Apple TV, Roku _ Who's Winning the OTT War and what are we Watching

Among those who use streaming media players, Roku owners access new subscription video platforms more than Apple TV which becomes more interesting when you factor in that currently there are more Apple TV devices deployed. This new research was published and presented at this week's NAB show by Parks Associates where they profiled the different device owners streaming and content purchasing habits. Their findings showed that 86% of Roku owners use one or more subscription OTT service, versus only 77% of Apple TV owners. Additionally, 75% of Roku owners use Netflix, compared to 63% among the Apple TV crowd. As a point of difference, more Apple TV owners use Amazon Prime Instant Video – 40% versus 28% and Apple TV also has a clear lead in sales passing $1 billion last year. On a similar topic, the latest study from video delivery firm Qwilt shows that Amazon's Instant Video is the third largest video site (March 2014), behind Netflix (57.5 percent) and YouTube (16.9 percent). Although it's sitting at a modest 3%, Amazon is still beating out Hulu (2.8 percent). I expect to see this number rising  considerably, since this data was collected before the Fire TV set-top box hit the market last week. More: 04/09/14 Advanced Television - More Roku owners than Apple TV owners use OTT and 04/09/14 Multichannel News - Roku Tops Apple TV In OTT Usage: Study and Qwilt 04/04/14 - Amazon Rising – Amazon’s Streaming Video Surpasses Hulu and Apple

Local Broadcasters Test Over-the-Air Interactive TV

I think we'll all find this upcoming test interesting to follow. Broadcasters in three cities are teaming up with technology companies to test over-the-air, interactive TV. The trial is intended to demonstrate the capability for viewing enhanced content and advertising delivered to LG Smart TVs in Atlanta, Cleveland and Orlando markets during live news broadcasts. Utilizing an internet back channel will give the stations the ability to add interactive components to their newscasts which offer viewers with LG Smart TV's polling and other interactive services. The tests also plan to include additional photo and map overlays offered to viewers wanting more information about particular news events and weather reports, as well as personalized traffic information and content from the station’s own websites. Functionality also includes the ability to interact with advertising by requesting more information such as store locations or receiving coupons.

The driving force behind this test is Pearl, a venture that consist of eight TV station groups that was formed four years ago to explore and pursue new opportunities in digital media. Currently Pearl TV broadcasters reach 111 million U.S. households representing 63 percent of the U.S. population with 170 network-affiliated and top-ranked TV stations that collectively book nearly $4 billion in annual advertising revenue.

Stations participating in Atlanta are WSB (Cox), WGCL (Meredith) and WXIA (Gannett). Cleveland stations that are participating in the trial include WOIO (Raycom), WEWS (Scripps) and WKYC (Gannett). In Orlando, participating stations are WKMG (Post-Newsweek), WFTV (Cox) and WESH (Hearst).

Rovi Acquires Video Search firm Veveo

Video-search firm Veveo, in a deal valued at up to $69 million, is being acquired by top interactive program guide vendor Rovi. Veveo's personalized natural language processing platform will "complement and leapfrog" Rovi's analytics and metadata systems, said John Moakley, Rovi's executive vice president of data solutions.  In addition to developing technology that allows viewers to use search for content using apps on smartphones, Veveo has said previously that it would license its technology to set-top and smart TV manufacturers.

The deal is expected to juice the bottom line for Rovi and they have stated that the Veveo deal will contribute to "double digit revenue growth and be accretive in fiscal year 2015". But the company said that the acquisition would also "likely lower" its adjusted pro forma income per common share this year by 3 cents to 6 cents.

Bottom line, the Veveo acquisition will deepen Rovi's cloud-based search and recommendation capabilities, enhance their entertainment metadata and guide solutions with next-generation semantic capabilities, and help them grow their advertising and analytics offerings. More: 02/24/14 Bloomburg.com - Rovi to Buy Veveo to Bolster Television Analytics

CHCH Ontario & Cogeco Cable Canada First to Offer Geolocated TV Ads

CHCH TV and Cogeco Cable Canada ("Cogeco") are pleased to announce that CHCH made Canadian television history last week by being the first television broadcaster to offer its advertisers the ability to customize their message to their potential customers, according to their geolocation. Cogeco subscribers viewing CHCH will see the content of ads evolve to become more pertinent with regards to subscribers' market locations.

The new service is thanks to the leading edge INVIDI Advatar® addressable advertising platform that supports geo-specific content delivery. The development of this platform is the result of collaborative efforts among Invidi Technologies Corporation, cable distributor Cogeco, CHCH Television and software distributor Capital Networks Limited, who is managing the ad insertion operation for the Advatar® platform.

"Cogeco is proud to be the first Canadian cable distributor to support television advertising by geolocation," stated Jean-Pierre Caveen, Vice President, Affiliate, Partner and Carrier Relations at Cogeco Cable Canada. "This new and more efficient advertising opportunity brings the print direct marketing model to television," concluded Mr. Caveen.

Through the INVIDI Advatar® addressable advertising system, CHCH's advertising clients can deliver tailored messaging during a commercial break to households of a specific geographical area within Cogeco's footprint in the Golden Horseshoe area of Southern Ontario. "The first advertiser to take advantage of this leading edge technology is the New Democratic Party of Ontario," said Geoff Thrasher, General Sales Manager, Channel Zero Inc. "Their ads will only be seen in households within the Niagara Falls by-election riding boundaries, and with no spill outside of this area, the targeting ability of the Advatar® platform allows clients to include television in their media plan - affordably," concluded Geoff.

Advertisers can utilize this technology during CHCH's key 6 & 11 Evening Newscasts, as well as throughout the channel's popular primetime movies and programs including U.S. simulcasts 20/20, 48 Hours and 60 Minutes.