Is there a future for the EPG? Where the UI Revolution is Taking Us

The EPG is the most consistently used content discovery tool across all age groups, across Europe. In Continental Europe, 81% of viewers frequently use their EPG, with the number rising to 96% in the UK.

We have seen a huge shift in user interfaces across technology recently. So why hasn't the EPG user interface changed significantly in recent years?

Yahoo no longer looks like this:

 

The BBC no longer looks like this

 

But most EPGs have barely changed format in the past ten years. At the moment, viewers have to scroll through pages and pages of TV channels, often while using a clunky remote control.

Isn't it about time the traditional EPG grid caught up with the UI revolution?

Some TV guides are already starting to experience UI changes.

As a first step, we are seeing more and more EPGs starting to use enhanced, rich TV metadata, with high resolution photos. As metadata gets better, consumers can expect more EPGs to start serving related content, trivia, behind-the-scenes videos, and associated media from within the grid.

In the future, the EPG is set to become even more personalised, social, and (surprisingly) editorial.

The Personalised EPG

According to Yahoo, 86% of TV viewers use mobile devices while watching TV.

This makes companion devices the perfect platform for the personalised EPG experience. While the TV screen is a shared interface that makes it difficult to personalise to a single person's tastes, the companion device offers the perfect solution.

So what does a personalised EPG look like? Personalisation can come in multiple forms:

• Selecting favourite channels to create a personal EPG
• Saving favourite key search terms
• Eliminating disliked shows and channels from the TV guide
• Signing up for reminders about favourite shows
• Being served live TV and VOD recommendations that are perfectly tailored to an individual's preferences and behaviours

The Social EPG

Social networks are increasingly becoming part of the TV watching experience. Thinkbox, the marketing body for commercial TV in the UK, recently found that 44% of viewers use social networks while watching TV.

Since the EPG is used by 90% of Europeans on a frequent basis, it makes a good platform for social integration. For example, the EPG could highlight shows that their friends are watching at that moment, or recommend shows that are trending on Twitter.

The Editorial EPG

The key difference between many new TV guides and old media, is that old media has an expert opinion. A newspaper tells viewers when something is worth watching- not just the fact that television is on tonight.

And the truth is, newspapers and magazines are still a trusted source of recommendations, particularly among older demographics. The best way to strike a balance between trusted old media and personalised new media is to include strong editorial content within the EPG. This can be sourced from trusted print sources, which often provide feeds of editorial TV content.

A connected TV guide can combine the best of a personalised, interactive experience with the best of a glossy print TV guide magazine.
However, it's important to note a word of caution at this point.

While the EPG user interface is definitely going to evolve along with the rest of technology, it is important to keep usability at the heart of any innovation. TV is still a lean-back medium, and totally transforming one of the main tools people use could cripple usability.

The EPG is an interface that viewers are already comfortably familiar with- any drastic change will result in confusion and could create a negative backlash. As such, many of the changes to the user interface will probably happen from within the current structure - rather than tearing it apart and starting from scratch. Instead, there will be probably be incremental changes that over time result in a totally new interface that viewers are comfortable with.

Improved usability, enticing layouts and personalised EPG features will all encourage viewers to explore new content(both inside and outside the linear schedule).
As more and more EPGs adopt new, slick user interface, we can expect content discovery to become more effective for viewers at a personal level - helping them find television they love.

Emma blogs for TV Genius over at the TV Trends Blog. TV Genius is a software company that has specialised in TV content discovery, recommendations, search, and interactive TV guides since 2005. blog comments powered by Disqus

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