Digital Media and Content Distribution

Walking on Dragon Eggshells: Avoiding Game of Thrones Spoilers

“Hey, did you watch that popular show last night where the thing happened?” “No. I haven’t watched it yet. Thanks a lot.” “Oh… Sorry…” The penultimate season of HBO’s global hit series Game of Thrones is in the books. While many of the show’s die-hard fans are sure to have watched it through the season finale, coverage in the media suggests otherwise. Media outlets have been careful to mask key plot developments in their headlines and...

by Glenn Hower | Aug. 31, 2017
Tags: digital content, digital media, online video, OTT, pay TV, TV Everywhere

The New Breed of SVOD Services

Within the past month and a half, a new type of video service is available for subscription. The release of AMC Premiere and FX+ are the start of a new breed of these services. Available only to pay-TV subscribers, these services allow consumers to pay a fee per month and receive all of the shows from one network or channel ad free and on demand. They are not OTT services because they are not delivered over-the-top. Instead, they function more like premium, ad-free TV Everywhere...

by Hunter Sappington | Aug. 29, 2017
Tags: 4K

Summer Blockbusters? Try Summer Streambusters.

Ever since the release of Jaws in June of 1975, summer has been the realm of the multiplex blockbuster. Tentpole action film franchises like Star Wars, Batman, Spider-man, Jurassic Park, and Indiana Jones often find themselves in theaters during the summer movie season from May through July. Summer generally brought a lull in television, the demands of weekly programming schedules relegated to low-cost or specialty programming while the cast and crews...

by Glenn Hower | Jul. 28, 2017
Tags: digital content, digital media, online video, OTT, streaming

OTT Video Services: Entertainment for a New Generation

By Fredrik Andersson, SVP Business Development and Co-Founder, Accedo At CONNECTIONS next week, I will be joining a panel to discuss OTT video services for a new generation. We will be examining the global impact of OTT services, including market shifts, changes in consumer habits, and strategies to create direct relationships with today’s connected consumer. Personally, I find this topic particularly fascinating, not least because it is changing so rapidly. Of course, we...

by Parks Associates | May. 19, 2017
Tags: CONNECTIONS, industry event, Internet of Things, OTT, pay TV, TV Everywhere

Does Being Fit Induce Online Music Subscriptions?

The beginning of a new year is when New Year’s resolutions are in full force. One place where New Year’s resolutions are easily observable is the gym, as getting into better shape is often a top resolution. While the gym is not the only avenue for achieving fitness goals, it is a pretty common location to begin a fitness journey. When someone walks into a gym, one of the first things that is apparent is the music playing over the gym’s speakers. Despite the fact that free...

by David Mitchel | Jan. 25, 2017
Tags: none

Netflix and Cheer? Streaming Video Giant Leverages Holiday Nostalgia

The holidays are here, and the winter season has typically served as premium real estate for blockbuster films (secondary only to the summer) and holiday television favorites. Netflix, however, is positioning itself as a stay-in alternative to the box office crowds despite a slate of winter tentpole films. At the box office, films like Harry Potter franchise continuation Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Warner Bros.), Doctor Strange (Disney/Marvel Studios), Rogue One: A...

by Glenn Hower | Dec. 23, 2016
Tags: digital content, digital media, millennials, online video, OTT, streaming

Competition Increasing Among Top 10 OTT Video Service Providers

New Parks Associates research cited by The Washington Post today reveals the competitive landscape among top OTT video service providers. The IoT research firm recently released an updated Top 10 list of OTT video services, which showed the majority of OTT video consumption is now on Internet-connected TV. The list, which has Netflix maintaining the top spot ahead of Amazon Video, Hulu, MLB.TV, and WWE Network, is ranked by number of paid subscribers, excluding transactional or...

by Parks Associates | Nov. 28, 2016
Tags: cord cutting, digital content, Internet of Things, multiscreen, OTT, pay TV

Echo owners could further strengthen Amazon’s lead in the streaming music market

Today’s launch of Amazon’s standalone streaming music service , Amazon Music Unlimited, will definitely have an impact for the streaming music industry. Amazon announced a standard $9.99 per month price, but a $2 discount for Amazon Prime members and a $3.99 per month rate for Amazon Echo owners. The Amazon Echo offering does not include the ability to listen on alternative devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and computers. Parks Associates research indicates a...

by Glenn Hower | Oct. 12, 2016
Tags: Amazon, digital content, digital media, digital music, smartphone, streaming