LONDON — July 27, 2009 — Pilat Media, a leading global supplier of business management software solutions to the media industry, today announced that BBC World Service has gone live with its first major program scheduling system, based on Pilat Media's Integrated Broadcast Management System (IBMS). The system drives the scheduling of worldwide broadcasts in English. It is the first stage of an ongoing joint development project with Pilat Media to build a system to manage the complex scheduling requirements of BBC World Service's very large multiplatform distribution networks.
Pilat Media's IBMS was enhanced with customized bulk scheduling capabilities which allow a small number of operators to manage large workloads, and with specially developed interfaces to the broadcaster's playout and program listings systems.
BBC World Service is implementing both the program scheduling system and the distribution management system as part of a project to revise and update its infrastructure, hardware, and the management of signal distribution. The project, begun in 2006, also involves the replacement of over 1200 satellite receivers worldwide.
"The scale and scope of this project make it an exceptional challenge, and very exciting to be involved with," said Avi Engel, CEO, Pilat Media. "This is the first major scheduling system implementation for an organization that has been a touchstone of global broadcasting since 1922. The multilingual nature of the output, together with the use of a wide range of distribution technologies — FM, AM, shortwave, Internet, and DTH satellite — place a premium on Pilat Media's tools and the ability they provide to manage complex workloads effectively."
IBMS streamlines the entire content management workflow from media acquisition and rights management to scheduling, media management, log preparation, and analysis. Because the system leverages a single integrated database, it provides better visibility on inventory utilization and easily enables the user to generate "what if" programming and cost scenarios.
In the final phase of the delivery, Pilat's software for distribution scheduling will provide a familiar, intuitive user interface for operational managers to understand very quickly how individual receivers and groups of receivers are switched at different times. The software indicates how and where the program content streams (channels) will be available to listeners, and operators can control the switching schedules through interfaces. On-screen displays show available satellite/router bandwidth and allow the operator to see the impact on changes to channel availability in specific countries and regions, making it easy for the broadcaster to cater for planned and unplanned regional and global events.
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About BBC World Service
BBC World Service is an international multimedia broadcaster delivering 32 language and regional services. It uses multiple platforms to reach 188 million listeners globally, including shortwave, AM, FM, digital satellite, and cable channels. It has around 2,000 partner radio stations which take BBC content, and numerous partnerships supplying content to mobile phones and other wireless handheld devices. Its news sites include audio and video content and offer opportunities to join the global debate. For more information, visit bbcworldservice.com. To find out more about the BBC's English language offer and subscribe to a free e-newsletter, visit bbcworldservice.com/schedules.
About Pilat Media
Pilat Media Global plc [AIM: PGB] develops, markets, and supports business management software solutions for content and service providers in the media industry. Designed with the direct involvement of top-tier broadcasters, Pilat Media's systems improve business performance; accelerate time to market; and enable diversification and growth of content programming, advertising sales, traffic, and media operations for multiplatform linear and on-demand services. More than 50 blue-chip media companies around the world use Pilat Media solutions, including SBS (Pro7) Group, FOX, AT&T, CTV, Virgin Media, Discovery, SABC, Chellomedia, the BBC, Media General, Sky Italia, ESPN Star Sports, Network Ten, TVNZ, and Foxtel. These and other deployments represent the management of billions of dollars in advertising revenue and programming that reaches hundreds of millions of viewers. More information is available at www.pilatmedia.com.
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