OTT Executive Podcast with Brian Mahony

1) Kevin's background at Lucasfilm, Electronic Arts, Walt Disney Pictures, and Zynga; 2) Learning about merchandising, gaming, and communities when launching the Pokémon franchise to the USA; 3) Why EA (Sims franchise) and Zynga (Words with Friends) highlighted the powerful combination of content, gaming, and communities; 4) Genesis of Bold Baking Network; 5) How "baking" is different from "cooking"-- it&ap...

1) Scott's career background starting with device drivers at Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC); 2) Current role leading SeaChange's advertising team; 3) SeaChange's end-to-end streaming platform; 4) Advertising solutions including pre-roll, mid-roll, post-roll and creating custom FAST channels on the fly; 5) Innovations such as side-by-side advertising, clickable events, and QR codes; 6) Trade-offs of server side v...

1) Steve's career background- "Silicon Valley meets Hollywood"; 2) The problem to solve-- universal search within the OTT operating system; 3) How is it possible your title doesn't show up in search even if it's in your library? 4) Why/how the search algorithm optimizes the platform's monetization-- not the apps; 5) Search vs. CTV/platform marketing- what has better ROI? 6) How Steve's team works ...

1) Evan's 2023 wrap up; 2) The media universe "death stars" getting bigger; 3) Consolidation of advertising market under Google, Meta, and Amazon (60%); 4) Why are the media giants getting into sports in a huge way? 5) "We left the last era of media four years ago when Disney went to DTC.... chasing Netflix towards a business model that doesn't work."; 6) Good churn vs. bad churn; 7) The paradox of con...

1) Keith's background in theater and film; 2) Moving into digital media and then streaming media; 3) Space Mob's focus on creating FAST channels and creating series; 4) FAST market under pressure as platforms are cutting back channels; 5) Focus on entertainment sports streaming such as pickle ball; 6) Minimum viable FAST channel needs 150 hours to start; 7) Revenue share model with content partners; 8) Merchandising oppor...

1) Katherine's pre-Vizio career background; 2) First job at Vizio 11 years ago; 3) Current role; 4) Vizio as full-service media company including hardware, content, data, advertising, distribution, mobile; 5) Vizio content vetting process; 6) Higher bar for content partnerships, but still lots of new "white space"; 7) Elements of a good content deal; 8) Vizio's key UX metrics; 9) Role of voice in search and navi...

1) Rachel's career background; 2) Rachel and husband met in kindergarten? I forgot the follow up question about this! 3) Recognizing the wedding video opportunity; 4) Getting started building a large social community; 5) Anatomy of a content licensing deal; 6) Advertising strategy and lack of data visibility; 7) Partnering/competing with CTV and distribution platforms; 8) Why Rachel doesn't worry about content and distrib...

1) Natalie's current role; 2) Career background from JP Morgan to ESPN; 3) Vevo's global operations-- streaming across 34 distribution platforms including YouTubeTV, Samsung TV+, Pluto, Roku, and Amazon FireTV-- over 800,000 pieces of content; 4) Launching FAST channels; 5) Embracing a data-driven environment; 6) The promise vs. the reality of addressable advertising; 7) The process of data and advertising experimentation...

1) Stephen's role and background on Robosoft Technologies; 2) Marquee customers including Discovery+, Magnolia, Global Cycling Network, Food Network, and ESPN; 3) Creating "communities" to enhance engagement and monetization; 4) Engineering and software development outsourcing vs. staff augmentation vs. innovation centers of excellence; 5) Cross device/platform brand integration; 6) 25 year history including first cu...

1) Background on Imagicomm and INSP "5th ranked cable channel in the U.S."; 2) Media conglomerate including cable, original content distribution, and 13 broadcast networks; 3) "Lunge-free" family/friendly content including "The Cowboy Way", "Legal Action", and Christmas movies; 4) Charlotte-based studios/distribution; 5) Tell family stories without being preachy; 6) Jonathan's background...

1) Jason's finance/private equity background; 2) Problem statement- simplifying streaming; 3) Win-win-win three-tiered approach- consumers, streamers, and broadband providers; 4) MyBundle watch list; 5) Partnering with cable providers for cord-cutters selecting broadband; 6) "Find MyBundle" tool; 7) Dominance of smart phone over TV remote as content discovery tool; 8) Difference between "search" and "b...

1) Teresa's background at Rakuten launching new channels; 2) Dearth of channels in Europe; 3) Need for localization (local content, local language); 4) LoveTV Channels one year anniversary; 5) Distribution with Samsung, Xumo, etc.; 6) Finding new distribution in U.S. market; 7) Love the Planet channel about sustainability; 8) Next stage focused on viewer acquisition; 9) Role of European telcos in streaming FAST channels; 10) T...

1) Acquisition of X Games from Disney/ESPN; 2) Steven's background from Twitch and NBC/NFL; 3) Role of community on Twitch; 4) Focus on expanding X Games events to distribution and streaming; 5) What to do with 18 years of VOD library? 6) Augmenting event content with athlete personalities; 7) Use of social for shared real-time experience; 8) X Games content discovery strategy; 9) StreamTV big trends-- CTV and FAST; 10) Steven...

1) Thoughts on StreamTV Show in Denver; 2) Colin's career background from "structural engineer specializing in water-retaining concrete design" to Xumo leader; 3) Xumo's roots in digital ad-tech; 4) Comcast acquisition; 5) Comcast-Charter joint venture; 6) How does Xumo fit into Comcast's portfolio including Peacock, Xfinity, Flex, Xumo App, Platform, OS, etc. 7) What does the future of FAST look like? 8) T...

1) Brad's background from local radio, to cable and broadcast, to streaming; 2) Launching MTV; 3) How "South Park" put Comedy Central on the map; 4) Early forays into streaming with Bloomberg and Scripps; 5) Creating Eagle Dock Media (and not getting sued by LeBron James); 6) Is content exclusivity/walled gardens going away? 7) Experimenting with content monetization strategies; 8) Is re-aggregation the future? 9) Br...

1) Jeremy's career beginning with "knocking on doors" for Continental Cablevision; 2) Launching Google Fiber; 3) Launching YouTube TV; 4) Content piracy; 5) Launching Stern Digital Strategies; 6) Role of AI; 7) Status of Local TV industry; 8) Industry cost-cutting as "natural evolution"; 9) Growth of OTA and ATSC 3.0; 10) Jeremy's passion for Blues guitar.

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1) Background on Cinedigm; 2) Cinedigm content strategy; 3) The power of "enthusiast" content (anime, family, horror, etc.); 4) Cineverse "Big Umbrella"; 5) Building communities around video content; 6) FAST as a "throw-back linear approach"; 7) Celebrity-based channels; 8) "Wall Street whipsaw from growth at all costs" to "focus on the bottom line"; 9) Erick's passion for Fing...

1) Sara’s background; 2) Working for Mr. Rogers; 3) Non-profit focus on experimentation vs. commercialization; 4) PBS Kids and gaming; 5) PBS distribution/device strategy; 6) PBS podcasts; 7) How to stay the course despite cutbacks in kid content; 8) PBS content strategy; 9) Show curricula- Curious George as Engineering teacher?; 10) How to make content more accessible for audiences; 11) Sara’s built-in “focus group” at home

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