The print industry has long separated publishing and printing. The publisher sends job files to a specialist printer, who could well be running competitors' jobs through the same presses. Broadcasters have more recently adopted this model, handing over transmission to service providers such as Ascent Media, Technicolor and Red Bee. GlobeCast is another player in this market that is able to offer a range of services including content management and delivery. It operates satellite and fiber circuits between teleports across the world and can now offer its network clients broadcast playout facilities.

GlobeCast is about to open its third playout center. Currently in testing, the Singapore center will soon start transmissions for a well-known global media company. The facility joins GlobeCast's other media centers in London and Sunrise, FL.

Singapore has long been popular as a media hub, with a location ideal to uplink to satellites covering Asia and the Pacific region. Ascent Media has run a facility out of Singapore for nearly a decade since the purchase of Four Media, and other media companies such as HBO, Technicolor and CNBC have bases in Singapore as well.

GlobeCast has an existing teleport operation in Singapore to provide fiber and satellite network services, so Singapore was a natural choice for its new playout center. Its regional headquarters are in the well-known Singapore landmark, the art-deco style Parkview Square building.

GlobeCast's new Singapore playout center is in the landmark Parkview Square building.
The initial system is equipped with four playout channels, but it is designed to scale upward. The design closely follows that of the London center, which launched in the summer of 2007 with six channels and has recently expanded to 25.

The video and audio system is based on main and backup Omneon MediaDeck servers, with a Snell & Wilcox processing chain. Broadcast automation and content management is handled by Pharos Playtime and Mediator. A Miranda Kaleido multiviewer is used to monitor the playout operations, and DVB subtitling is provided by systems from Screen Subtitling.

For media file storage, GlobeCast chose a clustered storage system from Isilon, with 800 hours of capacity of MPEG-2 files encoded in long GOP at 10Mb/s.

The Pharos application allows GlobeCast to create different workflows, each matching the needs of a client. For example, its first Singapore client wanted to browse the content store from the edit bay and run dubbing stations for the subtitling process. The Pharos content management platform enables GlobeCast to offer clients remote access. The client will get browse access to the content store from GlobeCast's two edit suites located adjacent to the playout facility using the Pharos thin client. GlobeCast also wanted to offer clients the option to ingest remotely from its offices in Hong Kong -- a distance of 1600mi (2600km) -- but using the browse approach, distance is no object. GlobeCast can centralize the infrastructure, but doesn't need to centralize the users.

The Singapore facility will offer editing, ingest and QC, compliance recording and tape library management in addition to playout. Linked onto the GlobeCast network, the facility can offer regionalized feeds to multinational media conglomerates.

GlobeCast is adding to the growing trend among broadcasters to outsource their transmission services, leaving the broadcasters to concentrate on programming, sales and channel brand promotion.

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Originally published online by Broadcast Engineering

QVC UK partnered with Ensequence to completely redesign and rebuild the QVC UK interactive television shopping experience on Sky Digital. In addition, the Ensequence Professional Services team in the UK managed the deployment and integration with QVC's transactional, fulfillment and content management systems.

Using Ensequence technology, QVC UK is able to promote a wide range of interactive product browsing options for their viewers and to change the featured products each day. The interactive TV shopping experience allows viewers to use their Sky remote control to choose between four separate video channels and easily purchase on-air products from each one.

"We're excited to be working with QVC UK to enable the most advanced interactive television shopping channel in the world," said Dalen Harrison, Ensequence CEO. "With interactive television, QVC UK is increasing viewer engagement and making it simple for viewers to purchase products directly from their television using their remote control."

QVC Active offers a multi-screen service of four video streams: the live television output; QVC + 1 hour; the Today's Special Value video; and the dedicated Beauty Channel, showcasing QVC's beauty range, giving customers more choices in how they view and buy. Every channel is supported by real-time product tracking information.

The Beauty Channel is played out and managed by a specialist broadcast planning, asset management and transmission system which was developed in partnership with PubliTronic UK,, using their server and customised Cobalt control software. The system automatically segments and stores the beauty products aired by QVC to an Isilon iQ storage cluster provided by Pharos UK and allows QVC's planning department to select appropriate beauty videos for transmission. Only those products that are in stock are available for the transmission play-lists as the whole system is fully integrated with QVC's real-time business systems. Product sell-outs are also automatically handled by either removing the clips from play-lists or by real time generation of on-air sell out graphics. The Isilon iQ storage system will hold a library of six months of QVC's beauty clips. Initially the Beauty Channel will offer four hours of looped videos.

"These are exciting times for QVC viewers on Sky," commented Paul Murphy, Head of Media Technology, QVC UK. "Ensequence software and services have provided us with the capability to enhance and develop our own on-air interactive applications, and PubliTronic has provided us with our first end-to-end tapeless workflow and transmission system. Combined with Isilon's iQ storage provided by Pharos, we now have a robust and flexible way of allowing our customers to make considered purchases of beauty products from the wealth of broadcast-quality videos that we have available. This a genuine example of partnership, with everyone, including our own media technology team, working together to deliver a complicated integration project which gives our customers a faster, richer and better-designed service with more choice of products every day."

read more about Pharos' technology partner Publitronic

"This award was a highlight of one of the most forward-looking IBCs ever," responds Russell Grute of Pharos. "The new Mediator 4 user interface stimulated in-depth discussions with international broadcasters and service-providers planning their next-generation workflow. The integrated workflow, content management and playout automation delivered by Mediator and Playtime was clearly seen as the right solution architecture by many visitors.

"Pharos Mediator 4 builds on 11 years of experience, redefining workflow in broadcast operations and provides a common user interface with search tools and integrated browse at every desktop. Pharos Mediator and Playtime solutions are already proven and in operation round-the-clock at many of the world's largest broadcasters and transmission service-providers including, Ascent Media, Channel 4, the BBC World Service, Globecast and HBO. The refinements available in Mediator 4 result from listening to our customers, working closely with them and developing the platform to meet the needs of the rapidly evolving media and entertainment market."

Pharos Mediator with Playtime is a high performance platform to deliver efficiencies for playout, content management with workflow driven from the desktop. It offers highly efficient multi-channel, multi-platform and multi-site broadcast and new media delivery by unifying operations under a single enterprise. Mediator handles all files transfers automatically and keeping unnecessary complexity away from the user, allowing them to concentrate on the task at hand.

Highlights of Mediator 4 include:

• New workflow tools to streamline operations in Library, Ingest, QC, Compliance, Promotions, Approvals and Playout:

• Browser based multichannel playout user interface enabling traditional playout and publishing operations to be distributed more efficiently than ever before.

• Multi-language user interface allowing operators to share content, workflow and infrastructure using their preferred language.

• Mediator Event Templates enable traffic, scheduling and channel management systems to simplify secondary events and manage channel and content promotions directly for any distribution platform - including terrestrial, satellite VOD, IPTV and mobile.

• Mediator 4 Business Reports Framework, a unique range of live reports to help improve short term and long range business planning.

Pharos solutions deliver efficient content management to international broadcasters and service-providers in television, radio, IPTV and telecommunications. Founded in 1997, Pharos has continually developed the unique Mediator broadcast management platform. Mediator workflow offers greater efficiency throughout broadcast operations from library management, and ingest through quality control and post-production, with integrated Pharos Playtime playout automation. Mediator also processes and delivers content for new media services such as VOD, IPTV and mobile. Mediator protects investment in third party technology and directly manages storage, file transfers, archive subsystems and transcoding. Pharos solutions offer a next-generation platform to manage multiformat content and enable rapid expansion in playout, presentation and new media distribution. The Pharos software architecture enables disparate broadcast and IT processes to be unified across the enterprise.

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"The further investment in the Media Centre represents continued growth in advanced solutions for our clients and builds an even stronger foundation for our move into the truly tapeless future," comments Roger Henderson, Ascent Media's MD and Senior VP, Content Distribution. "Our digital archive and distribution strategy will enable Ascent to deliver an even wider range and greater scale of services than we are currently able to support. The Media Centre is fully HD-compatible and capable of ingesting SD, ASI and HD to support long-form programmes as well as short-form interstitials. It has full satellite downlinking integration and connectivity to other Ascent Media sites in New York, Los Angeles and Singapore."

"A key objective to the technical design was to create an inherently resilient system based around commodity IT processes and components," adds Andrew Hull, VP Broadcast Systems and Networks at Ascent. "It was also important to achieve a solution that would enable Ascent to continue moving forward without interrupting ongoing operations. Pharos met the challenge with its powerful Mediator content management and workflow platform. Mediator meets all our current business requirements and gives us the flexibility to expand into new forms of delivery. Key requirements included automated and accelerated ingest, electronic file processing and the ability to handle multiple languages more efficiently. Mediator includes efficient quality control and allows clients to view their material remotely. Crucially, it gives us a platform for integrating a large digital library."

"Ascent Media set out to enhance their capabilities in the Media Centre and to expand the services it could offer to existing and new clients," comments Russell Grute from Pharos. "Using Mediator will improve efficiencies for the high quality playout services that Ascent offers and enable expansion beyond playout by providing services for new media. Mediator's new user interface with enhanced browse and search tools may help attract new customers to Ascent; it is easy to upgrade workflows whilst in operation and extremely user-friendly. Contracts were agreed and signed at the end of July and project rollout on site commenced in August. The first phase is expected to be operational by mid September. Ascent and Pharos will continue working in close partnership to achieve the Phase One operational milestones".

Ascent Media Network Services (AMNS) specialises in network origination, content distribution and systems consulting, engineering, integration and support, with content distribution facilities in Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; Stamford, CT; Minneapolis, MN; London, England and Singapore. AMNS is part of Santa Monica, CA-based Ascent Media Group which provides a wide range of services to the media entertainment industries and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Discovery Holding Company (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB). For further information, visit www.ascentmedia.com.

Pharos delivers better workflow management to broadcasters and service-providers in television, radio, IPTV and telecommunications. For 11 years Pharos has continually developed its unique Mediator, Playtime and Pilot desktop broadcast management solutions. Pharos workflow offers greater efficiency for library management, ingest, quality control, storage management, archival, transcoding, post-production and playout. Pharos solutions offer a next-generation platform to manage multiformat content and enable rapid expansion in playout, presentation and publishing. Pharos software architecture, integration and support services enable disparate broadcast and IT processes to be unified across the enterprise.

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Since IBC 2007 Pharos has been working closely with key customers to develop new options for the Mediator content management platform. Key to Mediator 4 is a new streamlined user interface to help all areas of the business work together more efficiently. Advanced workflow, search tools and services are now added to retrieve, promote and deliver content for playout and beyond to new VOD and mobile services.

"Whether their future business opportunity is promoting content, creating channels or expanding their distribution our customers are asking for a single platform to manage their material and operations," explains Russell Grute at Pharos. "They now seek to manage operations more efficiently for increasingly complex multi-language and multichannel distribution. This requires a proven workflow engine capable of dealing securely with thousands of manual and automated processes every day. Mediator 4 enables this and, delivers workflow to drive content and promotions for VOD, IPTV and mobile services alongside playout operations."

"They are also demanding an all-new level of business reporting to ensure that they are meeting service level agreements, whilst at the same time using their creative talent and, optimising their technology infrastructure."

Mediator 4 adds new functionality to manage content globally from the desktop. Mediator 4 incorporates productivity enhancements for all areas of operations including Library Management, Ingest, QC, Promotions, Compliance and Approvals. Mediator 4 will be available as an upgrade for existing Pharos Mediator systems. Mediator 4 provides a next-generation platform which integrates content management and workflow to drive playout and new media distribution.

New at IBC 2008 Mediator 4

NEW Mediator 4 advanced search tools and framework provide easier access to the right content and metadata across the enterprise with high quality browse at every desktop.

NEW Mediator 4 multi-language user interface allows users to share the same system and material, working together both locally and remotely in their preferred language. A possible first for a broadcast content management system, this important addition to Mediator will be demonstrated at IBC 2008.

NEW Playtime web based playout allows playout and publishing operations to be distributed between international broadcasters, service providers, their affiliates and clients.

NEW Playtime Event Templates now enable traffic or scheduling systems to directly manage channel and content promotion for any distribution platform including VOD, IPTV and mobile. Playtime Event Templates manage all secondary events such as graphics, subtitles, and multi-language audio as a single business process.

NEW Mediator 4 Business Reports, a unique range of reports to help improve short term and long range business planning. Every action in Mediator is tracked in real-time against business priorities such as the schedule or service level agreement.

Mediator 4 Dashboards provide live information to monitor the current state of the system and infrastructure to enable the optimal allocation of resources.

Mediator 4 Analysis displays provide accurate information to evaluate operational performance and trends using historical data. This information can be used for long range planning, to better determine operational efficiency and system utilisation.

Mediator 4 Lists provide operators working in areas such as Library or Ingest for example with "pick lists" or "transfer request lists" to keep work moving at all times. Mediator Lists can also be provided to third party systems such as channel management and traffic.

Mediator modular workflow Task Packs. User interfaces and workflows for key operational roles are now offered as optional Task Packs. Mediator offers a secure and efficient workflow by aligning users, roles and tasks in all areas of operations. Mediator Task Packs include: Library, Ingest, QC, Promotions, Compliance, Approvals, Playout and Control. Each Task Pack presents a set of sequential tasks empowering operators to manage workflow efficiently.

New: New-media workflow Task Pack for VOD and mobile A key new Mediator Task Pack enables content to be managed for new media output platforms such as VOD, Mobile and Internet based delivery. Material can be managed alongside linear playout or as a separate workflow depending on the delivery requirements.

New: Subtitle workflow Task Pack Mediator 4 efficiently integrates subtitle creation and publishing and voice-overs for international distribution at the optimal stage in the workflow. Subtitle systems from multiple third party suppliers can be used within the same system.

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Find Pharos at IBC using the ibc interactive floorplan

MTVN is now using Mediator for end-to-end content management across six programme channels and the new system has capacity for up to 20 channels. Mediator manages ingest, media registration, quality control and promotions editing workflow. Mediator browse is also used throughout the system. Mediator additionally manages all transfer management and transcoding for the delivery to VoD and mobile as part of the workflow. The system does not use conventional playout automation because Mediator works as a 'plug in' to the MediaGenix channel management system, interfacing bi-directionally to manage many operations at the desktop in a creative office environment.

"Within the MTV Networks North region we are aiming to improve our channel presentation by managing content directly and more efficiently from the desktop." says Roderick Aal, VP of Technology for MTVN North. "We needed a unified workflow for all operations under a single enterprise with browse at every desktop. To achieve this, it was essential to decrease internal complexity and maximise integration between different systems and processes, keeping all information synchronous throughout all departments automatically. We also aimed to open up existing transmission operations to make publishing accessible directly to the channel management teams. Delivering higher video and audio quality by minimising transcoding steps throughout entire process to offer digital delivery was also a priority.

"We chose the Pharos Mediator platform because it offers close integration with our key third-party subsystems including Apple Final Cut, MediaGenix What's On and Publitronic Nexus. Pharos delivers efficient processes and better workflows between these systems. We were impressed by Pharos' ability to respond to many of our specific needs within MTVN operations. Mediator improves operational efficiency, particularly in handling multiple versions of content, subtitles and multi-language audio. Our new system also allows secure remote operations, which is sometimes a good thing. Occasionally our staff use Mediator with browse to check or approve material when away from the office."

The entire workflow is handled using Mediator's transfer management and web-based user interfaces with integrated browse. Mediator also streams browse content and metadata directly to the MediaGenix What's On channel management system. In addition to MTVN satellite and terrestrial DTV output, the new system also manages delivery of Flash movies to web viewers giving file-based delivery end-to-end.

"In terms of solutions architecture, the system we have devised in conjunction with MTVN's engineering and operations teams is the closest we have come yet to a truly file-based workflow," adds Russell Grute of Pharos. "There is no baseband video cabling and no dedicated ingest server. Content arriving on tape is ingested directly by Mediator to an Isilon IQ central storage system as MXF files from a Sony Flexicart or from individual Sony e-VTRs. Using the e-VTR network port overcomes the need to digitise files via SDI during ingest. Increasingly, however, material is delivered to Mediator as files without any tape. For MTV Networks North channels, Mediator is driven by the MediaGenix schedule and delivers a flexible workflow to complete all tasks in the right order for transmission priority."

MTVN Europe North is a division of MTV Networks International (MTVNI), owned by Viacom Inc. MTV Networks North includes the premier multimedia entertainment brands MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, Viva, TMF and Comedy Central. MTV Networks North operates TV stations on all available platforms and websites in Germany, Holland, Sweden, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, Austria, Norway and Finland.

Pharos delivers better workflow management to broadcasters and service-providers in television, radio, IPTV and telecommunications. For 11 years Pharos has continually developed its unique Mediator, Playtime and Pilot desktop broadcast management solutions. Pharos workflow offers greater efficiency for library management, ingest, quality control, storage management, archival, transcoding, post-production and playout.

Pharos solutions offer a next-generation platform to manage multiformat content and enable rapid expansion in playout, presentation and publishing. Pharos software architecture, integration and support services enable disparate broadcast and IT processes to be unified across the enterprise.

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Understanding your assets and their usage within the organization is an important and difficult challenge. How much information is displayed about individual assets depends largely on the technical subsystems in which that information resides. It is not as simple as the IT industry contends, but neither is it as complicated as some broadcast manufacturers would have you believe.

Creative knowledge about assets, however detailed, is only part of the requirement. Equal focus needs to be given to their progress and readiness for business.

Creativity vs. productivity in content management

From an operations viewpoint, what is content management really for? Who is using it and why in real daily processes? Here lies the real challenge, as there are many different ways to present, change and move content on its way to the viewer. This is often an area of confusion. Depth of creative knowledge about material within one specific system is easily confused with accessibility or progress around the organization.
With so many solutions now offered, it's clear that someone should have come up with the right solution by now -- but for whom? Anyone who has looked for an end-to-end solution may be disappointed. Is there even a one-size-fits-all solution from production to publishing? Should you make an investment with one of the bigger players or choose a number of island solutions? Maybe the choice needs to be more philosophical, based on a clear understanding of the real needs.

Who is managing content? And for whom?

In production, there is a particular set of needs based on deep and real-time knowledge of content. Post-production operations deal with as yet unconstructed content in different ways, telling a story using complex editing, adding layers, crafting sound and graphics. Compositing and 3-D effects move this even deeper, usually in the skilled hands of a creative. The latest tools offer amazing levels of creativity and support varying levels of collaboration.

In transmission and publishing operations, the simpler post-production tasks such as reversioning, compliance editing and promotions often use the same complex tools but the real focus is now productivity. The volumes of work, speed of turnaround and an audit trail for edit actions are important.

Staff with real operational experience of end-to-end content management are hard to find. This can be a problem when new systems are brought in as raw technical engineering solutions. Other content management solutions are unfortunately just add-ons to existing automation or post-production subsystems.

Looking at the bigger picture, broadcasters are seeking more efficient processes to exploit a wider market for their output in new media platforms, such as mobile and IPTV. This requires a more driven approach with a shallower knowledge of content from a creative point of view and with a much stronger focus on business priorities and content rights or usage.

Service-providers: An evolving breed

A new breed of business emerged several years ago to supply services to broadcasters who want to add channels but without a proportional increase in costs. This new breed is called the transmission service provider. These companies are now evolving to be more like publishing houses.

Service providers aim to manage larger numbers of channels, which requires resilient and scalable media and content management solutions for a wide range of content, channel types and outputs across all platforms.

Combining their proximity to delivery systems with in-house creative talent and economies of technological scale, these operations endeavor to offer their clients end-to-end service and support. They aim to manage content libraries, quality control, compliance, promotions, channel graphics and access services -- making broadcasting more like publishing. Channel management with acquisition, channel design and scheduling everything in-house adds up to an ambitious undertaking. For the service providers, the optimum content management strategy should help scale up operations and increase efficiency for the many repetitive tasks that form part of the service.
Program types such as news, sport and general entertainment have their own media logistics and diverse workflows. The growing number of thematic channels often require a step-change increase in efficiency to be commercially viable, an area where better content management can help.

When devising a future content management strategy for broadcasters and service providers, instead of working from the bottom up with technology, perhaps it is time to change our approach and look from the top down.

So where is the top?

Content management may now best be considered as a middleware platform to unify operations and to manage apparently disparate activities with batch processing where possible. Many processes, however complex, should be almost invisible in a well-designed content management solution. Digitization and transfer management can be managed without direct user interaction. Certainly no one should need to look at folders or a file explorer; this is far too error-prone and risky with one slip of the mouse.
The same system should manage the underlying technology and hardware -- including VTRs, ingest servers, automated quality control, online storage, archive, post production and transmission -- can be managed by the same database and transfer management platform.

First and foremost, the priorities in publishing environments should now be dictated by higher level traffic, scheduling or channel management decisions and processes. Tasks such as ingest, compliance, promos and trailers can be prioritized more efficiently based on knowledge of acquisitions and scheduling. This higher level management is also suited to handling compliance regulations for different territories, international language voice-overs and subtitles.

Acquisition, production, post production, transmission and beyond have overlapping needs for processing video, audio and the associated versions of aspect ratio, Dolby 5.1 and subtitles. However, the complexity of real creative "work in progress" during production and post production doesn't always need to be passed along the chain to service provider processes such QC, compliance, promos, approval and transmission. This is often a cause of confusion among engineers and operators, centered on the correct use and quantity of metadata.

Too much metadata creates process confusion. A better strategy with metadata is to keep it all and only show each user what he or she needs for the task at hand. It is now possible to track multiple program versions in progress at component level (e.g. international audio and subtitles) by employing the latest enterprise database techniques. Standard Web browser-based user interfaces offer practical and cost-effective operation alongside high-quality browse content throughout the enterprise. This can be accessed as many times as required for the tasks at hand. Search and logging tools enhance creative data processes such as archival and research if more information needs to be added or retrieved.

Content often originates as a placeholder somewhere in the workflow. Prior to the acquisition, scheduling or even production of new material, it may be necessary to plan ahead for the workload in areas of operation like compliance, promos and particularly approvals. Reports of workflow progress should be available to channel managers and customers.

Some operators who work in the middle do not use production or creative systems. Instead, they work in areas like compliance and approvals. These areas can be cost-effectively executed using desktop browse allied with a secure workflow. Browse should be everywhere in a well-specified system, allowing maximum collaboration and cooperation between departments.

Extending the enterprise away from the local system further enables content owners to experiment with their content and schedule. This allows service providers to extend their capacity. Third-party subtitling and post-production talent can be hired, particularly when content is internationalized. Language subtitles, graphics and voice-overs are often better managed by using local language talent. This requires more intelligent accelerated file delivery subsystems to be added to the media management transfer system. Outside agencies need to be dealt with securely and will need certification to receive and return the processed content.

Channel planners should be able to see a schedule or commercial break pattern. The graphics staff members need to see their designs in action. Subtitles should be seen with the pictures. Production of promos can now be handled by the media management system integrating editing and graphics systems with the online and archive storage systems. Prioritizing the production of promos is based on the schedule, and can incorporate international audio and voice-overs at the same time.

Summary

The split between producer/broadcasters and publisher/broadcasters and the emergence of dedicated service providers puts a new emphasis on efficiency. For the latter, traditional metadata-centric media/digital asset management systems do not provide the right answer. With the focus on productivity rather than creativity, a content management system should manage the processes and infrastructure that drive content from the archive to air -- a process that is more like publishing.

A new approach is needed that will allow all areas of operations to work together using a common platform and user interface. This will increase productivity, improve management reporting and deliver the right content with the appropriate metadata for the task at hand. In practice, new content management architectures look more like middleware, operating as slaves to traditional schedules, next-generation channel management systems, on-demand and, soon, user-generated requests. This will more closely match the needs of the publisher/broadcaster and service provider who aims to deliver more content to more channels for an increasing variety of delivery systems.

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"We have a good working relationship with Omneon and have confidence in the reliability of the company's Spectrum media server system," said Mr. Vincent Teo, Senior Vice President, Technology and Operations of HBO Asia. "By adding MediaGrid active storage and deploying advanced media management and automation from Pharos we have a solution that delivers an efficient workflow and meets our requirements for cost-effective easy expansion to support the growth of our Asian operations."

HBO Asia will incorporate a 60-TB MediaGrid active storage system from Omneon as a central storage platform along with new Playtime automation and Mediator content management systems from Pharos to deliver 12 SD channels to air. The Singapore-based media company will also use an Omneon ProXchange high-performance transcoding system to support its media repurposing operations. The system will be in operation in the last quarter of 2008.

"HBO needed a more efficient workflow to ingest and manage content for their new sophisticated 3-D presentation style and an automation solution to better manage complex secondary events, subtitles, multiple languages, and local ad breaks," said Russell Grute, director of marketing at Pharos. "Mediator content management and Playtime automation in combination with Omneon storage provide a complete, tested package able to handle the demands of such a large-scale operation."

Pharos Mediator will streamline HBO's workflow and provide media logistics for traffic, library, and ingest operations. Mediator will manage all transfers between the Omneon storage subsystems and integrate the existing data tape library to provide end-to-end media lifecycle management. Mediator also supports future operations like screening, compliance editing, and approvals, and could manage future HD and VoD services.

In addition to its MediaGrid purchase, the Singapore-based media company has upgraded its existing Spectrum server with increased system bandwidth and six additional playback channels to be used as squeeze channels.

"As a leader in home entertainment, HBO Asia understands the importance of delivering timely, high-quality programming to viewers," said Geoff Stedman, Omneon senior vice president of products and markets. "A streamlined file-based workflow will help HBO achieve their goals of greater efficiency with easy expansion capability."

About HBO Asia
Singapore-based HBO Asia is able to bring the best of Hollywood to Asia first due to its licensing deals with major Hollywood studios - Columbia/TriStar, Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios and Warner Bros. HBO Asia offers five commercial-free subscription movie channels - HBO, HBO SIGNATURE, HBO FAMILY, HBO HITS and CINEMAX, - as well as a subscription video on demand service, HBO ON
DEMAND. In addition to the proprietary and award-winning HBO Original programs that are produced exclusively for HBO viewers, HBO works with a large number of major independent production companies to secure exclusive rights to a host of quality movies. HBO Asia is a joint venture of media giants Paramount Films and Time Warner.

About Pharos
Pharos delivers better workflow management to broadcasters and service providers in television, radio, IPTV and telecommunications. Pharos solutions offer a next-generation platform to better manage multiformat content and enable rapid expansion in playout, presentation and publishing. Pharos workflow offers greater efficiency for library management, ingest, quality control, storage management, archival, transcoding, post production and playout. Pharos software architecture, integration and support services enable disparate broadcast and IT processes to be unified across the enterprise. For 10 years Pharos has continually developed the unique Mediator, Playtime and Pilot desktop broadcast management solutions. More information is available at www.pharos.tv.

About Omneon, Inc.
Omneon, Inc., is a leading provider of scalable media server and active storage systems that optimize workflow productivity and on-air reliability for the production, distribution, and management of digital media. Omneon is a pioneer in the use of advanced IT technologies and open systems for broadcast applications, producing a modular and expandable video server architecture in the Omneon Spectrum. The company's MediaGrid active storage system delivers centralized content storage that is scalable in capacity, bandwidth, and media-processing power. The company has an extensive global presence with customers in more than 50 countries on six continents. Omneon is on the Web at www.omneon.com.

All trademarks mentioned herein are the property of the respective owners.

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Post production shot selection using Mediator Browse

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GlobeCast has kicked off an expansion project that encompasses upgrades to its master control facilities and media management system with technology from Hewlett Packard, Omneon and Pharos.

Omneon video servers and an HP SAN have been given extra capacity while more functionality has been added to the Pharos Mediator and Playtime automation products. Improved transcoding, repurposing and monitoring possibilities are also included.

The move will allow the content management and delivery company to double its channel capacity and bring on board new customers. It will also make it possible for current clients to add more playout and multimedia services to their existing contracts.

Explaining the demand for the increased service, GlobeCast content management facilities manager Carl Petch said: "Broadcasters are increasingly trying to outsource multi-media services because of the complexity of the work and because they can't necessarily make the investment for themselves. We can make that investment because we are doing it for numerous international clients."

GlobeCast opened its playout and media management centre at its Grays Inn Road HQ last August, providing linear broadcast playout as well as delivery for IPTV and mobile channels. By the end of 2007, with the centre almost at capacity, a plan was put in place to overhaul the MCR and the media management suite. The upgraded facilities will become fully operational by the end of this summer.

GlobeCast is a subsidiary of France Telecom. The company operates a secure global satellite and fibre network and provides broadcast content management and transmission services. Playout clients include Arsenal TV and the Poker Channel.

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Save or Print this Pharos News Story as a pdf

"Singapore is home to some of the region's most successful international broadcasters and playout service-providers" comments Russell Grute, Director of Marketing at Pharos. "To succeed and grow in South East Asia, many broadcasters and service providers need to work more efficiently. They face unique content management and distribution challenges to localise and promote content for their viewers across a complex region. Singapore's supportive business environment, together with its highly advanced communications infrastructure make it an ideal location for Pharos to help new customers in the region. Our new Singapore operation will provide project engineering and technical support for Pharos systems, as well as direct ongoing support, to customers in the region."

Pharos delivers better workflow management to broadcasters and service-providers in television, radio, IPTV and telecommunications. For 10 years Pharos has continually developed the unique Mediator, Playtime and Pilot desktop broadcast management solutions. Pharos workflow offers greater efficiency for library management, ingest, quality control, storage management, archival, transcoding, post-production and playout. Pharos solutions offer a next-generation platform to better manage multiformat content and enable rapid expansion in playout, presentation and publishing. Pharos software architecture, integration and support services enable disparate broadcast and IT processes to be unified across the enterprise.

Newsmedia contacts
Russell Grute, Pharos + 44 (0)118 950 2323 russell.grute@pharos.tv
David Kirk, Stylus Media Consultants t: +44 (0)1342 311 983 stylusmedia@gmail.com

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Pharos Mediator is a high performance platform for media management and desktop workflow. Mediator offers greater efficiency in multi-channel, multi-platform and multi-site broadcast by unifying workflow and operations under a single enterprise with browse at every desktop. Mediator integrates library management, ingest, QC, compliance, post production and playout providing end-to-end web based desktop operations.

Mediator offers a number of advantages for the complex distribution requirements in Asia. Diverse international target markets often require multi-language audio and subtitles and Mediator provides the most efficient end to end workflow for these environments.

New: Enhanced Workflows for Promotions and Channel Branding Pharos Mediator now integrates a wider range of post production and graphics systems to provide a more efficient workflow for series and channel promotions production. Apple Final Cut Pro, Quantel and Avid can be combined using Mediator workflow, transcoding and transfer management. Mediator browse is used for shot selection from anywhere in the system including library, online and archive. This can be passed directly to post production for editing, enabling more promotions to be produced within existing post production infrastructures. Additional programming can be delivered more efficiently for new multi-language, HD, IPTV, VoD, interactive and mobile services. Mediator can manage promotions in parallel with compliance and multi-language operations to provide a very efficient approvals process. Mediator compliance and promotions workflows based around Final Cut Pro will used throughout the show.

New: Pharos Mediator Compliance Workflows This new option for Mediator provides streamlined workflows to manage both technical and editorial compliance which is often a key requirement for broadcasters and service providers in Asian markets. Content can be assessed frame-accurately for technical QC and problem content can be passed for technical correction or referred to a media supervisor. Content likely to offend target audiences can be flagged with frame-accurate markers and comments using Mediator browse, and then passed directly for editing. Compliance decisions can now be made in conjunction with the advanced schedule, channel region or watershed restrictions for multichannel operations. Specific audience and channel watershed times can also be flagged in advance by Mediator to compliance operators by downloading the schedule into Mediator.

Using Pharos Mediator Browse and metadata at the desktop for compliance operations offers significant time-saving over stand-alone NLE, tape or DVD based operations. Mediator can manage compliance and parallel promotions and multi-language operations to provide a very efficient workflow. Managing compliance within Mediator workflows reduces errors or mistakes which can result in delays and penalties for broadcasters and service providers working internationally. Mediator also provides a complete audit trail for all compliance editing so that recurring problems can be reviewed and changes to compliance procedures can be implemented in a controlled manner.

New: Pharos Mediator Integrated Approvals

Pharos Mediator now offers improved management of the transmission approval process. Mediator will inform producers and channel managers of new material such as edits and promos awaiting their approval. This is a significant requirement in Asian markets where international and multicultural content often needs approval by specific producers and channel managers who are familiar with the target language and styles; Mediator ensures that the right content is sent to the correct manager for approval.

Channel managers can view, review and approve the new clips using Mediator browse or in high resolution. The workflow history of any new material is available during approval. Mediator offers an audit trail of approvals so that any errors or mistakes can be identified and rectified. A more efficient and secure desktop approvals process using Mediator helps scale up operations for channel expansion and handles the additional workload for IPTV and mobile services. Managing approvals within Mediator reduces errors or mistakes which can result in delays and penalties for broadcasters and service providers.

Pharos staff attending Broadcast Asia 2008: Russell Grute and Alan Hoggarth

Pharos delivers better workflow management to broadcasters and service providers in television, radio, IPTV and telecommunications. For 10 years Pharos has continually developed the unique Mediator, Playtime and Pilot desktop broadcast management solutions. Pharos workflow offers greater efficiency for library management, ingest, quality control, storage management, archival, transcoding, post production and playout.

Pharos solutions offer a next-generation platform to better manage multiformat content and enable rapid expansion in playout, presentation and publishing. Pharos software architecture, integration and support services enable disparate broadcast and IT processes to be unified across the enterprise.

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"Our latest-generation Mediator integrates a wider range of post-production and graphics capabilities to provide a more efficient workflow for channel management and promotions creation.

Apple Final Cut Pro and editing solutions from Quantel and Avid can be combined using Mediator workflow, transcoding and transfer management. Mediator browse is used for shot selection from anywhere in the system including library, online and archive. This can be passed directly to post-production for editing, enabling more promotions to be assembled within existing post-production infrastructures. Additional content can be delivered more efficiently for the expanding range of new services.

"Broadcasters are seeking more efficient processes to exploit the increasingly wide market for their output: the so-called 360 degree publishing model which includes non-linear platforms such as IPTV. Specific programme types such as news, sport and general entertainment have their own media logistics but in every case we see demand for faster and more flexible operation. The burgeoning numbers of thematic channels are interesting too from a media management perspective as these often require very high efficiency to be commercially viable.

"Our strategy with metadata is to keep it all but only show individual users what they need for the task at hand; too much metadata creates confusion. Search tools can be used to enhance processes such as archive searching. It is now possible to manage metadata and so keep track of multiple states of content in progress, by employing the latest enterprise databases. Using standard web-browser-based user interfaces makes it cost-effective to present this information alongside high quality browse content as many times as required for the tasks at hand."

Pharos also announced at NAB a revolutionary new development in storage for broadcast content management with the integration of COPAN Systems' energy-efficient MAID technology. The combination of Pharos Mediator and COPAN Systems' Enterprise MAID will deliver integrated disk-based archiving with the threefold advantages of higher access speed, greater reliability and lower power consumption compared with existing datatape-based robotic archive systems.

"The operational benefits of disk-based archiving have become apparent in recent years thanks to increasing storage capacity and access speeds combined with ever greater affordability," Russell Grute adds. "A disk-based alternative to data tape may prove a better solution for managing persistent data and where multiple versions of large files need to be stored for longer. Many broadcasters and service providers need to store multiple versions of programme titles for compliance and promos, for example. HD will increase storage requirements and the new delivery platforms such as VoD and mobile mean even more data will have to be stored."

Pharos delivers better workflow management to broadcasters and service providers in television, radio, IPTV and telecommunications. For 10 years Pharos has continually developed the unique Mediator, Playtime and Pilot desktop broadcast management solutions. Pharos workflow offers greater efficiency for library management, ingest, quality control, storage management, archival, transcoding, post-production and playout.

Pharos solutions offer a next-generation platform to better manage multiformat content and enable rapid expansion in playout, presentation and publishing. Pharos software architecture, integration and support services enable disparate broadcast and IT processes to be unified across the enterprise.

Pharos is an open company embracing open standards; we are proud of our people and of our unique development philosophy. Potential clients are welcome to inspect our development methods and fully evaluate the Pharos software platform and its unique distributed systems architecture.

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"The operational benefits of disk-based archiving have become apparent in recent years thanks to increasing storage capacity and access speeds combined with ever greater affordability. A disk-based alternative to data tape, like COPAN, may be a better solution for managing persistent data and where multiple versions of large files need to be stored for longer. This is typical in media workflows for broadcasters and service providers who are storing multiple versions of programme titles for compliance and promos for example. HD will increase storage requirements and the new delivery platforms such as Vod and mobile mean even more data will have to be stored," adds Pharos Director of Marketing, Russell Grute.

Pharos Technical Director Spencer Rodd adds "Using COPAN's MAID platform, Pharos can now offer disk-based storage as an alternative to robotically-accessed data tape for near-line archiving. Tape cassettes and cartridges are subject to mechanical wear and tear, oxide contamination, tape tangling and snapping, head clogging and guide clogging. They are reasonably safe for infrequent-access archives such as low-stress data-backups in banking but not for broadcasting where the number of reads may be high." Rodd continues, "Tape management can be complicated and costly. If a cassette or cartridge goes astray, there is no easy way of finding it again. COPAN's MAID performs automatic checks on drives when they are not being used. If a problem is found with a specific drive, an alternative is assigned in its place and the defective unit flagged for replacement. This self-rebuilding makes the system extremely reliable. Each COPAN drawer can accommodate 14 × 1 terabyte drives. Eight drawers can be housed in a 4 U high 1 metre deep rack-mounting chassis to give a total of 112 terabytes."
"COPAN Systems is excited to team with Pharos to bring higher performance, and greater operational efficiency to broadcasters' back up and archive operations. By implementing Pharos Mediator, a fast online server with COPAN's Enterprise MAID solution broadcasters can also meet the energy-efficiency targets they will be faced with in coming years." said Mark Ward, CEO COPAN Systems. "The COPAN MAID platform is fundamentally different from transactional storage arrays, in that it uses ultra-dense disk configurations enhanced using MAID technology. COPAN powers down disks that have no outstanding IO requests. This reduces power consumption by 80%, and lengthens the product life considerably. Our Enterprise MAID delivers the capacity, density and power metrics of a traditional tape silo, whilst delivering the performance, data integrity and ease of access of disk arrays."

COPAN Systems is the leading provider of Enterprise-class MAID storage solutions that deliver the industry's most cost-effective solutions for the protection and management of persistent data. Purpose built for data rich organizations, its Enterprise MAID architecture dramatically reduces power, cooling and floor space costs in the data center. Expanding to over 8 petabyte (depending on data de-duplication) within a single chassis, COPAN Systems delivers unmatched density and scalability for large enterprise environments, including healthcare, financial, government, media and service provider industries. The company is privately held with investments by Austin Ventures, Globespan Capital, Pequot Ventures, Credit Suisse, Gold Hill Capital, Presidio STX, Battery Ventures and NTT Leasing Capital (USA).

Pharos delivers better workflow management to broadcasters and service providers in television, radio, IPTV and telecommunications. Pharos workflow offers greater efficiency for library management, ingest, quality control, storage management, archival, transcoding, post production and playout. Pharos solutions offer a next-generation platform to better manage multiformat content and enable rapid expansion in playout, presentation and publishing. Pharos software architecture, integration and support services enable disparate broadcast and IT processes to be unified across the enterprise.

Newsmedia contacts:

Russell Grute, Pharos +44 (0)118 950 2323 russell.grute@pharos.tv

Bill Mottram, COPAN Systems +1 303-532-0218 bill.mottram@COPANsystems.com

David Kirk, Stylus Media Consultants +44 (0)1342 311 983 stylusmedia@gmail.com

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Convergence of broadcast and IT technology, combined with 'divergence' away from linear broadcasting toward 360 degree publishing, challenges us all when considering an optimal media management strategy. Furthermore, any solution is often required to manage new file based technologies, standards and processes. It also has to be more efficient at the same time; a tough business case indeed.

In addition to new technology many of us heading off to trade shows now have to concentrate on processes and workflow. So where to start?

Narrowing the field

Perhaps we should ask from a user point of view, what is media management really for? Who is using it, and why, in real daily processes. Here lies the real challenge as there are many different ways to present, change and move content on its way to the viewer and listener.

Looking at the bigger picture, broadcasters are seeking more efficient processes to exploit the increasingly wide market for their output: the 360 degree publishing model including nonlinear platforms such as mobile and IPTV.

In other markets a new breed of business has evolved in the form of the transmission service provider. Service providers aim to manage larger numbers of channels and require agile media management solutions for a wide range of content, channel types and outputs across all platforms. Combining their proximity to connectivity and delivery systems with in-house creative talent and technological economies of scale, service providers endeavour to offer their clients end to end support. Their aim is to manage content libraries, quality control, compliance, promotions, channel graphics and access services, making broadcasting more like publishing. Channel management with acquisition, channel design and scheduling all in-house is an ambitious undertaking. The optimum content strategy should help scale up operations and increase efficiency for the many repetitive tasks that are often required.

Specific programming types such as news, sport, and general entertainment have their own media logistics and diverse workflows. The growing number of ?thematic? channels are interesting too from a media management perspective as these often require a step change increase in efficiency to be commercially viable.

Technology is important, of course, and broadcast engineering has a great tradition in evaluating and developing new systems to meet its needs. This often leads to a technology-first approach when planning new projects, almost working from first principles. Evaluating IT building blocks such as databases, storage or networks, however sophisticated, can be misleading when it comes to designing systems to manage content more efficiently and to streamline multiple workflows.

Perhaps, the intrusion of large IT vendors has, until very recently, been the most unhelpful factor of all. Their momentum and marketing muscle have wasted a lot of time, tempting us with yet more technology when perhaps we should be experimenting with better processes, programming and new channel ideas to attract new customers.
Mounting confusion about the useful attributes of endless new technologies diverts our attention, with operational and creative processes often considered too late. For SD and HD, IT technology is now fast enough, big enough and cheap enough for a whole new approach. We are now at a stage in price and performance where, when correctly integrated, IT is finally ?working for us? in broadcast, media and entertainment. From HD to YouTube, the building blocks are in place and many pure technology challenges are now surmounted; a lot more is now possible on the desktop.

When devising the future media management strategy for broadcasters and service providers, instead of working from the bottom up with technology, perhaps it?s time to change our approach and look from the top down.

So where is 'the top'?

Media management is now middleware; a platform to unify apparently disparate activities with workflows and to allow batch processing where possible. Many processes, however complex, should be almost invisible in a well designed workflow. Digitisation and transfer management can often now be managed without direct user interaction.
The same system should manage the underlying technology and hardware. Flexicarts and VTRs, ingest servers, quality control apparatus, online storage, archive, post production and transmission can all now be managed by the same database and transfer management platform.

First and foremost, media management should now be informed by any traffic, scheduling or channel management decisions and processes. Tasks such as ingest, compliance, promos and trailers can be prioritised more efficiently based on knowledge of acquisitions and scheduling. Add differing compliance regulations depending on territory, international language voiceovers and subtitles and you can see why this higher planning position is now required.

Acquisition, production, post production, transmission and beyond, have overlapping needs when considering video, audio and the other traditional paraphernalia like aspect ratios, Dolby 5.1 and subtitles. However, the complexity of real creative 'work in progress' during production and post production doesn?t always need to passed along the chain to service provider processes such QC, compliance, promos, approval and transmission. This is often a cause of confusion among engineers and operators, centred on the correct use and quantity of metadata. A better strategy with metadata is to keep it all, and only show each user what he or she needs for the task at hand; too much metadata creates process confusion. It is now possible to track multiple states of programme versions in progress at component level (e.g., international audio and subtitles) by employing the latest enterprise database techniques. Standard web-browser based user interfaces offer practical and cost effective operations alongside high quality browse content throughout the enterprise. This can be accessed as many times as is required for the tasks at hand. Search and logging tools are used to enhance creative data processes such as archival and research if more information needs to be added or retrieved.

Metadata may often begin as just a placeholder somewhere in the workflow. Prior to the acquisition, scheduling or production of new material it may be necessary to plan ahead for the workload in compliance, promos and approvals. Reports of workflow progress should be available to channel managers and customers.

Some operators work in the middle too, not using production or creative systems but in areas like compliance and approvals which can be cost-effectively executed using desktop browse allied with a secure workflow. Browse should be everywhere in a well specified system allowing maximum collaboration and cooperation between departments. Extending the enterprise away from the local system further enables content owners themselves to experiment with their content and schedule. This allows service providers to extend their capacity. Third party subtitling and post production talent can be hired, particularly when content is internationalised, local language subtitles, graphics and voice-over are often better managed locally by using local language talent. This requires more intelligent accelerated file delivery subsystems to be added to the media management transfer system. Outside agencies need to be dealt with securely and will need certification to receive and return the processed content.

Channel planners should be able to see a schedule or commercial break pattern; graphics staff need to see their designs in action; subtitles should be seen with the pictures. Production of promos can now be handled by the media management system integrating editing and graphics systems from the usual suspects with the online and archive storage systems. Prioritising the production of promos based on the schedule, incorporating international audio and voice overs at the same time.

In conclusion, veterans of first generation projects conclude that the broadcast infrastructure needs to be more closely integrated with IT. Others comment that, when planning media management, the automation (and beyond) needs to be taken into account more fully. Other veterans of early projects have determined that the media management platform should have a closer relationship with the scheduling, traffic and channel management.

These concerns reveal the way forward. Media management is not an end in itself. We should consider which processes we are trying to make more efficient before selecting the right media management strategy and workflows. Perhaps this year we can progress from working out how-to-do-it, step by step, process by process, towards how to do it more efficiently.

Keep your perspective at NAB this year

Russell Grute is Director of Marketing at Pharos

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