With more and more players moving into the content arena, and as we compete for eyeballs against more than just other TV channels, broadcasters are having to be smarter than ever about how we reach out and engage with our audiences.
Virgin Media Television has long been an undisputed expert in linear pay-TV broadcasting - but we're now evolving beyond the traditional approach, to offer a richer mix of free and on-demand content alongside our pay portfolio. With the power of Virgin Media behind us, our emphasis is now on building a truly cross-platform strategy that incorporates broadcast, on-demand, online and mobile.
But the challenge facing us, and other broadcasters, is how to take our existing brands and extend them onto new platforms: how to deliver a consistent brand experience across platforms, when audiences have radically different needs and expectations.
Obviously, step one is owning brands that are fit-for-purpose for this kind of mission... but our experience also tells us that success is based on having a deep understanding of what an audience actually wants from each platform.
Living's relaunched online presence exemplifies the approach. After 15 years, the Living brand remains one of the strongest, most defined TV brands in the marketplace. Although supporting our key programme brands is still one of the site's objectives, we've given it a rich life beyond the content pillars of the channel itself - yes, the site still focuses on glamour, celebrity and modelling, but it now also encompasses content on style, beauty and relationships too. To establish the site as a bookmark for every 16-34 year old woman, we're enhancing the experience with bespoke video content: commissioned, acquired or created by our own in-house video production unit.
And let's not forget mobile. The promise of a full-fat TV-like experience on handsets is still a long way off - but there is plenty of scope to use the platform creatively and powerfully to extend brands into new spaces. After only one series, Virgin1's Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is firmly established as one of the channel's monster franchises. The nature of the show gives us licence to give it the full treatment on the mobile platform.
To support the launch, we commissioned a bespoke mobile application that uses a specially created Terminator mobile video clip to "target" users based on their whereabouts, using GPS-style location technology. The Terminator is coming to get you... and he knows where you are! Such activity goes beyond straightforward marketing, and adds real value for the show's devoted fans.
Of course, making the most of a multi-platform strategy creates serious challenges in measuring and monetising it. With the Living website already grabbing over seven million page impressions this month, and with content from Living, Virgin1 and Bravo available to 3.5 million Virgin Media on-demand customers, we can't just rely on BARB ratings any more.
Our aim is to measure success whenever and wherever our viewers consume content and engage with our brands - but this requires a step-change in how the industry does its maths. At last month's Edinburgh TV Festival, internet guru Clay Shirky questioned why the TV industry values seven million distracted viewers more highly than six million engaged and passionate ones.
A multiplatform approach builds on pay-TV's proven ability to capitalise on - and generate - real affinity and engagement from viewers. With this opportunity to extend that relationship to new touchpoints, we must find a way of rewarding those brands that command the most loyalty and affinity from consumers in such a crowded marketplace, whatever the medium.
Jonathan Webb is managing director of Virgin Media Television.