Client cases

Against the background of an imminent automatism in the decision on a FM shut-off in Bavaria, the vbw Association of Bavarian Industry commissioned Convergent Media to prepare a market study. The aim was to examine the status of the FM/DAB+/radio streaming migration project in Bavaria, the situation of digital radio in Great Britain, Norway, and Switzerland, as well as the usage behavior of listeners in Bavaria. The aim was to find out what consequences a timely FM switch-off would have for the Bavarian radio market and how the occurrence of potentially negative effects could be avoided. The study was strongly supported by both pillars of the dual radio market in Bavaria. Key findings of our study have been incorporated into the 2023 coalition agreement of the Bavarian state government.

The company has always been a leader in the national DTH market. More recently, however, competition from commercial DTH platforms, pay-tv providers and TV streaming services has increased. To effectively counter this competition, the company launched its own offerings, particularly targeting third-party DTH and TV streaming platforms. Convergent Media Consulting supported both the further development of the DTH strategy, and the harmonization of the sales and CRM processes of the business units involved.

We supported RTR Medien in identifying and recruiting 21 authors from all over Europe and supported the publication of a professional volume of reports. In their contributions, the authors describe their expectations of WRC-2023 and the future potential of the technical resource UHF spectrum from the point of view of the respective media company, cultural institution, or regulator. Convergent Media Consulting was responsible for the editorial administration, contribution management and quality assurance of the articles as well as the editing of the publication.

European public service media face a strategic challenge, successfully transforming from a “broadcast” organization to hybrid media platform. Changes in audience behavior, global media platform competitive pressure and shrinking budgets require both reconsidering currently deployed distribution technologies as well as releasing distribution budgets to development and operation of proper streaming platform technologies. We supported the strategy development process of a well-known audiovisual European public service media enterprise, whose aim was to future proof their hybrid streaming and broadcasting distribution strategy. In the process, we jointly identified both strategic as well as ready for implementation operational distribution cost saving potentials amounting to a two digit Euro million value.

A start-up in the growing popular-sports audiovisual media streaming market had to decide on sourcing the platform technology needed either from external service providers, developing such technologies inhouse or acquire an existing technology company. We supported the start-up in identifying a suitable M&A target, swiftly going through the due diligence process, signing, and closing of the deal. We continued our consulting support during the post-merger integration process.

Our client, a national industry association representing audiovisual media- and telecoms companies is – among others – also negotiating frame work agreements on behalf of the members, e.g. license fee agreements. During an arbitration proceeding our client faced a controversial economic-strategic analysis on the national media market, presented by the other disputant. By means of a bespoke Convergent Media analysis, our client was able to highlight errors in methodology and gaps in the other parties chain of reasoning and achieve an arbitration court decision in favor of the industry association members represented by our client.

The national business unit point of sale and trade show display systems was under substantial pressure created by international competitors. At the same time, the group management team identified a strong need for both range adjustment, acceleration of product- and service-innovation processes as well as margin improvements. Based on a thorough competitor analysis, looking into e.g., range strategy execution and tech platform assets deployed, we supported our client in conducting strategic range adjustments, identification of pockets of innovation potential and cost cutting. The business plan jointly developed with the business unit management team lead to a positive group management team decision in favor of executing the transformation interventions drafted with our consulting support.

For several years now, one of the most valuable global sports franchises relies on our consulting services in the context of their regularly recurring audiovisual media rights tender.

A public service broadcaster’s license fee collecting organization was faced with an increasing number of homes receiving public service programs by means of IP streaming only, thus being exempt from payment of the license fee by national law. Based on a thorough analysis of the current state of broadcast-, streaming technologies and related business models, we concluded, that both distribution and reception technologies have already reached equal performance levels today. Consequently, there is no legitimate reason to continue exempting streaming only homes from contributing to financing public service media though.

We assisted a leading mobile network operator’s management team in taking the go to market decision for a consumer OTT TV streaming service. During the execution phase, we supported product management and procurement by preparing professional tender documents (RFQ/RFP) and a long list of OTT video platform service providers. We have also been part of all subsequent phases of the tender process, including the best bidding vendor selection.

We supported a national paid media champion and technology leader in their decision to enter new markets beyond their established home base. We conducted thorough investigations into the current situation in target countries’ pay-tv and SVOD markets, availability of premium media rights, market developments of free tv broadcasters, tv-platforms and providers of fix / mobile broadband internet access. Thus, together with our client’s management team, we were able to build bespoke alternative strategic go to market scenarios.

Public service media companies in several countries are challenged today to take decisions on which technologies hold the highest potential to replace their existing radio- and tv-broadcast networks in the long run. We supported a renowned international strategy consultancy, by mandate of a public service broadcaster, to evaluate the technical and economic benefits of migrating either to 5G FeMBMS (“5G broadcast”) or to 5G New Radio (“5G mobile broadband”). External factors have also been taken into consideration, e.g., the outcome of the 2023 World Radio Conference and consecutive effects on broadcast frequency availability. The alternative techno-economic use cases we developed provided our client with a sound basis for choosing between alternative distribution network strategies and their resulting digital business model innovation potential.

We have been embedded into the project team of global infrastructure operator and ICT service provider. The company was considering a first time go to market strategy with an ICT service portfolio fit for professional video publishers in audiovisual media market segments and in all sorts of corporate video publishing settings.

We contributed to strategy development, internal execution and business development. In a comprehensive strategy and business case development process, we empowered the customer’s team by providing comprehensive insight into market dynamics, processes, business models, video tech vendors and use cases.

During execution, we have been involved in video tech vendor- and system integrator selection and partnering discussions. In that role, we introduced our customers to potential partners, prepared and facilitated initial talks with vendors or target customers. Within a few months, our customer was able to offer professional video production “as a service”-solutions and, more importantly, sign and deliver the first commercial service contracts.

Our client faced fundamental changes in key elements of their national league’s framework (media rights contract, revenue distribution, league modus, carve out, sponsoring, digital media). We provided the team’s senior management with in depth analysis of international league and team strategies defined by similar conditions. We supported the process of applying these insights to the actual situation in their market and of developing alternative strategy approaches.

Based on our business modeling and strategy work, the team’s senior management was able to select to best strategy, execute the approach selected in league decision making processes immediately and achieve a substantial commercial gain in the end.

Changes in regulation and other key market conditions had forced our client to reconsider strategies in two of their core business branches. In order to mitigate the substantial losses of revenue that resulted from these changes, our client needed a better understanding of how players in international markets have been able to cope with similar changes.

We looked at which strategies and business models worked, which preconditions for success applied in those markets and whether they can be re-created at home. Based on our strategic advice, our customer was able to identify and to tab into new revenue potentials.

Examples for the strategies executed include but are not limited to the conversion of obsolete network infrastructures to new commercial use cases, application of original core competences to evolving markets, for example the internet of things, public safety radio or 5G.

One of the leading global TV organizations was considering setting up proper TV production facilities in Germany. Initial discussions in our client’s management team lead to the conclusion that the level of vital market information was insufficient to take an informed decision.

We supported our client’s decision-making process with a comprehensive analysis of the German TV production market and related strategic advice. Thus, we created competitor briefings, outlined the terms of trade, rough sketches of genre trends, key TV broadcasters’ content sourcing and production strategies. Based on that work, we recommended the strategic approach for implementation that was selected for execution by the client’s top management team.

High market shares and ARPU, low level of churn in the business customer segment outline the challenging conditions for growth of our customer’s regional fiber and cable TV network business. We worked closely with the CEO and other members of the top management team and identified several strategic gaps in their existing solutions portfolio, product- and service innovation pipeline and current network infrastructures.

Drawing on bespoke analysis prepared by Convergent Media Consulting, our client was able to take advantage of our insights into international role models and winning strategies for the sake of their own strategy development process. We also contributed measures fit for immediate execution by product management, IT-service branch and sales organization, such as improvements of the product management process, complementing the existing portfolio with additional IT-infrastructures, -services and -solutions as well as elaborated telecoms solutions.

Several FM radio stations lobbied Austrian regulator KommAustria in favor of establishing the regulatory framework needed to building and operating DAB+ radio networks all over Austria. Other players with considerable cloud stood in strong opposition to that request.

Convergent Media Consulting conducted an unbiased, comprehensive analysis of the Austrian FM radio market. Drawing on the results of interviews with all major organizations in the Austrian FM radio market, we were able to structure the entrepreneurial reasoning in favor and against a DAB+ launch. The potential impact of a DAB+ launch could not be derived from the radio stations’ points of view. For the sake of providing more objective criteria for the regulator’s decision, we analyzed, among others, case studies describing the state of several international DAB+ markets’ development and the key drivers of success in these countries, consumer adoption of IP streaming radio services, the potential impact of alternative broadcast technologies.

Using this robust information base, we developed alternative market launch scenarios and outlined both potential strategies, business cases as well as the preconditions required for a successful launch of a sustainable DAB+ radio market in Austria.

Our work was basis for the decision-making process of media policymakers, regulators, DAB+ network operator and radio station investment cases in Austria and was well received internationally too.

One of the biggest public broadcasters worldwide was in the process to adapt the aged and inflexible CTO organization to the changing needs of its internal customers and to better reflect developing budget constraints. We supported the CTO and his management team in the process of reorganizing the legacy TV-, radio and internet technical production “silos” in such a way, that the new crossmedia storytelling approach pursued by the broadcaster’s editorial teams was fully supported by workflows and technical solutions in place.

In the process, we identified saving potentials across several categories of cost and developed cost cutting measures that have later been executed following top management’s decision.