The future of multi-platform content: Insights from NATPE
Multi-platform, multidimensional content was a central topic at the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) conference that took place in Miami in January.
This benchmark event brought together over 1,600 content providers, experts, and executives from the world’s top entertainment companies. All were preoccupied with one question: “Where do we go from here as an industry?”
Entertainment companies are now shifting their focus to content that has a global reach.
According to NATPE speakers, consumption is growing in LatAm, and industry tycoons such as Fernando Szew, CEO at FOX Entertainment, believe that content should become multi-platform to reach its target audience.
With new technologies and platforms emerging, competition for consumer attention is growing. One example is “free advertising supported streaming television” (FAST) that has experienced a boom in recent years.
With over 1,500 FAST channels in the U.S. alone, there certainly is the risk that the American public is overwhelmed with content. But this saturated market is pushing industry players to step up their game.
Laura Florence, SVP Global FAST Channels at Fremantle, for example, believes quality should come over quantity. If viewers are willing to sit through those ad breaks, then you know you’re onto something good, she says.
How are businesses crafting content and messaging for global audiences?
In recent years, companies have been redesigning their content strategies, looking to connect with new audiences around the world. To remain competitive, companies should deliver messaging in an engaging, content-driven way, believes Irina Proskurina, founder at E-PR Online, a media marketplace operating in 137 countries.
“It is important to tailor messages and formats to diverse audiences,” she said. Depending on the message intended for audiences in particular industries and countries, E-PR starts by analyzing media outlets.
Proskurina views her role as “delivering content that effectively reaches the appropriate audience and sharing valuable insights that they may find engaging and informative.”
International reach helps generate media attention globally and build brand awareness in the international market. Recently, E-PR provided media coverage in 100 countries for a fashion forum.
“Articles in different languages were then published in media outlets in Thailand, France, Nigeria, Greece, Brazil, and other countries,” Proskurina said.
As the media and entertainment landscape continues to evolve, the imperative both for content creators and businesses in 2024 is clear: to embrace a multinational, multi-platform approach to content delivery.
The ability to tailor messaging and formats to resonate with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds are now paramount in driving global engagement. Businesses and creators that seek to be successful global players will have to integrate new approaches that will facilitate such winning strategies.