Change Coming for TV?!

If you look at the media landscape today you cannot ignore the fact that TV seems to be the only one not evolving or innovating.  The digital landscape (online, mobile, tablets, etc) appears to be changing on a minute x minute basis.  People are struggling to keep up with the new trends and data. Marketers are struggling to understand these new trends and data.  They think they finally have a handle on lingo and process only to see that change in a few minutes. This kind of excitement is not happening in the TV space; even with the new hardware being developed by Samsung, Panasonic, etc these days.

We can remember when C3 came into play a few years back for Networks.  This was the gun shot heard around the world.  Advertisers were hanging their hats on this newest change and TV networks were reluctantly changing because of the need of the advertisers.  And to think this change took over 50 years to happen!  At this point no one can imagine the next change that will happen.  In fact, networks are tuning out any kind of change talk.  For some, the change to C3 was dramatic and confusing; in fact, I think some agencies came out winners after the dust has settled and translations complete.

But as consumers become more savvy and consume media on their own time.  TV will have to adjust to this need. The audience is becoming more fragmented as technology is being developed.  Smart and Internet TVs are now being created more frequently as consumers begin to understand the technology and become more comfortable.  These developments have sites like Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, Crackle, etc drooling because their content can now be accessible via the great consumer experience called the TV.  Consumers will undoubtedly customize their own channels, content, programming to suit their viewing needs.  They will eliminate any waste programming that does not suit them.  And this type of behavior will give providers with the ability to deliver specific targeting and content to succeed.

TV networks throw around convergent quite often.  And that simply means pushing consumers back and forth between linear and digital.  The daring few may include a form of app in the mix to get everyone excited.  But is this truly convergent media?  Can the consumer move seamlessly between linear and online? No they cannot.  The best that is happening is offering viewers the opportunity to interact with programming via their mobile and social.  And not everyone is doing it well.  Change is coming and the TV space will have to adjust and quickly.  The networks that have started implementing software and hardware to welcome the change will be successful.  Agency planners and buyers are constantly changing and consuming information and knowledge to share and educate their clients.  Those that show innovation and progress will see reward in media dollars.

TV networks better stop looking around to see who will make the first move in their group.  Next thing they will know is Hulu, Google, Facebook, Apple will become the largest providers in content on your TV!