Rewriting the Broadcasting Rulebook with NextGen TV’s Targeted Advertising

Today the explosion of personalized content available via the Internet and video streaming services has raised consumer expectations well beyond the traditional one-way broadcast delivery path. Consumers demand a more dynamic, interactive broadcasting model with highly customized content and an enhanced experience, delivered along with the broadcast to mobile devices, gaming consoles and TVs.

 Now NextGen TV promises that personalized experience using hybrid broadcast/broadband content delivery. Taking advantage of a more interactive exchange of information, broadcasters will be able to deliver local weather forecasts, emergency alerts, supplementary audio channels and even customized ads to viewers at home or on the go. With the ability to substitute these targeted ads delivered through broadband for local targeted commercials or affiliate opt outs, broadcasters will increase the reach and efficiency of their ads to help level the playing field against competing platforms.

The technology driving NextGen TV is ATSC 3.0, a major new version of the standards for television broadcasting created by the Advanced Television Systems Committee. Built on the same IP backbone as streaming platforms, it paves the way for a new content delivery method. ATSC 3.0 comprises about 20 standards that will drive improvements in Quality of Experience, leveraging broadband to allow each viewer to consume enhanced, personalized content without compromising the Quality of Service they’ve come to expect from the traditional broadcast network.

ATSC 3.0 is designed to support newer technologies including enhanced audio (Dolby AC-4 and MPEG-H 3D Audio), improved video (HEVC, wide color gamut, High Dynamic Range, and support for 4KLegacy SD, Interlaced HD and Progressive Video), public alerting, digital watermarking of the audio/video signals, datacasting capabilities and more robust mobile television support.

While workflows and automatic content replacement methods will vary among broadcasters, targeted personalized advertising depends on the broadband/broadcast convergence that is one of the key points of ATSC 3.0. For instance, with user-enabled preferences set for geographical location as well as viewer demographics, content preferences and interests, a mobile device can fetch appropriate ads for nearby retailers. With tightly coupled timing between broadband and broadcast servers, targeted ad insertion plus specialized content like weather forecasts or emergency alerts) can even take place within live events.

What’s more, ATSC 3.0 will allow advertisers to collect information about viewing habits much more directly than the estimates of traditional ratings companies. This more precise data-driven approach will allow broadcasters to sell targeted ads with pinpoint accuracy as is common practice for broadband media. Also similar to internet platforms, broadcasters’ ability to receive viewer data will be governed by the Federal Trade Commission’s guidelines on privacy.

The use of dynamic, targeted advertising with ATSC 3.0 lets broadcasters and advertisers keep pace with media platforms already offering many of the content delivery features of NextGen TV. Now broadcast can compete more aggressively and finally play by internet rules, while it offers consumers greater choice and an overall enhanced experience.

Read the complete article, “ATSC 3.0 Personalized Targeted Advertisement” in the SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal.