• by Wayne Friedman , September 10, 2015

Offering up better and “branded” video on demand should be a main strategy for pay TV channels to grow revenue, according to a recent survey.

Nearly 31% of pay TV executives -- channels and operators -- believe pay TV channels should deliver catch-up video-on-demand programming, leaving the “user experience” to pay TV operators that include cable, satellite, and telco companies. This is according to a study by Conviva, a video management company.

Almost as many in the study -- 25.8% -- believe TV channels should also control the “user experience” of non-linear TV services, then syndicate those services to pay TV operators.

Only a small number of executives -- 7% -- believe pay TV channels should focus on delivering only linear channels with pay TV operators.

Concerning growing over-the-top platforms, 33% of TV executives believe traditional pay TV and OTT will “address the same market with complementary offerings,” with another 28% saying OTT will become the dominant form of subscription TV services. Nearly 17% say there will be no clear distinction between pay TV and OTT TV.

The survey included over 140 senior industry participants from 48 countries, including OTT service providers, pay TV channel providers, IPTV service providers, free-to-air broadcasters, cable operators and direct-to-home operators.