VOD distribution services company, TVN Entertainment (note: the
company recently announced plans to invest $28 million this year in
infrastructure, technology and business processes for its suite of file-
based delivery services--see [itvt] Issue 7.87 Part 1), has signed a
long-term VOD services agreement with Fox Cable Networks.
According to the companies, the deal provides a wide-ranging
framework, under which Fox Cable will be able to launch new VOD
programming services quickly, scale its VOD volume and its ability to
speedily transform programs into VOD assets, and extend its offerings
into new platforms and formats.
The deal gives Fox Cable--which operates such channels as Speed,
National Geographic Channel and Big Ten Network--access to a
number of TVN services, including its ADONISS asset-management
system; its recently launched iPRI tool (allows programmers to
dynamically updated VOD metadata before during and after
distribution to VOD servers); and TVNow, a service that is billed as
converting live programming into VOD content, so that it can be made
available to viewers within hours of its broadcast. The companies say
that their deal also foresees Fox Cable and TVN collaborating on
"testing experimental services in the future, metadata modifications,
and operator-specific or market-specific content customizations." "We
have been impressed with TVN's service and ability to quickly innovate
to support our unique business requirements," Fox Cable VP, Will
Flannery, said in a prepared statement. "As Fox's business plans evolve,
we anticipate that TVN will help us enhance our many VOD
distributors' market activities while also extending our core content and
brands." Added TVN's SVP of strategy and business development,
Matt Cohen: "Crafting customized business solutions for a leading
entertainment company like Fox reflects TVN's ability to tackle the
growing complexity of the rapidly emerging multiplatform video
market. This is a milestone deal and a harbinger of how networks are
approaching the VOD category in 2008."
In other TVN news: The company has signed a three-year VOD
services deal with standalone VOD channel, Anime Network (note:
Anime Network, an existing TVN customer, recently abandoned its
linear-TV service on the grounds that "VOD has proven to be a more
efficient platform for delivering high-quality content" to its audiences),
that will see it providing distribution and asset/metadata management
services in support of the latter's subscription-based and free
on-demand services across various codecs and formats. Among other
things, the deal calls for TVN to provide Anime Network with its
ADONISS, iPRI and TVNow services, and will also see it supporting
the latter's on-demand advertising initiatives. "Our goal has always
been to create an unparalleled viewing experience for Anime fans, and
VOD is a centerpiece of that strategy because of its strong consumer
appeal and its ability to promote niche content," Stacy Dodson, Anime
Network's director of programming, said in a prepared statement.
"TVN has been a great partner, and we look forward to expanding upon
that foundation to take advantage of TVN's innovations like dynamic
metadata updates and VOD advertising support."
