‘EMA’ to Become ‘OTT.X’, Reflecting Today’s Industry Ecosystem

Board approves core changes for the Association, including updated vision and mission statements and objectives.

Press Release – Jan 17, 2020 06:00 PST

LOS ANGELES, January 17, 2020  – After over three decades of policy and business support for the home video retailing industry, the Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA) is broadening its scope and community to reflect the evolution of the home entertainment ecosystem. In connection with its expanding vision, the association is rebranding to become OTT.X (The Over The Top Exchange).

The Trade Association originally launched in 1984 as The Video Software Dealers Association and has continued to evolve as the home-entertainment industry has changed, initially supporting an industry of mom-and-pop VHS rental stores, then DVD and sell-through retailing, followed by transactional VOD. The new vision positions the organization to more broadly support the business of bringing audio-visual entertainment to the consumer through all OTT means, including TVOD, SVOD and AVOD. The organization will support digital retailers, channels, content providers, networks, platforms, and MVPDs.

The Vision of OTT.X is “a vibrant ecosystem of companies continually advancing the consumer experience and business of delivering audio-visual entertainment through OTT technologies,” and its updated Mission is “to connect and nurture the OTT ecosystem enabling innovation, collaboration, and competition.” The Association will continue to focus on the “business” aspects of this industry by facilitating business exchange and community, sharing industry insights and research, organizing and managing industry interest groups, such as digital supply chain and retailing best practices, and managing a leadership development foundation.

The Association’s new direction was motivated by its recent successes both in July at its two-day OTT_X Market and Conference and at its OTT_X @ Pipeline that followed in September.

“We are excited about the opportunity to leverage the experience and the community that we’ve built into supporting the growing segments of SVOD and AVOD,” said Mark Fisher, President & CEO of OTT.X. “Activities will include driving the development and adoption of supply chain standards, facilitating round-table discussions of industry business topics and providing platforms for the sharing of ideas and efficient one-on-one business dealings.”

“There are so many new and emerging channels and networks looking to collaborate with their peers in building a more effective ecosystem,” added Cameron Douglas, OTT.X Chair and VP, Home Entertainment at Fandango. “I look forward to working more broadly with digital retailers, MVPDs, digital channels and networks, distribution platforms, including vMVPDs and consumer electronics manufacturers, and all the companies creating and distributing content to these channels, as well as technology-enabling services supporting our businesses.”