Challenges of TV Industry and how to overcome them: 11 Steps
Challenges of TV Industries and how to overcome them
It looks like the more TV stations spring up, the less people watch them. If you agree with me. Now let's start off by defining this, cos some people simply mix it up. The TV industry here is referred to as network, the type that is mostly owned by the government of each state. Aha! That's it.
The challenges that abound in the TV industry is not a few. Many consider the TV Industry as a form of media that is speedily going extinct. How true is that?
A video company president, Adrian Lee Magill attempts answering by asking, Would you buy a typewriter instead of a computer? He continued by describing the TV industry as an industry in decline which cannot compete with the adaptability of the internet. He ended with a powerful statement that, you may argue, is true.
...TV is dying. Adrain (2017)
Sadly, these challenges that the TV industry is facing is a global problem. While we tackle this issue from a global perspective, we will also be more specific on the Nigerian TV industry. We will firstly discuss the problems facing the TV industry, and then follow it up with possible solutions.
Challenges facing the TV industry in Nigeria and globally
1. Decline in viewing rate:
Back in the days, TV was like google. On February 10, 1993, some 27 years ago, Oprah Winfrey sat down with Michael Jackson for what would become the most-watched interview in television history.
Michael Jackson, who was mostly known as an intensely private artist due to his background and fame, had not given an interview in 14 years. The event was broadcast live from Jackson's Neverland Ranch and was watched by 90 million people worldwide.
However the internet which started like a David soon became a Goliath to the TV industry. Question, what were the needs of people that the TV industry met, and what are the needs of people that have taken them away from TV?
Time has changed, people have moved on, tech has moved on, entertainment has moved on, the internet has made information more available than ever in the history of mankind, but sadly, television is still where it was, or better still, most TV networks.
To answer the question above, the need of people is weaved around the following:
- Information
- Entertainment
- Education
- Inspiration
However, while the need has not changed since the days of television, the method of getting the needs has changed. One of the reason for change is Instant Gratification. People want information, and they want it now! The rate of impatience in the 21st century is increasing at an alarming rate.
2 The Rise of Alternative Media Channels
All thanks to internet revolution, viewers nowadays prefer cherry-picking their favorite channels, which is why streaming services over the internet are on an all-time rise. Viewers can access video channels like Amazon video, Netflix, Hulu; choose a subscription of individual channels like Showtime or HBO, or watch programs streamed on YouTube and other free online channels. Even more and more individual channels are still arising to meet certain needs. Answering the question on challenges facing the television industry worldwide, Chad Kukahiko said,
...the biggest threat to the TV Industry is Netflix, Amazon Prime and all the TV style content being produced everywhere today. Chad (2017).
The other kinds of TV that are coming up seem more refined, more defined, more sophisticated with the knowledge and equipment of the present times than the traditional TV. This makes the competition higher and seemingly unbeatable.
3. The Internet:
To critically analyze the Goliath of this age whose strategies have sent many packing, let's start with stats. The following is from Global Digital Report 2019
- The number of internet users worldwide in 2019 is 4.388 billion, up 9.1% year-on-year.
- The number of social media users worldwide in 2019 is 3.484 billion, up 9% year-on-year.
- The number of mobile phone users in 201Digital112 billion, up 2% year-on-year.
The compilation of the most popular social networks worldwide by active users (October 2019) prepared by Statista using data from the Global Web Index panel gives a clear picture of the number of active users (in millions) with Facebook topping the list. It is closely followed by YouTube, WhatsApp and Messenger.
On the other hand, the most watched TV networks rank lower than the lowest social media platform above. While Pinterest ranked lowest on the above list (300million), the most viewed TV network, United Independent Broadcasters, Inc. CBS (an initialism of the network's former name, the Columbia Broadcasting System) ranked highest on the list with seven million, one hundred and forty thousand viewers. Michael (2019).
Of the whole list of most viewed TV netowork 2019, the two TV networks most popular to most Nigerians, Nickelodeon and CNN, ranked 25 and 22 respectively on the same list. This doesn't go without noting the fact that most of these TV networks use the help of the internet to stay relevant in the industry.
4. Lack of focusing on one niche
From the inception of television, the industry began with the intent to cover happenings, keep people informed, introduce some TV series to keep her audience entertained, and advertise in between these services. Today, same audience would rather watch a show TV like Oprah Winfrey Network, when they feel like watching shows, or go to CNN when they need to be aware of global situations, or watch Sports TV, knowing exactly what they want there. Unfortunately, most TV stations still don't get this gist.
With abundance of information on ground, people now go to specific places to get the specific information they want. For instance, if I want to know what's happening globally, I log in on CNN website or go straight to their YouTube channel. If I want local news, I watch channels television, and I do that on my phone or laptop.
When you ask me to sit with TV all day, it's like putting me in a room with a stammerer for one hour. It's not only going to bore me, I don't have the leisure of selecting what I want to watch and when. TV bombard me with all kinds of info, regardless of my age, gender, interest, religion, philosophy or profession. But it's not so on the internet. When I need info on sports, I know just where to go. Ditto for comedy, business, etc.
5. Lack of funds/Funding
Here is the thing: for a private owned broadcasting network, the funds come majorly from advertisements. There were times when TV channels were selective of which advert to feature on their network. Recently, while watching a local TV network, majority of the time was used in soliciting for people to advertise on their platform. Often times, the ad requesting for ads is stuck to the TV screen for viewers to see and probably follow the call to action by sailing the number on the screen.
The problem however is advertisers and organizations have moved on, unlike the TV industry. Advertisers look for platforms that have more audience, and better still, their target audience. A 'Got Talent' show wants to advertise their latest season, and get people to register, where do they go? TV? Hell to the no! First of all, they use their social media platforms starting with YouTube, which in most cases is their TV. After all, majority of the users are their target audience, plus majority of their target audience stream the show. They don't watch it on ''TV''. Adrain (2017) said,
Advertisers can target their product ads to their target demographic a lot easier with the information exchange that goes on every time you log on to a site.
With television it was more of a “shotgun” approach where they threw a lot of information at you hopping something will stick. Why send a guy a make up commercial? Because there might be a lady in the room… or there might not.
The good news however is there are possible solutions to these challenges. Let's quickly look into them one after the other.
How to overcome TV network challenges
1 Define your position
TV networks the world over are struggling to identify what they are there for. Is it entertainment, news, sports, education? They are hanging on to all of it for fear of losing revenues. Money is not the problem. Defining your niche is.
Every genre seems to have its own TV services. Every theme is addressed via a specific digital outlet. Define what your TV is for and make the best of that niche. Advertise yourself well until you are known for that particular thing.
Positioning yourself helps you understand your brand even more. It brings clarity to who your competitors are and who your viewers are. It makes you unique in a world of millions of producers and networks. Also, it will make other TV networks and online TV to respect you.
But most importantly, you won't be lost in the crowd. Defining your position helps your audience to find you easily.
2 Identify Target Audience
Many networks make this mistake of wanting to do a 'family' TV that can be watched by people of all age, and all interests, which is very wrong. The major reason why you will hardly have advertisers seeking to advertise with your TV is because their target audience is not yours.
Imagine if your network specifically address children between age 4 and 14, and you do different kiddies shows and you are well known for it. Companies that sell children products will surely knock on your door. No doubt. And that's the power of identifying you your message is addressing.
3 Understand target audience behavior
Study more broadly on consumer behaviour and the way people are consuming content. Your audience want more than just a passive experience with a TV programme in their front room. They want to watch catch-up TV on a laptop, download a phone app on the move engage with content on a tablet or take their experiences to social media platforms.
They want different experiences on each platform, different flavours of content, and they want it all on their personal schedules! An ‘access anywhere, any time and on any platform’ consumer is having a profound impact on broadcasters, content owners and post houses – and they need to radically re-think how they set up and integrate their workflow and business processes.
Therefore, give it to them. Learn means by which you can satisfy them. Brainstorm with your team, seek Manicleworld consulting services (+23437884995 - Call/WhatsApp), delegate it to them if you feel you need the services of a professional to help you pull your audience attention back to you, and not just a social media manager.
4 Leverage on the Internet.
If the term "TV" is becoming more and more archaic every year because streaming is taking over more and more every year, then the ideal thing is, like the popular statement, if you can't beat them, join them.
Yes. Take your TV experience a notch higher. Take your YouTube channel more seriously. If you don't have one, create one ASAP. Promote some of your evergreen videos to gain subscribers.
Again if you have to hire a professional to handle that for you, don't hesitate. Your competitors are not smiling. Neither should you. And until you understand that the TV industry is a battle ground and the fight is about the survival of the fittest, you are soon out of the game.
5 Produce quality content
With the increase in media outlets and networks, there is more demand for content, and more importantly, quality content. Content is what drives your brand identity, and it's what keeps your brand going.
To ensure quality, you need to utilize the content that is already in use. Recycling legacy content and going regional to cater to different geographies are some of the ways that content creators need to take. This does not rule out the part of creating new and creative content.
People are craving for content different from the ones they've been seeing. Come up with shows and series that will captive their attention, satisfy their imaginations and make them want more.
6 Interact
If you think in the traditional way of TV production, you will think in terms of broadcasting. A one-way communication from one sender to many recipients.
Today the recipients send feedback via social media or even interactive TV features. Audiences interact in many ways now with their TV shows: by simply participating in casting or voting shows; by more complex channels like social media comments or in the ‘dark’ when they discuss in dedicated forums about your show. It is not uncommon now that a production reacts to these messages and adapts a show based on feedback from the audiences.
Some shows are even so daring in that they let the audience decide on how the show evolves. Arguably that was the case with Game of Thrones at some point. And the future has some more challenges in store: virtual reality is at the doorstep and will promise to be the ultimate interactive TV experience.
So, go ahead and create engagement and participation for all your viewers. Everyone wants to be a part of something big. Everyone wants to be a part of the show. Let them have the liberty of interacting with your TV through social media post. Let your posts be interactive. Let it encourage engagement, comments, etc. Throw freebies once in a while. Do everything possible, and everything positive to draw their attention and keep it drawn.
If you ever need consulting, advise, on media, be it TV or radio, or you ever need quality content providers, social media experts, graphics designers, video editor, for your Tv network or other purposes, kindly reach out to us through the following contact:
Email: manicleworld@gmail.com
Call/WhatsApp: +2348137884995
Apart from our obsession for market research, we are good at bringing brands and new media outlet to prominence through top of the mind awareness and strategic planning.
If you have any contribution or correction or question, do drop it in the comment box or contact us directly. And if this article has been of help to you, kindly let us know. Thank you for reading this far. Means a lot to us.
Source:
Adrain (2017) Quora https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-biggest-challenges-that-the-TV-industry-faces-right-now
Dave Chaffey, Global social media research summary 2019
Michael Schneider, (2019) Variety. https://www.google.com/amp/s/variety.com/2019/tv/news/network-ratings-top-channels-fox-news-espn-cnn-cbs-nbc-abc-1203440870/amp/
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