Trends 2020: The media verticals that will vie for our attention this year

Stanley Fernandes, Sales Director, BBC Studios, turns the spotlight on the big developments expected in the content consumption space in 2020. 

What were the few big changes that you think were of importance in 2019 for our industry?

The year 2019 saw content booming on digital platforms. There was shift from traditional viewing mediums, that is, television and cinema, to mobile and OTT enabled devices. This also made content viewing more personal, which then saw the emergence of niche programmes and premium scripted drama. It was a great time for digital content; Netflix’s ‘Roma’ getting an Oscar nomination for ‘Best Picture’ has reinforced the notion that the digital space is gaining importance for content producers and puts it on par with theatrical releases. BBC Studios has also had some great hits on digital – ‘McMafia’on Amazon Prime won an Emmy for ‘Best Drama Series’; and ‘Criminal Justice’ and ‘Out of Love’ on Hotstar have been popular among Indian audiences. 

What are the big changes that you are expecting in 2020?

The verticals of media – audio, print and video in the true sense of the word – will be strong contenders vying for our attention. We have seen the emergence of Audible, Spotify, Amazon Music, who dominate the audio space, aside from other services. Print is transforming from paper to digital services; Kindle and various subscription services on digital tablets are reinventing how we read. And of course, we are all part of the change that video is bringing about, in terms of how it is being produced and consumed. 

How has the consumers’ content consumption habits changed with the boom in OTT?

Mobile devices are driving consumption, even subscription models are catering specifically for mobile services. A few content apps and services are also being targeted specifically at mobile devices. In a country such as ours, the demand for content is varied and the need to cater to various targeted segments increases. It’s great to see BBC’s shows reaching out to various target audience groups. Our CBeebies shows are on Voot Kids, factual shows of Sony BBC Earth on SonyLiv, drama shows on Netflix and Amazon, among others. It’s bold, British creativity across a spectrum of platforms reaching out to various subscribers and meeting their viewing demands.