What are addressable TV and personalized TV?

Addressable TV refers to the capability of delivering targeted advertising to specific households or individuals through their television sets. This is done by using advanced technologies such as cable or satellite set-top boxes, or smart TVs, that can identify and track viewers, and then deliver ads that are relevant to their interests and demographics. Addressable TV advertising allows for more precise targeting and measurement than traditional TV advertising, which is typically delivered to broad audiences through a specific channel or program. As a result, addressable TV advertising can be more cost-effective and efficient and can lead to higher engagement and conversion rates for advertisers.



Please note that personalized TV and addressable TV are two different concepts. Personalized TV refers to the ability to personalize the viewing experience for each individual viewer, by providing them with tailored content, recommendations, and other features based on their viewing history, preferences, and demographics.

Personalized TV can enhance the viewing experience by making it more personalized and relevant to the user's interests. Some examples of personalized TV features include personalized content recommendations, dynamic ad insertion, and personalized navigation.

What are the advantages of having a personalized TV experience?

There are several benefits of personalized TV:

Increased viewer engagement: Personalized TV can make the viewing experience more relevant and enjoyable for viewers, resulting in increased engagement and satisfaction.

Better targeting: Personalized TV can deliver targeted content and ads to individual viewers based on their viewing history, preferences, and demographics, which can lead to higher engagement and conversion rates for advertisers.

Improved user experience: Personalized TV can offer a more personalized navigation and interface, making it easier for viewers to find and watch the content they want.

Increased revenue: Personalized TV can lead to increased revenue for content providers and advertisers by providing more effective ways to monetize their content and reach their target audiences.

Better audience insights: Personalized TV can provide valuable insights into viewer behavior and preferences, which can be used to improve content and advertising strategies.

Improved retention: Personalized TV can help to retain the audience by providing them with tailored and relevant content, which will keep them entertained and engaged.

Greater control: Personalized TV can give viewers greater control over their viewing experience, allowing them to personalize their content and navigation, and watch what they want when they want.

Are music TV channels a good first step to experimenting personalized TV?

Personalized Music TV channels are the video equivalent of playlists on music streaming services like iTunes and Spotify. Let's see why playlists have become more popular than albums

Convenience: Playlists offer a convenient way for users to discover new music and create their own listening experience. Users can easily select a playlist that fits their mood or activity and listen to it without having to manually pick and choose songs.

Personalization: Music streaming services use data analysis and machine learning to create personalized playlists based on users' listening history and preferences. These playlists can be tailored to their tastes and habits, making them more engaging and appealing.

Variety: Playlists offer a diverse range of music from different artists and genres, as opposed to an album which is usually from a single artist. This allows users to discover new music and artists, and have a more diverse listening experience.

Social sharing: Playlists can be shared and followed by other users, which can create a sense of community and social engagement around music discovery.

Marketing: Music streaming services also use playlists as a way to market and promote new music, as well as to increase artist visibility and reach new audiences.

Flexibility: Playlists are more flexible than albums as they allow users to add, delete and rearrange the songs, creating their own custom playlists.

The same principles can be applied to personalized music TV channels.

Article written by
Sylvain Corvaisier

Independent streaming and iOS engineer

Last modified: February 17th, 2025