Achieving ubiquity in today’s fragmented market is a race against time and resource limitations. Providers must write apps for hundreds of variations of connected devices or risk losing market share to larger or more aggressive competitors. At the same time, many digital-first content providers are focusing on social media video experiences, further disrupting the landscape. This panel brings together traditional and internet content providers to discuss strategies that can be used to quickly and efficiently extend cross-platform reach and streamline app store certification processes.

Online video audiences are fickle. There’s so much content out there, from YouTube to Netflix to Hulu, that viewers have little loyalty to any content provider. But keeping them attached to your service or content is critical to your bottom line. Thankfully, there are strategies you can employ that will help engage your audiences in ways that will keep them watching more, watching longer, and coming back day after day. In this session, attendees will learn about best practices for improving audience engagement with your online video content and how that ultimately affects your opportunities for monetization.

Traditionally, streaming and videoconferencing have been deployed as two separate solutions, but companies are realizing that integrating these solutions provides tremendous value. This trend is increasing as new platforms such as Slack, Cisco Spark, and Microsoft Teams are taking off. Learn how organizations leverage existing videoconferencing infrastructure as production studios when integrated with a video streaming system, how video conferencing allows presenters in multiple locations to participate jointly in webcasts, and how streaming solutions can be budgeted as part of a larger video communications budget.

Using video as a training tool both inside and outside the classroom is no longer just an option, but rather table stakes for any educational institution. The tools and processes for creating, managing, and delivering live and on-demand content keep evolving, getting easier to use, and providing more functionality. In the midst of this cultural and technical change, what are some of the best practices among schools that have been successful? Our panelists tell you what works and recommend crawl-walk-run implementation steps.

While CDN prices have never been lower, OTT delivery continues to weigh heavily on broadcasters’ budgets. Growing audiences, higher resolutions, and more immersive video experiences bring both technical and business challenges at scale. This panel explores how content publishers are working to balance fixed revenue per subscriber models with the varying cost of delivery, while also getting the best quality for their money. This session looks at optimization efforts throughout the delivery workflow, with a special emphasis on CDN, multi-CDN, peer-to-peer, multicast, and in-house delivery solutions.

Content creators, multichannel providers, cable networks, and broadcast stations are creating streaming options that reach consumers directly. These entrants face challenges navigating a market dominated by titans like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu. This session starts with a review of crucial data points from Altman Vilandrie & Co.’s latest Consumer Video Survey on device usage, subscription rates, content preferences, and more. Then, a panel of industry experts discuss strategies for how new and existing players can best reach more viewers.

DRM is a crucial part of any premium OTT service’s monetization strategy. In this session, representatives from studios and operators discuss how to identify your DRM needs and capabilities, how to complete the studio “DRM questionnaire,” how to deploy encryption and license delivery APIs, best practices for key management and authentication, why you need premium SDKs for device playback, and understanding unique aspects of Apple FairPlay.

360° streaming is a fantastic way to virtually experience live music and sporting events. But is it just a fad, as 3D TV turned out to be, or is it starting to enable and democratize some of the most immersive experiences possible for folks who can’t be there in person? Come find out how companies are using VR/360° today, and decide whether it’s a flash in the pan or here for the long-term.

Streaming technologies disrupted our ideas of how consumers tune in, listen, and watch, and yet we are still far from perfect in terms of distribution, access, and profitability for content creators. These business models are now again ripe for disruption. Blockchain technology was initially lauded for its revolutionary way of handling financial transactions, but it can be used for far more. Ethereum, NEO, and other decentralized ledgers can make bigger waves in the future by enabling developers to build applications and platforms that bolster the sharing economy. This talk examines some of the emerging business models that have embraced blockchain technologies, how blockchain satisfies challenges for media, and how to spur growth and further media consumption with greater control.