Microsoft Helps TV2 to Address Multichannel Opportunities
LAS VEGAS — Last week at the 2009 National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show, Microsoft Corp. showcased how its software and industry solutions can provide a foundation for media networks to drive down costs while investing in a future where flexibility will be fundamental to success. From video development and management to delivery and the end consumer experience, Microsoft and its partners are helping media companies modernize their existing IT systems and redesign the user experience across multiple screens.
”Because media companies are seeing a shift in monetization models, it’s more important than ever for them to invest in their IT infrastructure in the back end to deliver rich experiences in the front end,” said Gabriele Di Piazza, managing director for Media and Entertainment in the Communications Sector at Microsoft. ”Building upon our innovative background in software, Microsoft delivers a comprehensive set of solutions that enable media companies to converge behind the three screens and optimize the entire content life cycle for distribution across an ever-evolving landscape of experiences.”
Delivering the Multichannel Experience One example of a broad integration of Microsoft solutions and technologies in Web content delivery, search, content protection and online services is TV 2, the largest commercial broadcaster in Norway. TV 2 is using Silverlight, FAST, PlayReady, chat and traffic sharing with MSN for its innovative live and on-demand video service. This service provides access to a full lineup of TV programming, including premium live sports, and is one of the most successful online TV services in Scandinavia. Smooth Streaming and a powerful programming model in Silverlight are two of the main reasons for TV 2’s choice. TV 2 is making use of Windows Live ID and FAST to introduce a new statistics service and a new community for its football fans.
”We compared Microsoft’s solutions for the media industry to the stand-alone applications from other suppliers,” said Helge Hoibraaten, director of Web Video at TV 2, Norway. ”We were impressed with Microsoft and found Silverlight to be a compelling product. Silverlight enables us to not only deliver TV pictures to the screen but also integrate a dialogue with the user, which is central to creating an interactive user experience.”
Source: American Chamber of Commerce in Norway
