Indiantelevision.com's Digital Edge:Greater broadcaster-telecom linkage must for developing Mobile TV

Indiantelevision.com's Digital Edge

Greater broadcaster-telecom linkage must for developing Mobile TV

Indiantelevision.com Team

(23 June 2007 2:30 pm)

SINGAPORE: Mobile TV provides immense opportunities to woo through innovative programming, but also provides challenges for both content providers and telecom firms and emphasizes the need for greater cooperation to understand the psyche of the consumer.

Addressing the Mobile TV forum at BroadcastAsia, CNBC Asia Pacific Managing Director Jeremy Pink said players have to invest prudently in content which is king to ensure pragmatic growth in a field which is highly competitive.

Challenges in the development of digital media strategies and business plans may be sorted out through efficient product and business plans by Broadcaster-Telecom Consortiums. Content providers, broadcasters and mobile operators should develop stronger partnerships to maximise the profitability of the platforms. Both parties could jointly invest in production of specific content exclusively for the 3G platform, develop new technologies for the distribution of content for mobile TV, and in pricing, packaging and promoting the content on the specific platforms. They could develop other mobile TV products like scrolls with live business headlines, and SMS products. The result would be more compelling content and a better user experience, he said.

Referring to CNBC's digital strategy, he said CNBC Mobile had live video streaming, video on demand, SMS Products, and Wap Online at CNBC.com. We also offer video Archives, and anchor blogs Analysts' Recommendations. “We have a CNBC podcast as well as CNBC Gadget which is distributed on Microsoft Vista. Video on Demand CNBC produces a suite of exclusive video clips daily from CNBC's coverage of global financial markets. CNBC streams business news 24 hours a day onto mobile devices. Currently we have streaming partners in Malaysia and Hong Kong, Indonesia, Cambodia and Singapore. Other markets are expected to open soon in the Asia-Pacific region."

Talking about the opportunities for Wapo SMS products, he says there are lucrative revenue opportunities through simple text based products and 2G based services. On the other hand, demand for the more basic products are growing exponentially and major emerging markets like India and China have embraced basic text based services. CNBC is developing new WAP and SMS based products for distribution to maximise revenue opportunities.

But while there is competition with consumers accessing content from WAP, 3G and broadband platforms, there is reluctance to take up of 3G services. There is also a lack of understanding in licensing content between mobile operators and content providers, and some uncertainty about the future of mobile TV, he said.

He said specialised content will have to be created for digital media platforms and investments will be made in content production and operations support.

Mobile TV content "has to be Compelling, proprietary and tailored. Mobile TV must create a consumer experience that consumers cannot do without," he said.