Here’s how you can venture into the task of starting your own TV network:
Define Your Goal and Target Audience
Why are you starting your own TV network? The earlier you define it, the faster your television network will realize success.
You might be starting a TV network to genuinely fill a gap in the market, or you might want to use it to promote your business. Defining your goal will also determine the content you will deliver and hence, your target audience. You could focus on:
- Live broadcasts
- Original TV shows
- Sports shows
- Informative channels
- Tutorials
- Testimonials and case studies
- Live events
And so on. It is best to niche down rather than to try all sorts of content to please everyone. Specializing will help you create a dedicated community or fan base.
Rent a Channel
In the industry, you will find many channels available for lease. Any cable operator that maintains the minimum threshold of the number of channels defined by the regional law must reserve a group of channels for leased access.
You can rent one of these channels at a monthly, half-yearly, or annual subscription. The cost to rent these channels is primarily determined by the number of channel subscribers — quite intuitively, the bigger the company, the more you will pay.
Set Up Your Technical Equipment
If you are mostly going to air purchased/rented content, you might not need any equipment. However, if you will need to air live content, it’s best to get at least the essentials:
- Video source: At least one camera. Technically, you can use a webcam or even your smartphone to go live, but professional cameras get the job done most efficiently.
- Audio source: Mainly a microphone. You can also use background music or a pre-recorded audio file.
- Encoder: It is needed to stream from continuous image files. You can choose between a dedicated hardware encoder or a software encoder that runs on your computer.
- Lighting: It’s crucial to get a suitable lighting system to assist your recording and live streaming sessions.
- Mixing equipment: If you use multiple video sources, you will need a mixer to manage their video output.
Advertise Your Network
When it’s time for the big launch, you will want to make sure people are watching. Explore economical advertisement options like local promotional events or newspaper ads. Also, be more interactive on your social media accounts.
Use visually appealing, balanced, and captivating posts to generate high audience engagement. You can also organize giveaways to get the people talking!
If you are planning on starting your own television network, be sure to contact QES Malaysia because they are pioneers in offering broadcasting services including all the equipment needed for a television network.