Last week, we touched upon the difference between content everywhere and engagement everywhere. This week, we’ll discuss the need for content between multiple screens. Let’s take a moment to discuss the multiple screens.
Many people have been using the term “three screen strategy,” which refers to television, computer, and mobile. However, what about a movie theater? That’s a very vibrant industry on it’s own — and a big budget industry as well. So, for the purposes of this article, we’ll be replacing the term “three screen strategy” with “four screen strategy” and touching upon the requirements of each of those screens.
The following analysis only applies to video content.
Screen 1: Theater/Film — Distributing films via theater has historically been a high risk / high reward medium. However, it has worked well for popular franchises, the most recent being Star Trek.
Screen 2: Television – Networks and studios produce dozens of new shows every year. While some of these succeed, many of them fail to leave a significant mark. However, there have been long running and highly successful franchises, including Friends, Survivor, and American Idol.
Screen 3: Computer – Content created for computer screens has been lackluster at best. There is limited production quality, and focus is hampered by the hundreds of distribution options available. At the end of the day, this is the content business, so why should companies focus on producing content for a screen that is still maturing?
Screen 4: Portable / Mobile — In my opinion, portable and mobile media is more advantageous than the computer screen. People travel frequently — and the portable media player industry has matured, and therefore, people are comfortable with the portable players, and it’s content.
Taking a look at the above scenario, one has to wonder — why should video programming from independent producers be available on the internet? Why would a viewer simply not go to Hulu.com or any other premium media site? Combining premium media with interactivity is a win-win situation.
