Miptv 2017 news 4

Page 11

miptv

ProSieben’s Studio71 targets Gen Z with online ecosystem

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TUDIO71 made a strong play for the media mainstream at its Grand Auditorium Digital Fronts session. While its broadcast partners were concentrating on TV and catchup, the ProSieben-owned MCN focused on YouTube, Facebook and emerging online platforms, building big followings in the millennial and Gen Z demographics that were switching off traditional TV. “If you’re not on these platforms you’re not as relevant to certain sections of the population,’” CEO Reza Izad said, “So we work very hard to promote these artists and make ProSieben more relevant in these environments.” He pointed to the high number of views per channel (6.5 billion over some 1,200 channels) as evidence of the quality of programming and how his stars used their social-media impact elsewhere to bring people in. It was, he said, a “highly engaged ecosystem that makes sense

for advertising.” What’s more, in a clear reference to the content issues currently afflicting YouTube, it was “brand safe”.

Izad said that the Studio71 model had improved the revenues per thousand views for some ProSieben properties by over 300%, and

Studio71’s Reza Izad: “marrying the best of short-form digital with the best of TV”

How CTV turned 4K into a Vatican hit

POPE Francis is a fan of 4K UHD, MIPTV attendees learned at the session called Italy Is Busy With Ultra HD. Speaker Benito Mari, head of media business, professional solutions, Sony Europe, said the Pontiff showed his appreciation of the 4K system last year after Centro Televisivo Vaticano (CTV), the Vatican City State’s channel, and Sony Corporation shot the documentary The Holy Year Of Mercy: Behind The Scenes in 4K. “We met the Pope after this and stayed with him talking technology. He was unbelievably very open in his views,” Mari said. “He told us, ‘I believe [4K’s] details and colours

that typically Studio 71’s content was now contributing 5-6% of a show’s total income, compared with around 3% a year ago. “So often companies come and talk about obliterating TV, but we think differently. ‘How do the two work side by side?’,” he said. “By marrying the best of shortform digital with the best of TV we can elevate both.”

will encourage people to keep watching and become more involved in what they see.’” The making of The Holy Year Of Mercy: Behind The Scenes, which covers a key papal ceremony and is scheduled to debut in June, follows the success of CTV’s Closing Of The Holy Door, another 4K-transmitted papal event, in 2016. “The Vatican is at the forefront of UHD development in Italy,” Mari added. He pointed out Italian broadcasters, especially public broadcaster RAI and commercial rival Mediaset Group, are making great strides experimenting with 4K enhanced by HDR (high dynamic range) imaging.

Sony Europe’s Benito Mari

Last year, RAI tested the tech with a series of UEFA Champions League football games in digital terrestrial and satellite homes. However, he suggested that, since most Italian TV homes are not ready for full 4K HDR transmission, an interim solution could be to air HD HDR prog ra m mes on st a nd a rd HDTV sets. This view was supported by copanelist Marco Pellegrinato, director of R&D & innovation at RTI-Mediaset Group, who indicated Italy might implement HD HDR temporarily between 2018 and 2022 for digital terrestrial TV before adopting full Ultra HD HDR.

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