By Chris Carey, chief strategy officer, Verizon Digital Media Services
Streaming video has become a ubiquitous part of American life. Binge watching has become a weekend phenomena and we have access to not only the latest, but also decades worth of classic shows and films, all at the touch of our fingertips.
Yet we take it for granted that we can easily access our favorite shows and movies on our phones, laptops and smart TVs. While audiences in the U.S. rapidly reach saturation (or at least run out of hours in the day to watch any more shows), streaming video is only beginning to take off in many international markets.
Cisco’s 2017 data forecast predicts that mobile traffic around the world will increase sevenfold by 2021. Africa and the Middle East are expected to lead the boom, with a twelvefold surge in traffic. Much of that growth will be in video. Around the globe, 4G and 5G infrastructure is reaching places once considered too remote to make streaming feasible, subsequently finding audiences hungry for accessible platforms and engaging content. For global media companies, this is the beginning of a gold rush, but the broadcasters who come out on top will be those willing to experiment with strategies as unique as the markets they hope to reach.
Today’s high-growth regions often leapfrog straight to mobile-first and mobile-only viewership. In fact, OTT video revenue is predicted to more than double in Latin America by 2023, according to a report by Digital TV Research. Throughout the region, the smartphone is the primary internet device, despite the fact that broadband speeds remain barely adequate for streaming.
This steady growth of streaming can strain emerging content delivery infrastructure and pose a challenge for media companies committed to serving high-quality video content. That’s why breaking into emerging OTT markets will require broadcasters to find technology partners that can optimize for mobile-first markets. That means a content delivery network (CDN) designed specifically to leave a smaller footprint, manage traffic proactively, and cache content effectively. Recent investments in the region have proved that if you build it, they will come. For example, when we launched a new point of presence (PoP) in Johannesburg, South Africa, latency improved by 80 percent and traffic increased ninefold, in two weeks.
Global Markets, Local Content
OTT growth opportunities abound on every continent, but there is no one-size-fits-all strategy for content. Rather, broadcast publishers must collaborate with local content creators to deliver programming that will appeal to local audiences.
Sports, particularly soccer, are often a region’s entry point for OTT. For example, ESPN Play already offers exclusive streaming sports – from local games to the NBA – in markets in over a dozen nations. There’s no substitute for that perfect cocktail of content that has local appeal, high production values, and is delivered on an intuitive and reliable platform.
Going forward, the demand for locally-produced video may go beyond a preference and become a mandate. In October, the European Parliament passed legislation requiring that any streaming service which wants to operate in the EU must produce 30 percent of all its content there. Thankfully, OTT providers can enter into licensing arrangements with traditional broadcasters, as well as mine social media for original programming and local talent.
Tailor-Made Monetization Models
The question of how to successfully monetize OTT services requires as much creativity and patience as acquiring content and developing infrastructure. In many regions with high growth potential, piracy is rampant. For example, a 2016 report by the Alliance Against Pay TV Piracy revealed that half of all South American internet users consumed pirated content, via illegal torrenting sites, streaming and cyberlockers.
One way to fight piracy is to improve access to legitimate (and monetizable) OTT platforms. However, in regions where few people have credit cards, monetizing via a subscription model can be difficult. Some companies have tried using gift cards that customers can buy with cash and redeem online; however, the jury is still out on the efficacy of this approach.
Companies looking to expand quickly may wish to deploy alternatives to pure subscription plays, including a pay-per-view model, embedded advertising, or a Hulu-like hybrid where customers can pay to eliminate ads. Developing market-specific payment models will doubtlessly require experimentation, and platforms that are nimble enough to quickly pivot from one method to another.
Regardless of the monetization strategy best suited to individual markets, beating piracy will largely be a matter of delivering can’t-miss content that is faster and higher quality than the black market competition.
The winners in the global OTT race will be the broadcasters who develop both the platform and the programming, not for the internet the developing world has today, but the one it will have tomorrow. That way, when a market opens up to high-quality video streaming, their binge-worthy shows are already waiting for them.
ChrisCarey is currently Head of Sales, Strategy and Business Development at Verizon Digital Media Services, leading global sales organization, including Solution Engineering and Sales Operations. Chris was an instrumental player in growing Verizon Digital Media Services during the company’s early development. As former Chief Product Officer, he was responsible for product, profit and loss, definition, strategy, delivery and market rollout.
26 Streaming TV Shows You Can Binge in a Weekend (Photos)
Labor Day is a great time to hang out with friends and family and do some grilling. It's also a great time to stay in, watch TV, and do absolutely nothing else. Thanks to streaming services like Netflix, HBO Go, Hulu and Amazon Prime, there are a ton of great shows you can stream while you're avoiding sunlight. Here are 26 that you'll be able to wrap up before heading back to work next week.
"Altered Carbon" (Netflix)
A gritty sci-fi murder mystery, "Altered Carbon" takes place in the distant future, where consciousness can be downloaded and people can switch bodies to live forever -- if they can afford it. Action-packed and twisty, "Altered Carbon" is a great 10-episode mystery to work through on your days off.
Netflix
"The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" (Amazon Prime)
Amazon's period comedy about a housewife turned stand-up comedian took home Golden Globes this year for best comedy TV series and best actress in a comedy series for star Rachel Brosnahan. The funny, expertly cast comedy with eight hour-long episodes to keep you busy for a couple days.
Netflix
"Lost in Space" (Netflix)
Netflix rebooted the 1960s sci-fi TV show "Lost in Space," creating a more modern version of the Robinson family that feels grounded, while still "out there" in a similar way as the original. Parker Posey is also a standout as the slimy Dr. Smith in the 10-episode first season.
Netflix
"The Runaways" (Hulu)
The first Marvel show to make it to Hulu is a refreshing change from the Netflix takes. It follows a group of teenagers as they realize not only that they're special, but that their conspiratorial parents are not to be trusted. At 10 episodes, it's a quick watch and an interesting take on superhero TV shows.
Hulu
"Jack Ryan" (Amazon Prime)
Amazon gives a new look at Tom Clancy's many-storied spy, with John Krasinski taking on the role of the CIA analyst who quickly finds himself trying to take down terrorists. The eight-episode season is a relatively quick watch but has plenty of action and intrigue to keep viewers engaged.
Netflix
"Wormwood" (Netflix)
Directed by legendary documentarian Errol Morris, the hybrid docu-drama miniseries "Wormwood" digs into the story of a man's death, reportedly as part of a CIA experiment in the 1950s. But as files are declassified and more information comes to light, "Wormwood" tells the story of a possible Cold War conspiracy, reenacted by some top Hollywood talent. If you're looking for a new true crime obsession, the six-part miniseries is perfect.
Netflix
"Future Man" (Hulu)
A guy who finds himself recruited by soldiers from the future to fight genetically enhanced bad guys in "Future Man," because he's awesome at a video game. Turns out, he's not especially good at anything else. Riffing on classics like "Back to the Future," "Future Man" is pretty funny, and pretty smart, too. And with one season out, it's easy to work through in a couple of lazy days.
Hulu
"Dark" (Netflix)
It's easy to get lost in the mystery of "Dark," which centers on a small German town where children keep going missing. Before long, it becomes clear there' sci-fi spookiness afoot, as events start to mirror similar ones that happened 33 years ago. With the first season available, "Dark" is a quick watch that will keep you glued to your seat.
Netflix
"The Orville" (Hulu)
The first season of "The Orville" is all available on Hulu, and anybody itching for a return to old-school "Star Trek" should give it a shot. The show is basically what would happen if regular people served on the U.S.S. Enterprise -- a humorous and accessible take on the "Star Trek" formula, but which still gets what made those series so endearing.
Fox
"The Punisher" (Netflix)
The latest of the Marvel Netflix series follows a former marine who takes down criminals -- and finds himself unwittingly at the center of a conspiracy. "The Punisher" might be the best of the Marvel series so far, balancing the Punisher taking down bad guys and dealing with his own personal demons.
Netflix
“The Night Of” (HBO Go, HBO Now)
HBO’s short miniseries starts with an accusation and a murder, and spirals from there. Naz is a Muslim kid arrested for a murder he can’t remember if he committed, and even before his trial, the situation ripples out to affect everyone even remotely related to him or the crime. It’s a dark and dramatic look into the criminal justice system that goes beyond the usual police procedural.
HBO
“The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” (Netflix)
Looking back into the American zeitgeist of 1994, FX’s drama adaptation of the trial of the century is an enthralling 10 episodes. It’s brilliantly cast and captures the moment, with all its bizarre and upsetting ins and outs, extremely well.
Netflix
“The OA” (Netflix)
Diving deep into the "strange and mysterious serialized show" category is "The OA," about a kidnapped blind woman who returns to her hometown with the ability to see. The series gets even weirder after that, constantly posing mysterious questions about the woman's powers and her kidnapping. The strangeness only escalates, so binge now for a mystery to solve ahead of the show's second season.
Netflix
"Castle Rock" (Hulu)
Part adaptation, part original story, "Castle Rock" takes place in the spooky town that's the setting for many of Stephen King's spookiest stories. "Castle Rock" is still airing new episodes weekly in the first season of the anthology series, but there are enough to make what's available a binge-worthy proposition.
“Black Mirror” (Netflix)
There are actually four seasons' worth of episodes of “Black Mirror” available on Netflix, but at only six episodes each, the series is just contained enough that you can get through the whole thing in a couple of days. It’s worth it, too, as “Black Mirror” puts a “Twilight Zone” twist on modern technology and human relationships.
Netflix
“The Jinx” (HBO Go and HBO Now)
The story of Robert Durst is a strange one, filled with disappearances, murder, dismemberment, and bad disguises. The six-episode documentary miniseries goes through the story of Durst's early life and the disappearance of his wife, through two other deaths, and ends with a possible bombshell break in the case. It's the kind of binge watch material that's hard to pull away from.
HBO
“The Fall” (Netflix)
This British police procedural about a detective hunting a serial killer stars Gillian Anderson of “X-Files” fame and Jamie Dornan of “Fifty Shades of Grey.” Though it covers three total seasons, the shorter series of BBC shows means the grand total is just 17 episodes.
Netflix
“Band of Brothers” (HBO Go and HBO Now)
Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks produced this drama that follows the 101st Airborne through the European Theater in World War II. Intense, personal and powerful, the 10-part series tells the story of the war in a way that few other movies or series have captured.
HBO
“Making a Murderer” (Netflix)
This intensive documentary series covers the story of Steven Avery, who was exonerated of a rape accusation before being arrested for murder. The documentary covers the sorted story of the crime, the investigation, and the prosecution over 10 episodes, raising plenty of questions about whether Avery is guilty along the way.
Netflix
“Crazy Head” (Netflix)
British horror-comedy “Crazy Head” is about two women who can see demons. At first they think they’re crazy — but then they realize the demons are real. Over six episodes, Amy and Raquel battle the forces of evil, making it a funny experience that’s easy to knock out in a hurry.
Netflix
“11.22.63” (Hulu)
Adapting Stephen King’s novel of the same name, “11.22.63” sends James Franco back in time from 2016 to the 1960s. The plan: stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy and rewrite the entire future of America for the better. The entire story is perfect weekend material, covered in just eight episodes.
Hulu
"The Young Pope" (HBO Go, HBO Now)
Jude Law is the first American pope in a dark comedy about religion, authority, politics and backstabbing. "The Young Pope" has its surreal moments as Law's Pius XIII tries to deflect the machinations of the cardinals around him and figure out what to handle being His Holiness.
HBO
"Big Little Lies" (HBO Go, HBO Now)
HBO's scandal- and rumor-fueled dark comedy "Big Little Lies" also became a whodunit as its drama unfolded. With a star-studded cast that includes Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Alexander Skarsgard and Laura Dern, and clocking in at only seven episodes, "Big Little Lies" is a quick, high-quality watch. A second season of the show is on the way, but it probably won't land until 2019, so you've got plenty of time to catch up.
HBO
"The Confession Tapes" (Netflix)
The latest true crime documentary series on Netflix focuses on several cases in which people confessed to crimes they claim they didn't actually commit. Each case will leave viewers wondering if the people in question really are the perpetrators, or if police misconduct, psychological probing and other factors are really to blame for creating false confessions. There are no easy answers, but the questions "The Confession Tapes" raises about the American justice system are definitely interesting ones.
Netflix
"The Keepers" (Netflix)
Another of Netflix's lengthy true crime documentary sets out to try to find the killer of Sister Cathy Cesnick, a Catholic nun and teacher who died in 1969. The show quickly uncovers a sprawling, horrific tale of sexual abuse at a Baltimore Catholic school that might have led to Sister Cathy's murder, and possibly a cover up.
NBC
"The Staircase" (Netflix)
Dig into the story of the murder trial of Michael Peterson, accused of killing his wife Kathleen on the staircase in their house, as the story spans more than a decade. Netflix's new documentary adds three new episodes to the story of the trial, which took place in 2003, and its aftermath, digging into the investigation surrounding Peterson, the trial, and his ultimate fate.
If you’re looking to beat the heat and stay home, settle in with these great streaming shows you can wrap up over the course of a few easy-going days
Labor Day is a great time to hang out with friends and family and do some grilling. It's also a great time to stay in, watch TV, and do absolutely nothing else. Thanks to streaming services like Netflix, HBO Go, Hulu and Amazon Prime, there are a ton of great shows you can stream while you're avoiding sunlight. Here are 26 that you'll be able to wrap up before heading back to work next week.
Netflix
