iWorld
TiVo brings comprehensive personalised content discovery platform with voice search
MUMBAI: TiVo Corporation, a leader in entertainment technology and audience insights, has introduced its new fully-integrated Personalized Content Discovery platform. The new platform provides video operators with the most comprehensive suite of content discovery features that combine the power of TiVo’s renowned conversational voice search with personalized search and recommendations. The platform also features powerful analytics capabilities that enable operators to conduct A/B testing; thus, giving operators the ability to optimize their operations in real-time.
With fully-integrated conversational services, TiVo’s Personalized Content Discovery platform leverages voice search making it easy for a user to ask, “What’s on TV tonight?” and get highly-relevant personalized search results. Instead of bringing up the whole TV guide with 300+ channels, the response will highlight the top 10 television programs that the user is most likely to be interested in, based on their viewing behavior and interests. This integration is exceptionally crucial as more and more customers turn to voice search, with 30.5% of Amazon Echo, Dot or Google Home owners stating that they use voice assistants to help them find something to watch, according to TiVo’s most recent Video Trends Report.
TiVo’s Personalized Content Discovery platform also supports contextual voice queries, which allow users to easily narrow down results within a specific context, thus eliminating the need to string together extremely long queries with unnatural phrasing to achieve the same results. For example, if a user was to ask, “Find me movies with Tom Hanks,” after the initial search results are displayed, the user can simply say “only the comedies” to filter the results to find comedies starring Tom Hanks. In addition, the conversational search capability spans across all content catalogs available to the consumer, such as linear TV, video-on-demand (VOD) or over-the-top programming. As a result, the platform recognizes what the user is subscribed to and can be set to only return what is available to that specific user within their packages.
“For voice search and discovery to be truly effective, the user must be able to refine and explore through conversation,” said Colin Dixon, founder and chief analyst, nScreenMedia. “Solutions such as TiVo’s will be invaluable in helping operators deliver conversational discovery tools that allow their customers to more fully exploit the content that is available to them.”
TiVo’s Personalized Content Discovery platform has a fully integrated backend business console that provides management and real-time tuning of search results, allowing service providers to easily improve the user experience and generate more engagement from viewer searches. Operators can use rules to drive internal business objectives, such as boosting more VOD titles in voice searches to promote broader category awareness. Operators also benefit from a decreased cost in ownership, since they can quickly make real-time changes without requiring extra support from engineering teams.
“Thanks to our fully-integrated approach, service providers can provide their customers with the flexibility of conversational search, going beyond traditional keywords and delivering a truly personalized experience that also drives their own business objectives internally,” said Pratik Patel, director of product management, Advanced Search and Recommendations, TiVo. “In the past, it was an incredibly timely and labor-intensive process to update search results. Now, changes can be created almost instantaneously, generating stronger, more relevant results for viewers while improving overall customer loyalty and engagement.”
TiVo’s conversational services go beyond basic voice commands to make natural dialogue a reality. With TiVo’s Personalized Content Discovery platform, consumers can use their voice to search for digital entertainment across data spaces, including linear, VOD and over the top. By taking the content, user and situation into account, TiVo’s Personalized Content Discovery platform provides fast, highly accurate results and relevant guidance.
iWorld
Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square makes $64 billion bid to acquire Universal Music Group
Ackman pitches NYSE relisting plan as UMG board weighs unsolicited offer
The hedge fund has proposed a business combination that values UMG at €30.40 per share, representing a hefty 78 per cent premium to its current trading price. The offer includes €9.4 billion in cash alongside stock in a newly formed entity, with shareholders set to receive €5.05 per share in cash and 0.77 shares in the new company for each UMG share they hold.
Under the proposal, UMG would merge with Pershing Square SPARC Holdings Ltd and re-emerge as a Nevada-based entity listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The move is designed to boost investor visibility and potentially secure inclusion in major indices such as the S&P 500.
Pershing Square Capital Management ceo Bill Ackman argued that while UMG’s operational performance remains strong, its market valuation has lagged due to external factors. “UMG’s stock price has languished due to a combination of issues that are unrelated to the performance of its music business,” Ackman said, pointing to concerns ranging from shareholder overhang to delayed US listing plans.
Ackman also flagged what he sees as untapped potential in UMG’s balance sheet and a lack of clear capital allocation strategy. He added that the market has not fully recognised the value of UMG’s €2.7 billion stake in Spotify, alongside gaps in investor communication.
The proposed transaction would also result in the cancellation of around 17 per cent of UMG’s outstanding shares, while maintaining its investment-grade balance sheet. Pershing Square has said it will fully backstop the equity financing, with debt commitments secured at signing. The deal is targeted for completion by the end of the year.
UMG, however, has struck a measured tone. The company confirmed that its board has received the non-binding proposal and will review it with advisers. It reiterated confidence in its current strategy and leadership under Lucian Grainge, signalling no immediate shift in stance.
The proposal comes at a time when global music companies are navigating evolving investor expectations, streaming economics and capital allocation pressures. For Pershing Square, the bet is clear: sharpen the financial story, relist in the US, and let the music play louder in the markets.
Whether UMG’s board is ready to change the tune remains to be seen, but the spotlight on its valuation just got a lot brighter.
