A Q&A with AT&T Entertainment Executive on the Future of Video

David Christopher, who runs AT&T’s wireless and entertainment businesses, has a bird’s eye view of how streaming media and video are evolving. AT&T recently completed its $85 billion purchase of Time Warner, a deal designed to help traditional media companies compete better with nimble tech services such as Netflix. Soon after the deal closed, AT&T launched WatchTV, a $15-a-month streaming service that offers more than 30 TV channels, including Time Warner channels TNT and TBS. The Associated Press spoke with Christopher about how people are consuming media and what role wireless companies play. Asked about unique ways AT&T could use Time Warner content, Christopher said, "There are lots of opportunities that we envision to drive innovation on behalf of consumers. You could have the ability to share a portion of a TV show that you thought was really funny or really impactful. You could have the ability to create a personalized news channel, or the ability to follow a particular athlete or star with personalized video coming right to your phone." He also said, "There’s a dramatic shift toward digital and a dramatic shift toward mobile. The number of hours people are watching linear television is dropping. The number of hours on mobile and digital is rising....We think those trends will continue and will be augmented by other technology, like augmented reality, mixed reality, virtual reality. Much more mobile consumption, much more consumption of other ancillary devices. It’s why we are excited about the combination of our mobile network plus content."