How LED Quality Impacts Ratings

By Camille Burch, Marketing Director at Neoti

Did you know LED quality can impact television ratings? As ratings season approaches, it’s a smart time to reflect on the many factors that influence viewer choices in their news and entertainment programming, like a studio’s LED displays. Investing in high-quality LED particularly makes a difference for broadcast studios as thousands of content outlets compete for mindshare among viewers. Here are just a few ways LED enhances broadcast programming and subsequently ratings.

Trust in What You See 

According to academic research published in the Newspaper Research Journal, exposure to low-quality news videos led audiences to view news organizations as less credible and lacking in value. Furthermore, broadcasting even a few low-quality images damaged efforts to attract and retain an audience. 

In today’s fast-paced, digital age, people have many choices of content, so attracting and retaining an audience is critical. Consumers are quickly assessing content quality to determine if it’s credible, and this is particularly true of younger audiences. Build a trust with the audience by delivering the very best in LED imagery.

Achieve Better Storytelling

According to The Broadcast Bridge, LED walls can facilitate better storytelling because of the creative details the technology affords. A case in point is “the world’s largest LED screen” displayed at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games Opening Ceremonies. This 10,552 square meter display was actually a floor made up of 40,000 LED modules delivering resolutions beyond 8K. The result was a display that pushed the boundaries of what LED is capable of to deliver an enhanced visual experience. 
Productions like this garner the attention of broadcast studio designers, who rely on innovative solutions to help elevate news while also giving the talent more storytelling options. In instances where the news might be covering topics like natural disasters, wars, election results or major entertainment events, the color and image resolution greatly impact the delivery. The story becomes more alive and real when the video details are on point.

Aspire to Creativity 

Historically, LED costs have deterred many studios from investing in anything outside a single, flat centerpiece LED wall. Today, high-quality LED displays are more cost effective and accessible, helping studio designers unleash their creative spirit. We’re seeing this creativity with many of our new installations where we are delivering curved walls, convex and concave, a large center wall flanked by smaller walls, LED on the desk, AR/VR capabilities and more.

Creativity like this is a huge advantage for program designers because it affords them the ability to move away from a fixed camera and tight synchronization. News programs become more dynamic and engaging, holding the interest of viewers longer. The range of form factors help on-air talent tell more comprehensive, multi-dimensional stories. Maximum flexibility translates to more interesting and compelling broadcasts.

Reach for World-Class Service

With all the innovation available in LED technology, it’s vitally important to partner with a proven leader in broadcast-specific LED. With so many options available, and considering this is a major investment for any studio, it’s important that your LED partner consult with you throughout the process, is trustworthy and responsive, and has the expertise to provide world-class support throughout your buying and commissioning process.

Start by talking through the options with your LED partner and ask the right questions. For example, find out where they are located and consider working with a partner in your country. For example, if you’re in the U.S., working with a US-based partner who can provide support in your language and time zone can make all the difference in your experience. Other helpful questions to ask include:

• How much repeat business do they have? 
• What are their latest projects? 
• Are there customers they can contact for a reference? 

Shine Bright & Stand Out

LED quality has a direct impact on how viewers perceive the trustworthiness, storytelling capability and creativity of a news studio. Superior LED will make your station stand out and keep audiences engaged. Back up your exceptional content with vibrant visuals, and keep viewers engaged and interested for the long haul, and see ratings climb.