Micropayment Developments for Broadcasters

Online music buying utilising micropayments has been a major success story over the past 5 years. With the dramatic and successful rise in eCommerce music download sites such as iTunes and Spotify leading the way, the revolutionary example set by the music industry is clear. Now television broadcasters are set to follow suit by applying micropayments to their VOD services.

Television Pay-Per-View (PPV) has been around since the creation of video on demand, with charges made for one-off sporting events and movies well established. However, micropayments present a new way of thinking about TV funding as broadcasters seek to monetise more of their digital content through eCommerce payments.

UK broadcasters are already trialling micropayments, with ITV tracking the progress through their online site and Channel 4 looking to extend their 4oD service to move away from the current ad-funded model.

Sceptics of the move to micropayments through connected-TV and VOD are raising concerns that users who are used to content being free and open via the internet will be turned away with the new development. However it is clear that from the success of monetising digital content through micropayments experienced with mobile commerce and ringtones, through app stores such as iTunes and the aforementioned music download sites that the modern user is willing to pay for the content they want when they want it.

MPP Global’s one-click payment eCommerce solution supports online micropayments and can help to open your business to increased revenue through monetising digital content.