The faster, better, more entertaining future is one where programmers and operators work together with the shared goal of superior content, delivery and customer experience. The dramatic increases in broadband speeds have spurred innovation and demand and have paved the way for the cable industry to provide its customers with the services they want.
Betty Liu from Bloomberg Television moderated this first General Session panel this morning at The Cable Show, entitled Brought to you by Broadband: The Faster, Better, More Entertaining Future. The panelists were made up of a diverse group programmers and operators that made for a great conversation about the future of entertainment.
John Skipper, President of ESPN, does not struggle with the creation of quality cable programming. He emphasized that live sports are the most powerful form of entertainment and one of the greatest supporters of the cable package. He urged the industry, however, to create an easier process of authentication and tv everywhere.
John Martin, CEO of Turner, agreed that cable has superior content, which must be matched with superior delivery mechanisms. Martin argued that this collaboration is the ultimate goal and promise of the cable industry.
When asked about Silicon Valley, CEO and Chairman of TWC, Rob Marcus, presented the idea that addition to programmers and operators, tech companies and start-ups are also part of the cable ecosystem.
And together, these companies must find a sustainable business model that is both responsive and flexible to customers needs. Continuing to improve the delivery of the superior content that cable creates, will no doubt lead to a more sustainable cable industry. And although there are outside forces and over-the-top providers joining the marketplace, the future of entertainment relies on the strong foundation that cable has built.
As Nancy Dubuc put it, “Customers have choice and they are still overwhelmingly choosing cable.”
WATCH THE FULL PANEL DISCUSSION