Increased Viewing of Mobile Video is Driving Demand for Better Content Experiences

Digital video consumption is viral and, according to a new study released by IBM and International Broadcasting Convention (IBC), more than half of the 21,000 consumers surveyed are using mobiles every day to watch streaming videos, and that number is expected to grow 45 percent in the next three years.

Today, the explosive growth of new digital content available via online video distribution networks such as YouTube competes directly with traditional broadcasting creating a new connected landscape with data at the center. With this shift in industry competition, media and entertainment companies aim to maximize content investment and return while providing a differentiated and exceptional customer experience. 92 percent of surveyed media and entertainment executives say cognitive technologies will play an important role in the future of their business.

“Creating a ‘living’ media partner for your consumers: A cognitive future for media and entertainment“ study is based on findings from two studies. The first is a survey of nearly 21,000 consumers in 42 countries about their video consumption habits, and the second offers insights from 500 global media and entertainment executives about the impact of cognitive computing on their industry.

Globally, the study found 51 percent of surveyed consumers, and 67 percent in emerging markets, access free, over-the-Internet video from providers such as YouTube, Facebook and Snapchat, whereas 48 percent access video through regular subscription services from traditional pay-TV providers. Among the 55 percent of surveyed respondents who watch video regularly on mobile devices, about a quarter spend one to two hours using mobile broadband instead of WiFi. Despite consumers’ drive to go mobile, many respondents say the experience leaves much to be desired. For example, 65 percent of surveyed consumers very often or regularly experience buffering problems and 62 percent have long waiting times to start a video.

Although media companies have advanced in recent years, most lag digital disruptors in the application of data, machine learning and advanced automation to deliver next-generation experiences at scale. Cognitive capabilities can play a critical role in this transformation by unlocking and interpreting previously inaccessible data, yielding audience, content and contextual insights that can help media companies reach viewers with compelling, personalized experiences.

To deliver audience-tailored services in the moment, broadcasters must gain actionable, relevant insights from large amounts of data, leveraging advanced data tools and cognitive systems. In fact, organizations such as the All England Lawn Tennis Club who organize the Championships, Wimbledon are already using cognitive computing and artificial intelligence (AI) to create, acquire and program content, personalize services, manage advertising inventory management, streamline production and enhance staff productivity.

Cognitive tools can also be applied to interpret video and audio content in terms of sentiment and automating the identification of key moments of interest. Applied at major events such as the Masters and the U.S. Open, these tools help streamline the editing process and support customization at scale to better serve individual fan interests.