ATSC 3.0 Apps: A Pupil-Turned Master
Article Contributed By Greg Jarvis, Executive Vice President and General Manager at Fincons US
Across the Atlantic, European broadcasters have been developing their Hybrid broadcast and broadband TV (HbbTV) standard for over 10 years. Late to join this ‘living room revolution’, US broadcasters have only recently developed their own equivalent standard, known as ATSC 3.0. This delayed adherence, however, comes with its advantages. Specifically related to consumer interfaces and broadcast apps, Europe had to learn its lessons the hard way, from its own pioneering implementations.
However, US broadcasters are able to skillfully avoid falling into the same pitfalls while also replicating its successful ventures. Today, it seems that US broadcasters have taken the HbbTV baton from European broadcasters and literally run with it. This article looks at the ways in which US broadcasters can take HbbTV to new heights and, more specifically, examines the innovative trends and features that are taking ATSC 3.0-ready interfaces by storm and are now inspiring European counterparts.
Greg Jarvis, EVP & General Manager, Fincons US
1. Cherry-picked content
Developed in synergy with successful OTT services, broadcast app interfaces using the ATSC 3.0 standard are including features typical of VOD platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime, notably their smart recommendation systems. These are data-filtering tools which predict the most relevant items to any given user. A common complaint from users these days is the over-abundance of choice of movies and TV shows, which paradoxically makes it more difficult for consumers to choose what to watch on movie night, or what they may be missing in a “live broadcast” while streaming a show through broadband. The key to preventing such paralysis is to narrow-down the selection on display to users through recommendations which increase the chances of finding something to their liking without having to scroll so long they give up. With 80% of Netflix subscribers’ watching choices directly derived from the personal recommendation engine[1], these editorially or automatically generated lists are widely recognized to improve user experience.
By integrating this ATSC-enabled and data driven feature into their offering, US broadcasters can ensure higher customer satisfaction and retention by not irritating consumers with too much choice, creating greater user relatability and higher than average viewer watch time. While this deeper level of personalization tends to improve the experience based on viewing habits, solutions also need to be aware of the viewer’s privacy and allow them to determine their level of comfort in sharing and receiving information.
2. Kick-off your shoes and unwind
Standing strong on the foundations laid by previous experience in Europe, ATSC 3.0 continues to raise the bar by integrating auto-play features for broadband content which emulate the traditional TV experience. While the TV experience has come a long way since its inception, the basic premise is that pressing the “on” button is enough to lead to a flow of content; in other words there is no need for a “play” button once the TV is on! For example, the next episode of Grey’s Anatomy may be triggered only seconds after the previous episode’s painfully suspenseful cliff-hanger – creating a seamless TV experience and allowing users to feast on shows to their heart’s content. Similarly, after completing all previous seasons of a police drama like Blue Bloods, the trailer for another police drama like Hawaii Five-O may automatically start to play. US broadcasters should take full advantage of these innovative features which are shown to improve channel-stickiness.
3. Pop-ups on-demand
Finally, another attractive ATSC-enabled feature that has kicked HbbTV up a notch are elegant uses of snipes. Unlike your unwanted pop-up ads, additional on-screen information can be opened by users on-demand and non-obtrusively. Documentaries can be enhanced with informative or interactive snipes like What year did this occur? What is the name of that person? Therefore, answering these questions without ever having to exit the show, pick up a smartphone, or any other second screen device. Similarly, users may stay informed of the latest global and local news with Breaking News Alerts, without ever interrupting their children’s excursion to the land of Narnia.
While European broadcaster apps paved the way for the successful implementation of ATSC 3.0 apps, the new trends and features appearing across OTT platforms in the US have elevated the HbbTV application offerings by a mile. To remain competitive, US broadcasters need to capitalize on these key trends in user experience and design – certainly European broadcasters have some catching-up to do, but they are already developing next-generation TV platforms to bridge this gap. By adopting these new features, broadcasters will not only meet consumer demands now but will be more apt to do so in the future as viewer preferences continue to evolve.
[1] MobileSyrup, 80 percent of Netflix shows discovered with recommendation, 22nd August 2017
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Greg Jarvis is the Executive Vice President and General Manager at Fincons US. More information is available on their website: http://www.finconsgroup.com.