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Comcast's Amy Banse Provides an Update on TV Everywhere Rollout
While at the Cable Show early this week, I had a chance to sit down with Amy Banse, President of Comcast Interactive Media, which is driving the rollout of Fancast Xfinity TV - what Comcast calls its TV Everywhere service. After a lot of PR build-up last fall, Comcast officially launched FXTV (my shorthand) last December. As a Comcast triple-play customer myself, I was able to give it a try, and I thought the initial effort was respectable, even though the content selection was limited.
Flash forward 5 months and curiously, Comcast hasn't said a peep about how things are going with the FXTV rollout. Amy explained that with the NBCU deal's approval process underway, the company has chosen to maintain a relatively low profile on FXTV, something she hopes will change in early fall. Amy said about 1 million people are accessing FXTV regularly, with engagement time a lot higher than with the open Fancast portal. Subscribers to premium channels like HBO are the heaviest users and like FXTV the most. Primarily people use FXTV to catch up on missed episodes and past seasons.
Still, Amy noted that the authentication process needs to be improved substantially, reducing the number of steps from its current 8-10 (though I have to say, I just authenticated on my new Mac and it really wasn't that painful). Amy's eager to introduce a universal ID approach, so users don't need to scramble to remember their Comcast login information. And the company is working on getting more content; the key issues to doing so are proving in authentication, building trust with content partners and enabling measurement.
I was an early fan of the TV Everywhere approach and believe it is key to blunting cord-cutting's appeal. I recognize that nothing ever happens as fast as you'd like it to, but Comcast - and other operators - need to hustle more on rolling out TV Everywhere initiatives. As I noted recently, Netflix is banging it out of the park, gaining more mind-share and disruptive potential. They're just one of many new competitors the industry needs to worry about.
What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required).
Categories: Cable TV Operators
Topics: Comcast, Fancast Xfinity TV, TV Everywhere
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iPhones vs. Android Phones - The Competitive Battle is Underway
A report from market research firm NPD earlier this week, showing that in Q1 '10, sales of smartphones running the Android operating system outpaced the iPhone by 28% to 21% (though both were behind RIM at 36%), highlighted something that I've been thinking about a lot lately: could it be that Apple is about to replay in smartphones its losing fight from the past against Microsoft-Intel in desktop computers?
While plenty is different about today's Apple, the basic contours are similar. Apple, the vertically integrated and control-oriented hardware/software/service company has a well-loved, but extremely narrow smartphone product line. Meanwhile, smartphones based on the Android OS are sprouting like wildflowers, riding a wave of broad OEM adoption, wider customer choices, heavy purchase incentives by multiple carriers and diffused innovation (note Google is saying its partners are shipping 65K Android smartphones each day). Aren't these some of the main reasons why Microsoft and PC OEMs swamped Apple in desktop computers?
I'm not suggesting Apple is headed for a fall any time soon, but one thing's for sure, Apple's early ownership of the smartphone category is over; the market has caught up. One area where we can expect the iPhone vs. Android competition to be particularly intense is in video. As the Evo's launch (see above) shows - better screens, network capacity and yes format support (i.e. Flash) are going to be pushed as proof points for sexy video apps. Meanwhile Apple has ensnared itself in the ever-escalating battle with Adobe over Flash, which is a huge distraction. It will be interesting to see how these iPhone vs. Android sales numbers unfold in 2010.
What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required).Categories: Mobile Video
Topics: Android, Apple, iPhone
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JetBlue Uses Customer Video to Tell Its Story Well
Long-time VideoNuze readers know I'm continuously following how brands are reinventing the way they communicate with customers and prospects through the use of online video. The latest example to hit my radar is JetBlue, which
has just launched a video-rich area of their web site called "Experience JetBlue." As this article notes, JetBlue has recognized that customer testimonials about tangible attributes (e.g. more leg room, on-board TV, etc.) provided in an authentic, non-interruptive way, resonate well. Beyond the four current testimonials, there is also a ton of background video in the mini-site.
Coincidentally, I just flew JetBlue back and forth from Boston to the west coast this week. One other thing I'd say about why this customer testimonial/online video approach works is that they're true and accurate, which speaks to the opportunity and risk of this approach. When real people are featured, they better be telling the truth, or trust in the brand will be seriously damaged. But if they are, then there's a lot of upside. The success of user-review sites like TripAdvisor, Yelp and others shows that people really do care what other people have to say. Video just enhances things further. As a result, I expect we'll see more brands go this route.
What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required).Categories: Brand Marketing
Topics: JetBlue
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VideoNuze Report Podcast #61 - May 14, 2010
Daisy Whitney and I are pleased to present the 61st edition of the VideoNuze Report podcast, for May 14, 2010.
In today's podcast Daisy and I share observations from the Cable Show in LA, where we both were this week. Daisy reports on a panel she moderated that focused on social media and how companies need to develop policies to make sure all company representatives work consistently. We also talk about 3D, TV Everywhere and the new Comcast iPad prototype app I wrote about yesterday, and what it might signal for the cable industry going forward. Listen in to learn more.
Click here to listen to the podcast (14 minutes, 28 seconds)
Click here for previous podcasts
The VideoNuze Report is available in iTunes...subscribe today!Categories: Cable TV Operators, Podcasts
Topics: Cable Show, Comcast, iPad, Podcast
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Comcast's New iPad App is Full of Surprises
Here's something to get your head around: yesterday at the Cable Show, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts did a short demo of a Comcast Xfinity "remote control" prototype app for the iPad, video of which is available on YouTube. I'll get to the app in a minute, but first, if you're a long-time cable industry watcher like me, you'll immediately be struck by several surprising things:
First - when (if ever?!) did you see a cable CEO do a hands-on product demo? Sure, they'll periodically narrate a demo of something, but actually navigating through the experience themselves, a la Steve Jobs? Not in my memory. While Roberts doesn't exude the gusto that Jobs does for his products, the CEO touch is still very meaningful (Jobs's personal touch is arguably what makes Apple so special, turning its product introductions into genuine events). And credit to Roberts - he executes the demo admirably, with no errant moves.
Second - speaking of Apple, a cable CEO demo'ing an unaffiliated third-party's device? And that third party happens to be Apple, which is tacitly sworn to disrupting the cable industry's hegemony over the video ecosystem? Going a step further, Roberts highlights the iPad's virtual keyboard, which allows title-by-tile searching, as addressing "the missing link" with existing set-top boxes (later Roberts says "this liberates us from the cable box"). The iPad's pixie dust knows no bounds!
And third - the irony that the video of the demo is available on YouTube (see below). YouTube! Not Comcast's Fancast portal nor in its VOD menu. Think about it - not long ago YouTube was derided as a copyright infringing haven and collection of user-generated schlock. Now, when the CEO of America's largest cable operator wants to get the word out beyond the audience at the Cable Show about its sexy new iPad app, the vehicle is YouTube. My how the world changes.
Meanwhile, the app itself, which "pairs the iPad to Comcast's set-top box" using EBIF (Enhanced TV Binary Exchange Format, the cable industry's spec for delivery interactive app to set-top boxes), allows the user to navigate through the full channel lineup and zero in on categories like sports and movies, and also drill down on specific shows and VOD selections. When a show is chosen to watch, voila, the app changes the set-top's channel, just like an over-sized remote control. You can also choose to record if you prefer. Lastly, in a nod to social viewing, Roberts shows how he can invite a friend to view the same program. The friend receives a notice on his iPad and with one touch, can tune in as well. Comcast sees lots of upside in the iPad app, with users eventually able to view the programs themselves right on the iPad. The app is both surprising and neat.
The logical question to ask is why is Comcast relying on Apple's latest innovation in order to deliver some of its own innovation? I mean, Apple had nothing to do with video until a few years ago, and arguably is still a nascent player in the space, while Comcast is the largest cable operator in the land. If it wanted to deliver a tricked-out remote control years ago, why didn't it?
There are many different ways to answer the question, but I think it boils down to 2 things: first, while most cable companies have invested heavily in behind-the-scenes infrastructure to deliver broadband and other advanced TV services, relatively few new on-screen services have been created because cable is largely a closed environment for application developers. Cable has been closed because cable operators have it in their DNA to be focused on control of what goes into their subscribers' homes. Letting "a thousand flowers bloom" is not in the average cable executive's mindset.
Second, and as a byproduct of this, most developers have ignored the cable environment. While Apple's App Store boasts of hundreds of thousands of innovative apps, the cable world has lumbered to deliver a tiny fraction of this amount, and at a glacial pace. It's not for lack of interest by developers; going back to the mid-90s there has been interest in interactive apps. But between the technology impediments and the cart-before-the horse negotiations over revenue splitting that cable operators inevitably get into, most developers have simply moved on to the open, flexible Internet. That's been a huge missed opportunity for cable, which could have been an intensely appealing platform for interactivity. Instead the door has been opened wide for others like Apple and Google to rush in.
All of this makes the iPad app from Comcast look like an important, yet admittedly small step forward. It's just one prototype, from just one operator, but it should be a strong signal to the cable community to embrace the technology advances happening all around them, to deliver innovation to their customers. That's what winners like Apple and Facebook are doing, and that's what cable must do as well.
What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required).
Categories: Cable TV Operators, Devices
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Brightcove, FreeWheel to Launch HTML5 Video Ad Solution
Building on the momentum around HTML5 and all things iPad-related, online video platform Brightcove and video ad management firm FreeWheel are announcing plans today to launch an HTML5 video ad solution this summer. The companies are already partners and share many mutual customers; the new solution means that customers using both platforms will be able to insert ads on HTML5 compatible devices like iPads, iPhones and iPod Touches when it is available. The move is a positive step for content providers who have rolled out iPad apps but not necessarily with monetization included.
Earlier this year Brightcove unveiled its "Brightcove Experience for HTML5" which auto-detects HTML5 devices, in turn delivering compatible content. Now with the FreeWheel piece, in-stream video ads will be delivered as well. No doubt, as Apple and other non-Flash devices continue to proliferate additional HTML5-focused platform/ad solutions will follow.
What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required).
Categories: Advertising, Devices, Technology
Topics: Brightcove, FreeWheel, HTML5
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Comcast's Roberts: "We Didn't Pick Up on Content Early Enough"
At the Cable Show in LA, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts conceded that Comcast "did not pick up on content early enough and that it is starting later than it should have." He said that Comcast missed opportunities early on - for example with Discovery to play a larger role in content, but noted that it's been working hard to catch up since. His remarks came in a one-on-one discussion with Peter Chernin, former head of News Corp.
Prior to the session Roberts did a short update on Comcast's VOD efforts, disclosing that to date it has delivered 15 billion views, with 350 million new views per month. The average VOD user accesses 20-25 times per month with TV series and kids programming the most popular genres. Comcast offered 100 day-and-date movies last year, compared to just 13 in 2007; in Q1 '10 it already had more than 60. Day-and-date releases on cable are a key strategy for Hollywood studios looking to buttress falling DVD sales and increase margins on digital delivery.
Regarding the pending NBCU acquisition, Roberts said that there are "No plans to Comcast-ize NBCU, particularly because there isn't just one culture at Comcast anyway, with each brand having its own culture." Chernin pressed Roberts to explain how editorial control will work when Comcast owns NBCU. Chernin wondered what Comcast would do in the instance of another controversial film being made like Martin Scorsese's "The Passion of Christ" or when MSNBC host Keith Olbermann blasts the same Republican senators that Comcast might also be courting on any number of regulatory-related matters. After joking resolving these issues is (Comcast COO) Steve Burke's role, Roberts said that since the company's early days in cable it has had to balance the fact that it doesn't agree with everything it distributes, and tries to offer flexibility to customers to opt-out or block certain channels. He resisted getting any more specific, saying the company will find its way after the deal closes.
Chernin also noted that with NBCU, the company will effectively find itself on both sides of the negotiating table when it comes to rates, and wondered how Comcast will decide "what's fair?" Roberts pointed out that there are lots of other players in the market who will contribute to answering the question, so it's by no means Comcast's alone to address. On the topic of content's value, Roberts sees multiple new distributors emerging, which should serve to increase content's value in the future.
Lastly, related to the FCC's net neutrality efforts, Roberts says he doesn't believe the government is "trying to turn the clock back" on cable, saying its actions are "a worry, but not a big worry."
Categories: Broadcasters, Cable TV Operators
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Adobe Launches Flash Access 2.0 and HTTP Dynamic Streaming, Partners with KickApps for OSMF Player Development
Adobe is taking the wraps off a new content protection solution today dubbed Flash Access 2.0, as well as introducing new HTTP dynamic streaming. In addition, Adobe and KickApps are partnering to introduce OSMF App Studio, which allows drag-and-drop Flash media experiences (OSMF is Adobe's Open Source Media Framework, a collection of components to improve video playback experiences).
As Ashley Still, Adobe's Group Product Manager for Flash Media Distribution explained to me last week, Flash Access 2.0 enables flexible business models for premium content. The move underscores the desire by content providers to move beyond purely ad-supported online video delivery to hybrid or solely paid approaches. Flash Access 2.0 succeeds Flash Media Rights Management Server. It also supports output protection, so that video viewed on multiple screens is also protected. Ashley noted that Flash Access 2.0 has been approved by the DECE, Hollywood's main security consortium.
With HTTP dynamic streaming, Adobe is stepping outside of Flash Media Server-only delivery to capitalize on CDNs' large existing networks of HTTP servers. It includes live and on-demand delivery including adaptive bit rate and network DVR playback. I asked what this means for FMS revenues, and Ashley maintained that the move may change the revenue mix from CDNs, but that any slack will likely be picked up by Flash Access 2.0; in addition, Adobe doesn't see things changing much for enterprises using FMS.
Last but not least, as KickApps' CEO Alex Blum told me last week, its new partnership with Adobe means that non-technical staff will now be able to create Flash media experiences without writing any code. The OSMF App Studio is a co-branded interface that give users the ability to drag and drop pre-integrated 3rd party functionality like analytics, ad networks, delivery while also customizing the look and feel of their players. I saw the full App Studio demo recently at NATPE and it was impressive. Adobe's decision to standardize exclusively on KickApps App Studio gives the company broad new distribution though Adobe.com and a solid partnership win. According to Alex, it is also the first productization of OSMF.
What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required).
Categories: Technology
Topics: Adobe, Flash Access 2.0, KickApps, OSMF
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