The Smart Money Is on Big Data

[Commentary] A number of emerging and established companies are placing big bets on the future of television, looking to profit from a new media land grab.

So where is the smart money in smart media? Content? Technology? Advertising? When you look at the macro and micro trends, it’s clear that the smart money is on Big Data. Big Data and online video analytics deliver extremely personalized media experiences that benefit both viewers and content publishers. Rather than “killing television,” the shift to mobile, multi-screen video viewing offers entertainment and technology companies a tremendous opportunity to create new and profitable digital distribution models. The key is for those companies to collaborate within a media universe that is changing dramatically quarter by quarter. Although type of content watched changes very little over time, the method of viewing is changing radically.

• There is no new online video market, nor is TV dying. Rather, what many perceive as a new market is simply a tried-and-tested market that’s experiencing rapid evolution fueled by a mix of newly available technologies, premium content and connected devices.
• Online video will not significantly increase the total number of TV viewers.

There is roughly the same number of people watching video now as there was before the online TV boom. The key for both technology and media companies now is to work together to deliver the right content on the right screen at the right time. When Big Science delivers personalized, data-driven viewing experiences to every connected screen, viewers and video publishers will both win.

[Knapp is co-founder and CTO of Ooyala, a video technology company that powers premium, personalized media experiences across all connected devices]