Advanced Television

thePlatform in worldwide Liberty Global online video deal

September 8, 2011

Colin Mann @ IBC

White-label video publishing company and independent subsidiary of Comcast, thePlatform, has been selected by international cable operator Liberty Global to provide the back-end video management system across its online video properties.

Liberty Global – which has operations in 14 countries – will use thePlatform’s ‘TV Everywhere’ solution to enable subscribers to catch-up and watch more of their favourite programmes and movies on their computers.

thePlatform’s cloud-based, mpx video management system will serve as the central aggregation hub for collecting, protecting, and publishing online video to Liberty Global’s various web portals. The system will also manage the authorisation of online video watching based on a user’s paid TV subscription package.

“We’re committed to providing our subscribers even greater access to their favourite shows, and enhancing the value of their subscriptions beyond the TV screen,” said Ryc Brownrigg, Vice President of Digital Technology for Liberty Global. “By integrating with thePlatform’s mpx system, we’re gaining a powerful logistics hub that makes it easier for our subscribers to watch premium shows online, while preserving the content rights obligations we have with our content providers.”

Ian Blaine, CEO of thePlatform, described Liberty Global as “unquestionably one of the pre-eminent leaders in television services around the world” and suggested that simplifying the back-end complexity of online video management would enable Liberty Global to bring new and innovative video services to market in an efficient and scalable way.

thePlatform’s mpx system will be phased in to support various online efforts in select regions and then expanded globally. Additional details about the implementation and financial terms of the agreement between thePlatform and Liberty Global have not been  disclosed.

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