free content, paid for by advertising – completely revolutionised how we think about content. While it might seem at first glance that the internet is a way to serve more content to more people, the business model is actually the reverse. The internet allows a content platform to get more ads in front of people for a longer period. This is done by extracting the maximum amount of data possible – or at least as much as is necessary – from the viewer and using this data to find out what will make them spend the longest amount of time in front of the ads you’ve sold. Most creators understand the bargain they’ve made. Whether on YouTube, TikTok or Instagram, they will always be aware of the algorithms – invisible forces that are appealed to religiously. While it appears that this is a battle between broadcasters and social creators, the only winner is the platform itself. Platforms don’t distinguish between content published by a well-funded broadcaster or a one-person influencer business. We must keep reminding ourselves that the platform’s primary purpose isn’t to show video, but to keep users engaged with their eyes open in order to display advertising – all while extracting information on behaviour to refine the process » Most creators understand the bargain they’ve made. Whether on YouTube, TikTok or Instagram, they will always be aware of the algorithms «
further. It doesn’t matter whether the content is video, still images, 280-character text messages or a bunch of AI-generated random patterns. A content arms race Broadcasters are trying to compete with this super-juiced content by increasing their output. Automation and AI are being added to workflows to publish clips and content to multiple social platforms faster and faster. Scale is the name of the game when it comes to digital content platforms. This has taken its toll on social media creators who have to keep churning out a constant stream of content, lest they lose the favour of the algorithms. But broadcasters face a more challenging task. Still largely built around the model of distributing discrete, high- end programmes that demand tens of minutes of watching time, they are competing with a device available 24/7 that can offer virtually limitless alternatives across multiple outlets. At this year’s IBC Accelerator Kickstart Day – where broadcast technology experiments pitch for support to be trialled in the following months – no fewer than three proposals explored how AI can be used to shorten turnaround times and make content publishing more efficient. The big streamers have been able to finance and produce content at a much higher frequency than traditional broadcasters. But even the streamers are burning out in that race, with top performers like Netflix and Amazon having to up their subscription rates and introduce ads. “Now they have to compete with the creator content market,” explains Benjamin Shirley, project manager for broadcast at Main Concept, a software
DADDY’S HOME Call Her Daddy, which became a Spotify exclusive in 2020, has consistently ranked among the most popular shows on the platform
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