KIT digital, Civolution join Social TV revolution
June 21, 2012
Video management software and services company KIT digital is teaming up with Civolution, a provider of technology and solutions for identifying, managing and monetising media content, to offer a solution that enables second screen interaction (2Si) and monetisation opportunities with so-called ‘dumb’ TV Sets.
KIT digital has integrated Civolution’s Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) technology, SyncNow, into its Cosmos video management software, which will now deliver second screen interactivity to consumers with non-connected TV sets. Civolution and KIT digital will jointly offer solutions to their media and broadcast clients.
The pair note that consumers are increasingly watching and interacting with video services delivered over the Internet. The most successful video services leverage IP televisions, smartphones and tablets in novel ways to increase viewer engagement and interaction. However, the majority of TV sets and set-top boxes in use today are not IP-video capable. They do not support viewer interaction beyond changing the channel, limiting the value broadcasters and service providers can offer to viewers and making second screen interaction irrelevant and impossible.
They suggest their respective software solves this problem. KIT digital’s Cosmos video management software supports live and on-demand video delivery and second screen interactive experiences across a variety of devices. Civolution’s digital watermarking and fingerprinting technologies enable accurate and real-time synchronisation of a broadcast video stream with an interactive application on a companion device, even in the absence of an IP-connected TV, and whether the video content is being watched live or on-demand.
“Second screen applications that actively synch with the content on the main screen deliver better targeted and more timely companion experiences, justifying higher channel advertising spend and consumer subscription fees,” said Laura Kaatz, Managing Director of Global Commercial Operations at KIT digital. “Our joint solution opens up a new market for media and entertainment companies, supporting higher ad and subscription revenues without the need for their viewers to invest in new infrastructure. Both Civolution and KIT digital’s sales teams can sell the solution together, in a teaming model, as we do successfully with other partners in our Partner Ecosystem.”
Andy Nobbs, Chief Commercial Officer, Civolution said that broadcasters and service providers would now be able to offer synchronised apps to consumers who could interact with their favourite programmes using their tablet with any type of TV set.