With rumors flying about an Apple television subscription service in the works for release this year, new details have started to emerge about what kinds of deals the tech company will make with its content partners. The NY Post says that these deals will involve Apple turning over certain data about its users to programmers to help solidify its agreements.
Apple is reportedly giving TV partners a lot of leeway, allowing each network to decide how to handle areas like advertising on the service. However, in order to attract these content producers, Apple is offering up data regarding its viewers, such as who they are, which shows they watch, viewing schedules, and more.
This might seem at odds with Apple’s focus on customer privacy, which has been a major point of contention between the company and the US government, but it just goes to show how far Apple is willing to go to put together this deal. Viewer data was historically gathered indirectly by Nielsen measurements, but more direct tracking of TV consumption is possible through DVRs, as well as set top boxes such as Apple TV. According to the report, “traditional cable companies, Amazon and Netflix have refused to hand over” viewer data to programmers.
Last year rumors swirled that the Cupertino company was working on a similar service with Comcast, though that plan eventually fell through, and the Comcast-owned NBC is reportedly being excluded from the new service, leading it to create its own standalone offering.
Last week Apple announced a new partnership with HBO to bring the network’s HBO Now streaming/VOD service to iOS devices exclusively for six months.
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I really like this. De-identified viewer data is something Netflix uses extensively to determine the kinds of shows they license.
Since the beginning of TV ratings, a small number of people with ratings boxes have been used to determine which shows stay on air, and which are cancelled. I think we can all agree that they often DO NOT represent us. This way, we’ll each contribute to the pool of information for viewership, and hopefully more desirable shows will survive past the second season.
I second that (e)motion; I was heartbroken to find out there wouldn’t be a second season of Believe, and Firefly was also cancelled early, so hopefully better viewing data will help keep our favourite shows alive. Vox populi, Vox Dei…
As long as my identity remains unknowable, I’m okay with this. But the moment anyone crosses that line…
This is a non-issue. Of course, the data will remain anonymous and will be used for the purpose(s) of driving recommendation profiles, and possibly targeted ads. Both of which will result in a better user experience. Networks have known our viewing patterns since the 1950s, so I wouldn’t expect this to change, nor do I need it to.
Disclaimer, I used to work for Nielsen 20 year ago writing software to analyse grocery store data.
Your correct but it’s just not our user experience, it keeps down costs. Marketing data is so important to keeping down costs for companies. With food for example if you deliver bread (white, wheat, rye) you always want to bring back stale. But you don’t want to bring back 6 lofts of white and 0 wheat. That means you lost sales of wheat. So you cut back on white to make room on the shelves for more wheat. Too much stale cost you money just like having crappy shows like Firefly on the air when no one is watching. You need to make room for a better show.
That’s like Neilsen data. Hardly an issue.,
Neilsen is an opt-in program. They ask your age, gender, income and what not so that they can associate your viewing habits with differing groups of people. The issue is that people don’t want to offer up these types information for free to companies. Thats why Nielsen pays their participants.