LONDON -- July 27, 2010 -- Pilat Media, the leading global supplier of business management software to the media industry, announced today that Canadian media company Corus Entertainment Inc. has selected its Integrated Broadcast Management System (IBMS) as the broadcast management backbone for its new Toronto headquarters, Corus Quay. Through integration with Corus Entertainment's automation, digital asset management, sales, and graphics systems, IBMS will provide an end-to-end solution for managing the acquisition, planning, scheduling, and playout of Corus' content.
One of Canada's most successful integrated media and entertainment companies, Corus Entertainment offers a wide selection of specialty cable TV channels and pay TV services, and also operates three local over-the-air television stations and 50 radio stations. As part of the company's business streamlining and consolidation project, the company's new base of operations, Corus Quay brings together more than 1,100 employees in a technologically sophisticated, state-of-the-art broadcast and production facility located on the Toronto waterfront.
Pilat Media's IBMS will be the core broadcast management system improving operational efficiency by eliminating repetitive tasks while automating others, better exploiting media assets and enabling cross-departmental collaboration when Corus Quay becomes fully operational in fall 2010. As the central operational hub, IBMS will link to OmniBus Systems iTX for automation, Pharos Mediator for digital asset management, Vizrt for on-air graphics, and Corus Entertainment's legacy programming and traffic systems. The fully integrated solution enables IBMS to maintain live, real-time linkages with the other systems to provide up-to-the-minute data on content scheduling and playout. Corus Entertainment will implement several IBMS content management modules including rights management, program scheduling, and program finance to manage scheduling costs.
"Corus Quay provided us with an unprecedented opportunity to reengineer our production capabilities from the ground up and build an entirely digital infrastructure based on leading-edge technologies," said Scott Dyer, executive vice president, shared services and chief technology officer, Corus Entertainment. "With the ability to seamlessly integrate both new and legacy systems, IBMS presented the ideal solution for our comprehensive broadcast content management and the best fit for our future development. Furthermore, Pilat Media has a solid track record working with Canadian broadcasters and a strong understanding of the Canadian broadcasting landscape."
IBMS was selected for the project following a rigorous evaluation process conducted for Corus Entertainment by Siemens IT Solutions and Services, which is providing primary consulting and integration for the Corus Quay project.
"We are very excited that Corus Entertainment, one of the most prominent players in the Canadian broadcast market, has chosen IBMS for such a pivotal role in building the Corus Quay broadcasting and production infrastructure," said Avi Engel, CEO, Pilat Media. "It is a true validation of the enormous value our solutions add, especially in large and technically sophisticated broadcasting environments that require the ability to manage complex workflows and content from many different sources."
More information about Pilat Media and the complete IBMS product family is available at www.pilatmedia.com.
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About Corus Quay
Corus Quay, the new base of operations for Corus Entertainment, brings more than 1,100 Corus employees together into an ambitious and technologically sophisticated state-of-the-art broadcast and production facility that is destined to become a community landmark on Toronto's waterfront.
About Corus Entertainment
Corus Entertainment Inc. is a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, advertising services, television broadcasting, children's book publishing, and children's animation. The company's multimedia entertainment brands include YTV, Treehouse, Nickelodeon (Canada), W Network, CosmoTV, VIVA, Sundance Channel (Canada), Movie Central, HBO Canada, Nelvana, and Kids Can Press, and radio stations including CKNW, CFOX, CKOI, 98.5 FM, Q107, and 102.1 the Edge. Corus creates engaging branded entertainment experiences for its audiences across multiple platforms. A publicly traded company, Corus is listed on the Toronto (CJR.B) and New York (CJR) exchanges. Experience Corus on the Web at www.corusent.com.
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 FOX, AT&T, CTV, Virgin Media, Discovery, SABC, Chellomedia, the BBC, Media General, Sky Italia, ESPN Star Sports, Network Ten, TVNZ, Southern Cross, 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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ENDS