A&E Television Networks and Ascent Media Lay Groundwork for Digital Future
NEW YORK and STAMFORD, Conn., Nov. 12 /PRNewswire/ — A&E Television Networks (AETN) and Ascent Media, a provider of services to the media and entertainment industry, today announced the culmination of a strategic relationship that provides AETN with a centrally-managed digital repository of their media assets and lays the groundwork for distribution to multiple new media platforms and worldwide distribution.
Ascent Media has designed and built a dedicated, state-of-the-art file- based platform to meet AETN’s current and future media distribution requirements. The system provides highly robust playout capabilities for existing SD and HD linear channels, and enables the full library of AETN content to be digitized, catalogued, and managed more efficiently to meet evolving business opportunities.
The deployment of the new platform is one element of a broad, long- standing relationship between the two companies. As a full-service outsourcing partner, Ascent also owns and operates the facility. Dedicated Ascent personnel staff the Stamford operation on a 24/7 basis, and shared resources around the world provide deep technical and operational expertise. This arrangement enables AETN to focus on brand and market development, while entrusting its technology and operational needs to Ascent Media.
“As we explore the vast array of options now available for distribution of our media, we needed alternatives to ‘silo’ approaches to content management,” said Bill Harris, Senior Vice President, Production & Broadcast Operations for AETN. “Through our partnership with Ascent Media, we have access to a new, cutting-edge facility that ensures service quality for our SD channels, supports rapid launch of HD services, and will allow us to optimize our digitized content across multiple distribution platforms in domestic and international markets.”
In addition to its seven domestic SD networks and two HD networks, AETN channel brands are available in over 137 countries. The company has also been expanding its reach in the digital media space, including agreements with iTunes, MicroSoft Xbox Live, MobiTV and others.
“For a large media company like AETN, there are benefits to file-based technology at every step of the process from content creation to air,” said Jim McGrath, CTO of Ascent Media Network Services. “The system we have developed allows AETN to efficiently manage its libraries of video assets, to simplify editing and post-production, and to integrate all of its media preparation processes with existing business systems.”
The AETN system has been designed to digitize and archive all content scheduled for air on AETN networks. Using direct access to files or low- resolution proxies on desktops in Stamford or New York City, AETN and Ascent Media staff can retrieve and manipulate video for post-production, create on- air promotions and direct the movement of files to the Ascent Media playout facility for playout. Metadata is delivered in real time via direct fiber links to AETN business systems in New York, eliminating data entry errors and delays in the collection of tracking information. Highly advanced graphics systems provide extensive on-air layering capabilities for branding, promotions and DVE moves. In addition, satellite and fiber transmission services are deeply integrated with the new infrastructure to provide a high level of redundancy. In the case of power or signal interruptions, the system will automatically re-route sources and signals to ensure business continuity.
Ascent Media’s Stamford facility is the origination home to many premier cable networks. In all, Ascent Media originates or distributes more than 200 networks worldwide via facilities in Stamford, Burbank, CA, Minneapolis, MN, London and Singapore.
About Ascent Media Group
Santa Monica, California-based Ascent Media Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Discovery Holding Company , which, through its Creative Services and Network Services divisions, provides creative and technical media services to the media and entertainment industries. Through more than 75 facilities in California, New York, London, Singapore and other locations throughout the world, Ascent Media Group provides effective solutions for the creation, management and distribution of content to major motion picture studios, independent producers, broadcast networks, cable channels, advertising agencies and other companies that produce, own and/or distribute entertainment, news, sports, corporate, educational, industrial and advertising content. More information about Ascent Media Group is available at http://www.ascentmedia.com/.
About A&E Television Networks
A&E Television Networks, a joint venture of The Hearst Corporation, ABC, Inc. and NBC, is an award-winning, international media company offering consumers a diverse communications environment ranging from television programming, to home videos/DVD’s and music CD’s, to Web sites, as well as supporting nationwide educational initiatives. AETN is comprised of A&E Network, The History Channel, The Biography Channel, History International, The Military History Channel, The History Channel en espanol, Crime & Investigation Network, A&E HD, The History Channel HD, AETN International and AETN Consumer Products, The A&E web site is located at http://www.aetv.com/, the Biography web site is located at http://www.biography.com/ and The History Channel web site is located at http://www.history.com/.
Ascent Media
CONTACT: Peggy Keegan of PSPR, Inc., +1-202-236-1236, peggymk@aol.com;Kerri Tarmey of A&E Television Network, +1-212-551-1504,kerri.tarmey@aetn.com, both for Ascent Media
Web site: http://www.ascentmedia.com/http://www.aetv.com/http://www.biography.com/http://www.history.com/