The cellphone has undergone dramatic change in the last decade. It's hard to believe that it was once used simply for talking and considered primarily a tool for adults. With the advent of the smartphone, the cellphone has evolved into a mobile computer, offering endless entertainment and communication options to an entire digital generation.
Why, then, has the television, also a focal point of the communication and entertainment industry, lagged so far behind in expanding its bounds? Today's TV is slimmer and probably larger, but in many homes the television experience is fairly similar to what it was during its early days. On the flip side, many have abandoned the television entirely; its role is being supplanted by more flexible, less expensive laptops and tablets.
Despite the new competition, the television still shows promise of regaining its former standing. Having long played a central role in family life, it still occupies premium real estate in most homes. What would it take to bring it back? What if a company were to completely rethink the television and drag it into the new millennium?
That's exactly what's happening in the UK, with the launch of YouView. YouView is nothing short of an entertainment ecosystem centred on the television. At its core, it's a set-top box integrating traditional broadcast and Internet content into one co-ordinated, searchable experience. The convergence of multiple experiences on one platform has become key to success in the digital age. The smartphone's success has been based largely on its ability to unite what were previously disparate worlds: gaming, talking, writing, viewing content, music, and maps into one unified, simple and mobile device.
The television is ready for a massive revamp. The consumer still desires a central point for viewing compelling, typically long-form content. However, the origin of content is changing dramatically and the television hasn't yet been able to bring all the sources together in a simple, attractive, customisable, destination.
That concept was behind YouView's decision to team up with Accenture to develop a content discovery platform built on an open platform to seamlessly blend live TV, recorded TV and OnDemand within a central consolidated TV guide. YouView is an autonomous company made up of key partners (www.youview.com/partners): the UK's main terrestrial broadcasters, ISPs and network service providers. Not meant to focus primarily on profit, YouView was formed to combine robust search capabilities with quality broadcast and Internet content, while acting as the heart of a growing ecosystem of connected TV.
And this is just the beginning. With convergence comes customisation, new advertising opportunities, and new entrants. Because YouView utilises an open platform, it allows up-and-coming companies and other industry innovators to compete with traditional players to create compelling content and unique entertainment experiences. Good news for the consumer and potential partners.
Competition will also help break TV out of the box in other ways. Already, consumers are interacting more freely with television content through social media and joining the content process through the rise of reality shows and voting platforms that integrate consumer opinion. Fresh data from Accenture's Pulse of Media Study (www.accenture.com/pulseofmedia) shows consumers would consider crowdfunding content as well. Clearly, it's an exciting time for consumers and an opportune period for many companies. YouView's launch is just the beginning, a harbinger of great change for a powerful, yet currently under-utilised medium.
Share
Editorial contacts