Wednesday Workshop - Monetising Digital Platforms

Focusing on revenue generation and opportunities in cross-media exploitation, the workshop will offer case-studies of specific projects, and then examine how concepts can be developed with monetisation in mind.

Hosts: Peter Cowley, Digital media consultant & former MD of Digital Media, Endemol UK

Justin Judd, MD, i-Rights

How can we make money from digital platforms? Well, according to Justin and Peter, to answer this we need to think back to the dot.com boom. It was the start of the digital era as a mass proposition. The players that have emerged in the last few years are those who have embraced this notion: Google, Apple, eBay, I-Tunes, Facebook. These are all true digital brands. In terms of Children’s media, Club Penguin and Habbo Hotel have also applied these points. Despite the latter two examples, the speakers stressed that making money from digital platforms and rights is an immature business, especially in children’s media as there are very few examples and case studies, however it’s important to understand the dynamics.

Audiences are heavily fragmented, but can now be reached via social media and hyper-syndication. Multi-platform/360 degree commissioning is about choosing the right platforms for the right idea and involves broadcasters using branded social media sites as an extension of their own sites. The CBBC programme ‘Horrible Histories’ was cited as a great example of this.

The BBC was also given as an example of a broadcaster that developed specific frameworks for New Media, helping indies retain and control rights for new media ideas. Producers are in a better position to reuse their IP to make more money. Another example of Multi-platform commissioning is Konka Media’s work for BBC Switch – a programme called ‘The Well’. This was a hybrid TV drama that was also developed into an online game. It can often lead to complicated scenarios. For TV dramas only, producers usually license the Broadcaster for 5 years and in any selling of international rights after this period, the producer keeps 85% and broadcaster keeps 15%. For digital only platforms, the producer-broadcaster split is usually 50:50. But with hybrid programmes, it isn’t so clear-cut and frameworks don’t always work.

All in all, a great workshop that ended with some digital predictions for the year ahead including;

A rise in on-demand for catching up and viewing archives. Look out for devices like Canvas (a freeview box with a broadband cable that allows viewers to choose apps) and Google’s soon to be launched Google TV.

More portable Devices and 3D programmes, animations and films, an increase in social gaming, such as ‘Farmville’ and ‘Nashville’ on Facebook and the return of paid/subscribed services.

And an increase in an ‘experience economy’ - where consumers are willing to pay for experiences over product e.g music singles hold low value in contrast to live music events/festivals.

Posted 30 June 2010