How Television Has Become the Newest New Media

[Commentary] The entire definition of TV is changing, and the ability of viewers to watch TV through an IP address is the biggest driver. The opportunity to device- and place-shift viewing on digital platforms and Internet-connected TVs has been rapidly adopted by consumers. Nielsen, comScore, Symphony and others are racing to paint the most complete picture of these shifting viewers—viewers who are way ahead of all of us, by the way. We're well underway in the transition from a one-to-many broadcast model to an ever-expanding addressable advertising market. Addressable TV represents a huge opportunity to use media automation and data-driven targeting to serve with unprecedented precision. Data and advertising have been like peanut butter and jelly for a long time in areas like direct response mail. But the surge of data use for targeting TV? That's new media.

Another example of TV's shift to new media is that brands have more freedom with their creative. When TV is delivered via IP, where we are not anchored to a programming grid, we can experiment with new creative types and lengths. Sure, 15- and 30-second spots are welcomed in these environments, but interactive ads and creatives of varying lengths—the ones that drive more viewer engagement—are all welcomed in this new media landscape. With the arrival of TV as new media, to borrow a phrase, "It's time to think different and ask new questions."

[Peter Naylor is svp of sales, Hulu and chairman of the Video Center of Excellence @IAB]