Vol.2, No. 1 | January 2004 A Broadband Information Resources INC. Publication Vol.2, www.screenplaysmag.com No. 1 | January 2004

A Broadband Information Resources INC. Publication www.screenplays.bz July 2010 strategic Information for the Broadband Marketplace thePlatform Opens Faster Track For Moving Web Content to TV beyond the branded set-tops these suppliers Integration With Google TV, offer as conduits to the TV. For example, the ability to publish to Vudu gives content Yahoo! and Other OTT Clients owners access to Vudu-enabled TVs and Blu- ray Players from LG, Mitsubishi, Samsung, Becomes Top Priority Toshiba, and VIZIO. Moreover, notes Marty Roberts, By Fred Dawson vice president of sales and marketing at thePlatform, the company is well down the n a move that underscores the unrelent- road toward enabling video publishing to the ing momentum behind the migration of new GoogleTV platform through its mpx Web content to the TV Comcast’s the- system and is also working to bring Yahoo!’s Platform is stepping up its support for TV into play on mpx. entities in the over-the-top space, not- “With Google, the first step is the most withstanding the long-standing view of important one, which is to integrate with IOTT as a threat to cable. Google’s video search engine so our customers “Media and entertainment companies can be sure their content is included in the are looking well beyond today’s PCs and updated index,” Roberts says. “That’s done, conventional set-top-boxes to reach their and we’ll keep everything up to date as they Marty Roberts, VP, sales and marketing, thePlatform audiences,” notes Ian Blaine, CEO of continue to improve. We’ll continue with the thePlatform. “At the end of the day, our integration once Google releases their client “smart publishing” methodology automates customers produce and distribute compelling [for Google TV].” the required steps for video management, video that they want to monetize, and it’s our This will allow thePlatform to optimize including file creation, transcoding, job to alleviate the complexity to make that its player to the frame aspect ratios, codec thumbnail generation and more. happen across any device or platform.” profiles and other profiles of the new Google Where the integration with OTT players While thePlatform has been supporting client. While Yahoo! is also on thePlatform’s is concerned, the process moves along a couple of OTT profiles for some time, it roadmap, “there’s a little more integration quickly, because these vendors are “eager is taking a much more aggressive stance in work to be done there,” Roberts says. to get integration done so they can focus response to shifting strategies among content “The nice thing about the process is that on negotiating business terms with content owners, who increasingly view the potential when we introduce a new OTT platform it’s suppliers,” Roberts says. For example, he scale of exposure to be achieved through on mpx, so there’s not a lot of development notes, in February thePlatform became the dealings with multiple OTT outlets as vital work to be done,” Roberts says. “It’s more first online video publishing company to to their ad revenue-driven business models. about testing to optimize codecs for each introduce a profile for the newly released thePlatform’s customers can now use its client, which means it’s a very low investment Apple iPad. new mpx Beta video publishing platform for us to support these systems.” The exception to this integrate-once-for- to deliver content to TVs through several As previously reported (February, p. all-providers approach is the OTT platforms suppliers’ systems, including those of Boxee, 26), thePlatform’s new mpx Beta allows offered through the gaming consoles supplied DivX, Roku, Vudu, TiVo and two forthcoming customers to upload multiple media files by the likes of Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo. services, Free Stream Media’s FlingoTV and simultaneously and easily distribute them “The game console people are a little less Syabas Technologies’ popbox. to websites, mobile phones and other open,” Roberts says. Across the board, he This list represents an OTT reach that IP-connected devices with a few clicks on explains, they integrate with each content encompasses many manufacturers’ devices the user interface. Once configured, this producer individually as part of the deal news currents broadband content making, rather than releasing their APIs to “revenues from advertising.” The Diffusion As viewing increases across all outlets, third parties like thePlatform. Group, a research firm, projects that by 2014 fears of cannibalization in the TV space Given its broad base of customers in the more than 360 million households worldwide are receding, Roberts notes. Plus there are video content world, hundreds of which are will own the components necessary to access opportunities for collaboration between now generating billions of views annually, OTT video services on their TVs, whether content owners and distributors in the TV thePlatform’s move is a boon to company’s by game consoles, Blu-ray players, hybrid Everywhere advertising space that pull both like Boxee, who are looking for ways to set-top boxes, Internet set-top boxes, media- camps to the same side of the fence. “People expedite use of their platforms among content centric PCs or networked digital TVs. are realizing, as you make access to the providers. “Boxee’s mission is to create the best “More and more of our customers are defining content more convenient to consumers, your experience for enjoying TV shows, movies, themselves as being in the video business [as ship goes up,” he says. and video from the Internet on a TV, no distinct from traditional TV],” Roberts says. As a result, while the majority of the video matter what the source,” says Boxee CEO “This business is about how to get monetization managed by thePlatform is now delivered to and co-founder Avner Ronen. “This new on an equal basis based on minutes viewed, PCs, the company expects that mix to shift relationship with thePlatform means that media regardless of where the content is viewed. So dramatically in the coming years. “I’d say and entertainment companies can now easily the fact that the content and the ads are being right now we see a division in content libraries add Boxee as a distribution point to expand exposed across multiple platforms becomes part as to what’s applicable to TV distribution their audiences and generate more revenue of the overall buy. People are spending a lot of versus online,” Roberts says. “That TV library from advertising and rentals/purchases.” time figuring out how to increase the total value isn’t available for OTT, but it will get there The key phrase in this observation is of minutes of video watched.” over time.” ■