The future of accessibility: Seamless content delivery and interactivity for broadcasters and websites

By Elizabeth McLaughlin, Director of Boxharry, website development specialists

In recent discussions broadcasters and interactive website companies have shown a belief that developments in technology solutions are moving toward greater accessibility and content control for the individual. The recent 360 degree commissioning conferences and debates outline how broadcasters must enter a new world of broadband TV, web TV and mobile TV, as they position themselves to deliver content and services to viewers and consumers wherever and whenever they want it. The vision would be to enable everyone from whatever background and location in the country to have easy access to all formats with a single sign-on. Single sign-on technology allows viewers to sign in to an area of a broadcaster’s website once, in order to have access to other interactive areas without needing to sign up again

Consumers welcome more choice in content, nowadays programming is ‘on-demand’ however, technology is enabling individuals to make selections and to filter content they receive in more streamlined and intelligent ways. Convergence of devices and technology enables users to create ‘web personalities’ to integrate deferring services, from iPlayer to iTunes and LastFM, as well as web services such as RSS and ‘Friing’ - which enables users to connect their accounts for Twitter, Facebook, and Instant Messenger.

Creating accessibility and interactivity across all these formats welcomes those with limited access and gives them a chance to add their opinion to the global community. Creating a seamless flow of information between formats will enable the simplest of devices to bring choice to the consumer whatever their location. Access to content is a formidable tool for broadcasters and we should be more open to sharing content, rather than trying to stifle and “close Pandora’s box.” The business models are going to need to develop to keep up with the pace of technological change and accessibility demand. Rather than trying to prevent access, businesses will provide content as easily as possible so they become known as key sources for information and accessibility.

The key is to simplify our means of selecting content, so that it can be delivered to us when we want it and how we want it. The management of this content and its delivery would provide content in a seamless delivery and target individuals without compromising the integrity of information. A solution such as Digital Asset Management, a library of services more accessible and easily distributed to mixed media format, links the individual to the relevant content on the internet. Utilising Asset Management on websites increases the accessibility to video, photographs and multi-media clips and this works alongside single sign-on technology to increase interactivity and seamless delivery across the formats.

A recent example of Digital Asset Management is the Britain’s Got Talent website commissioned by ITV and developed in conjunction with Fremantle Media. The site had to be developed utilising this and single sign-on technology to control the high level of traffic. For a site such as www.itv.com/talent, it used Asset Management in order to manipulate the content seamlessly and to provide relevant subject search engines to feed this similar content to viewers and track the data.

Smart content producers will use essential tools such as Digital Asset Management, single sign-on, profiles and personalisation facilities to enable the user to take control of the content delivery. By also encouraging user feedback and personalisation of services delivered, content producers have a fantastic opportunity to gain detailed insight into their audience’s needs, enabling them to target services and content more effectively. Nowadays people are becoming happier to divulge extensive personal information on sites such as Facebook where they feel the service is worth the risk.

An industry which is already taking advantage of new developments on the internet and the content accessibility for its viewers is the porn industry. The porn industry is always considered to be ahead of the game in terms of new developments on the internet, and the traditional content producers are currently battling with users who are breaching copyright by posting content on user-generated sites. The DVD market has collapsed as the users have gone online and the major content producers are trying to find new ways to make money.

Another key query for the future of business tools is Digital Rights Management – protecting the copyright of assets. A short term solution would be asset protection, and digital rights management is currently a key part of Digital Asset Management for online delivery, with systems, such as those utilized by Britain’s Got Talent, enables the producers to deliver content with configurable permission.

However, we have to wonder how effective Digital Rights Management can be long-term, given the prevalence of user-generated content, where users can post any content online. As Napster took on the music industry earlier in the decade and radically altered the music business, so new challenges to the old order will arise right across the digital spectrum, with new strategies required to meet this challenge successfully.

Although there is a great deal of ‘free’ access to content online, as with the case of music, users tend to be more selective longer term and the successful players will be those who are providing quality in an engaging and interactive way across the full spectrum of media platforms.

Any service provider who can meet the expectations of the consumer and address the needs of content owners can expect to reap the awards. A seamless delivery of content combined with single sign-on across media formats will enable consumers greater access and interactivity for broadcasters’ programmes.