NEW YORK ? Media and mobile executives at Digiday Mobile spoke about the importance of mobile video and how it acts as both a supplement and additional screen for consumers.

During the ?Mobile video is ready for its closeup? panel, both television companions and mobile-specific video was discussed. In addition to content, mobile video advertising was talked about.

?It is important to look at how people are using devices to create a user base to watch videos on multiple screens,? said Harry Kargman, founder/CEO of Kargo, New York.

?There?s not an alternative device for television - it is mobile,? he said. ?Mobile is becoming part of an everyday palette for advertisers,? he said.

Handheld video
According to Mr. Kargman, the average user spends approximately four hours on their mobile device per day.

?A change in behavior is changing where people are consuming their entertainment,? Mr. Kargman said.

Mr. Kargman said that an increase in metrics and data from mobile usage has helped Kargo?s clients realize that the opportunities for mobile are attainable.

?The challenge is making sure that the ecosystem doesn?t undercut itself,? Mr. Kargman said.

Advertisers and marketers will also have to figure out a way to set apart premium and non-premium video content.

Also on the panel was Ernie Cormier, president/CEO of Nexage, Waltham, MA.

Mr. Cormier spoke about the increase in video advertising Nexage?s clients have seen.

?There is a demand for any video we can get,? Mr. Cormier said.

?The challenge is getting past the premium content and selling inventory,? he said.

Mobile supplement
Brian Colbert, director of mobile advertising sales at ESPN, New York, spoke on the panel about the role that mobile video plays with its other channels.

?Being able to watch content live is important for sports fans,? Mr. Colbert said. ?When you want to watch a game, you gravitate towards whichever screen you can.?

?At ESPN, mobile video supplements the TV and desktop experience,? he said.

According to the ESPN executive, mobile follows a rise in ratings across all channels of the cable network.

A screen shot of the WatchESPN iPhone app

Mr. Colbert also says that ESPN has noticed different behavior patterns between smartphones and tablet devices.

Smartphones in general have a shorter consumption rate and are used to watch snack-size video clips while tablets are used at home for longer video segments.

When thinking about inventory, Mr. Colbert urges publishers to represent themselves.

?No one knows your audience like you know it,? Mr. Colbert said. ?Impressions are impressions.?

Shift to mobile
Mobile video is on the cusp of consumer adoption, according to the panel.

?I predict we will see a shift in this quarter with more mobile video,? said Jerry Rocha, vice president of media solutions at The Nielsen Company, New York.

Mobile video is primarily used today as a co-viewing experience, per Mr. Rocha.

From an advertising perspective, desktop and mobile ads will differentiate themselves from television ads in the coming years.

?Snack-sized clips are appealing to consumers now, but in the future there will be a shift to more long-form content,? he said.

?Does the DVR still have relevancy when you can watch TV anywhere anymore??

Final Take
Brian Colbert, director of mobile advertising sales at ESPN, New York