No other events provide the clarity and information you’ll find at Streaming Media conferences. That’s why Streaming Media attracts serious, high-level technology decision makers ready to do business. For more than 20 years, our events have been the No. 1 gathering place for streaming industry professionals. Join us this November 12-14 for the next installment of Streaming Media Connect, a FREE online event.
On Thursday, November 14, media and entertainment technology strategist Chris Pfaff will moderate the panel “Removing the Friction of Content Discovery on CTV.”
Today’s streaming providers deliver endless amounts of content, which can overwhelm viewers who are simply looking for something to watch. The content discovery process often takes far longer than viewers are willing to wait. FAST channels have the power to redefine content discoverability by using data to serve customers the content they want to watch and help them find new content based on prior viewing habits. FAST platforms have a vast amount of data available to them, but only a small amount of it is being used to its full potential. Incorporating viewership data into the content discoverability process can remove the pain points that have bubbled up in the new streaming landscape, lead to more engagement with the content, and open up more opportunities for advertisers to reach their target audiences. This panel of content operations, acquisitions, and discovery experts looks at the success of genre channels and provides attendees with insight into how they help their viewers find their content faster.
Moderator Chris Pfaff is CEO of Chris Pfaff Tech Media, an strategic marketing and public relations services consultancy. Chris was one of the founders of the Producers Guild of America (PGA) New Media Council East, and served as chairman of the group from 2007-2013. He served as the vice chairman of the national PGA New Media Council from 2011-2013, for which he served as a delegate from 2006-2013, and also served as a delegate on the PGA Board of Directors from 2008-2013.
“The CTV market is growing, and advertisers are following the growth in CTV audiences,” says Pfaff. “Samsung TV just reached 88 million MAUs. And FAST channels are continuing to grow. We are seeing promising deployment of AI for CTV to enable improved search across the landscape, and improved metadata workflows as well. Ultimately, the device manufacturers will have a huge role in enabling greater search functions for users, and advertisers, and channel partners will do the same. We have yet to find the holy grail to content search on CTV, but there are incremental approaches that we’ve seen that point the way. Ultimately, it will be a blend of user behavior shift and multi-modal technology integration that will reduce the friction in the endless search for relevant CTV content.”
Panelist Katrina Kowalski is the Vice-President, Content, Paramount+ and Pluto TV Canada, based in Toronto and the lead executive overseeing all Canada’s content acquisitions and originals. For the past two decades Kowalski has broadened the television landscape in Canada, programming the best from around the world and at home. In her role as Vice President, Content, Paramount+ and Pluto TV Canada Katrina is responsible for all content decisions for Paramount+ and Pluto TV in Canada, including original programming and acquisitions.
Panelist Monica Williams, Senior Vice President, Digital Products & Operations, for NBCUniversal’s Content Distribution Group. Williams leads the team responsible for how people experience viewing all NBCUniversal network portfolio content across digital platforms. Her current role encompasses content fulfillment of on demand and linear channels as well as developing innovative experiences through product & data solutions.
“The biggest challenges to easing and accelerating the content discovery experience focus on the end-to-end overhaul of the content supply chain and everyone breaking out of the walled gardens,” Williams says. “We need to develop the full snapshot of the consumer experience on platforms. Rebundling and content aggregation could certainly help simplify the content discovery experience. Genre and niche FAST channels can avoid getting lost in the shuffle by understanding the target audience and what the content genre brings. FAST could also bridge content discovery challenges, especially for viewers looking for leaned-back viewing.”
Panelist Gatsby Frimpong is CEO of Gatsby TV, a self-described “fun way to discover the best TV shows and movies across all networks while at the same time making the exploration process fun and social.” Gatsby TV leverages generative AI to improve the discovery experience, and attempts to level the discovery playing field impeded by the subjectivity of existing algorithms.
“I think one of the sad things about the internet is people believe its [search capabilities are] objective, but we have to keep in mind that Apple, Google, and some of these companies that do actually work on aggregation are in fierce competition with other companies like Amazon Prime video. And so maybe Apple isn’t showing you that it’s available on Amazon. Maybe they’re trying to get you to go to iTunes.”
He explains, “First and foremost, we try to educate people on the fact that search algorithms are not objective. They’re actually very subjective. And [content owners] like YouTube, Apple TV+, etc., are going to–whether they like to admit it or not–affect the way they present information for you when it comes to their competitors.”
Panelist Chris Rodriguez is Co-Founder and Chief Content Officer at Revry TV, a leading aggregator of LBGTQ+ streaming content. A producer and entertainment attorney with a background in reality television and digital media, Rodriguez received his bachelor degree in Political Science from UCLA in 2007. The recipient of the 2008 Scholar’s Award to Loyola Law School, Christopher went on to graduate with his Juris Doctorate degree in 2011.
Register now for Streaming Media Connect 2024!
Related Articles
Sneak Preview: Cloudsplitting – Tackling Common Cloud Live Broadcast Workflow Challenges
On Tuesday, November 12, streaming industry consultant Nadine Krefetz will moderate the panel “Cloudsplitting: Tackling Common Cloud Live Broadcast Workflow Challenges.” Some elements of streaming workflows and architecture may always stay on-prem. However, the cloud affords streaming pros opportunities for scaling and cost-cutting that make the lure of cloud workflows too powerful to resist for most live streamers intent on managing large and unpredictable audiences, improving QoE, increasing ROI, and satisfying brands. The panel of experts from AWS, TV 2 Danmark, Alibaba Cloud, and Console Connect will discuss actionable insights on refining and streamlining your scalable cloud live-streaming workflows and jump and dodge the hurdles that threaten to break your stride.
31 Oct 2024
Gatsby TV CEO Gatsby Frimpong Talks AI, Streaming Content Discovery, and The “Paradox of Choice”
Gatsby TV CEO Gatsby Frimpong has created a streaming programming discovery app that applies AI and user recommendations to help viewers discover what to watch next on services like Netflix, Hulu, Prime, Disney, and more. In this interview with Streaming Media’s Tyler Nesler, he discusses his professional background, what led him to create the app, how it helps customers save money, the AI foundation model it uses, and more.
30 Aug 2024
Q&A: NBCUniversal SVP Monica Williams Talks Streaming the Olympics, Cross-Platform CX, and the Power of Metadata
In this wide-ranging interview with Monica Williams, NBCUniversal’s SVP of digital products and operations for the company’s content distribution business, we discuss how the proliferation of digital platforms across the OTT, CTV, and online ecosystems has brought new content distribution challenges, the boon of metadata for improving customer experiences, and the 17-day everything-must-go-perfectly marathon of distributing the Olympics.
24 Jul 2024
Revry CPO LaShawn McGhee Talks Global AVOD, Analytics, Content Curation, and Inclusivity
What’s it like being CPO at a streaming network that’s carving out a unique position in the global media and entertainment universe and managing an expanding array of ad-supported channels and a high-visibility roster of brand partners? To find out what that role entails, what drives the tech stack that keeps such a network humming, and how Revry develops, sources, licenses, and curates its diverse content offerings, I spoke with LaShawn McGhee, Revry’s CPO and one of the company’s four co-founders.
12 Sep 2023
