How mobile apps are revolutionising the entertainment industry

Sitting on the bus or subway is no longer wasted time, as we can stream our favorite TV shows with apps like Netflix and Hulu. News updates are instantly available through our web browser. With so many new technologies at our fingertips, the entertainment industry has been forced to evolve.

TV programs focus on going viral

Traditional television programs are now looking at new metrics to decide whether their programming is a success or not. A few short years ago networks would decide to renew programs for additional seasons based on Nielsen ratings. The number of viewers of a channel were the holy grail of television.

However, with the proliferation of streaming services and non-traditional media services, traditional television viewers are no longer the most important stat. YouTube channels associated with TV channels and their programming are now echoing out content.

A famous example of using YouTube to grab attention and beat the competition is Jimmy Fallon's impact on NBC's The Tonight Show. Rather than sticking with the traditional format, Jimmy chose to focus the show on creating shareable content that could be spliced and uploaded to the show's YouTube channel.

The strategy was key to wooing back the lucrative 18-34-year-old market to the program. By reaching viewers in the format that is the easiest for them to digest, it sparked interest in the program and built loyalty.

Gossip apps lead to new fan interaction

What used to form the basis of water-cooler talk in the office is now the realm of apps like Deep, which allow members to discuss information about their favorite Hollywood performers and B-list YouTube celebrities. These types of apps represent a shift from traditional gossip magazines, towards a more interactive platform.

There are still professional writers that contribute content to these apps, but the ability for amateur writers and reporters to jump in on the gossip gives the environment a different energy.

For celebrities and their agents, getting the attention of this new media is becoming a bigger part of their strategy for increasing reach. There have been multiple instances where agents have tried to post favorable or buzz-worthy content about their clients under pseudonyms. While it sometimes works, there's the potential for blowback when agents get caught.

New licensing agreements

Music and television fans are increasingly using smartphones and tablets to stream content from services like Pandora, Spotify and Netflix. To compensate artists, the entertainment industry is evolving to include streaming agreements in royalty payments to actors and artists. Spotify pays artists using an advanced algorithm to compensate content creators without bankrupting the service. Netflix purchases unlimited streaming licenses for the content they provide during calendar periods.

For many actors and producers of older movies and TV shows, they are not being compensated for these streaming royalties. This is primarily due to the fact that their contracts did not include provisions for streaming. Thankfully newer content is contracted to fairly compensate all the artists with royalty payments for their work, no matter how the content is distributed.

Mobile apps cater to international audiences

Where traditional media is limited by geographic boundaries, mobile apps can distribute content well beyond traditional national borders. For example, comedian Jeff Dunham has performed around the world at special bookings because of the popularity of his YouTube channel. Taking his content online has allowed him to easily reach out to an audience outside of his traditional US demographic.

Thanks to the international reach of mobile technology, especially budget android phones, the world of technology and information has provided unlimited opportunities to connect with new audiences. To power all of these mobile devices, sites like iRecharge allow users to keep their devices topped off and connected to the world of entertainment that they love.