2012 Event Overview

The Digital TV Summit 2012 event covered all aspects of the TV industry in the EMEA region, with a renewed focus on the operators’ perspective. As well as discussing how cable, satellite, IPTV and DTT operators can grow their businesses in mature markets, the event highlighted the new players such as online and mobile players. Furthermore, the event assessed the impact of newer phenomena such as social television and connected TV sets.

As with previous years, the Digital TV Summit brought together the European leaders and innovators in this fast growth sector to discuss the main opportunities – both geographic and by technology. A fully revised agenda focused particularly on the hottest industry topics.

These include: social television, connected TV, geographic expansion, new content delivery/distribution platforms, OTT video, content exclusivity, emerging markets and multiscreen.

Digital TV Summit is the only industry forum that provides you with an insight into the future of the entire ecosystem while at the same time hearing the key industry decisions directly from the people who make them. For the full list of 2012 speakers click here.

Read the event coverage by Farrukh Younus here.

Expert Interview

Exclusive Speaker Interview with Peter Schulz, VP On Demand Programming, Sky Deutschland

How important is content as a differentiator for Sky Deutschland in the German pay TV market? How important is premium football and how do you plan to develop your offering over the next couple of years?

Content is what we do. There are lots of complexities around the various delivery mechanisms and user platforms. But in the end, we are tested by how well we can provide a mix of programming that people want and are prepared to pay for. Football, along with other sports, is one of the 3 key components of our platform. I sometimes describe it as a three-legged stool, consisting of sports, movies and entertainment. We will continue to invest in not only new and innovative programs, but also enhancements through production, presentation and technology to add value to the core programming assets.

To what extent can Sky differentiate its offering from that of Deutsche Telekom and the cable operators through technology and the user experience?

We are completely committed to the idea of the highest possible quality, both content and technical and to make it available to our subscribers anywhere and any time. This commitment infects everything we do, from program rights acquisition, through production, presentation and technical delivery. I think this is what sets us apart from everyone else in the market.

Who do you see as your main competitors in the market – Deutsche Telekom, cable or new OTT entrants, or the free-to-air market?

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2012 Event Coverage

Published at Onislam.net by Farrukh Younus

Held at the Sheraton Park Lane, Informa’s two-day Digital TV Summit brought together a diverse selection of delegates with world-class speakers providing insight into their ever-evolving industry. While comprehensive, of particular interest to me is the impact of Social media and advertising in this space – the focus of my coverage below.

With Youtube now the world’s second largest search engine, the impact of Social is revolutionising the TV viewing experience. A complex web of real-time interactivity is being engaged. In the developed world, this is being driven primarily by the availability of the ‘second screen’ while in lesser developed countries, it is across mobile; that is to say that our second screen is their first screen. Irrespective, consumer behavior and expectation is changing demanding a richer and more relevant experience irrespective of where and how content is being viewed.

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