Paramount, Didja, Firstlight Media, Endeavor Streaming, and more address the role of personalization and discovery in driving higher viewer engagement

Parks Associates will host “Personalization and the New Video Viewer” virtually on Thursday, July 21, 11:00 AM CT US, as part of the fifth annual Future of Video: OTT, Pay TV, and Digital Media. The firm’s research reveals that streaming opens the door to more immersive, engaging experiences for consumers, such as co-viewing services to share with fellow viewers.

Future of Video, sponsored by Adeia, FPT Software, Symphony MediaAI, Comcast Technology Solutions, and Metrological, brings together industry leaders for visionary presentations, interactive panel discussions, and analyst insights.

“More consumers watch streaming content while at home and watch it with others more often. Co-viewing is most popular in households with children, according to our most recent data,” said Eric Sorensen, Senior Contributing Analyst, Parks Associates. “Interactive elements, such as watching statistics or fantasy games on another device, are a typical occurrence among sports enthusiasts.”

At Future of Video, Parks Associates’ analyst team will present new consumer trends on video viewing followed by a fireside chat with Robert Gelick, Chief Product Officer, Paramount. Two interactive panel discussions, “New Video Experiences: Live, Social, Interactive” and “Building Loyalty through Content,” will bring together industry executives to discuss new opportunities to capture and retain consumer attention. Panelists:

• Jon Cohen, SVP, Business Development and Distribution, Frequency
• Rob Dillon, Head, Digital Product, Straight Arrow News
• Alexander Kann, Chief Executive, Together TV
• Ed Laczynski, Founder & CEO, Zype
• Jim Long, CEO, Didja, Inc.
• DeShuna Spencer, Founder/CEO, kweliTV, Inc.
• Paul Pastor, Chief Business Officer and Co-Founder, Firstlight Media
• Mark Starker, SVP, Head of Direct-to-Consumer Services Business & Corporate Strategy, Endeavor Streaming

"The ways consumers engage with content is rapidly changing," said Jon Cohen, SVP, Business Development and Distribution, Frequency. "SVOD, AVOD, and FAST platforms provide consumers with more choices than ever, which means content providers have the opportunity to acquire and engage with viewers on multiple platforms and with unique content experiences. The explosion in FAST growth is just one example of this."

“Engagement and impact are at the heart of everything we do at Together TV,” said Alexander Kann, Chief Executive, Together TV. “Along with our millions of TV viewers we engage our viewers on three-month challenges and through our streaming, digital, and social channels. I am delighted to be joining this panel and sharing our insights about our behavior change and impact journeys with our viewers.”

“Consumers have never had more content and entertainment options at their fingertips. The content destinations that will win in the future are the ones that will continue to offer world-class content & experiences, but also make it easy for each individual to find the exact content they are likely to enjoy at the exact right moment.” said Matt Starker, SVP Corporate Strategy, Endeavor Streaming

“Streaming personalization is an ever-expanding functionality that has enabled brands to reach audiences at a grand scale through the medium of video,” said Ed Laczynski, CEO, Zype.  “Whether it be for major brands like the NFL which are moving towards streaming platforms, or traditional broadcast affiliates aiming to build out their OTT offerings, the personalization of content and experience - along with the data that powers it - is an emerging force within our industry.”

"Always a pleasure to be at or in a Parks Associates event,” said Jim Long, CEO, Didja. “They are my go-to firm for consumer media & home data and insights.”

About Future of Video: Business of Streaming

Future of Video brings together senior leaders to share insights on new trends in the video and connected entertainment industries, with insights on consumer adoption, churn, and spending. The event provides insight into successful OTT strategy deployments, challenges for pay-TV providers, the role of connected CE in the growth of video viewing, new content formats, and the overall impact to the video market. www.futureofvideo.us