Over-The-Top (OTT) has revolutionized the way we consume content and presented regional broadcasters with new opportunities to maintain relevance and expand their audience reach. As more viewers shift to streaming services and devices, establishing a strong OTT presence has become crucial for both public and private regional broadcasters.
This post will dive into OTT's transformative impact on regional programming, exploring unique opportunities and challenges, discussing the importance of leveraging regional networks, and spotlighting a success story from one regional broadcaster who capitalized on OTT to broaden their reach.
The growth of regional content
The demand for regional content has surged in recent years, as consumers become increasingly interested in culturally and linguistically relevant content. This trend has provided a powerful boost to regional broadcasters, who can utilize cross-platform streaming to tap into local and international audiences unreachable by traditional broadcasting.
By 2027, it’s predicted that OTT viewers will reach 4.2 billion users worldwide. Many will be looking for the local nuances and storytelling that only regional broadcasters can provide. The use of OTT platforms allows regional broadcasters to access unparalleled opportunities for scale and growth.
Why regional broadcasters need OTT
As traditional TV viewership declines, regional broadcasters face the challenge of adapting to audiences' shift towards diverse streaming apps and personalized content. Many broadcasters, often operating with limited teams and budgets, struggle with device fragmentation—the need to ensure content accessibility across all screens. Solving this problem demands significant technical resources and investment, often exceeding their existing capacity.
But these challenges extend beyond just resources and budget. Upgrading distribution capabilities may require broadcasters to overhaul their entire existing backend systems and processes, adding a further layer of complexity.
OTT helps regional broadcasters overcome these issues, delivering a viewer-centric experience that promotes engagement and retention, and enabling them to build stronger relationships with their users to maintain a competitive edge.
Capitalizing on the strength of regional networks
Regional broadcasters can strategically implement OTT solutions by leveraging the strength of their networks. For many broadcaster networks around the globe, network members share a common goal—finding OTT solutions that fit each broadcaster's unique needs while being universally applicable. This collaborative approach applies whether they procure services centrally, providing economies of scale, or individually, based on the shared experience of the network and a common evaluation effort.
Adopting an OTT solution as a network provides cost efficiency through bulk discounts and flexible solutions that accommodate both small and larger stations. This collective strategy allows regional broadcasters to overcome traditional challenges and harness the extraordinary opportunities that streaming presents. It also ultimately drives a national standard and level of experience for audiences, promoting loyalty and equality.
What to look for from an OTT solution
One of the primary considerations when looking for an OTT solution is whether to hire a complete development team to build your app in-house, outsource fully to an agency, or leverage a tech platform that can be operated by a fairly lean in-house crew and still offer the quality user experience and wide distribution capabilities required. Another critical aspect is finding a solution that can seamlessly integrate with your existing backend systems and processes—a feature that underscores the importance of an agnostic solution.
This choice depends on several factors, including your budget, timeline, and in-house technical capabilities. For a more comprehensive view of these considerations, you can refer to our OTT platform guide.
Choosing a solution necessitates finding one that benefits the individual broadcaster and aligns with the network's shared goals and constraints. This is where a quality OTT platform shines, offering control over budgets and operations, flexibility to adapt to evolving digital landscape and audience preferences, and extended distribution to access the broadest viewership across various devices. For many regional broadcasters, such a platform—especially one that is backend agnostic—is the most effective route to launch and maintain successful streaming services.
Case Study: Omroep Brabant
Omroep Brabant, a leading regional television and radio public broadcaster in the Netherlands, has been strengthening their video strategy since 2009 with the help of Blue Billywig's online video platform. Seeking to further expand their audience through a custom TV app, they faced the challenge of finding an easy-to-integrate solution that supported all TV platforms, UI iterations, and various monetization models without requiring extensive coding.
In collaboration with Blue Billywig, Applicaster developed a custom TV app for Omroep Brabant using its Zapp app management platform. Launched in May 2023, the app allows viewers to effortlessly access Omroep Brabant's content across multiple devices.
The transformative impact of OTT
If you're a regional broadcaster aiming to grow your business, an OTT strategy is no longer optional—it's a necessity. While challenges exist, they can be managed by harnessing regional networks and the right streaming platform. This approach ensures relevance and opens up new possibilities for audience expansion and engagement. With tools like Applicaster’s Zapp platform, regional broadcasters can reach new screens and deliver high-quality experiences that engage viewers.
Ready to grow your business with OTT?
