Solution Allows Content Partners to Do Editorial Work and Retain Control Over Their Content While Operators Retain Control Over the Service
BERGEN, Norway -- Sept. 9, 2013 -- Vimond Media Solutions today announced the release of Content Aggregator, a new product that uses components of Vimond's online TV platform, the Vimond Platform, to enable multiple publishers on the same service. With the solution, operators and service providers can grant access to the Vimond Platform so that approved partners and content holders can upload, curate, distribute, and monetize their own content in a self-service environment. In turn, operators and service providers can offer their end-users more crossdevice experiences and a broader array of content with less effort while maintaining control over the service, customer relationships, and revenue streams.
"The Vimond Platform has supported content aggregation from content partners for years. With the ever-increasing level of connectivity and cooperation, and the desire to deliver highly dynamic services, we believe the market is ready for a truly unique set of features enabling flexibility, ease of scale, and easy-to-use multi-sourced and multi-curated services to reach the audience. Our new set of features makes it easier for operators to stay ahead of the demand for rich, high-quality multi-screen content," said Helge Høibraaten, CEO of Vimond Media Solutions. "Operators have control over the branding, content types, and revenue streams for the service while maintaining the ability to allow content partners freedom to decide what content to publish and monetize, and how and when to do so."
The Content Aggregator creates a hierarchy of publishers who can contribute content to a service. Approved content providers log into the Vimond Control Center to upload and manage their content, and they also use it to enrich their content and build an end-user experience on a third-party service. They can choose to automate the workflow completely or use all the built-in features of the Vimond Control Center, the video management tool that serves as the user interface for Vimond's online video platform. Content partners also act as curators of their own content and can choose to promote certain videos or shows. Additionally, they can decide how to monetize their content within the rules set by the operator, and they can create bundles of content to sell at a discounted price.
At the same time, Content Aggregator includes several features that ensure operators retain full control over the service. Only operator-approved content providers can upload content, and operators have the option of approving individual content channels on a case-by-case basis before they go live. Operators also set the rules by which content is monetized -- such as for ads, subscriptions, and pricing -- thereby maintaining control over the revenue streams, as well. When an end user purchases a channel, the revenue goes to the operator, which shares the revenue with the content provider according to predetermined terms.
The workflow process is simple and streamlined. A cable company signs a deal with a major content provider. The cable company then creates a restricted account that the content provider can use to securely access the cable company's service backend through the Web, upload video and metadata, and decide on price points, promotions, and more. The cable company can approve all changes before they are published.
The Content Aggregator encompasses Vimond Video Flow Management, which controls ingest, management, and distribution of live and video-on-demand content; a user management and administration module that controls editorial user access, distribution rights, and channels; a Product Packaging module that enables product bundling and allows users to set prices on channels; a curation module that lets editors star and change order on content, making it possible to choose what content should be highlighted first to the viewers in the portal; and a powerful automation module that controls the Vimond Platform's new Video Importer and Content Catalogue features. The system provides audit logging, through which administrators can follow changes to assets, categories, product groups, and media feeds. It also includes a reporting function to help operators manage revenue-sharing.
Vimond will demonstrate the Content Aggregator at IBC2013 on stand 14.B10. Further information on Vimond Media Solutions and its products is available at www.vimond.com or by phone at +47 97602236.
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About Vimond Media Solutions
Vimond Media Solutions AS (www.vimond.com) develops and markets the Vimond online TV platform. Based in Bergen, Norway, Vimond is one of a number of successful technology companies spun off from national broadcaster TV 2, together with Vizrt, StormGeo, and Mosart Medialab. After more than 10 years of technology development and use in production at Scandinavia's biggest commercial online video enterprise, TV 2 Sumo, Vimond was established in 2011 to make advanced solutions available to other broadcasters launching multiscreen over-the-top services. The Vimond platform provides a comprehensive environment for managing highly efficient streaming of content to cellphones, tablet computers, gaming consoles, connected TVs, and Blu-ray(TM) players. With its depth of experience and expertise, Vimond is a leading player in the field, serving a rapidly growing roster of customers that includes TV4 in Sweden, MTV3 in Finland, TV 2 in Norway, and pan-Nordic distributor C More.
