Technology and device partnerships for MCV
January 6, 2011
by Colin Mann
Mobile Content Venture (MCV), a joint-venture comprising 12 major US broadcast groups dedicated to developing a national mobile content service that delivers live television and on-demand video content, has revealed technology agreements in the mobile TV space with MobiTV and Nagra-Kudelski, as well as commitments from several manufacturers to create MCV-compatible devices.
Value-added content protection and multiscreen television solutions provider Nagra-Kudelski will assist MCV in managing its standards-based conditional access, enabling broadcasters to encrypt content and evaluate numerous business models. Nagra-Kudelski will also facilitate a simple user registration process for consumers, who will be offered content on an advertising-supported basis at launch.
MCV has also partnered with MobiTV, a specialist in securely delivering media to mobile devices, to develop a number of consumer applications which will be available as part of the MCV consumer launch in late 2011. Using MobiTV’s technology platform on Mobile DTV-enabled devices, consumers will be able to access video services and programme information, for both live broadcast television and streaming video.
In addition to these initial technical partnerships, MCV has received commitments from several top hardware manufacturers, including Dell and Samsung, to deploy MCV-compatible devices with a Mobile DTV tuner to receive live broadcast television. Over the coming months, MCV expects to announce additional device manufacturer partnerships in line with the previously announced rollout in 20 markets in 2011.
Salil Dalvi, Co-GM of MCV and SVP at NBC Universal Digital Distribution and Erik Moreno, Co-GM of MCV and SVP at FOX, described the partnerships as “a critical step in the growth of the platform,” adding that a vibrant mobile TV ecosystem needed broadcast services, consumer devices that comply with ATSC-Mobile standards, and the ability to enable multiple business models for content owners.
MCV aims to develop a new national mobile content service for the US by utilising existing broadcast spectrum to enable member companies to deliver content to mobile devices, including live and on-demand video, local and national news from print and electronic sources, as well as sports and entertainment programming.