Tech on Tap: Tech on TV – the future

The Premise In this episode of our deep dive into the intersection of tech and culture. Our Tech On series tackles Television and the advent of technological disruptors in the media space. The Tech on Tap team set out to answer three questions about Technology and its influence on Television and Media. Where is TV going? What is happening to viewership? And how are media companies and brands (both local and national) weathering the turbulence? This episode brings in industry leaders and thinkers who are on the front lines of answering these questions and adapting the answers to fit their unique needs. The Guests Shelly Leslie: Shelly Leslie is the General Manager of Audience Development for Capitol Broadcasting Company. Her department operates in the function of a pharmaceutical R&D division, discovering creative solutions and testing new methods that can engage loyal audiences as well as engage new audiences. Her job is to buck the traditional ways of creating and distributing content while finding strategic and fresh ways of positioning and disseminating content hidden in the archives. In the show, Leslie talks about the history of television viewership and how departments like Audience Development are working to keep up with Over the Top (OTT) disruptors in the present day. Though internet streaming platforms, like YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, create boundless opportunities for content creators to connect with new audiences, Leslie talks about how these OTT options are making it harder to get discovered, thereby placing importance on being in more than one place and producing content that is highly engaging and shareworthy. Pete Sockett: Pete Sockett is the TV Director of Engineering and Operations for WRAL. In his role with the local NBC affiliate, Pete oversees the physical and virtual technology that goes into the production of local broadcasting. As a member of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) in addition to his current position with WRAL-TV and Fox50, Sockett is intimately involved in how local broadcast television is moving the ball forward in engaging users who are already loyal to local TV. Whereas Shelly Leslie’s role is that of exploring new frontiers, Pete Sockett is responsible for making the existing infrastructure second to none. As a guest on our show, Sockett talks about the advancements in Next Generation TV, where the technology stands a year after its initial unveiling, what these advancements can mean for audiences and the practical uses for giving every user the ability to have a smart TV. View the photo gallery of the local unveiling of NextGen TV at a National Association of Broadcasters meeting in February of 2018: Read the interview between, editor, Rick Smith, Pete Sockett, and So Vang about NextGen TV’s progress: Our Sponsor: Johnson Automotive Group is a WRAL TechWire partner and the presenting sponsor of Tech on Tap. View more of their content and how technology, specifically Amazon’s Alexa, influences how we move.