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https://www.verizondigitalmedia.com/blog/2017/10/getting-into-gear-for-tvs-big-shift/

Getting into gear for TV’s big shift

It may also mean that the very concepts of TV Everywhere, over-the-top (OTT), Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and the like may not really mean that much any more. Instead, it’s all about delivering the TV and video content to viewers at high-quality levels on every screen, everywhere, despite how they are packaged. Sounds straightforward. From the perspectives of both technology and business, it really isn’t.

What’s offered to the users is changing rapidly as traditional pay-TV players react at last to the Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) leaders with their own next-generation solutions in the form of skinny bundles and DTC services. People want to watch what they want to watch and when they want to watch it, without necessarily having ties to a content supplier. So, what’s happening with the industry, and what is likely to happen over the next few years? And how are TV providers planning to meet dynamic demands?

What is happening with the industry?
Jason Friedlander, director of product marketing of Verizon Digital Media Services, answers, “I think the shift is that we’re going to see more and more content owners starting to try to make that direct connection with each and every user, like Disney and ESPN are doing by launching their own direct-to-consumer services where they control applications and user experiences.”

What will this DTC ( Direct To Consumer) trend mean for the video arena?
According to Jason, the DTC trend bodes well for content owners and for users alike, making more great content available to users than ever before. Yet, he cautions that “as it gets more and more disparate, you are going to need somebody or something that’s going to be able to tie all those apps back together to be able to give everybody what they want.”
“It’s going to be hard to get it right,” he adds. Since content is king, the company that figures out how to balance and monetize of all this great content and make the most of everything it creates will come out on top.