Key trends changing the M&E industry
With the global broadcast media market size expected to reach USD 635680 million by 2028i , MAM providers need to be aware of the vast amount of media content and related data that needs to be easily managed.
Recent DPP researchii, in fact, found that the ideal asset management system for the media sector needs to be easy to use, flexible, efficient and intuitive, enabling non-technical users to design workflows via a new generation of no-code and low-code systems while addressing increasing volumes of data and video content, that needs to be accessible from any location.
In this blog, we are covering five key trends that MAM solution providers will need to address to effectively support the M&E industry:
- Focus on integration
- A generalized migration to the Cloud
- Growing volumes of media-related data
- The importance of an intuitive UX
- The new normal: remote and hybrid work
Fincons Group, with its BU Media, has been supporting broadcasting media companies in their digital transformation journey for years. We’ve helped broadcasters usher in a number of key trends and developed solutions that are flexible, scalable and easy to integrate by design, with the aim of adapting to future needs and sector-specific requirements.
Focus on Integration
MAM solutions are being increasingly integrated in media workflows, to enable better and more efficient processes management through automation and other technology, ultimately optimising both human and content resources.
Working with major broadcasters, Fincons has seen first-hand that there is a very real need for supply chain efficiency and easy content partner integration, ultimately reducing time-to-market, improving process quality and freeing up time and resources by avoiding manual activities.
On this basis, the Group has worked on and developed solutions for a leading media streaming company that allows for simple content acquisition solution that, through tailored design and AI-powered automation creates greater efficiency.
A generalized migration to the Cloud
Indexing and search functions are critical, now more than ever, since data and assets are stored partly on the cloud and partly on premise. The need to quickly adapt to hybrid cloud and hybrid working environments has led broadcasters to return to directory-based structures for managing assets in some parts of their workflows.
However, as working with assets in directory structures is error prone, and accidentally misplacing assets can have a huge impact on costs and time, the implementation of new solutions and monitoring tools made with this new hybrid approach in mind is crucial.
Let’s consider, for example, Fincons’ recent project of migrating to the cloud all content acquisition data for a leading broadcasting company.
This required a hybrid working environment in which many production tools and systems remain on-premise, whilst other processes such as content preparation and archiving are migrated to the cloud. This is because broadcasters manage a large amount of data and assets, requiring a well-thought out and accurate roadmap, as well as several tests, before moving all services to the cloud without losing important data. In addition, copy of last resort (CoLR) for Master Original Content and TX Ready are usually stored on dedicated tape library on premise, meaning complex and efficient integrations between cloud and on premise systems are mandatory.
Growing amount of media-related data
March 2022 marked a new milestone for streaming, as audiences worldwide spent nearly 30% of their total TV time watching over-the-top video content iii . As broadcasters are making more and more content available to keep up with this new way of watching TV, they also need to manage increasing larger volumes of media-related metadata.
As we’re seeing a significant increase in TV time spent on OTT video content, more and more content needs to be available over a single platform to deliver a complete entertainment offer.
In addition, the need for a short turnaround between content ingestion and end-user, paired with strict budget requirements, highlight the need for scalable, cost-efficient solutions that allows operators to fully leverage available content through automation and AI.
Fincons has been involved in important automation projects, with the aim to create scalable and cost optimized solutions that allow operators to monitor the results of automated processes leveraging their experience rather than merely execute tasks.
The importance of an intuitive UX
People are now used to the intuitive, engaging and simple UX that is typical of B2C apps. In the media industry, as more and more non-technical users have access to once specialist-only software, B2B UX needs to adapt to new expectations and bridge the gap with B2C UX.
To meet this new requirements, custom and tailored UI developed in front-end applications needs to be fully integrated with MAM systems to trigger supply chains dedicated to every single content partner, so that integration issues are overcome.
This helps content management meet the business requirements and be flexible at third party onboarding, incrementing the customer base and the entertainment range for the final consumer with ease and low configuration cost.
The new normal: remote and hybrid work
Remote and hybrid work is no longer an option, and more and more people are choosing to work, partially if not exclusively, from their home office driving demand for simplicity within workflows and increasing the need to introduce automatization and AI to media supply chain tasks.
Tasks that were traditionally carried out on premise, in dedicated editing rooms or QC rooms, such as big assets management, in fact, now need to be carried out remotely too.
Fincons thus developed solution designs that enable remote QC, transcoding and editing activity, leveraging emerging cloud solution and Remote Desktop (RDP) technologies dedicated to broadcast applications.
In this context, hybrid cloud is the key, given that most of the production editing is still on premise but content acquisition, archiving and playout can be moved to the cloud.
Fincons and Dalet: together for the media industry
Working closely with leading media companies worldwide, Fincons has experienced the impact the five trends outlined above directly on MAM solutions. The need to meet new market needs, led the Group to join forces with Dalet, a valuable player in the MAM market with a proven track record.This partnership allows us to provide media companies with modernMAM solutions, leveraging Fincons’ experience as a system integrator and Dalet’s solution Dalet Flex.
Dalet Flex is a complete and innovative solution, easily configurable thanks to a flexible and fully customisable data model and a customisable workflow. Its user-friendly, intuitive UI makes Dalet Flex easy to use even for non-technical users, and in addition itis easily integrable not only with main market software, but also with custom application via API.
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[i] Business Research Insights, Broadcast Media Market Size, Share Growth, And Industry Analysis By Type (Cable Radio, Wireless Radio) By Application (Government Unit, Commercial, Other) and Regional Forecast to 2028
[ii] DPP, IBC 2023: Demand vs Supply What's the Score?
[iii] Nielsen, Audiences’ share of time streaming hits new high in March