One of the dominating principles about web video has been ‘content everywhere.’ Technology has made this possible. It is realistically possible to watch the same content on the web, on a mobile device, or on an IP connected television.
However, is content everywhere really necessary? Or, is engagement everywhere more important?
After analyzing the above question for a few days and looking at media consumption habits of people I live with or work with, I think the answer is that ‘engagement everywhere’ is more important.
Consider the following media consumption timeline:
- Viewer watches his/her favorite prime time show on the night it airs or the following day via iTunes or other venues, such as Hulu or the network’s website. (see article: TV viewing at ‘all-time high’ on CNN.com)
- More likely than not, the viewer will not re-watch the episode for the following week. If the viewer is a big-fan of the show, he/she may watch it one more time. For these fans, online programming and the content everywhere principle makes sense.
- However, if the viewer is a casual fan, he/she will do one or more of the following:
- Participate in a fan-forum.
- Download behind-the-scenes content.
- Listen to a podcast about the show.
- Participate in a chat session about the show.
- In the case of timeline driven shows, he/she may also speculate the course of the show.
- Watch the next episode when it airs.
- After the season ends, ether purchase memorabilia or purchase the DVD.
The above timeline will most certainly not apply to everyone. In fact, it will apply to very few people. However, for the course of the timeline, people will do at least two or more of the above steps.
Now, if you take a look at the above timeline, the user doesn’t want to re-watch the episode. They just want to interact with like minded fans about the show, making engagement more important. If the viewer can’t interact with other folks, people will abandon the show. Take any successful show and you’ll notice that there are thousands of fan sites, and the studios release tons of behind-the-scenes content.
For example, consider ABC’s Lost:
- Behind the scenes: Yes. Link: http://abc.go.com/primetime/lost/index?pn=photos#t=54633
- Official podcast: Yes. http://abc.go.com/primetime/lost/index?pn=podcast
- Fan forums: Yes. http://www.google.com/search?q=lost+forum
- Chat: http://www.lost.com/chat.shtml
- Blog: Yes. http://blogs.abc.com/newtransmissions/
TV and Film is a people business, and given the above engagement platforms, it’s clear that engagement is important to the sustainability of a show.
Also, consider this: If a user has already watched the episode, do they really want to presented with the same episode on their daily commute, or do they want more? As a viewer, I want more. I have a 90 minute commute each way, and I’d rather read about Lost’s speculations than be forced to watch the episode again. If that’s my only option, I’d go to another show’s site where engagement is as important as content.
