December 4, 2020
How to simplify OTT operations: Find the right partners
The streaming industry is growing and changing faster than ever before, with COVID-19 causing seismic shifts in market dynamics. ‘Content providers (sports rights holders, broadcasters, publishers and more) need to adopt a highly flexible approach to their business models to keep up with the growing competition. But staying up to date with features, adopting new business models and reaching consumers on the devices of their choice is not easy, especially when you’re keeping the inevitable close eye on budgets.
That’s why 24i is so focused on delivering end-to-end, turnkey solutions that eliminate unnecessary investment in bespoke systems integration, helping media companies go to market faster with new and improved streaming services.
We have our own end-to-end solutions, but we also love working with other best-of-breed providers, like our recently-announced partnership with Verizon Media.
With a little help from our friends
The power of the Verizon Media Platform is already well known in the industry. Many leading content providers use it to simply their streaming back-end processes like ingest, transcode, DRM and content delivery. Now that dynamic ecosystem is available with pre-integration to 24i’s Backstage content management system and Smart OTT solution. Together, these elements create an exciting turnkey solution for streaming services that will put providers on the fast track to growth.
In the new combined solution, the Verizon and 24i products enable video service providers to quickly and easily build engaging user experiences across all of the most popular OTT devices, including Android phones and tablets, Amazon Fire TV, iOS, AppleTV, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, etc.
No need for bespoke code
Content is ingested into the Verizon Media Platform where it’s processed and prepared for delivery in multiple formats. The prepared assets automatically appear in 24i’s user-friendly content management system, Backstage where users can enrich the asset metadata and organize into flexible categories to aid content promotion.
The content is then displayed to end-users in 24i’s multi-platform consumer apps. These are configured to meet the service provider’s brand and UI needs in the Backstage CMS. The content provider doesn’t need to write a single line of code or employ a team of device-specific development experts to manage the content or user experience for all their apps. The Smart OTT cross-platform codebase allows them to “build once, deploy everywhere” in record time and with minimum hassle.
But “turnkey” and “simple” doesn’t have to mean compromising on design. Backstage allows Verizon’s customers to make their apps their own, with a flexible layout, a full menu, and branding options to really make it customer specific.
Focus on day-to-day operations
Of course, the challenges of streaming don’t stop when you get your application live - quite the opposite! Once again, the power of the Backstage CMS will enable Verizon’s customers to save time and cost. From this intuitive interface they can create and curate playlists, build pages, ingest enriched metadata, configure scheduling, add segmentation, adjust menus and promote content to maximize consumer engagement and build loyalty.
Part of a growing streaming ecosystem
Taking our place in the Verizon Media extensions program will allow us to reach even more media organizations and support them in meeting increased consumer expectations.
Together with other Verizon media extension partners such as Iris TV, THEO Technologies and Cleeng, we are part of a powerful streaming ecosystem that covers everything from play-out, ad monetization, personalization, and content curation to user authentication and publishing on the most popular app stores.
For 24i, Verizon Media and the customers we’ll jointly serve, it’s the start of a beautiful friendship.
If you want to know more, why not join our webinar on December 8th. It’s called OTT: Integration. Optimization. Monetization and you’ll get to hear all the partners in the Verizon media extensions programme giving their view on how to get to market quickly with a premium OTT solution.
