How to repackage content to suit specific platforms or audiences

For decades, we have been told that content is king.

True as this may be, the fact is that content and consumption is drastically changing.

High-quality drama productions, talent competitions, current affairs and news still draw people in droves to the couch in front of the smart flat-screen TV.

But you can bet that at the far end of the couch, there is a kid (or adult) reading, gaming, browsing or looking at something entirely different on a tablet.

How can traditional broadcasters respond, survive, or even thrive in this media revolution?

How can an expensive hour-long quality programme compete with a 30-second video of a cat chasing its own tail?

What kind of content do you need when you combine linear broadcasting with video on demand, or free-to-air and paid services with social media, or traditional TV sets with mobile devices?

Social media TV

All options and opportunities need to be explored. Obviously, big productions such as live talent shows, big sports events, news and newly premiered drama will always attract audiences to a big screen.

But by slightly changing the traditional content lifecycle, it is possible to also produce, repackage or repurpose content that is tailored to specific platforms or audiences.

This might range from bloopers on social media to interviews on a website, catchup on your telecom provider’s VOD platform, or making all previous seasons available on Netflix.

Condensing all the news of the world into 30 minutes can trigger viewers to look for more in-depth content about a specific topic, guiding them to interviews, user-generated videos, documentaries or talk shows.

Content-centric approach

The wealth of archive content that can be repurposed, referenced or re-packaged into new ad-hoc series, and the popularity of short clips that are saved from the cutting room floor, is staggering.

This is the kind of repurposed content that can find a captivated audience and generally enhances the viewing experience.

This is the content-centric business model that will shape the future.

But this business model is only viable to the extent that the broadcaster can efficiently combine platforms and devices, and optimally offer produced, acquired, user-generated and archive content.

For a broadcaster, that means handling the transmission rights, paying artists, clearing music, preparing material, ensuring legal, financial and business reporting, and, generally, implementing back office workflows that fully support this content-centric view in a comprehensive and efficient way.

Never before has there been such a fast and significant change in the definition of broadcasting itself.

Broadcasters need to react fast to new techniques and opportunities, but they can only do that as long as their back-office can cope. This explains the desire for a flexible, integrated and, most crucially, agile content, rights and scheduling system.

Clearly, the diversification of the business is so significant that content never fits all platforms or audiences. Content is still king, provided it is the right content on the right platform at the right time.

This content was first published at IBC2016

The views expressed are those of the author.