Q&A: Why CBS trusts in mobile for new All Access offering
The recent announcement from television network CBS of a new direct-to-consumer streaming service points to how mobile is accelerating over-the-top access and opening up the potential for a new brand experience for CBS.
In response to its audience's use of multiple devices to consume content, CBS is relying on mobile especially to help its attempt in inserting a pay wall in between itself and its customers and convincing them to give the service a try. Consumers are increasingly becoming frustrated from dealing with major cable providers, causing some to abandon those contracts and opting for something less structured.
If consumers respond, this could build up brand awareness for the networks. If The Good Wife fans sign up for CBS All Access, they are more likely to give other CBS shows a deeper look.
Rob Gelick, senior vice president and general manager of digital platforms at CBS Interactive Entertainment, spoke with Mobile Marketer about how important mobile is to the company?s strategy and offerings.
How will CBS continue to work to integrate its brand on mobile?
We want our viewers to be able to watch and interact with CBS content whenever and wherever they are and mobile plays a huge part in delivering that experience.
We?ve seen massive growth across mobile platforms and our CBS app recently hit 10 million downloads. Our recent launch of the CBS All Access service is now integrated into our mobile app for iOS and Android, and we're giving subscribers day-after access to new primetime episodes on mobile devices for the first time.
In addition to watching content on these platforms, our fans are also using mobile heavily to engage with second-screen experiences, whether it?s discussing an episode live on social media with the cast or accessing additional content.
What is the future of entertainment in regards to mobile?
I think you?ll continue to see cross-screen viewership grow, as our fans now expect to be able to watch content on multiple platforms. Our focus is to develop the best cross-platform video experience possible for our fans. We want our audiences to be able to watch and engage with CBS? industry leading content whenever and wherever they want.
CBS' new streaming service causes a pay wall in between itself and consumers. What is it about CBS All Access that will be worth it for consumers to sign up?
We?ve built CBS All Access for our super fans. We?re privileged to have some of the greatest fans. Many of them have followed our shows for more than 10 seasons, and we wanted to give them the utmost ease of accessibility across platforms and more of the content they love.
CBS All Access is the only place where fans can access building full seasons of 15 of our current series. Subscribers will also be able to watch their local CBS station live in 14 markets at launch, with more to be added.
Additionally, a number of CBS Classic series will be available that had not been on the CBS platforms before, and they?ll be ad-free. CBS All Access will have offer thousands of episodes that were not previously available on CBS.com or the CBS App. This is made up of additional stacking episodes and past seasons of current shows, as well as a number of classic CBS hits.
Non-subscribers will still be able to access the trailing five episodes of current programming online and on our mobile apps for free.
How is All Access a new path of revenue for CBS?
The service, including its pricing and distribution, are intended to be a new monetization window for our programming, delivering the most CBS has to offer directly to consumers, while being supportive of our existing distribution ecosystem.
How will All Access revolutionize the customer experience?
It's the most comprehensive consumer offering we've launched to date, bringing live linear and an extensive library of content directly to our fans. CBS All Access provides the utmost ease of accessibility to CBS programming in a consistent experience across platforms and we look forward to expanding it?s availability to even more connected devices in the coming months.
Why is content ?the king?? Why will customers prefer All Access over Netflix or Hulu?
All those services have unique offerings, and we see CBS All Access as a complementary service. CBS has more of the top 25 shows than any other SVOD service and the added benefit of live linear TV. CBS All Access will be the only place where fans can access full stacking current seasons of 15 of our primetime shows.
What are other ways that CBS uses to leverage mobile?
Connecting with our fans via social platforms while they?re watching is largely on their mobile devices. We manage over 40 brands on social with over 250 million followers. Connecting with them via mobile devices while they're watching enables us to bring them additional content and experiences.
Connecting with our fans via social platforms while they?re watching is largely on their mobile devices. We manage over 40 brands on social with over 250 million followers. Connecting with them via mobile devices while they're watching enables us to bring them additional content and experiences.
What is next for CBS in regards to mobile?
In the coming months, we?ll continue to expand CBS All Access to other major connected device platforms.
Final Take
Caitlyn Bohannon is an editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York
