading telco in the region, for to the TV through a set-top box.
Europe and Africa’s on-demand 401 set-top box means that, our debut in Germany,” said The company had 3.02 mil-
service, Fox+, giving Enter- aloingside Netflix, Ultra HD Diego Londono, chief operating lion German TV customers at
tainTV viewers access to more content from other content pro- officer, Fox Networks Group Eu- the end of June, up 8.9% year-
than 50 seasons of shows like viders like Videoland, YouTube, rope and Africa. on-year.
end of this year, targeting its 3G major international content players making the service available via
Congo mobile subscribers and data users. to develop their own subscription distribution partners only, unlike
The agreement for Congo will also video-on-demand services with other SVOD services available
PROG > TracePlay launch see Trace take control of Africa the launch of Paramount+ in the across the region such as HBO
Modern Times Group (MTG)-owned Media-owned FM radio station Nordic region. The new service will and Netflix. Paramount+ will be
music and urban lifestyle broad- AfriRadio, by November. hold the rights to the first pay TV available to premium subscribers
caster Trace has struck an agree- window for paramount Pictures’ of Danish cable and telecom group
ment to launch its subscription new movie releases, along with a YouSee/TDC Group’s TV service
video-on-demand service TracePlay Denmark range of catalogue films and over and TDC Group’s Norwegian unit
in the Democratic Republic of Con- 800 episodes of MTV and Comedy Get, Telenor-owned pan-regional
go with local mobile player Africell. OTT > Paramount+ launch Central shows. Paramount+ will pay TV operator Canal Digital in
Under the deal between the pair, Viacom Media Networks Interna- launch in the Nordic region on Norway and Sweden, and Swedish
Africell will launch TracePlay by the tional is joining the race among October 1. However, Viacom is cable operator Com Hem.
Visit us at www.digitaltveurope.com
4
p04-05,08,10,12 DTVE News Digest AugSep17v4st.indd 4 05/09/2017 17:58
Digital TV Europe News > digest
August/September 2017
IPTV > Canal+ on Bouygues
Estonia France Canal+ has teamed up with service Events
provider Bouygues Telecom to
IPTV > Tele2 and Viasat CAB > SFR delist plan launch a new offering, Start by IBC 2017
Mobile telecom operator Tele2 Es- Altice has filed its planned buyout Canal, that will be available via Date: 14 - 19 September
tonia has teamed up with local pay offer for the remaining shares of Bouygues’ set-top boxes. The Venue: Rai, Amsterdam, The
TV operator Viasat to launch a joint French subsidiary SFR with the offering, which includes thematic Netherlands
TV and internet offering across the French markets authority, the AMF. channels and unlimited access to W: www.ibc.org
country. Tele2 and Viasat will offer Altice has filed a buyout offer to be the Canalplay video-on-demand
two combination packages. A Silver followed by a squeeze-out, offering service, will make films, series, Digital TV Central & Eastern
package priced at €25 a month €34.50 a share. Following comple- animated content and entertain- Europe
will include unlimited internet with tion, SFR will be delisted form the ment shows available live and via Date: 11 - 12 October
speeds of up to 30Mbps down- Euronext Paris exchange, probably catch-up and is aimed at a family Venue: Kempinski Hotel, Buda-
stream and 10Mbps upstream, early in the fourth quarter. The audience. Start will initially be pest, Hungary
25 Estonian television channels, transaction has yet to be approved offered to subscribers who have W: tmt.knect365.com/digi-
and international lifestyle, news, by the AMF. Altice previously signed up for Bouygues Telecom’s tal-tv-cee/
kids and factual services. A Gold attempted to acquire the shares Bbox Miami+ offering, at no extra
package for €28 will also include in SFR that it did not already charge. Bouygues customers with Content Innovation Awards
movies, sports and Russian TV own last year, then amounting to a standard Bbox will be able to sign Date: 15 October
channels. Modern Times Group 22.25% of the company’s stock. up for the service for a monthly fee Venue: Carlton Hotel Grand
announced in March that it was However, the AMF rejected the bid of €9.99. Start by Canal will also Salon, Cannes, France
selling its Baltic operations to Provi- on the grounds that Altice had not enable Bouygues subscribers to W: contentinnovationawards.
dence Equity Partners, including provided sufficient information to view content on multiple screens com
the Viasat pay TV service. shareholders. via the myCanal offering.
MIPCOM
Date: 16 - 19 October
LG sees upside from ‘fragmented’ OTT market Venue: Palais des Festivals,
Cannes, France
By Andy McDonald > Fries: steady Liberty said that it added W: www.mipcom.com
improvement 302,000 next-gen TV subscrib-
Liberty Global is benefitting in video is one ers in Q2 and now reaches Broadband World Forum
from a fragmented, and in some of Liberty’s 7.2 million customers across Date: 24 - 26 October
cases still underdeveloped, OTT untold stories. its Horizon TV, Horizon-Lite, Venue: Messe, Berlin, Germany
market in Europe according to TiVo, Virgin TV V6 and Yelo W: tmt.knect365.com/bbwf
CEO Mike Fries. TV platforms.
Speaking on Liberty’s sec- For the first half of the year, Discop Africa
ond quarter earnings call, Fries due to the company taking a Liberty lost 31,000 video cus- Date: 25 - 27 October
described the “steady improve- “more open content approach”, tomers, compared to 137,000 Venue: Johannesburg, South
ment in the video business” Fries said: “I think it’s partially in the first half of 2016 and Africa
as one of Liberty’s “untold sto- the fact that we do provide in 171,000 in the first half of 2015, W: 10times.com/discop-africa
ries”. He said that a number of almost every market all of the according to the presentation
factors are contributing to the content that could be, and is, that it issued to accompany the TV Connect MENA
improved performance of vid- desired by customers. That’s a earnings call. Date: 30 - 31 October
eo, including “slower-than-an- positive. You don’t have to give “If you remove the small Venue: The Address, Dubai
ticipated adoption” of OTT ser- up or sacrifice anything.” DTH business in Central and Marina, Dubai, UAE
vices in Europe. This, he said, worked in the Eastern Europe, our video sub W: tmt.knect365.com/
“That’s a positive for us due company’s favour in combi- base was actually flat year-over- tv-connect-mena/
to a fragmented content mar- nation with low video ARPU year,” said Fries.
ket, the strength of broadcast compared to the US, targeted Liberty’s total video base TV Connect Africa
networks and a very inexpen- and cost-efficient investments stood at 18.55 million in Q2. Date: 7 - 9 November
sive cable or pay TV video of- in sports, and an “OTT picture This breaks down to 14.26 mil- Venue: Cape Town International
fering when you compare it to that is both fragmented and I lion in Western Europe and Convention Centre, Cape Town,
the US,” said Fries. think, depending on the mar- 4.28 million in Central and South Africa
Asked whether Liberty’s ket, not gaining a whole lot of Eastern Europe and was up W: tmt.knect365.com/
strong video performance was traction”. 0.4% compared to Q1. africacom/tv-connect-africa/
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5
p04-05,08,10,12 DTVE News Digest AugSep17v4st.indd 5 05/09/2017 17:58
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News > digest Digital TV Europe
August/September 2017
and has confirmed its plans to estimates, and is looking at re-
Global Wrap Germany move ahead with a company-wide structuring its business, including
rebrand this quarter. The company combining its German broadcast
The number of North American CAB > Tele Columbus PŸUR posted revenues of €245.4 million and digital arms. It could seek
SVOD subscriptions is due to Cable operator Tele Columbus for the first half, up 4%. Normal- investment partners or to spin off
grow by 53% between 2016 is to rebrand all its units under ised EBITDA was €123.5 million, its production and commerce ac-
and 2022, according to Digital the name PŸUR in October. Tele up 7%. The group added 14,000 tivities. The broadcaster said it had
TV Research. The study claims Columbus said that the name was internet revenue-generating units started a review to align its internal
that the number of people designed to convey its emergence and 15,000 telephony RGUs in the structure to the changes taking
subscribing to TV and movie from a collection of regional second quarter. At the end of June, palce in the media landscape and
platforms will climb from 122 entities into a national TV enter- the company had 2.39 million ba- to maximise shareholder value.
million in the region at the end tainment, internet and telephony sic cable TV customers, including One possibility is a combination of
of 2016, to 171 million by 2022. provider. The brand will be rolled 430,000 premium TV RGUs. Timm its German-language broadcasting
Turner is to launch a new stan- out across the Tele Columbus and Degenhardt, formerly the chief activity with its digital entertain-
dalone premium sports stream- Primacom regions of northern, commercial officer of Switzerland’s ment segment. This would be
ing service in the US after western and eastern Germany Sunrise, who it to take over as CEO expected to realise “meaningful
acquiring European Champions from October. The Pepcom Group, next year from Ronny Verhelst, cost synergies”, the group said.
League and Europa League with its Cablesurf and KMS brands, joined the company on August 14. ProSiebenSat.1 said it could look
football rights for the three present in southern and central at options for its production and
seasons from 2018. The OTT Germany, will be rebadged from PROG > Pro7Sat.1 warning commerce units including third
sports service will launch next the first quarter of next year. Tele Broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 Group parties co-investing or combining
year, with European football as Columbus has reiterated its tar- has warned that TV advertising businesses. It said it was also
a key element in its offering. gets for the end of this year after revenues for the third quarter are mulling potential future public
The Walt Disney Company is turning in solid first-half results, likely to come in under previous listings for these units.
looking to cut around 10% of
annual costs at its Disney-ABC
Television arm, potentially Disney strikes deal with Iflix after cutting Netflix
affecting 300 jobs. The ABC US
broadcast network, production By Stuart Thomson > Iflix’s deal with Disney, in ad-
arm ABC Studios and ABC dition to covering content distri-
News are expected to take the Disney, fresh from pulling out bution and early window movie
biggest hits, with cable chan- of its distribution agreement rights, will also see the two com-
nels ABC News, Freeform and with Netflix, has signed up to panies collaborate around a pro-
Disney Channel also affected. provide a branded channel on ject with Disney’s multichannel
Australia’s leading pay TV the streaming video outfit’s network arm Maker Studios.
platform, Foxtel, is merging Asian rival Iflix. This will revolve around the
with its News Corp cousin Fox Disney has struck a and Disney shows including creation of new content to be
Sports Australia to create a wide-ranging deal with the Ma- Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph, Cars, released as an exclusive Iflix
new regional powerhouse. The laysia-based subscription vid- Lilo & Stitch, The Jungle Book and original.
move will see Rupert Murdoch’s eo-on-demand company that Cinderella to Iflix users. The agreement with Iflix
News Corp becoming 65% will see it provide a branded Further titles will arrive on comes two weeks after Disney
majority shareholder of the channel on Iflix’s platform fea- the service next year, including announced that it was pulling
new business, with Australia turing Marvel and Pixar movies Star Wars: The Force Awakens, all its movies from streaming
telecommunications business as well as Disney shows. Captain America: Civil War, The giant Netflix to launch its own
retaining the other 35%. PCCW Iflix said the deal would mark Jungle Book, Tangled, Finding branded SVOD service when
Media has raised US$110 million the debut of a new ‘channels’ Dory, Finding Nemo and The In- the pair’s agreement expires in
(e92 million) from Hony Capi- feature on its service. credibles!. 2019.
tal, Foxconn and Temasek, who The agreement will initially In addition to Disney kids Disney said it would make
become investors in its interna- bring Marvel Studios movies in- content such as Sofia the First its future theatrical releases,
tional OTT services, including cluding Guardians of the Galaxy, and Star Wars Rebels, the deal original and library program-
Viu. The investment hands the Captain America: The Winter Sol- will also extend to ABC Studios ming available via a new, as yet
investors around 18% of shares dier, Thor: The Dark World and shows such as Scandal, Grey’s unnamed service, initially to
in PPC unit PCCW OTT, which Iron Man 3, Pixar Animation Anatomy, Criminal Minds, Devi- launch in the US alongside its
will use the cash on production films such as Monsters Inc, Mon- ous Maids and Marvel Agents of planned branded ESPN sports
of content and technology. sters University, Up and Wall-E, S.H.I.E.L.D. subsription streaming service.
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8
p04-05,08,10,12 DTVE News Digest AugSep17v4st.indd 8 05/09/2017 17:58pXX Intelsat DTVE AugSep17.indd 1 29/08/2017 10:41
News > digest Digital TV Europe
August/September 2017
PROG > Digital boosts RTL solidation of ad technology units could be provided direct-to-consum-
Digital revenues boosted RTL’s reve- Smartclip and Divimove. Production Spain er or via agreements with service
nue performance in the second half, arm FremantleMedia performed providers, according to the paper’s
with the broadcaster also seeing well, delivering a €30 million uplift OTT > Telefónica plan sources. Telefónica has existing
solid growth from production arm in revenues year-on-year despite Telefónica is mulling the launch operations in the UK and Germany
FremantleMedia and its German the absence of American Idol of a Netflix-like OTT TV service to that it could use to test out the con-
and French broadcasting opera- in the first half. American Gods target an international audience, cept. The service would reportedly
tions. However, RTL’s EBITDA was helped provide a boost for RTL according to a report in El País only be available in Europe and
pushed down by the phasing out of in the second quarter, with the newspaper. According to El País, be populated with Movistar’s own
M6’s mobile contract in France and group’s revenue growing by 8.8% Telefónica is looking at taking its productions – principally, though
lower advertising revenue in the in the three months to June. RTL content to subscribers in countries not exclusively, those being made in
Dutch market. Digital revenue grew Deutschland saw revenues rise by such as the UK and Germany where Spain. The project would however
by 47.4% year-on-year to €389 €36 million in the first half, while its Movistar+ pay TV service is not be developed by Telefónica as a
million, driven by organic growth at M6’s revenues grew by €16 million. available. The group is looking at global entity rather than its Spanish
MCNs BroadbandTV and StyleHaul, Platform revenue grew by 18.7% offering a streaming SVOD service unit, and could include content
the sale of its series American Gods to €159 million. Reported EBITDA similar to Netflix or HBO Now, pro- created by its Latin American sub-
to streaming service Amazon Prime was down 7.4% to €362 million. viding unlimited access to content sidiaries, such as shows and series
Video and the first-time full con- Adjusted EBITDA was up 4%. at a competitive price. The offering being developed in Peru.
Canal+ needs level playing field, says Vivendi chief
By Stuart Thomson > De Puyfon- Canal+’s revenues declined C8 channel. Production outfit
taine: Canal+ by 2.4% during the first half, an Studiocanal’s revenues also
Canal+ needs a level playing in urgent need improvement compared with dropped year-on-year.
field to compete with the likes of a revision the 5.5% drop in the first half of Canal+’s EBITA for the first
of Altice as well as Netflix and of the rules. 2016. The pay TV operator’s im- half amounted to €171 mil-
other international players, in- provement was more marked in lion, down from €288 million
cluding the right to retain exclu- the second quarter, with a drop year-on-year, but with a strong-
sive rights, according to Vivendi of 1.3% compared with a drop of er performance in the second
CEO Arnaud de Puyfontaine. nal+ remains obliged to make 3.5% in the first quarter. half, which saw EBITA double
Speaking to analysts after any service with which it has Canal+’s revenues for the compared with the first three
Vivendi turned in solid first-half an exclusive deal available to a first half of the year amounted months of the year.
results, boosted by a strong per- third-party provider that wants to €2.568 billion. Separately, De Puyfontaine
formance by Universal Music as to include it in its offering. The pay TV outfit’s individ- said that Vivendi is committed
well as signs of a slowing down De Puyfontaine said that in ual subscriber base increased to help build Telecom Italia into
in the decline of Canal+, De an industry that is “highly dis- by 2.8 million year-on-year to a quad-play leader and lead it
Puyfontaine said Canal+ had to rupted”, there was an “urgent 14 million, thanks to continued to “long-term and sustainable
compete with “a local telco that need” for a revision of the rules. international growth and the growth”. He said that TIM was
wants to control both telecom- However, he said Vivendi had group’s new distribution deals committed to deliver large-scale
munications and content and hoped for “a greater release of with Orange and Free. investment in broadband.
is launching a movie channel constraints” than the Autorité The international subscriber De Puyfontaine said that TIM
from Luxembourg”, and that it de la Concurrence had granted. total grew by 309,000 year-on- had “once upon a time” been a
was necessary that “everybody The “local telco” De Puyfon- year in the first half, contribut- “best-of-breed player in the Eu-
gets to benefit from the same taine referred to was Altice, ing to a 6.6% increase in reve- ropean telco business” but had
rules” regarding the right to which recently launched mov- nues in constant currency. unfortunately been allowed to
strike exclusive content deals. ies and series channel Altice Revenues from pay TV in go into decline, with the compa-
France’s competition watch- Studio, available on SFR. France dropped by 5.3%, taken ny more recently seen as a “prey
dog relaxed a number of re- Vivendi’s second quarter and lower by the reduced free-to-air rather than a hunter”.
strictions on Canal+ in June, first half results were strongly window on the Canal+ channel He said Vivendi’s objective
allowing it to strike exclusive boosted by the performance of and a drop in domestic sub- now was to “make Telecom Ita-
premium channel deals with Universal Music, which grew scriber revenues. Advertising lia great again for the benefit of
the likes of BeIN Sports and to its revenues for the first six revenue also fell, due in part Italy and Italian customers, and
retain exclusivity of series that months of the year by 14% in to a sanction imposed by me- perfectly aligned with the plan
it pre-finances. However, Ca- constant currency terms. dia watchdog the CSA on the of the [Italian] government”.
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10
p04-05,08,10,12 DTVE News Digest AugSep17v4st.indd 10 05/09/2017 17:58Q&A: Dr Neale Foster, ACCESS Europe
Dr Neale Foster, Managing Director and COO, ACCESS Europe talks about the challenges of delivering a consistent user
experience and his company’s work with Reliance Jio Infocomm
What are the main client-side technology requirements to support social media content, and supports media sharing and the consumption
a consistent user experience across multiple screens both inside and of private content from Dropbox, Google Drive, Jio Drive and more over
outside the home? the Jio User Interface. Reliance Jio Infocomm wanted to seamlessly
For a consistent user experience on the client side, operators need integrate all the different content sources and combine this feature with
technologies able to provide the same functionality, layout and experience the ability to place-shift content across all registered devices. In addition,
on radically different devices, regardless of the connectivity used. This due to the sheer geographical distances in India, the service provider
goal is currently achieved by the NetFront browser family of ACCESS, wanted to ensure that it offered its subscribers the possibility to upload
which provides a series of browser models supporting all different kinds private content to the Jio Drive and share it seamlessly with friends and
of screens - from small IoT devices, set top boxes and smart TVs up to fully loved ones who were unable to attend a social occasion. This includes
featured mobile devices or even computers. The standards-based, HTML5 the seamless support for remote access to all content on the go, enabling
compliant browsers allow for a seamless user experience to combine consumers to access all their content whenever and wherever they want,
responsive, intuitive design with support for the latest industry standards and on their preferred devices. This was achieved through ACCESS Twine,
like HbbTV and FreeView Play, as well as video playback up to 4K and 8K. which enabled Jio to increase stickiness to its service by integrating all
requested features and providing the full access to the Jio media offering.
What are the challenges faced by service providers in integrating
delivery of video services across multiple devices and platforms and What do you consider to be Reliance Jio Infocomm’s most innovative
what technology solutions are available? applications and what were the main challenges faced in implementing
Besides the client side diversity, operators also have to meet all back-end these?
video delivery challenges across multiple devices and platforms. There The idea behind the Reliance’s ‘digital lifestyle’ experience was to offer
are a lot of different device classes on the market, each of them requiring a one-stop shop for all media content, be it public, private or premium.
specific technology. In general, they differ in three domains: applicable AV This new trend echoes consumers’ media consumption, which consists in
codecs, supported streaming protocols, and Conditional Access/Digital multiple different content sources accessed via a wide range of platforms
Rights Management solutions. and devices - be it set top boxes, smart TVs, mobile devices, computers
To solve these challenges seamlessly requires a centralised user or any other device used on the go, such as the connected car, handheld
management system including single-sign-on, a sophisticated encoder game consoles or IoT enabled devices.
and streaming server infrastructure and so-called multi-DRM solutions, Through the use of ACCESS Twine, Reliance was able to leverage its Ipv6
which can serve all necessary protection technologies. Although still fairly network servicing over 100 million consumers with a service combining
uncommon, this approach allows end devices to interact which each other the cloud with remote access functionality.
seamlessly, including place-shifting of protected premium content across
all different device classes. Here ACCESS Twine helps operators to solve the How important are cloud-based technologies in delivering a next-
“last step” fragmentation issue by detecting the device’s capabilities and generation TV experience and what elements require device-based
brokering the right content from the service, to support the standards-based technologies?
place-shifting feature. For protected content, we support content rights The combination of cloud-based and device-based technologies is the best
management through the Verimatrix VCAS and ViewRight technologies. way to simplify the delivery of complex next-generation TV experiences.
This eases up the development of new extended business models by the At present, the cloud is the only way of providing every subscriber with
service providers – effectively, protected content is no longer limited to one high performance aggregated search on all internal and external content.
device or proprietary solutions for each device class – while maintaining the Cloud support is also necessary for remote access and adding third
end-to-end encryption requested by content owners. party IoT services, like Amazon Alexa. However, the cloud can only be
effective if the necessary devices and technologies can cooperate – which
What were the main objectives set by India’s Reliance Jio Infocomm in needs to be managed at the device level. Therefore, it is fundamental
creating its ‘digital lifestyle’ experience? for technologies that deliver next generation TV Everywhere services to
Reliance Jio Infocomm provides a wide variety of media offerings within harmonise the power of the cloud and each individual consumer device.
its ‘digital lifestyle’ experience, such as regional premium video content,
e-magazines and more. The service also provides access to YouTube and ACCESS will exhibit at IBC 2017 on stand #14.D14.
p11 Access Q&A DTVE AugSep17.indd 2 01/09/2017 17:43News > digest Digital TV Europe
August/September 2017
OTT > AMC OTT plan information as the project is still music service Sol Música. Other The service is targeted primarily at
Interntional channels providerAMC being worked on. The media group channels to be included are Dark, the growing population of young
Networks Iberia is planning to did confirm that the service will be Historia, and History Channel Iberia mobile consumers in the region,
launch a new streaming service available only via pay TV operators, joint ventures A&E and Crime & offering four packages covering
in Spain, in partnership with pay and said the content line-up was Investigation. The service will also sport, entertainment and movies.
TV distributors, according to local still being worked on. According include two JV channels with Por- Wavo Entertainment is available
reports. A promo for the service to El Español newspaper, the new tugal’s NOS, Biggs and Blast, and for US$9.99 a month (€8.50),
was recenlty posted on YouTube, service will only be available via pay its SVOD JV with YouTube network while the movies option is priced at
advertising a mix of channels and TV platforms such as Vodafone, Machinima, according to the report. US$6.99. Wavo Sports is available
on-demand content for €6.99 Orange and Movistar, at a price to El Español said the service will also for US$4.99 a day or US$7.99 a
a month. The service advertises be set by the operator. Unlike pure include video-on-demand series. week. OSN is also offering a service
itself as offering content in 4K OTT player such as Netflix, AMC is dedicated to WWE wrestling – The
UHD, available on mobile, tablets, planning to offer linear channels WWE Network App – for US$9.99 a
PCs and TVs. The voiceover to as part of its streaming service, UAE month. OSN said the launch of the
the YouTube video said that the offering 17 channels covering new streaming service was part of
service will make available “the different thematic areas. According OTT > OSN launches Wavo its ‘new OSN’ strategy launched in
best channels and thousands of to El Español, the line-up includes UAE-based Middle East pay TV February of this year. The company
programmes on-demand for only series-focused AMC, movie channel platform OSN has launched a new revamped the offering with new
€6.99 a month”. The promo video Canal Hollywood, independent streaming service, Wavo, available packs and new price points in the
gave no information regarding movie channel Sundance, telenove- on the Apple App Store and Google wake of an extensive customer
distribution. AMC separately told las channel Somos, factual network Play. Wavo offers a mix of live and research project across 40,000
DTVE it was not responsible for Odisea, cooking channel Canal catch-up TV, movies, series and a homes in the region, providing
the YouTube posting of the promo, Cocina, lifestyle channel Decasa, mix of western and Arabic content, more flexible offers than had hith-
and said it may contain incorrect kids channel Canal Panda and according to the pay TV outfit. erto been available.
Ofcom submits new advice after Bradley requests Sky clarification
By Stuart Thomson er had said that submissions Bradley: from sexual harassment scan-
& Andy McDonald made in relation to 21st Century requested dals at Fox News, 21st Century
Fox’s planned acquisition of Sky additional Fox has recently become em-
Regulator Ofcom has submit- “raise new evidence” and asked advice and broiled in fresh controversy over
ted additional advice on the Ofcom to take a fresh look at the clarification allegations that Fox News gave
proposed merger between 21st agreement. from Ofcom. advance notice to the White
Century Fox and Sky to the UK The UK department for dig- House over a subsequently
government. The broadcast ital, culture, media and sport discredited story involving the
regulator made the submission (DCMS) said a number of rep- In her statement to par- hacking of Democratic Nation-
to secretary of state for digital, resentations made to it “raise liament on July 20, Bradley al Convention emails and the
culture, media and sport, Karen new evidence and/or comment said that the Ofcom evidence death of a DNC campaigner.
Bradley, with the advice due to on the Ofcom assessment” and was “clear” on broadcasting Ofcom could face a judicial re-
be published “in due course”. that it was seeking “further clari- standards that “there were no view of its ruling that Sky would
The move comes after Brad- fication” in relation to those rep- grounds on which I can refer” remain a “fit and proper” holder
ley requested “advice and clar- resentations. the bid. However, she said she of a UK broadcast licence if 21st
ification” earlier this month in The decision to seek further would look at any new evidence. Century Fox’s bid to take control
light of representations made in clarification from Ofcom relates A number of UK politicians, of the pay TV operator is given
relation to the proposed merger. to Fox’s adherence to broadcast- including former Labour Party the green light.
“The Secretary of State will ing standards. leader Ed Miliband and shadow Advocacy group Avaaz hired
now carefully consider that ad- Bradley had earlier said that culture spokesman Tom Wat- lawyers Hausfeld to present a
vice before making her decision she was “minded” to refer Fox’s son, have called for a reopening ‘letter before claim’ to the UK
on referral on the basis of all the bid to competition regulator the of the investigation of the broad- media regulator – a first step
evidence before her, and will do CMA on the grounds of media casting standards question – in the judicial review process –
so as soon as is reasonably prac- plurality, but that she was satis- calls that have become louder highlighting what it claims to be
ticable,” said the government in fied with Ofcom’s assessment following recent events related “fatal flaws” in Ofcom’s reason-
a statement. that the deal did not raise broad- to Fox News in the US. ing that Sky would remain a ‘fit
The UK government earli- casting standards concerns. Still dealing with the fallout and proper’ holder of a licence.
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12
p04-05,08,10,12 DTVE News Digest AugSep17v4st.indd 12 05/09/2017 17:58See us at
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September 14-19, 2017
Our beams cover billions of viewers.
Amsterdam
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With AMOS-17 planned for launch to 17°E in 2019, Spacecom will further
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pXX Amos Spacecom DTVE AugSep17.indd 1 25/08/2017 15:35Technology focus > eSports Digital TV Europe
August/September 2017
TV plays the
millennial game
The meteoric rise of eSports has caught the attention of TV operators and
broadcasters. They are investing in rights and dedicating airtime to gaming. But how
likely is this to win back millennial viewers? Andy McDonald reports.
Online gaming has transformed
in recent years from
a pastime typically associated with young
all made eSports investments, while increased
broadcaster interest is making rights more
competitive than ever.
associated price tag, highlighted not just the
popularity of eSports in its then-current form,
but also the vast growth potential of this market.
adult males into a multi-million dollar global But with the massive established reach of
industry. eSports has grown out of bedrooms digital platforms like Twitch and YouTube,
and into arenas, with the spectator element is there a place for eSports on TV and can Targeting the youth market
fuelled by the success of online viewing broadcasters and operators lure millennial
platforms. eyeballs away from online streaming and social Today Twitch claims 2.2 million unique
Unsurprisingly, the TV industry has taken media platforms? broadcasters each month and 10 million daily
note of these trends and is looking to tap eSports exploded into the consciousness of active visitors, who spend an average of 106
into the increasingly popular and lucrative many broadcast-industry watchers in August minutes per person, per day on the site. “Our
world of gaming. Companies ranging from 2014, following Amazon’s US$970 million core demographic is 18-34 year olds, roughly
Modern Times Group (MTG) in the Nordics, (e816 million) cash buyout of videogame 70% male,” Twitch’s vice-president of sales
Telefónica in Spain, and Sky in the UK have streaming platform Twitch. The deal, and its for Europe, Steve Ford, tells Digital TV Europe.
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14
p14-17 eSports DTVE AugSep17v4am.indd 14 04/09/2017 19:31Digital TV Europe Technology focus > eSports
August/September 2017
ESL One New York, held in the Barclays strategy. In 2015 the company fully acquired replicate eSports’ online success on TV, both by
Center, is one of ESL’s many events. Sweden-based Dreamhack for some US$28.2 attracting millennial viewers to television and
million and launched linear TV channel by opening up eSports to a wider audience. But
“This tends to be the same profile as the cord- eSportsTV, and Benninghoff says more how big a challenge is it to succeed in either
cutters and cord-nevers in a lot of markets.” investments could follow. “We are prepared, scenario?
The combination of a difficult-to-reach over the next two-to-three years at least, to grow In September 2016, Sky and ITV each
audience and a healthy market is arguably the business through further M&As, so there pledged £1.55 million (e1.7 million) of
what is driving broadcasters and TV operators is a clear commitment,” he says. “This could investment into eSports broadcaster Ginx,
toward eSports in increasing numbers. be more technology-driven investments, or which claims to be the biggest international
Earlier this year, eSports market intelligence content creation, or just talent acquisition.” eSports channel with a reach of 50 million
company, Newzoo, estimated that the eSports Speaking on the phone from ESL’s UK’s households. Sky’s group director of business
economy will grow 41.3% year-on-year in 2017 base in Leicester, UK managing director James development and partnerships, Emma Lloyd,
to reach US$696 million. Its 2017 Global Dean says that MTG’s initial interest in ESL was describes the investment as a response to
Esports Market Report estimated that brands likely down to “the fact that we’re reaching a “eSports market demand for linear coverage, to
would spend US$517 million this year on digital, millennial audience”. However, he also complete availability across all platforms”.
eSports advertising, sponsorship and media puts it into the context of MTG’s broader digital Lloyd says the Ginx investment gives Sky
rights. This is expected to double by 2020, portfolio and adds that “there’s obviously a insights on the creation of eSports content
pushing the total market to US$1.5 billion. synergy between eSports and sports products”. “from the inside out” and claims there is value
While the opportunity is clear, the ways Dean says that Twitch is still the number one in bringing together eSports content across
into the eSports market are not, and different platform for people to tune into ESL – despite a traditional platforms, as well as accessing it for
players across the European broadcast space lot of short-form content going up on Facebook use on TV, digital and social networks.
are taking different approaches – variously and Twitter, and despite YouTube’s efforts “It’s important to remember that Sky is
investing in eSports content rights, eSports in the eSports space. A year after Amazon’s a quad play provider, not just a television
broadcasters, and directly into the eSports buyout of Twitch, YouTube went head-to-head business, so the field of opportunity to bring
organisations that run tournaments. with the service by rolling out its own dedicated eSports to audiences across platforms and
MTG was one of the first companies from a YouTube Gaming service and earlier this year devices is much wider for us than for some
TV background to make a decisive move into it agreed to exclusively broadcast the ECS competitors,” says Lloyd.
eSports. In 2014 the Nordic firm launched its Counter-Strike: Global Offensive league. Despite this, Lloyd sees a place for eSports
own eSports streaming platform, Viagame, “YouTube has a lot of catching up to do with as a televised sport – even if it doesn’t compare
with a mix of licensed content and content Twitch, so I guess one way you could approach with the likes of football and rugby. “eSports
from regional eSports company Dreamhack. that is to say ‘well let’s buy exclusivity for the caters for global, individual viewing across
However, Arnd Benninghof, the head of largest CS Go League in the world, which connected devices, while linear TV remains the
MTG’s digital division MTGx, says that it soon creates a huge amount of viewership,” says most popular way to watch traditional sports,”
became clear “it was not really a smart strategy Dean. “If it was streamed on Twitch as well, I she says. “But with demographic changes
to compete with Twitch. That was the point think you would be hard-pushed to move those and the visual quality of live eSports streams
when we decided to invest in a league operator.” viewers across, despite the YouTube platform constantly improving, we might see eSports
In July 2015 MTG paid around US$87 being very good. The community sticks around become a communal viewing experience on
million for a 74% stake in Cologne-based because they’re used to it.” TV similar to traditional sports.”
eSports specialist Turtle Entertainment, which Last year Sky broadcast highlights from
owns and operates some of the world’s largest ESL’s Intel Extreme Masters tournament on
eSports brands under the name ESL. This gave Widening the appeal Sky 2, showing footage of games like CS: Go
MTG majority control over leagues like ESL and League of Legends on an entertainment
Pro League and events such as ESL One and Discussing TV’s wider interest in eSports –
Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) and from today’s with operators like Sky and BT all now getting
perspective looks to have been an extremely in on the action – Dean says: “I personally think
shrewd investment. This year’s IEM World they had to try it; it had to be an experiment.”
Championship in Katowice, Poland attracted In relation to Sky and ITV’s involvement
173,000 fans to the Spodek Arena over the with Ginx, and many other examples across
course of two weekends. It was also the most the world, he says: “I think really what we’re
broadcast event in ESL’s history, reaching more witnessing is the fact that they have to test the
than 46 million unique viewers online – up water. Until the ratings come out, we’re not
35% compared to last year’s event. going to know whether it works or not.”
Benninghof compares the ESL to a Broadcasters and operators are hoping to
“Champions League brand” and Viagame
now redirects to an ESL TV branded site, yet Starcraft II champion Jun ‘TY’ Tae Yang
this is all still just one aspect of MTG’s eSports at Intel Extreme Masters, Katowice.
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15
p14-17 eSports DTVE AugSep17v4am.indd 15 04/09/2017 19:31Technology focus > eSports Digital TV Europe
August/September 2017
channel that also plays host to drama and competing in three games – Street Fighter V, reaching both its young target audience and
comedy. However, when Ginx launched Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Rocket new viewers that previously weren’t familiar
on the Sky platform last summer, it took League – and Eleven will show the coverage with eSports. “Television is a more ‘accessible’
channel number 470 in the sports section of in all seven markets where it is active, which means to reach new family audiences,” said the
its electronic programme guide – between includes Poland, Belgium, Luxembourg and Telefónica representative, explaining it can play
greyhound racing channel Front Runner 2 and Italy in Europe. a ‘socialising’ role between parents, children
Formula 1 channel Sky Sports F1. “Why did we acquire it? Because first of all we and fans of eSports. “In order to reach new
Ginx CEO Michiel Bakker, says the sports believe that eSports is on the rise significantly audiences we are committed to an editorial
team at Sky drove the investment in Ginx as a and globally,” explains Eleven Sports’ group tone that helps to democratise and facilitate the
way to make a first move into eSports. “Ginx managing director, Danny Menken. “Gfinity understanding of eSports, its competitions, its
eSports TV is packaged in the sports section has organised more than three million gaming rules, its jargon or expressions.”
of the Sky EPG and the channel brings more sessions, which have achieved more than MTG takes a similar view of its esports TV
millennials to that section, which is part of the one million views to date. Those are quite channel. MTGx boss Benninghoff accepts
rationale for investing.” significant numbers and it really shows that that for the avid gamer, TV is probably “less
For Bakker there is a clear opportunity there is a market for it.” relevant” as they find their content and stories
for eSports on television. He says there are Menken says another major factor in within the eSports world. “Over recent years,
roughly 200 million eSports enthusiasts licensing eSports is that its cable and IPTV eSports was very much driven by live streams
around the world and another 200 million provider clients are “looking for millennial from live events,” he says. “What we’re trying
eSports ‘viewers’ – with both groups having content” to appeal to cord cutters, or those that to do is add shoulder content – documentaries,
grown by “meaningful double-digit numbers” never had a cord to cut. “eSports is exactly the background stories, analysis and so-forth, to
in the past five years. “Roughly 70% of those type of content which is attractive for this target make it more appealing to a broader audience.”
two groups are millennials and they consume group.” This idea of building on the popularity of
vast amounts of content across multiple eSports with content that can live on TV has
touch-points,” he says. “In the US, eSports also started to apply outside the strict confines
viewing has overtaken traditional sports like A new type of storytelling of a dedicated eSports channels. Youth
ice hockey. Now Television is bringing in a broadcaster The QYou has identified what it
new mainstream audience to help fuel that In Spain, Telefónica’s commercial brand believes is a “fertile field” for content related
growth. I’d say it’s a hugely significant part of Movistar last year announced it was integrating to eSports, with co-founder and CEO Curt
millennial media consumption.” electronic games into “the core of its strategy” Marvis explaining that eSports is in the top
Ginx is UK-based but the channel, which after signing a deal with ESL. It now distributes four categories of programmes it is looking to
broadcasts 24/7, is available around the world, eSports digitally through its Movistar+ platform, create from now on. He says this opportunity
including much of Europe. Most of Ginx’s and on TV via a dedicated Movistar eSports lies around the lifestyle of eSports – “everything
output is exclusive for TV, but Bakker describes channel, as well as on Movistar Deportes 1 and from fashion, through the ancillary interests of
it as ‘leaky’ with some shows simulcast across 2. Movistar also created Movistar Riders, an the gamers, to the personalities involved”.
“As a company, we’re not focused on
the live event broadcasts for a number of
“We might see eSports become a communal reasons,” says Marvis. “That’s not really what
we do as a company, that’s one reason. The
viewing experience on TV similar to second reason is frankly that the rights are
traditional sports.” becoming extremely expensive and being left
to a different group of buyers and channels that
are interested in that, some even being those
Emma Lloyd, Sky that are typically showing Champions League
[football] and those types of events.”
Twitch and other digital platforms and some eSports club made up of various professional
content produced only for the web. “In that way video game teams, which is headquartered in
we try to build a bridge between the online and the Movistar Gaming Centre in Madrid. Bigger industry shifts
linear TV worlds. That audience flow is part of In Telefónica’s eyes the coverage and
the attraction of the channel for cable, IPTV quality of its fibre broadband has helped spur While eSports has grown up in recent years,
and satellite platforms.” growth in the games sector in recent years. at the same time there has been some debate
Eleven Sports is a linear broadcaster that It is now tapping into that growth from an about the abiding popularity of traditional
has recently moved into eSports after striking entertainment standpoint, adding eSports sports among younger viewers. A study by
a wide-ranging deal with eSports outfit Gfinity alongside its traditional sports offering of Ampere Analysis last year claimed that interest
to air live, exclusive competition gaming from football, basketball, cycling, MotoGP and F1. in sport among young millennials is “on the
its Elite Series events. Gfinity’s Elite Series A spokesperson for Telefónica told DTVE decline” with many viewers lured away from
brings together eight professional teams that through its different platforms eSports is sport by the wealth of other TV and online
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16
p14-17 eSports DTVE AugSep17v4am.indd 16 04/09/2017 19:31You can also read
