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How Software Opens New Pay-TV Opportunities

Multimedia Research Group, Inc. (MRG) released its comprehensive study of the Multi-platform TV Middleware and Applications ecosystem.

According to the findings of their latest market study, pay-TV has been on a collision course with the Internet for more than a decade, but not only has online delivery not yet cannibalized pay TV revenues to any great extent, it also has created a variety of new revenue opportunities for facilities-based service providers.

"Generally speaking, consumers are growing to expect the same experience on the TV that they receive from the Internet, and vice versa," said Norm Bogen, MRG VP of Global Research.

From the content provider’s perspective, this must be done securely, in ways that respect existing content acquisition and distribution agreements.

Enter TV software and the technological advances required to enable new platforms.

Key findings from this market study included:
  • The 2010-2014 time-frame is a time of radical change, in which the very concept of TV is in flux.
  • IPTV technologies are mature and are continuing to evolve in response to and in anticipation of these changes.
  • Operators other than telcos are adopting technologies initially designed for telco IPTV.
  • Hybrid-IP TV delivery is now the norm.
  • Traditional (policy-managed) pay TV can now be blended seamlessly with Internet-sourced multimedia content.
  • Second-screen control has become commonplace.
  • The greatest barrier to second-screen viewing of the content itself is the content owner, not the technology.

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