In the wake of Mobile World Congress – mending the disconnect between mobile operators and broadcasters

AIB says broadcasters are ready for partnerships to make mobile TV a quality experience

If there is one mobile communications event that showcases mobile’s staggering growth, it is Mobile World Congress. Over the past few days in Barcelona, the industry explored ways of sustaining this growth even in difficult times. With 4 billion connections to date and 6bn expected by 2013, content is playing an increasingly important role.

So why is there a visible disconnect between mobile operators and broadcasters who can supply content? Chairing the session on synergies between broadcasting and mobile, Simon Spanswick, CEO of the Association for International Broadcasting (AIB), said “With one or two notable exceptions, broadcasters are having trouble engaging with the right people in mobile operators to discuss potential partnerships that will bring quality content to subscribers.”

During the MWC session chaired by Spanswick which brought together Richard Titus from the BBC, Stanislas Leridon of France 24, Michel Mol of Netherlands Public Broadcasting, Sean Kane of Bebo and Jonathan Marks of Critical Distance – , one panellist talked of how his national TV channel had to “name and shame” a mobile operator that had declined to make the broadcaster’s Olympic coverage for mobiles available. Only when the broadcaster explained on air why the content would not be available to some subscribers did the mobile operator rethink and join the ranks of other operators who carried the broadcaster’s material. In the end, the mobile operator’s subscribers overwhelmingly supported the content, vindicating the decisions taken by both the broadcaster and the operator.

Spanswick says that what is needed is dialogue as it’s a win-win situation for mobile operators and content producers alike. “Broadcasters are ready to make mobile TV a reality by producing content specifically tailored for the mobile handset and want to work in partnership with mobile operators. It’s time for people in the two industries to start talking to each other to make mobile TV a success.”