NATPE 2021: THE CHALLENGES OF COMPETING FOR CONTENT

The stakes are getting higher in the war for great content as streamers change their programming objectives to remain competitive and relevant with viewers. Today's focus is not only adding more content but also getting the best content possible, and that is what executives from different major companies discussed during NATPE Virtual Miami’s “Competing for Content” panel. The speakers talked about the best possible strategy companies can adopt regarding content, and whether is better to acquire a lot of shows or only focus on less but premium programming.

“We are focused on acquiring the best possible content for our Tubi viewers. We are data-centered, so we really understand our audience, and we are not looking to acquire a super expensive title that may or may not be suitable for the Tubi viewer. We have the benefit of having the data. Moreover, we are very focused on volume, and our fundamental belief is being the place where there is truly something for everyone,” explained Andrea Clarke Hall, VP of Business Development at Tubi.

Natalie Martin, VP of Growth & Development at Premiere Digital, believes that "2020 really shown that there is a home for any type of content”. In that sense, she considers that the availability of multiple platforms is something positive, since it allows to help clients and guide them about the best home to place their shows.

In that sense, Alexander von Krogh, VP of Data Sales at Whip Media, explained that its company is transforming the global content licensing ecosystem with an enterprise software platform that centrally connects data, processes and teams throughout the digital distribution journey. “We use the data to give clients a sense of what the demand is for certain content. It is a very by content, by platform and by country analysis,”  he said.

Douglas Craig, SVP of Content Strategy & Acquisitions, Streaming Division at ViacomCBS Network International, referred to the competitivity of the market and admitted that the challenges are very real. “We are lucky to be able to take advantage of our huge library. In addition to that, regarding the competition challenges, we are exploring original production. Our strategy is a combination of those two things,”  Craig commented.

So what is the best content or the best strategy to get to it? “The best content is not necessarily what people think it is. Maybe ‘the best content’ is just the right content for one viewer. There is a ton of shows, so the important thing is to make sure to acquire the right one for your audience,”  Clarke Hall noted. In line with her, von Krogh added that “the best content also depends on what the company is looking for when acquiring or producing that show”.