Didier Van der Coelden, CFO at Mediagenix, looks at how creative and commercial teams could work together more closely
Understanding the nuance of audience behaviour is essential in the media industry. Yet many organisations still struggle to connect viewer insights with content decision-making.
Our report on data integration found that it enabled broadcasters and streaming platforms to be better informed, directly impacting acquisition, scheduling, and monetisation. However, 49% of respondents described themselves as either “sporadic” or “ad-hoc” in their use of data. This highlights a pervasive gap between creative instinct and commercial insight.
Competing objectives in media
The divide between creative and commercial priorities is nothing new. Creative teams thrive on flexibility and experimentation, with stories that resonate on an emotional level. Commercial teams, meanwhile, seek predictability, relying on trends and financial data to maximise return on investment. Historically, these two perspectives have operated in tension. A more integrated, data-driven approach to content strategy can ensure that creativity and commercial success are not at odds.
By giving creative teams access to real-time audience data, they gain a clearer understanding of what resonates with viewers. This is not a set of rigid guidelines, but a feedback loop that enhances the content portfolio. At the same time, financial teams benefit from assessing content performance with greater accuracy, while still allowing for innovation and risk-taking in development and acquisition. That said, despite significant interest in data analytics, many media companies still struggle to translate the information into action.
Understanding the audience
Traditional audience segmentation often relies on broad demographics, which fail to capture a variety of individual preferences. Semantic data goes beyond the basic demographic split of age, gender, and region. Instead, it categorises by specific taste profiles for a more personalised experience. Contextual relevance is a critical component of this approach. People engage with content differently depending on their mood, time of day, and viewing environment.
The emotional dimension of content is essential in creating meaningful audience engagement. Media is fundamentally an experience. If companies do not take emotional value into account, they risk missing the mark. Advanced AI can help both creators and aggregators better understand their viewers, categorising content in more meaningful ways to capture emotional tone, themes, and situational relevance. This kind of granularity not only helps viewers discover content that aligns with their mood and interests, but also provides a more detailed picture of who they are. This is especially important in combating choice fatigue, a growing issue where an abundance of options can overwhelm viewers. When content feels like the right fit, audiences are more likely to trust the platform or broadcaster.
Avoiding content mediocrity
An additional challenge facing media companies is the risk of content bubbles, where algorithms prioritise already-popular content. This reinforces homogenised viewing patterns, and skews the feedback loop. A well-balanced system can counteract this effect by ensuring diversity in content options. Media companies should guide audiences toward content that expands their interests, rather than simply mirroring past behaviours. This offers commercial benefits, by exposing more of a content catalogue to viewers who might not have encountered it otherwise.
The role of audience data extends beyond immediate content consumption. It is an invaluable tool for predicting trends and shaping long-term production and acquisition strategies. For example, during negative global events, broadcasters and streaming platforms often observe a shift in viewing patterns as the audience gravitates towards feel-good content. This is not tied to a specific genre but to an emotional need, which can only be identified through a detailed understanding of behaviour and situational relevance.
As the industry continues to evolve, the ability to capture and act on these insights will be crucial. With the rise of on-demand viewing and social content formats, media companies must know what an audience will do next, before they do.
Ultimately, the future of media depends on delivering the right content, to the right audience, at the right time.
Didier Van der Coelden is CFO at Mediagenix
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