MTM Selected Issues 2:
Media Over IP: Access Beats Content?

Master - WS '23/'24

C. Loebbecke

2 SWS

Fridays, 12:30 - 5:30 pm (mostly till 4:00 pm), max. 6 sessions!
Plus: Wednesday, Nov. 08, '23, morning or afternoon: 'Digitale Leute' Congress in 'Köln-Mülheim' - details to follow.

Start: Oct. 13, '23

Location: Room S15, Seminar building, 1st floor

Held in English (some understanding of German will be helpful!)

Pre-Assignment Deadline: Sept. 27, '23, 11:00 am via eMail from your sMail account (see below)

We expanded the workload of the Pre-Assignment to searches, writing, and watching two almost 60-minute videos! But all you invest during the summer in the Pre-Assignment will ease the work to be done later in the course - promised! Time windows for later assignments etc. will be much shorter -- advice: come prepared and it will be fun to discuss!

Voluntary, not binding, but helpful: If you are interested in the course, please send an eMail from your sMail account to claudia.loebbecke<at>uni-koeln.de with the course for which you want to register, your name, matr.-number, and study program. We suggest that you also add a phone number so that we can help on short notice.

Overview

This is a practice-oriented master-level discussion course! We will cover two larger content blocks:

Firstly, we will understand different 'Media over IP' distribution approaches - how does the content come to our eyes and ears? We will analyze the relevant technologies and players involved in distributing 'Media over IP' and investigate technological, economic, and managerial concerns from the perspectives of various providers in light of different consumer perspectives. We will consider 'Media over IP distribution' as a stand-alone distribution business (e.g., Akamai), take the perspectives of platform providers (e.g., Zattoo, Google / YouTube) and telco operators (e.g., German Telekom, Vodafone, NetCologne), and look at 'Media over IP distribution' as one component in a set of various content provision and distribution activities (e.g., RTL, WDR). In the latter case, we will touch upon the economic (!) peculiarities of mass media / TV providers producing 'IP-only content'. Students are very welcome to bring other players active in 'Media over IP' distribution to the discussion!

Secondly, we will think through mass media / TV and streaming providers' business model options of bundling content in the 'Media over IP' world. What are the potentials and the constraints of 'advertising-based video on demand' (A-VOD), 'free ad-supported streaming' (FAST) channels, and 'subscription-based video on demand' (S-VOD)? How do platform cooperations fit into any of those business models thoughts concerning 'Media over IP' distribution?

The main learning goals are (1) reflecting upon the omnipresent term 'Media over IP' in detail (do not forget the 'media'), (2) expand our business view of media ecosystems to the level of distributing / providing access to content incl. so-called 'Over-The-Top' (OTT) services, (3) economically assessing the business model options resulting from 'Media content over IP' options, and (4) applying analytical concepts and tools to deliver rigorous scenarios for a portfolio of media providers.

Throughout the course, there are two popular issues that we will not cover: we will not dig into the technical production challenges, and we will not have any content choice or content quality discussion!

Dates (max. 6)

Oct. 13, Oct. 27, Nov. 10, Nov. 17 (mandatory visit to WDR Lab, details to follow), Nov. 24, Dec. 15 - all '23 and Jan. 12 & Jan. 19, '24.
Plus, Wednesday, Nov. 08, mandatory attending the 'Digitale Leute' conference in 'Köln-Mülheim' (minimum morning or afternoon); we will provide tickets to registered students.

Pre-Assignment due Sept. 27, '23, 11:00 am via eMail from your sMail account

Please complete six tasks in writing and be ready to discuss your answers during the course sessions.

1) Explain what we mean by 'Over-the-Top' (OTT) content delivery and explain how important it is for watching Netflix videos, RTL's YouTube channel, and a documentary from the 'WDR Mediathek' [about 100-200 words]

2) Consider a) Akamai, b) RTL (CBC), c) Google, and d) Deutsche Telekom, and e) WDR.
For each (!) elaborate on their business model only in the context of 'Media over IP' distribution. What media product / service does the company sell over IP - and who are the customers? What distribution / infrastructure service do they sell (we are not interested in any content product!) - and, again, who are the customers? What exactly does the company get paid for in the context of 'Media over IP' distribution? By whom? What does the company's 'Media over IP' turnover depend on - volume, number of customers, project size, kilometers of connection? Where does the company get the content that it 'offers' via IP? [150- 200 words per company for all sub-questions]

Please note: any parts of answers that are not related to distribution Media over IP weakens the grade - focus, focus, focus!

3) Explain the business models behind the terms: 'advertising-based video on demand' (A-VOD), 'free ad-supported streaming' (FAST) channels, and 'subscription-based video on demand' (S-VOD)? Make sure to not only define the three terms, but try to also explain at least one pro and one con for each from a provider's (not user's) perspective [3 x 150-200 words]

4) Watch the ca. 1-hour video (mtm.uni-koeln.de/veranstaltungen-sources/ANGA21-MediaOverIP.mp4) of ANGACOM '21, choose one question they discuss, and provide at least four different views / replies to that selected question. Provide the name of the speaker and position his / her answer in his / her company background [about 250 words]

5) Watch the ca. 1-hour video on the ANGACOM '23 'Content Gipfel' to be found under angacom.de/ueber-anga-com/videos-fotos and provide at least one discussion issue with three different views / perspectives [about 250 words]

6) Clearly phrase all questions in terms of understanding that you may have from listening to both videos. No questions here is also ok; it means that I can ask you about all the speakers presented and argued [0 to 2000 words as long as you phrase questions]

Regarding tasks 4, 5, and 6: The more closely you follow the videos before handing in the Pre-Assignment, the less work will you have to do during the semester! So, take the time now, listen to both videos, and try to understand what they discuss. The whole course will circle around the tasks in the Pre-Assignment. If you are well prepared, your participation during the sessions will be better and the additional assignments will be done much faster.
ATTENTION: If your vita shows that you cannot follow the two videos in German language; please let us know. In that case, we will rephrase the task.

Formal requirements
- State your name, matr.-number, sMail address, and study program and its start date on top of the first page (ideally in one line, max. two lines); then continue typing, no cover sheet!

- Have only your name in the header of each page
- Have an empty line before the task, copy the task, and in the next line start the answer. After a task, have one empty line before typing the next task and the answer.

- Do not start a new page for every new task

- Times New Roman (TNR) 12, single-spaced

- Have 2 points (2 pts.) before and after each (1) paragraph

- Scientific writing style - no jokes, no slang, hardly any passive voice
- References IN THE TEXT (no footnotes), no 'ibid.' - s. some Anglo-American academic management journals
- NO author first names, NO usage of reference titles in the assignment text

- For formatting the reference list, see our website
- Consistent format (including spacing, etc.)
- Page numbers of references only for word-by-word citations

- Complete reference list formatted appropriately with all required information per file - even if it is only one source
- See also MTM website on scientific work

Delivery
Please send an eMail from your sMail account to claudia.loebbecke<at>uni-koeln.de and irina.boboschko<at>uni-koeln.de; attach a non-protected word file (.doc or .docx)
- Subject line: MTM-Issues2-Pre-Lastname (your lastname only, no accent, etc.)
- File name: MTM-Issues2-Pre-Lastname.doc(x) (your lastname only, no accent, etc.)

Course Grading

- 25% Pre-Assignment - due Sept. 27, '23, 11:00 am

- 20% Intermediate Assignments / Exercises
- 30% Active participation throughout the sessions - building on assignments / having digested the material

- 25% Final Assignment and presentation
It is required to at least 'pass' (grade 4.0 or better) each grading element for passing the course.
'Alle Prüfungselemente müssen mindestens bestanden sein.'

Required Course Registration:

(1) Hand in Pre-Assignment by Sept. 27, '23 (passing the Pre-Assignment is required for passing the course).
On Sept. 28, '23, we will list all those who will hand in the Pre-Assignment in time as course participant in KLIPS and THEREUPON you must
(2) Register for the exam on KLIPS by Oct. 17, '23, 11:00 am.

For any course related questions, please contact claudia.loebbecke<at>uni-koeln.de from your sMail account.

© Department of Media and Technology Management