Technology
Technological Innovations in Broadcasting Media and Entertainment Industry (2)
Nov
THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY
“The rise of technological innovations in the media space does not all call for a party, it also calls for questions and probing and certain concerns; ranging from the rise of Deep Fake News to addiction to OTT tech, binge-watching to ethical questions. While these concerns and questions are for another day…”
From “Technology Innovations in Broadcasting Media and Entertainment Industry (Part 1)”
The ‘another day’ hinted above has come; the day where we shall be unbundling the concerns and questions related to the good, bad and ugly side of ‘Technological Innovations in Broadcasting Media and Entertainment Industry.
No need to shy away from the truth, innovation, whether technological or scientific, comes with its own paradoxes. It opens up brand new possibilities far beyond reach in previous years, but it can also open up a can of worms, if not even ‘Pandora’s box’ in some cases.
In this second instalment of our tech-surfing cruise into the exciting world of big screens and VODs (Video-on-Demands), we take a curious peek into the advantages and disadvantages of technological innovations in the broadcasting media and entertainment industry.
EASY ACCESS vs EASY ADDICTION
In 1990, Clayton Christenson, an American academic argued that ‘disruptive technologies are not breakthrough technologies that make good products better; rather they are innovations that make products and services more accessible and affordable, thereby making them available to a larger population’. With the advent of Over-the-Top technologies (read more about OTT here; (https://holoceneinnovations.com/2022/09/21/tech-innovations-in-broadcasting-media-and-entertainment-industry/) in 2007, the disruptive idea of ‘thereby making them (a product, content or media in this case) available to a larger population’ literally skyrocketed into a now $275.30bn revenue-generating market in video segment alone, and as a matter of fact, in the United States of America alone.
Now, that’s got to be an absolutely good news for everyone on the entertainment and media table, right?
Well, except that the same disruptive idea of ‘thereby making them (a product, content or media in this case) available to a larger population’ also gave consumers steroids-level access to content and entertainment products.
‘Accessible’ was born, ‘affordable’ was born…and ‘addiction’ also was born. Addiction, by the way, is spelt binge-watching and the statistics gives us an idea of the good-bad-ugly triangular view of this technological innovation.
– (The Good) 85% of Nigeria’s entertainment revenue currently accrues from internet-generated content.
– (The Bad) 90% of Millenials and members of Gen Z now binge-watch content on OTT streaming platforms (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu etc.), and 52% of all adult TV consumers stayed awake all night in order to watch a show (https://www.soocial.com/binge-watching-statistics).
– (The Ugly) 20% of Binge-watchers are obese or overweight according to a study done by BYU health science professor, Lori Spruance (due to content addiction lifestyle and other factors)
THE RISE OF RECOMMENDATION TECHNOLOGY, THE RISE OF SECURITY & PRIVACY THREATS
Several decades ago, our entertainment industry and broadcasting platforms didn’t have this much of an ‘intimate’ relationship with us. Our TVs and Radios didn’t keep records of the movies we watched last week or the news channel we tuned to last night. Content curators, creators and platforms could not ‘stalk’ us or keep close track of our viewing/content preferences through carefully collated data, search histories and other log-in details that could access, store or even infringe on our private data. But alas, then came recommendation technology and content automation; and on the wings of Artificial Intelligence, streaming platforms, internet-based broadcasting media channels can now easily ‘peep over our shoulders’, recognize our preferences and relentlessly suggest content based on data. So, we are not just watching…we are being watched!
Now, it’s easy to want to throw away the baby with the bathwater but we must remember that
- Revenue/Subscription volume has gone through the roof through recommendation systems (Netflix has confessed to saving about $1 billion every year due to its smart recommendation engine)
- On the part of viewers and consumers, personalization and customer satisfaction have also been an undeniable benefit as subscribers and users get the most of ads and suggestions that suit their preferences.
The flipside to all of this is not just how recommendation engines work on personal data and activities but also on how the notorious rise of cyber insecurity and crime is more enabled through the hacking and leaking of sensitive information provided on most innovative Over-the-top broadcasting media and streaming platforms.
METAVERSE
The Metaverse has given us access to content and media beyond geographical boundaries, immersive experiences for online gaming, news content etc., improvement to online learning and education and so many more perks; but this innovative technology is also spawning a great deal of cultural and ethical disintegrations, virtual bullying, hate messages and so on. In online gaming and other social interactions, malicious behaviour, racist messages, discriminatory practices etc have been on the rise like rapid fire. While there are numerous campaigns and hashtags to curb these cyberbullying traits, we have not been able to fully wipe off these demerits from the budding Metaverse.
FINAL WORDS
Whether we want to focus on how Technological Innovation has opened up ‘box offices’ in the entertainment world or how it has opened up ‘Pandora’s box’, whether we choose to see big screens we now have access to or the can of worms related to addiction issues…one thing is certain; the future of innovation in entertainment and media lies in the hands of everyone. Technological infrastructures must be met with strong ethical and moral principles on the part of both creators and consumers, platforms and subscribers.
We face new horizons, new enemies, new fears and new breakthroughs.
How much good, bad or evil we’d get out of what lies ahead of us will be determined by the roles we all play in this ecosystem. The policies we come up with, the ethics we infuse into our technologies, the boundaries we don’t cross, the resolve to keep things sane etc. all matter…and these responsibilities are on everyone’s table; the enthusiast, the innovator, the creator, the artist, the consume, the government…and everyday people, like you and me.
