As AI becomes increasingly integral to the entertainment industry, its influence spans a wide spectrum, from content creation to distribution and audience engagement. From what is understood, AI is not only reshaping the creative process but also redefining operational efficiency in ways that transform how viewers consume and interact with media. In fact, the global AI in the media and entertainment market will reach $99.48 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.9% from 2022 to 2030, a recent report by Grand View Research revealed. From automating labour-intensive tasks to driving nuanced audience insights, AI’s impact is profound and multifaceted.
In conversation with BrandWagon Online, Jay Ganesan, senior vice president – APAC, Amagi, delved into how the cloud-based SaaS for broadcasting and streaming platform leverages AI to enhance content discovery, optimise distribution, and enable personalised experiences for viewers worldwide. (Edited Excerpts)
What strategies is the company implementing to achieve profitability? What financial targets or benchmarks does Amagi aim to reach in the upcoming fiscal year?
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One of our main focuses is maintaining a healthy cash flow, and we have a solid capital reserve from our recent fundraising efforts. Our strategy has always been about prudent expansion. Over the last three years, we’ve significantly grown our go-to-market teams, especially in North America, where our presence has expanded from almost none to nearly 100 team members. We’ve also made substantial strides in our European operations and enhanced our presence in the APAC region. Additionally, we’re exploring strategic acquisitions that could provide upstream or downstream synergies with our business. Overall, our approach is balanced—we’re not overly conservative, but we’re also cautious about not being too aggressive. Our goal is to ensure that we remain a sustainable business without burning cash.
How is AI reshaping the way content is distributed across multiple platforms, especially in the APAC region?
Currently, the role of AI in content distribution is somewhat limited, as much of the process still relies on traditional methods of content acquisition. Typically, a platform has a person responsible for acquiring content, while content owners or publishers handle distribution. They negotiate terms—whether it’s licensing fees, revenue sharing, or inventory splits—and this process remains largely manual. However, AI is starting to make inroads. At Amagi, we’re working with some publishers to integrate catalogues that enable smarter scheduling using AI. For example, if you’re running a horror channel and notice that your current content lineup could be improved, AI can help identify missing pieces of content that would enhance the quality of your channel. You can then automatically connect with a content library, contract with the owner, and integrate that content without manual negotiations.
While AI has become more prominent in areas like content discovery and scheduling, the commercial side of content distribution, where platforms and publishers agree on the terms and exchange of content, still involves a lot of manual processes. Amagi is exploring how AI and broader automation can streamline this, making it more efficient in the future.
How is Amagi utilising AI to improve content discovery and personalised recommendations for viewers?
When it comes to content formats, there are two main ones—on-demand and linear. On-demand is a more lean-forward experience, where viewers know what they want to watch and search for it. Linear content, on the other hand, is more curated, where a scheduler programs what’s airing and when—something we’ve all been used to from traditional TV. AI plays a role in both. For on-demand, recommendations have traditionally been based on things like user profiles or similar content. But now, AI allows for more dynamic recommendations, factoring in real-time data like social media trends and enriched metadata. This makes the recommendations more accurate and timely, something that was difficult to do without AI.
On the linear side, especially with long-tail content like niche movies or kids’ programming, AI helps automate the entire scheduling process. Instead of a person manually setting up what airs when, we can now create rules based on things like social trends, actor birthdays, or even what’s happening in the news. This allows for real-time scheduling decisions that were impossible before. AI even helps in finding the best moments to insert ad breaks—like detecting a scene change or a black frame, which would’ve been a manual, time-consuming process in the past. Now, it’s all automated, saving a ton of time and making the experience smoother for both the scheduler and the viewer. So, at Amagi, we’re leveraging AI to make both on-demand and linear content delivery more intelligent and efficient.
How is AI impacting the entertainment industry, especially in areas like content creation, from scriptwriting to post-production? What changes do you see it bringing to the creative process?
From an AI perspective, its application today spans across the entire supply chain in entertainment, from content creation to distribution. We’ve seen this come to light especially with the recent strikes in Hollywood, highlighting the role AI can play in scriptwriting and other manual tasks within content production. One of the biggest impacts AI is having is reducing the time needed for tasks that were previously labour-intensive, like writing scripts and managing production timelines. But beyond the creative side, where AI’s role is more widely recognised, we’re seeing a huge influence downstream as well. AI is transforming how content is curated, scheduled, and delivered to audiences. It’s enhancing metadata enrichment, optimising how content is positioned, and even determining ad breaks or recommending content—all of which would be far more time-consuming or even impossible without AI. At Amagi, we’re seeing AI’s impact primarily in channel creation and content distribution. While a lot is happening on the creative front, our focus is more on leveraging AI for the broader areas of distribution and operational efficiency. It’s fascinating to see how AI is revolutionising both the upstream and downstream processes in entertainment.
How is AI being utilised in audience analytics, and how are these insights benefiting content creators?
AI plays a significant role in audience analytics, enhancing both the depth and utility of insights gathered from content. One of the key applications is its ability to analyse video content in detail. For instance, AI can identify specific elements within a frame, like a person carrying a Louis Vuitton bag, enabling the collection of targeted analytics around those moments. This capability opens up opportunities for in-content brand placements and additional ad opportunities, allowing publishers to monetise segments of their content more effectively.
Moreover, AI is transforming the scheduling process for channels. Traditionally, scheduling relied heavily on creative intuition, where a programmer would manually curate the content lineup based on a library of available shows. With AI, we can leverage real-time analytics to auto-schedule content based on audience preferences and performance. For example, if a particular cookery show by a popular chef is gaining traction in a specific market, AI can prompt the programming team to feature more episodes from that chef during prime time, optimising viewer engagement. Additionally, AI is enhancing the personalisation of channels. Consider a breaking news channel that aggregates clips from various sources. While two viewers might tune into the same channel, AI can tailor their experiences based on individual interests—one might see more sports clips, while the other receives a focus on political news. This level of personalisation enriches viewer satisfaction and engagement, demonstrating the transformative impact of AI on audience analytics and content creation.
What trends do you anticipate in AI that will influence the future of entertainment, particularly regarding content localisation and customisation?
When it comes to content localisation, AI is making some exciting waves. First off, let’s talk about subtitling and dubbing. These processes have traditionally been pretty pricey, costing anywhere from high single to low double-digit dollars per minute. That can really hold back content creators looking to take their work global. While AI isn’t quite perfect yet—especially when translating between languages with very different structures—it’s getting better. Right now, we’re seeing accuracy levels around 60-70%, but as technology advances, we expect those costs to drop, allowing content owners to reach much wider audiences. Another area where AI is stepping in is editing, particularly for highlights. Imagine a cricket match between India and Australia. AI can help create quick highlight reels that cater to both audiences without the usual hassle. In the past, this would involve a lot of manual labour and time spent searching through footage. Now, AI can streamline that process, making it easier to produce tailored content that resonates with local viewers.
And let’s not forget about monetisation. AI is also changing the game when it comes to localised advertising. For example, during a cooking show, if a specific sauce isn’t available during production, AI can help identify the best time to insert ads for that sauce when the show airs. This means viewers in different markets can see more relevant ads that connect better with them, enhancing their overall viewing experience. It’s all about making content more accessible and personalised, and AI is leading the charge!
What factors contributed to Amagi’s decision to enter the Mexican market?
Absolutely! There are a couple of key reasons behind Amagi’s decision to enter the Mexican market. First off, we have a strong focus on traditional broadcasting and helping clients migrate to the cloud, which is gaining traction in Latin America—much like it has in parts of Asia. But the real game changer for us is the rapid growth of the fast, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) market in countries like Mexico and Brazil. Services like Samsung TV Plus and TLG are leading the way, and we’re seeing a huge consumer interest in international content. For example, our Korean channels are performing well in Latin America because, despite the language barrier, the themes and sensibilities resonate with the audience there.
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- How streaming and audio ads redefine retention marketing
How streaming and audio ads redefine retention marketing
Stream metrics and audio ad metrics such as click through rates, engagement and completion are increasingly being viewed as core metrics of advertisement quality.
Written by Guest
November 3, 2024 15:00 IST
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In regard to audio ads, brand lift studies can be seen as developing tools for measuring the level of brand awareness, as well as the perceptions amongst the audiences
By Delphin Varghese
As the era of third-party cookies almost came crumbling down, marketers encounter several challenges to cope up with this seismic shift, involving adapting to contemporary methods of targeting and measuring ads. However, the transition serves as an opportunity to leverage streaming and audio ads which are ballooning rapidly.
The Decline Of Third-Party Cookies
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Google’s decision of almost eliminating third-party cookies, which for a very long time equipped marketers with the ability to track users, build user profiles and foster personalisation, is being met with significant resistance. On the other hand, Safari and Firefox have already phased out third-party cookies. As cookies fade away, advertisers need to pivot and shift their strategies to remain effective while ensuring privacy measures for consumers.
This transition does change the nature of traditional advertising but has opened doors towards streaming and audio channels which do not depend on cookies but integration of first-party data and contextual targeting.This increase in engagement is boosting these platforms including music streaming, podcasts and video on demand, among users and therefore represents valuable opportunities for advertisers to engage with their audience.
Streaming and Audio Ads – A New Horizon
Advertising opportunities are abundant with Streaming platforms like Spotify, YouTube and other video on demand services. Streaming and audio advertising can thrive in a post-cookie environment thanks to their ability to integrate highly engaging content, first-party data insights, and effective targeting options.
- Improved Targeting of your Audience
In view of the absence of third-party cookies, first-party data and contextual targeting are both being used by advertisers in order to reach their audiences. Streaming and audio platforms are great in accumulating this kind of information as they have the profile of their users, their preferences and also their listening/viewing frequency. These data, which are sometimes not only sourced but also accurately sourced, have higher engagement compared to cookie based data.
Based on the playlists, streaming platforms are able to collect information like mp3’s location, age, musical tastes and even level of happiness. This offers advertisers an opportunity to target and send out very specific ads to participants. Not only can audio ads be targeted for specific audiences, they can also be attached to content which is an improvement from the conventional advertising model which has a singular target.
- How Streaming Contextual Targeting is Breaking Through
Through contextual targeting, advertisers are able to integrate their message into the content that the consumers are currently engaging with. With the prohibition of third-party cookies, previous privacy limitations have now been predicted as contextual targeting has returned because it centers on the content instead of the user. In streaming, this could mean that ads are targeted alongside certain genres or categories of a video being played. In this case, a fitness wear company can have adverts of the workout playlists or exercise videos which act as relevant promotion tools without having to gather personal information.
The relevance creates a fluid experience for the users thus increasing the chances for them to the ads. In addition, contextual advertising in streaming enables brands to project their advertisements in a manner that resonates with the content, increasing all rounds – ad recall and effectiveness.
- Leveraging the Power of Audio Ads in the Target Market
Audio can be said to have a competitive advantage especially in the context of advertisement with strong prospects in regard to expansion. The effort to consolidate focus among fans and viewers seems to be making an impact within the audio industry, especially through the use of podcasts. The attention of listeners comes hand in hand with strong indicators of effectiveness when it comes to conversion, which is a huge benefit.
Many podcast advertisements utilize a very interwoven format, called Host-Read Ads, that have both trustworthy influences and seamless integrations into the content. Furthermore, audio advertisements provide new platforms for creative storytelling where brands tell endearing stories. Compared to visual advertisements, audio ads reach out to audiences that cannot be targeted through gazing, for instance, exercises or busy schedules that come without any screen time.
Finding the Right Metrics in the Cookie-less Economy
It is an obvious fact that advertisers are turning towards other measures since there are no more cookies available. Stream metrics and audio ad metrics such as click through rates, engagement and completion are increasingly being viewed as core metrics of advertisement quality. There’s been a noticeable shift, whereby rather than solely time, attention metrics are being introduced that look at how long a given user stays engaged with any given content.
In regard to audio ads, brand lift studies can be seen as developing tools for measuring the level of brand awareness, as well as the perceptions amongst the audiences. Also, conversion rates in audio ads can be measured by the advertisers directly thanks to QR codes and custom URLs, which is a new way to connect offline and online activities.
Bracing For What Lies Ahead: Privacy-first Advertising
With the death of the cookie, the need for compliance advertising is at the forefront. More consumers are conscious of their privacy rights and expect brands to respect their privacy. The streaming and the audio platforms are the ones that have taken the front line in this, taking first party data, contextual marketing, and consent.
In readiness for this, advertisers cannot lack investing in creative approaches that enhance trust and transparency with consumers. With data ethics and compliance with privacy marketing, brands can create brand affinity with their audiences without indulging in stalking the users and tracking their moves without consent.
Now that third-party cookies might become a thing of the past, audio ads and streaming ads are best placed in the forefront of the digital ad space. Given their strength of using first party data, contextual marketing, and the ability to create compelling content, these platforms show how business will operate in a privacy centric world. By now, marketers should be welcoming the post-cookie world and these advances will forge stronger connections between brands and their audiences.
The author is co-founder and chief revenue officer, AdCounty Media. Views expressed are personal and not necessarily those of financialexpress.com.
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