[opendtv] Re: Roku CEO Anthony Wood on Netflix, Amazon, Google, TV Future
- From: Craig Birkmaier <brewmastercraig@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 28 May 2017 08:13:20 -0400
On May 27, 2017, at 7:04 PM, Manfredi, Albert E
<albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Monty Solomon posted:
http://fortune.com/2017/05/27/roku-ceo-anthony-wood-streaming/
Here's a weird quote:
"One thing that helps Roku stand out is the fact that, unlike many of its
biggest rivals, the Los Gatos, Calif.-based tech company relies solely on
deals with outside content producers. In other words, Roku doesn't make its
own original programming, in contrast with Amazon, Google's YouTube, and
others. That means it can stay neutral when it comes to carrying streaming
apps and the content it markets to users."
Cool! Then, why is there any need to collude with the content producers? Does
Dell have to collude with content producers? Do PCs have to collude with
every web site out there, to be able to have them show up on their browsers?
I sure hope not.
Maybe if you tried to understand what their CEO Anthony Wood was saying you
would have a clue. For example this key paragraph:
Wood recently spoke with Fortune about competing with tech giants in the
streaming hardware market, how user data and targeted ads are the "future of
TV," and what the evolving landscape of streaming content means for companies
like Roku.
The reality of collecting user data as they browse the Internet is that it
requires a lot of cooperation among the services and devices that you use. The
most valuable and useful data exists either in the device being used to browse
or the servers you access.
Increasingly, data traveling across an ISPs pipes and the network-of-networks
that make up the Internet is ENCRYPTED. An ISP might be able to collect the IP
addresses you visit, but they cannot see what you are looking at and sell that
data to advertiser. But it turns out they do see some useful information that
the Internet services that collect our data and sell it can use. The ISP may be
able to "see" your location and understand the type of device you are using.
Even the side business of selling ads doesn't necessarily have to involve
collusion. It would be a real shame if the Internet devolved this way, where
device makers have to collude with the owners of content, to make darned sure
that users only have a very limited choices among all that's out there on the
Internet. For the benefit of the few.
The reality is that the "devolution" has already happened Bert. In the
Interview Wood says:
Question:
A big part of the advertising platform is tracking what users are watching to
compile and analyze that data for targeted ads and content recommendations.
Woods:
It’s super important. The future of TV—both with content distribution and
advertising—is based on data and machine learning. And it’s a huge competitive
advantage to be good at that.
I just want to clarify that the ACR [Automatic Content Recognition] program is
opt-in for our customers. We don’t just force it on them, although it has a
very high opt-in rate because we have some very cool features that they get
access to that are powered by that data. One of those features is called "More
Ways to Watch." If you opt in to the ACR data feed—let’s say you’re watching
The Big Bang Theoryon CBS—it will pop up with an overlay and say "Hey, you’re
watching The Big Bang Theory, do you want to watch it from the beginning?"
Because it’s available on CBS All Access and also you can watch all of the back
episodes, so it gives them more ways to watch that TV show. There are lots of
privacy issues around data that we have to be careful about, but it really
delivers a much better end-user experience.
This kind of real time user interaction can only happen with "collusion" Bert.
The reality is that Internet services and device makers share data because
there is a massive advertising market in play. This article from a rather
liberal organization, NPR is VERY informative about the reality of today's
Internet; it even touches on the fact that the real role that ISPs will play in
this is that they have a piece of the puzzle to share with the the directed
advertising industry.
Please read this Bert, then tell us how you can justify treating ISPs any
different than the companies that want access to their data too.
And while you are at it, also consider that none of this would work unless
consumers opt in to these services, as almost everyone does.
http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2017/03/28/521813464/as-congress-repeals-internet-privacy-rules-putting-your-options-in-perspective
Regards
Craig
Other related posts:
- » [opendtv] Roku CEO Anthony Wood on Netflix, Amazon, Google, TV Future- Monty Solomon
- » [opendtv] Re: Roku CEO Anthony Wood on Netflix, Amazon, Google, TV Future- Manfredi, Albert E
- » [opendtv] Re: Roku CEO Anthony Wood on Netflix, Amazon, Google, TV Future - Craig Birkmaier
- » [opendtv] Re: Roku CEO Anthony Wood on Netflix, Amazon, Google, TV Future- Manfredi, Albert E
- » [opendtv] Re: Roku CEO Anthony Wood on Netflix, Amazon, Google, TV Future- Craig Birkmaier
- » [opendtv] Re: Roku CEO Anthony Wood on Netflix, Amazon, Google, TV Future- Manfredi, Albert E
- » [opendtv] Re: Roku CEO Anthony Wood on Netflix, Amazon, Google, TV Future- Craig Birkmaier
- » [opendtv] Re: Roku CEO Anthony Wood on Netflix, Amazon, Google, TV Future- Manfredi, Albert E
- » [opendtv] Re: Roku CEO Anthony Wood on Netflix, Amazon, Google, TV Future- Craig Birkmaier