FuboTV is far from the biggest virtual MVPD, but it continues to build a compelling product to compete with larger services like Sling TV and DirecTV Now.
This summer, fuboTV has added features like 4K HDR content and grown its channel lineup through deals such as last week's agreement with Turner.
FuboTV has also recently made some big new hires in Erik Gerson, a Tidal alum who will now be senior vice president of engagement for fuboTV, and David Yoon, a veteran SVOD builder who will now serve as senior vice president of design for fuboTV.
Yoon, who is managing all design and creative services for fuboTV, comes to the vMVPD after working as vice president of design at WB Digital Labs, an OTT platform service provider that runs DramaFever and has helped build OTT services for AMC, Boomerang, Warner Archive and DC Comics.
Yoon recently provided FierceVideo with some answers about what he’ll be doing in his newly created position at fuboTV, how his efforts will help the service maintain its reputation for being a first mover on new video technologies and the principle differences between building for VOD services and vMVPDs.
FierceVideo: You're taking on a newly created position at fuboTV. Can you describe a little further what you'll be doing at the company?
David Yoon: My primary goal is to advance how design operates within fuboTV and expand its influence across the many areas within the org. The best products and experiences result from the synergy of capable and cohesive teams, and I’m invested in introducing tools and workflows to increase effective collaboration. Another area I’m focusing on is raising the fluency of design across the org through active education, communicating the rationale behind design decisions, and tighter feedback loops. Creating useful products and features can only happen when we have a strong understanding of behaviors and needs of our customers, and much of what I’m trying to establish is a quicker, more effective path from insight to execution.
FierceVideo: FuboTV prides itself on being ahead of the curve on other virtual MVPDs in terms of offering new and emerging video technologies. How will that strategy play into what you're doing at fuboTV?
Yoon: We do pride ourselves on being ahead of the curve of emerging video technologies, like being the first vMVPD to launch 4K HDR Beta, which we did in July during World Cup. We have an immensely creative and fast-working group of folks here at fuboTV, which allows us to quickly ideate, experiment and launch not only novel features but continuous improvements across our supported device platforms.
I’m here to build off of that and help increase efficiency and scalability in how the function of design is applied to our product development process, to further capitalize on opportunities to stay ahead of the curve. Initiatives to better align and streamline how design, product and engineering teams collaborate are already in the works, and we’ll continue to evaluate and evolve the ways in which we create experiences that are seamless and delightful for our customers.
FierceVideo: You've done a lot of designing for VOD services. What different aspects do you have to consider when designing for a livestreaming service like fuboTV?
Yoon: The main consideration that is unique to a vMVPD in comparison to a purely SVOD service is the complexity around the mixture of live TV and VOD content. Unlike most VOD services where anything you see is something watchable, we need to make simple and clear what’s live now, what’s upcoming or recordable and what’s available on-demand. The other aspect that’s an interesting challenge, especially as we continue to entice customers away from existing cable solutions, is to create a service that is advanced yet familiar; we’re taking concepts and interface ideas that have been around for quite some time and adapting and improving them for a modern audience.