There are a number of models open to broadcasters and platform operatorsThere is there the iTV “pure-play”This is the Avago model …. get something new out there; take the “build it and they will come” approach; gut it on TV get it in front of as many people as possibleIt will work for a while; Avago was extremely successful for 18 months; it was ahead of its time; it was the only game in town; it was positioned as entertainment; it was easy to find (it was next to ITV2 on the EPG)But it was only on one platform; DSATInevitably the competition started to catch up; there were suddenly alternatives.Regulation took a bite out of it; the content was restricted, it got shunted to a back-water on the EPGThe TV basics were right; the production was good; the whole of the implementation of community TV was good but it was marginalised.I don’t think we will see the same again; somebody would have to come up with something very specialPure play is not the way forward<number>
Between the pure-play and the Bingo Night Live approach is a Hybrid approach; this is typified by another Mirada solution; Gala TVIt started as a pure-play; an extension of Gala’s presence to TV but has evolved in to something nearer the idealGala TV has an engaging live show 7 nights a week 8 hours per nightIt has high production values; it has a large loyal player baseBut it is starting now to synchronise its hugely popular online service with the TV service. TV is streamed and synchronised in to its online serviceThe red button behind the service is still there but players if they choose can play online and still see their favourite presenters talking to them as they always didAnd of course once online players have many more options than can ever be available on TVBut TV still is there; it still reinforces the Gala brand as a leading UK operator; it stands out from the crowd Hybrid Approach is I think the model. Use TV and online in a homogenous fashionUse TV production video and audio; marry to community and a wide range of online content and you stand a chance of success<number>
The latest solution Mirada has delivered is ITV’s Bingo Night LiveThis is uses 360O TV production model. TV provides the programming and content but the web provides the means to play. There is no red-button its platform neutral but if you are not online you can’t play along.Which is a good thing if your underlying model as ITV’s is to drive people online to a pay-to-play game (via Party Bingo). BNL is purely a customer acquisition play. ITV has eyeballs; lots of them; the question is how to get them online and spendingITV and Mirada have an engaging propositionIts Free to enterYou can play online but also manually via a printed card (no platform and synchronisation issues)It has all the good attributes of iTV done well; it has high production values; engaging presentersIts delivered 400K registrations in 2½ months; up to 75K players in a game; average participation is over 8½ shows with 000s playing every show … all done on the basis of 1 hour 3-5 nights per weekBNL shows what can be done if a broadcaster who has eyeballs can do.Is it working; i.e. are sufficient people who register converting to be pay players … a question for ITV and Party Gaming BUT they have commissioned the next run of the show so it would be reasonable to assume that it is workingMirada provide all the bingo engines; the tickets; the RNGs; the ticket “sales”, the community features; the broadcast integration and synchronisation technologies
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So get your content right; make the propositions some thing your players wantMake the video and audio delivery engaging and entertainingI’m no expert of TV production but I do know that entertainment is keyLive production is preferable; never underestimate the human element Presenters become the players “friends”By putting a human face to product and your brand; you engender trust; from a players perspective why play on another service when your friends are on this one?Video engenders trust; live video engenders even more trust; consider “live dealer” propositions Don’t underestimate the power of “vanity TV”“Betty from Romford” likes to see her name on broadcast TVShe likes to be a part of a wider communityBy positioning your content as entertainment in our customer retention increases significantly; churn reduces; you make more moneyOn Avago we used to reckon that customer lifetime retention and value was some 2
