Affinity Group Coalition

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Affinity Group Coalition Planning
Project Supported by a generous grant from CPB
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Agenda

• Overview of Changing Media Environment
• Potential Implications for Public Television
• Envisioning our Stations Future
• Identifying the Critical Few

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HOW CONSUMERS USE TELEVISION AND
VIDEO CONTENT IS CHANGING
2. Find and Evaluate
4. Author
1. Access
3. Experience
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1. ACCESS CONTENT FLOODGATES ARE OPEN
Key trends in Access technology

• More content - through cable and satellite
• More channels
• More platforms - for video content

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1. ACCESS BROADBAND IS THE BACKBONE
US household with Broadband Access,
2000-2005 Percent
Source Knowledge Networks Home Technology Monitor
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2. FIND AND EVALUATE NAVIGATION TOOLS ARE NEEDED
AND BEING DEVELOPED
Key trends in Find and Evaluate technology

• Interactive Program Guides (IPGs)
• Peer and expert rating systems
• Tagging - consumers define what they see

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2. FIND AND EVALUATE FRIENDS AS EXPERTS
NetFlix Friends updates the now-familiar user
review. It allows you to select reviewers from
a group of your own trusted taste-makers. Many
sites offering video clips include evaluation
tools like this to increase traffic and site
loyalty.
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3. EXPERIENCE CONSUMERS WANT AND GAIN CONTROL
Key trends in Experience technology

• Time shifting - Video On Demand (VoD) and Digital
  Video Recorders (DVRs)
• Place shifting Video iPod, Slingbox, etc.

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3. EXPERIENCE CONSUMERS BECOME PROGRAMMERS
Tivo records your favorite shows and makes
recommendations based on past selections.
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3. EXPERIENCE CONTENT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE
Sling Medias 250 Slingbox Personal Broadcaster
connects your television at home to your computer
at work (or anywhere in between) and allows you
to change channels and watch TV as if you were at
home in front of your TV.
                                   
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4. CREATE EVERYONE CAN BE AN AUTHOR
Key trends in Create technology

• Internet provides a distribution platform for
  anyones content
• Number of prosumers (producer consumer) is
  growing

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4. CREATE ITS AFFORDABLE, EASY
For about 5000, a prosumer can be fully
equipped to shoot and edit HDV compatible
programs.

• Step 2. Buy editing software (1200)

Step 1. Buy a camera (3800)
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POSSIBLE CONCERNS FOR OUR STATIONS

• Access Our ability to deliver content may not be
  as unique as it once was.
• Find and evaluate With more content available,
  our quality offerings run the risk of getting
  lost in the clutter.
• Experience Adapting to new technologies and
  platforms may require flexibility and rapid
  innovation.
• Create A new generation of innovative producers
  may bypass traditional media outlets.

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QUESTIONS FOR OUR STATIONS

• Access What is our distribution strategy? How
  should it change in the years ahead?
• Find and evaluate How do we differentiate
  ourselves
• from other media sources? Why would anyone
  support or come to us?
• Experience Are there new things our stations
  need to learn or invest in?
• Create What is our production strategy? What
  is the unique value that we offer to our viewers?

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STATIONS RESPONSE TO CHANGING ENVIRONMENT

• Develop system wide station-centric planning
  process
• With a common language and tools for planning
• Introduced and addressed through Affinity Groups.
• First Step Scenario Planning
• Develop a shared understanding of public
  television stations future.

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STEP ONE IMAGINING PUBLIC TELEVISIONS FUTURE

• Scenario Planning Exercise
• SCENARIOS ARE
• A tool for asking What if... and planning for a
  range of possible futures.
• Provocations that help us see how the future
  might be different than we have expected or
  planned for.
• Stories built around methodically constructed
  plots.
• SCENARIOS ARE NOT
• Predictions of the future!

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110 different dynamics distilled into nine key
uncertainties.
Future Uncertainties for Public Television
Stations
Consumer Bypass
Content Ownership
?
?
Dominant modes of media distribution
Impact of On-Demand
?
?
Flat Tax / End of Charitable Donations
?
Business Model
Public acceptance of change at PTV
?
?
?
?
Multi-Ethnicity
Local Partnerships
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Summary of Critical Uncertainties in Public
Television
X-AXIS Users Want a Media Experience Built
Primarily Around
Geography specific is The New York Post A
broadcast schedule that works in Baton Rouge but
not Boston A community bulletin
board Geography specific is not A Chinese
language world news program The New Yorker
magazine The Do-It-Yourself Channel
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Summary of Critical Uncertainties in Public
Television
Y AXIS Viewers connect to their media choices
through
New Intermediaries include Aggregation via
social networking (e.g. Friendster) or blog
site A service with personalization/customizat
ion algorithms (e.g. Netflix,
Amazon) New ways of aggregating old content
(e.g.
Rotten Tomatoes movie reviews site)
Individuals aggregating their own
content New Intermediaries are not New
companies playing the same role as todays
incumbent aggregators
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Possible Public Television environments - 2015
New Intermediaries Dominate
II. A3 Content on Diverse Platforms Serves
Anyone, Anytime,
Anyplace
I. All Media are Local Content on Diverse
Platforms Serves Local Interests
Something Other than Geography Matters
Viewers connect to their media choices through
Geography Matters
Users Want a Media Experience
Primarily Built Around
III. Ruperts World Big Media Brands Dominate,
Offer Content for Affinity Interest Groups
IV. Déjà Vu Again Big Media Brands Dominate,
Offer Local Content
Traditional Intermediaries Dominate
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Companies today - a preview of each scenario
New Intermediaries
A3
All Media Are Local
craigslist
Something Other than Geography
Geography
Viewers connect to their media choices through
Users Want a Media Experience
Primarily Built Around
Déjà Vu Again
Ruperts World
Traditional Intermediaries
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Northern Hemisphere New Intermediaries Dominate

Variable Media experience built around
geography or something other than geography

• A3 Anytime, Anyone, Anyplace
• A wealth of content.
• Created by many sources.
• Available on many platforms.
• Big brands are hard to maintain.

• All Media are Local
• Consumers want content that speaks to their local
  interests and needs.
• Many options for how and where they get that
  content.
• - Big brands are hard to maintain.

New
Intermediaries
Geography
Something Other Than Geography
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Southern Hemisphere Viewers Connect to Media
Through Traditional Intermediaries
Variable Media experience built around geography
or something other than geography
Geography
Something Other Than Geography

• Ruperts World
• Biggest media brands successfully offer
  consumers the illusion of choice and diversity.
• Big brands control content rights.

• Déjà Vu Again
• The biggest media brands dominate.
• Tailor their offerings to local communities.

Traditional Intermediaries
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STEP TWO IMAGINING OUR STATIONS FUTURE

• Station Exercise
• Take the time horizon down to the next three
  years
• What critical few things, must and can we do to
  have the greatest positive impact on our
  stations future?

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Affinity Group Coalition Planning Project