New Media Companies Breaking into Entertainment – 2018 SXSW Programming Trends

Each year, different trends emerge from SXSW programming and act as identifiers for where we’re at and where we’re headed. From the 12 significant trends identified by the SXSW Programming Team for the 2018 event, New Media Companies Breaking into Entertainment highlights the importance of creating to engage and expanding content to match new, underrepresented audiences in a watch anywhere, anytime culture. Get to know this trend and related-SXSW sessions below that we think will spark conversation this March.

New Media Companies Breaking into Entertainment Trend

Video is everywhere! New media companies are jumping on the trend of streaming services and trying to break into the film and TV industry: Apple, Facebook, Buzzfeed, and Refinery29, to name a few. Billions are projected to be spent over the next few years by these companies on original content as they race for eyeballs and market share. Will they succeed in this age of content saturation? What happens as the pace quickens and the spending war seems to have no end in sight?

With new data giving insight to what millennials want to see, the Audience Engagement: The New Path to Greenlighting session led by a panel of key players in the industry share their unique positions with online data and what they are looking for in creating feature films and TV from digital platform beginnings. Death of 2nd Screen? Live Tweets in a Binge World panel will discuss how TV marketers should approach the shift from live viewing to time-shifted and binge viewing while meeting the needs of each group and building a vocal and dedicated fan base.

We can no longer create for passive viewing, we must create to engage. Future Proof Media: Engaging Tomorrow's Audience session will attempt to answer how meaningful connections to our audiences are made and discuss the extra care we must take to succeed, by creating specifically with today’s rapidly changing marketplace in mind. Is original on-demand content or live streaming TV the way of the future? Or is it a medley of the 2? America’s No. 1 streaming platform, Roku, in A View From (Over-)The-Top session moderates a panel of streaming tech giants as they share their perspectives on the current and future state of TV and give their 2 cents on the competitive landscape.

Read more about how new media companies are trying to break in and succeed in the film and TV industry. Add these sessions to your 2018 SXSW Schedule. Stay tuned for more programming announcements through March.

New Media Companies Breaking into Entertainment Session Highlights

• Audience Engagement: The New Path to Greenlighting
• Death of 2nd Screen? Live Tweets in a Binge World
• Future Proof Media: Engaging Tomorrow's Audience
• A View From (Over-)The-Top

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Explore new opportunities during 10 days of sessions, screenings, showcases, exhibitions, networking, and beyond from March 9-18 at SXSW 2018 – register to attend.

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Teaser Photo by Joel Pena