Matters of fact

摘要

In their quest to expand their audience and revenue base, factual broadcasters are increasingly beginning to look more like providers of general-interest channels. Andy Fry investigates. When it comes down to it, running a successful factual channel business in the digital era is about the relentless pursuit of audiences. That might sound obvious. But with the massive shift in viewer behaviour currently occurring, it's worth looking at how the major players do this. Clearly, a key part of the process is getting distribution into new territories and on to new platforms. So the advent of IPTV and increased demand from eastern Europe offer ways of adding subscribers. But the process of hunting down audiences is as much about the way factual channel operators position their own businesses as the opening up of new markets. How they define themselves and where they sit within the multichannel landscape is just as significant to their long-term prospects.