New Tech, More Ads: Cablevision, Comcast Tout Their DVRs/VOD at CAB

Cablevision’s network DVR trial may open the door to more than just a cheaper tech-it could also pull in new ad revenue, Cablevision’s Tom Rutledge said at CAB’s conference in Atlanta Tues. Rutledge believes Cablevision can use the return path to tweak stored video in the network, "whether it be product placement after the fact or refreshment of advertising, or changing the functionality of the actual VOD stream." Granted, copyright issues have to be worked out, but "they’re all opportunities to create new rights management structures and value chains to sell advertising into," he said. Rutledge isn’t ruling out new ad models for standalone DVRs, talking up advertiser-driven DVRs that could make the devices free. Comcast’s Steve Burke agrees that network DVR could be ad friendly. But he also was bullish on VOD advertising (surprise, surprise). He predicts VOD ads will soar with more broadcast participation. The key is to make it more sophisticated. "That is going to require dynamic ad insertion, which we’re working on and we should have ubiquitous throughout the company in the next year or so." Here’s how it would work: If a sub is watching a show from Food Network, but Comcast knows from the sub’s history of viewing that he’s a sports fan, it could insert a sports ad.- Shirley Brady