Broadcast Beat Magazine 2017 NAB Show NY/SMPTE Special Edition | Page 28

infrastructure — everything from postproduction services, subtitle creation, and channel branding, to storage and archiving — to make the content playout-ready. Virtualized Playout In a traditional playout setup, it’s simply too complicated to retain control of playout — be it current feeds or expansion into a new region. Yet, TV networks have been locked to a physi- cal infrastructure that is assumed to be inher- ently more “broadcast-grade.” However, virtual- ized playout has undergone an evolution, and such systems can now support premium live content and sophisticated features like advanced dynamic graphics, automated scheduling, and social media integration, among others. In fact, a virtualized playout platform can not only offer new-age 4K UHD-readiness, but also help with tactical regional playlist integration. For example, virtualized playout today can enable TV networks to merge primary and regional playlists, allowing them to selectively replace content without hav- ing to create a completely new feed or relinquish control of their main playout. This way, broadcast- ers can access their workflows from any remote location through a web interface and monitor the service 24/7. As a result, a virtualized playout offers unparalleled control over operations with- out sacrificing transparency when compared to traditional managed services. affordably. Monetization With geographical, and cross-platform expansion, monetizing content is becoming trickier. New-age content platforms have a newer set of monetiza- tion challenges that cannot be resolved using tra- ditional archaic infrastructure. For example, OTT content aggregators or virtual MVPDs today have a substantial volume of subscribers. However, they find it difficult to create additional revenue streams by remonetizing existing ad spots. This is primarily due to insufficient information pertain- ing to ad spots and corresponding ad markers in input feeds, making OTT aggregators totally dependent on the broadcasters for such informa- tion. A cloud-managed service can easily inte- grate with next-gen ad-mining systems to detect ads in the source feed, thereby enabling the OTT aggregators to monetize untapped ad inventory. For a linear broadcast setup, a TV network could partner with regional ad networks and selectively allow them to insert local ads, improving the advertising relevance for the audience. A cloud- managed service is better positioned to deliver this level of technological sophistication while keeping the costs low, and offer broadcasters greater flexibility and control over their ad inven- tory. Conclusion Worldwide Content Delivery A cloud-based managed broadcast solution also gives TV networks unprecedented flexibility to deliver content via satellite, fiber, cloud, IPTV, and OTT models. By leveraging a delivery net- work built on partnerships with best-in-class teleports, fiber POPs, and CDNs, such plat- forms cover the entire globe and can deliver content to any region, by any combination of delivery models. With all content and work- flows residing on the cloud, it is much easi- er for broadcasters to spin up channels in any new region quickly and 28 • Broadcast Beat Magazine • www.broadcastbeat.com Traditional managed service providers’ archaic systems and lack of innovation are adding need- less expense and limiting the possibilities for TV networks. On the other hand, future-ready cloud technologies add advanced automation to accelerate broadcast workflows, provide com- plete transparency, and make it absolute- ly simple to launch and operate channels. By leaving traditional services behind and embracing the cloud, TV networks can open a new world of oppor- tunity for expansion and operational effi- ciency.