July 25, 2022
Dreaming of streaming this summer? 24i’s CEO highlights his top summer reading recommendations
In many parts of the world, it’s summer vacation time. And while it’s important that we all take a break and switch off for a while, many of us also relish the chance that this season brings to catch up on some reading and think about the bigger picture. In this blog, our CEO, Dr Neale Foster, offers his suggestions of some top articles and whitepapers (plus the odd podcast) that are worth spending a bit of time on this summer.
Whether you’re spending your summer vacation at the beach, taking in the culture of a city, paddling down a lake or hiking up a mountain, I hope you’ll find some time for relaxing with a good read or tuning in to a good podcast. Here are my suggestions that will really get you thinking ahead of the return to work - and the excitement of IBC 2022!
- Show me the money: optimizing streaming business models
There have been acres of news and commentary devoted to Netflix’s announcement that it’s going to be adding an ad-funded tier in the very near future, with help from its new partner Microsoft. But does this mean every streaming service needs to do the same? This article from nScreenMedia’s Colin Dixon (also offered as an audio recording if you’re too chilled-out to read) suggests streaming services should be embracing multiple distribution models to maximize their content investments. You’ll find a link there to the accompanying, more detailed white paper too!
nscreenmedia.com - The real reason Netflix must introduce ad-supported viewing
- Let your video shine!
As a football fan, I’m among the millions of people turning to mobile streaming apps to make sure I never miss a moment of my team in action. At 24i we’re all about the user experience - bringing a consistently great level of service across every different device and ensuring the easiest possible content discovery process to drive content engagement. But monitoring quality of service (QoS) for each video stream is also an essential part of making sure that a football match - or any other streaming experience - is as enjoyable as possible on every device. It’s something we’re focusing on more and more at 24i, but of course we’re not the only ones. I found this article from SSIMWAVE on QoS and the implications for churn fascinating:
streamingmedia.com - Blowing the Whistle on Bad Video Quality
- Beating Pay TV’s big boys at their own game
It’s no secret that Pay TV operators are facing a squeeze in subscribers. It’s been a long time coming and affects operators of all sizes. But everyone loves an underdog, right? So, if you’re a smaller Pay TV operator, or you just love to root for the little guys, this article based on a recent talk from Tom Morrod of Caretta Research might be a good read. It sets out some sensible, practical ways that smaller operators can compete with their bigger rivals and thrive in a cut-throat market.
v-net.tv - Three ways small Pay TV operators can compete with larger media rivals
- Keeping your tech in check
The tech industry is so fast moving, it can feel impossible to keep up. Who’s winning, who’s losing, and who’s buying whom? CNBC’s TechCheck podcast is released every weekday and looks at the business of technology. It’s a great place to keep up with all those takeover rumours!
- Streaming in focus
While we’re talking podcasts, here’s a recommendation for one with a laser focus on the world of streaming. Dan Rayburn is conference Chairman for the NAB Show Streaming Summit and spent 15 years at Streaming Media Magazine, so he knows a thing or two about our industry! Since December last year he’s been publishing a weekly podcast with co-host Mark Donnigan billed as “The Pulse of the Streaming Industry”. It’s a good place to find the latest news on viewing figures, earnings and acquisitions, but also offers a deeper dive into trends like aggregation, sports rights and AVOD.
- Gazing into media’s crystal ball
This one gets a hat tip to “Media Universe Cartographer” Evan Shapiro whose re-share led me to the fascinating new report from the Gothenburg Film Festival. Apparently every year they commission something they call “The Nostradamus Report” that predicts what might happen in the near future within the screen industries based on research and interviews with industry experts. If its predictions are correct, it’s going to be a VERY interesting few years!
goteborgfilmfestival.se - The Nostrodamus Report
- Smart TV explained in plain English
If you’re interested in Smart TVs but baffled by the tech, you need the personal blog from my 24i colleague Matthijs Langendijk. He has a brilliant way with words and helps those of us who aren’t JavaScript experts to understand exactly why it’s so much more complex to create and maintain apps for big screen devices than phones and tablets. I’d particularly recommend his two blogs on what he loves and hates about developing for Smart TV!
medium.com - Matthijs Langendijk’s Blog
- Data, data, everywhere!
Given the focus we’ve had on data in the first half of this year with our acquisition of The Filter and the launch of our data-driven personalization service 24iQ, it’s probably appropriate that my next recommendation is about data. This one’s another podcast, so it’s one to enjoy while lying back with your eyes closed on your sun lounger!
It’s the BBC’s fascinating series “More or Less: Behind the Stats” - where they look at “facts” that are often quoted in the media and conversations and determine whether there’s actually data to support them - like how much water is used to make a pair of jeans, or how noise affects our decision making abilities.
bbc.co.uk - More or Less: Behind the Stats Podcast
- And finally…some lessons in leadership, and football!
Did I mention I’m a football fan? Yes, I’m going to end my recommendations with some football! And yes, as a lifelong Liverpool FC fan I’m going to recommend you read about manager Jurgen Klopp - specifically the lighthearted book/e-book/audiobook What Would Jurgen Klopp Do?: Life Lessons from a Champion by Tom Victor.
Bear with me on this. You may not like football, and even if you do, there’s a good chance you don’t support Liverpool. But it’s hard to deny the success Klopp has had in his career. And we can all learn from great leaders.
amazon.co.uk - What Would Jurgen Klopp Do?
I hope you enjoy some or all of these recommendations and come back from your summer holiday refreshed and ready to supercharge the world of streaming.
If you’re going to be at IBC in Amsterdam this September, I’d love to see you at our stand in Hall 5 (G38) to discuss your thoughts on what you’ve read and heard! You can book a meeting with me using the button below. Have a great summer!
