Wagging the video long tail

The recent release of Deloitte’s “The State of Media Democracy”  underscores the speed of the long tail development in a video world increasingly dominated by digital.    Continually the data drives the point home that consumers are not shedding a particular channel as much as they are moving towards channels that provide a greater variety of content and flexibility of timing.

Phil Asmundson, vice chairman and U.S. media & telecommunications sector leader at Deloitte LLP notes: “Consumers may be watching fewer television shows and movies on TV, or reading fewer physical copies of books and newspapers, but they have not stopped consuming the content. They are simply watching or reading on different media or platforms.”

A look at digital content transformation from the perspective of the delivery channel charts a dramatically similar long tail progression.  Each new channel grows in strength by offering the consumer more in variety or time flexibility or both.

Flexibility translated into a more variety of content for consumers as a terrified TV industry quaked and then profited with the growth of cable and satellite delivery.  Unchained from the limitations of linear time DVD and Pay per View (PPV) found the next toe hold.  And finally, streaming video is the ultimate in offering the largest scope of content at the most convenient time for the consumer.

“The State of the Media Democracy” reports that streaming adoption is dramatic; “As recently as 2009, only 28 percent of Americans reported streaming a movie; today, 42 percent report streaming.”

While manufacturers battle to develop hardware and operating systems to feed the huge digital appetite, consumer’s speed of digital content adoption remains unchecked. All industry eyes are on this week’s Consumer Electronics Show may show us the next growing channel that will offer even more variety and deliver it whenever or wherever the consumer wants.

Room for Discussion

Each January  the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) showcases the latest greatest innovations in technology.  What will be the latest innovation to video?  Follow what’s going on at  The 2012 CES website .   Are there any game changing disrupters that you see will change the video landscape?