Panel: David F. Poltrack (CBS Corporation & CBS VISION); Radha Subramanyam, Ph.D. (CBS Television); Scott McDonald, Ph.D. (ARF)
Scott: How is CBS dealing with disruption? How has the process changed?
David & Radha: Disruption is hard. It is essential to stay focused on objectives. Data is useless without insights. Smarter data leads to better insights. Surround yourself with people who are not afraid of change. Commit to it. Individuals should not be afraid of lateral changes. Curiosity is necessary for insights. What are the true goals for your troops? Advertising research is based on science. Data scientists come up with lots of numbers. Need to reeducate management. Get insights out of your title!
Scott: How has disruption changed the TV broadcast model?
David & Radha: It has totally changed our model; it’s now (including) selling directly to consumers, selling internationally. Involved in new customer relationships, new pricing models, extending the scope of CBS’s research.
Scott: Do new shows have more opportunities to find their audiences?
David & Radha: Better data lets CBS track the program, track progressive reach. Due to social media and time shifting programming, there is a need to track continuously, changing marketing promotions. No longer must the mass audience love the new program as a smaller segment of the audience (niche) can make a program successful.