Television is the new Florida recount

Television is “becoming the Florida recount” where you really can’t tell who won the next day, according to Paul Lee, head of the America Broadcasting Company (ABC)’s Entertainment division.

Now having to wait seven days to fully understand how a show is doing ABC has found on average a 33% growth of shows throughout the seven first seven days.

Lee also said he believed linear broadcast would remain the as the first platform for its viewing content for the next few years at least.

“We still think the broadcast platform will be the primary platform,” Lee said this morning, speaking at a media briefing as part of the annual Australian Broadcasting Digital Media Summit and Expo.

“We will make an episode of Revenge, it will air first on ABC, but if you think of how many platforms in the ABC and how many platforms around the world, it really is just the first viewing we will do on ABC, and then take it beyond.”

Remarking as well on the role of digital media, Lee believes there are two contradictory forces at work, with defined brands being the only ones able to survive in the fragmented universe of media today.

“On the one hand, we’re in a fragmented universe and more money on marketing is absolutely critical in order to break out from the clutter. It’s almost impossible to launch a show without real marketing behind it.

“On the other hand, the fact that you have with data mining and social media with the ability to, not just target the audiences, but multiply your message many fold, allows you to use your money that much more effectively.

“So one of them is pushing the investment down, the other is pushing the investment up. It’s a really interesting moment in marketing.”

Digital platforms have also massively transformed the marketing campaigns and how they will only work if all parts work together.

“No matter the marketing, the technology, the cinematic experience; it only works if you get it all right. Because if it isn’t, our tweets and Facebook and Instagram fans, they can tell their friends not to watch.”

The emotional connection for viewers is one such area Lee believes plays a significant role in ABC’s marketing campaigns.

“It’s not just about cinematic scope or social media engagement, you have to make the emotional connection as well,” he said.

“Our outdoor campaigns are now reflective of our social campaigns and not vice versa, but none of that works if we don’t create deeply emotional cinematic campaigns.”

News source: Annual Australian Broadcasting Digital Media Summit, Association and Communications Events

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