IP&TV World Forum expands for 2011

Parks Associates supported "2011 IP&TV World Forum" has been renamed this year to highlight and encompass the increasing number of cable companies adopting IP technology, focusing on hybrid, IP and Connected TV. The event will take place March 22-24 at London’s Olympia and will feature a comprehensive program of more than 200 visionary speakers, including over 140 service providers from telcos, cablecos, broadcasters and content providers. More than 6,000 attendees and over 150 exhibitors are expected to attend the three day show to discuss the progression of connected TV and the increased adoption and application of IP.

The conference program is divided into four specific tracks focusing on IP Platforms for TV, Network Optimization, Service Management and The Business of Content. Each day will start with a keynote plenary session discussing the innovations and services in IP and TV.

New for 2011 on the exhibition floor is the Connected TV Zone which will showcase the wide variety of CE devices, application software and solutions available for connected TV. The event will also host the IP Workflow Summit, and the TVAppHub, which includes App demos and developer workshops.

For more information about this event, visit http://www.iptv-forum.com.

Parks Associates supports Future TV Advertising Forum, London

Parks Associates is supporting Future TV Advertising Forum from December 2-3 in London.

The Future TV Advertising conference will bring together broadcast and advertising to analyze and debate the evolution of TV advertising. Television is inexorably losing ground to online that is gradually offering greater accountability. The conference will address how the advertising community can work with broadcast so that this threat, embodied by new technologies and user behavior, becomes an opportunity. The event will provide a great opportunity to hear and network with key stakeholders in TV advertising: Brands, Media Holding Companies, leading European Cable, Satellite, IPTV, Pay-TV providers and Content Owners.

More more information, visit http://www.futuretvads.com/.

EU TV Markets: Progress of IPTV, VOD, DTT services

The Western European market for television service features a diverse set of offerings and regulations across nations. Terrestrial services are a common choice among consumers in all nations, but IPTV is making inroads in some areas, with France in particular serving as a worldwide leader in IPTV growth. The following is a brief overview of several key countries, with information and data from Parks Associates' recent report Television Services: Global Outlook (Second Edition).

The upcoming executive summit CONNECTIONS Europe™, November 15-16 in Amsterdam, will feature multiple sessions focused on advanced TV services and devices, including "Consumers and Connected Consumer Electronics," "Bringing the Content: Content Delivery and Control for Connected TVs," "Extending the Video Experience to Multiple Screens," and "Value-added Services & the Video Ecosystem." Register Today at www.connectionseurope.com.

To read more about the EU TV Markets: Progress of IPTV, VOD, DTT services, subscribe to Parks Associates' European Research Update Newsletter.

Click here to subscribe to other Parks Associates complimentary newsletters.

Parks Associates' Senior Research Analyst speaks at Digital Media Pipeline '10

Parks Associates is supporting the Digital Media Pipeline on September 15 in Los Angeles, CA.

Brett Sappington, Senior Research Analyst, Parks Associates will be presenting on TV Services and consumer habits during the Research Session on Wednesday, September 15 from 11:40 AM – 12:45 PM.

Digital Media Pipeline offers an opportunity for digital retailers, content owners and aggregators, and technology and service providers to share learnings and experiences in the business of retailing digital entertainment. This young industry is growing quickly, and new technologies and new business models are developing and testing almost weekly. Digital Media Pipeline offers opportunities for collaboration among partners in the supply chain.

For more information, click here.

3DTV coming of age soon

Jim O'Neill wrote a very nice overview of 3DTV on FierceIPTV.

The concept of 3D is becoming more of a reality as 3D-ready consumer electronics become more affordable and the availability of content increases.

There are many obstacles on the way to success: low consumer engagement, difficulties in marketing 3DTV effectively, advertising issues, etc.

However, as I told Jim, "there is no doubt in my mind that 3D is here to stay, and it will be a standard feature in sets being sold."

Increasing consumer awareness, lower prices, and quality content will contribute to its success.

Is Hulu really dying?

The popular online video site, Hulu has been gaining popularity and increasing its visitors since its launch date in 2007, but the popularity may be dropping off. Although Hulu has been proving that networks can make money by making their content available online for free, the number of videos viewed in June verus May decreased from 43 million to 24 million according to ComScore.

More content and lower costs will push 3D into more CE

Parks Associates reports a modest increase in awareness of 3DTV among U.S. broadband households in 2010, but the mainstream viability of 3D depends on availability of premium video content and not one-off events such as the World Cup.

The firm’s latest report Trends in 3DTV finds 13% of households are familiar with 3DTV, an increase from 10% from the previous quarter. In some cases, 48% of these households are willing to pay for 3D content, provided they have access to the right types of content, including movies and TV shows.

Efforts such as the ESPN 3D broadcast of the 2010 World Cup are great experiments and effective in building awareness of the technology, but they have not resulted in extraordinary 3D TV sales. As content and service providers launch new 3D channels and Blu-ray discs, consumers will start to see more value in this technology, and shipments will increase as a result. By 2014, 80% of the TVs sold in the U.S. will be 3D-ready.

Parks Associates research indicates 3D movies generate the most interest from U.S. consumers. One-third or fewer of consumers are willing to pay for 3D television shows and sporting events, but nearly one-half are willing to pay for 3D movies. Trends in 3DTV provides a detailed overview of 3D technology and examines business strategies by industry segment. The report analyzes the availability of content, reviews issues and progress with each content delivery method, and describes the impact of 3D on CE.

Parks Associates workshop addresses new business opportunities for service providers, silicon and software vendors, and manufacturers

Parks Associates will host a research workshop featuring key members of its analyst team on Thursday, September 18, at the San Jose Fairmont. The Business Cases for New Media will focus on the impact of advanced connectivity on business strategies for service and content providers, CE and hardware manufacturers, and software developers.

The workshop features Parks Associates’ Kurt Scherf, Vice President, Principal Analyst; Yuanzhe (Michael) Cai, Director, Director, Digital Media and Gaming; and Jayant Dasari, Research Analyst.

Nearly 170 million households worldwide will have a data network in 2008, creating the foundation for new media, entertainment, and communications applications.

The workshop will address the features of next-generation TV services critical in establishing differentiation, creating stickier services, and building revenue. Additional workshop sessions will focus on the consumer decision process when purchasing new products, the market potential for electronic gaming applications, and consumer habits when interacting with digital media, including music, photos, and video.

The workshop will also focus on new advertising opportunities, including forecasts and an overview of the shift in spending from TV to online sources.

The full press release is available here: http://newsroom.parksassociates.com