Sustainable Development TV

SDPIs Web-TV Initiative

Dr. Vaqar Ahmed IDRC TTI Cape Town Meeting 19th June 2012

History of Web TV
New York Advertising Creative (NYAC) started online television drama and soap opera in 1995 The management refused to cater through its own resources The management succeeded in getting venture capital from APPLE and VISA Through this capital NYAC was able to attract contemporary artists and performers.
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History of Web TV - 2
During the course of soap opera the Web TV was receiving 100,000 hits a day Audience was able to live-post their comments Writers had ease in shifting plot lines due to readily available audience poll Parsimony in reaching targeted audience - no matter if you are late in reaching home Parsimony in attracting targeted advertisers Tagging issues over blogs much easier

History of Web TV - 3
With the coming of broadband bandwidth, speed and availability of quality videos was certain through: Streaming Podcasts You Tube, Vimeo and Daily Motion launched their services allowing Web TVs to have their pages and access mass advertisements By 2006 we had independent producers selling their output to Web TVs Social media further slashed outreach challenges for Web TVs

History of Web TV - 4
By 2008 Hollywood embraces Web TV ABC and NBC allowed programs with niche interest over web e.g. sci-fi
These were self-created, selfproduced, and self-financed programs which these channels will webcast

The beginning of cross-channel distribution

Programs graduating from web to cable
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How SDPI discovered this? www.sdpi.tv

Viewers visiting website had little time to register, read and give their feedback on our publications

Even in case of policy briefs hits did not imply impact With videos we discovered that people were posting comments faster than the usual peer-review process

SDPI Web TV Beginnings

Step 1: Develop internal core production facility Step 2: Synchronize output with research projects Step 3: Networking with target audience

Areas of Activities

Current Affairs

Structured Programs

Documentaries

Potential of Various Tools

Video Packages in episodes
Triangular stories
My view Opponents view Third party judgment Synthesis

Following packages produced faster than cable TV

Prime Ministers Zero Hunger Program Rio +20

Potential of Various Tools - 2

Merging Development 3.0 tools
Pre-Budget and Post-Budget Debate in Pakistan
Research Findings Outreach Seminars Social Accountability Tools

Sustaining Interest in Political Economy Discourse

Youth Groups Women Groups Minorities Groups

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Potential of Various Tools - 3

Merging Development 3.0 tools
Creating demand through social media Shaping real time opinion Piling pressure for change

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Setting up Cost Structure (%)

Other, 1.7

Equipment, 36 Personnel, 56

Stationary, 1.1 Communicatio ns, 0.2 Operating Exp., 5.7

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Sustainability of Web TV
Can commercial operations be considered?
Loss: Think Tanks own message Vs. advertisements Gain: Cash flows ensured

Who will be interested in commercial scale-up?

Barter agreements (MoU with major channels to give us time in lieu of knowledge product) Time Buying (from channels) profit and loss is ours

How are we doing this currently?

Specific portion of project financing

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Human Resource
Challenges of Training Manpower
Per person training = USD 5000

Need for competitive salaries otherwise retention problem

Deregulation of media has created demand

Dedicated web team required for managing web-TV site

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Conclusion
Invitation to think tanks to think digitally Focus on value for money Focus on sustainability of digital strategy

Think branding!

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Thank You

vaqar@sdpi.org www.sdpi.org, www.sdpi.tv

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