Finally, we are looking toward IBC and could I ask each of you to say what you expect the big focus at IBC will be this year and how you might be preparing for IBC.
Huw Price-Stephens, Amino
Our interest at IBC and at NAB is obviously in how IP is playing in these traditional broadcast markets. Over the past three to four years we have seen steady growth from the broadcast industry in how IP is starting to play. I think we are transitioning from an interest in that technology into an examination of how the business models break down. I would expect to see more focus on what types of content are being bought and what is being brought in by OTT players and how these additional services might reduce churn and generate revenues.
Paul Entwistle, Pace
Very much focused on HDTV and the growing take up of HD across Europe. My personal interest area is OTT services so I'll be looking closely at the evolution of OTT services and seeing how this is developing.
Chris Forrester
Paul, do you see over this next 12 to 18 months of OTT services actually getting to the TV set?
Paul Entwistle, Pace
Yes, but the business model has to be right and the industry at the moment is looking closely at those models. I would expect to see many things showcased at IBC explaining how OTT can be monetised as well as driving innovation and content creation. It is a very interesting time.
Chris Forrester
José, what do you see as being important?
José Luis Vázquez, Mirada
HD of course, but also new, managed services and how they might be monetised. There will also be a lot of focus on convergence. We will no longer be talking about how to monetise the television, instead focusing on the customer and how extra cash can be teased from that customer as well as making their experience more appealing.
Ian Valentine, Miniweb
This year's IBC will be, in my view, about two things. People are increasingly looking at the business models. What works? And how might that IPTV connection be monetised? And what the consumer experience might be. Why does the consumer want to buy and IP-ready box? And what's interesting about the comments from the whole panel is the importance of Over The Top delivered services and my view is that we should simply transplant what works in a Pay TV environment and transfer that to an open TV environment. And from the consumer point of view, what's going to change is ‘catch up' TV to the device. We've seen IPTV being hyped. We have seen broadband TV to PCs being hyped. But now I expect us to go full circle and see the consumer looking for more entertainment on the television.
Chris Forrester
Thank you to all of our panellists, Huw Price-Stephens from Amino, Paul Entwistle from Pace, José Luis Vázquez from Mirada and Ian Valentine from Miniweb.
