Cloud-Based SaaS Technology Elevates ROI and Unleashes the Power of Cloud Workflows for Broadcast and Connected TV
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV, announced that it will be demonstrating how its solutions maximize content libraries and drive better ROI at IBC2023 in Amsterdam, Sept. 15-18. With the different pathways offered through the cloud, broadcasters and content owners can benefit from deploying unified workflows to cater to a variety of audiences across traditional cable, CTV, D2C apps, and FAST platforms. By addressing live, linear, and VOD requirements, Amagi’s solutions enable broadcast-grade quality and a cable-like experience across TVs, apps, and connected devices.
Highlights at IBC2023 will include:
Amagi DYNAMIC: Spin Up/Down Cloud Infrastructure for Single Live Events on Demand
At IBC, Amagi will unveil the new Amagi DYNAMIC live production and playout system, demonstrating its use case mainly for launching pop-up channels for single live sports events. With Amagi DYNAMIC, content owners no longer need to opt for expensive upfront investments and hardware infrastructure — simply bring up the cloud system for the duration of the event and retire it when the event ends.
Amagi DYNAMIC is ideal for rights owners and holders that want to maximize their content library to create multiple, parallel live events, distribute them to D2C apps and other platforms, add new viewers, and generate additional ad revenues. Additionally, Amagi DYNAMIC enables users to demonstrate immediate ROI, thereby mitigating risk, building confidence, and setting a competitive advantage.
Amagi CLOUDPORT and Amagi LIVE: Improving Workflow Efficiencies for News Content
Amagi will demonstrate how the Amagi CLOUDPORT broadcast-grade channel playout platform, combined with its Amagi LIVE software option, can enable news organizations to achieve streamlined, dynamic, and real-time content delivery.
The latest version of Amagi CLOUDPORT simplifies programming and streamlines workflows for broadcast and CTV-led FAST by providing comprehensive programming features, HD/UHD quality, captions, graphics, low latency, and flexible redundancy options. The recent enhancements enable efficient single-user operations, faster programming, and smoother playout workflows.
Amagi LIVE, available with Amagi CLOUDPORT, enables users to remotely manage and dynamically produce diverse live event segments — such as news, sports, and entertainment — for linear and video-on-demand (VOD) channels, thereby maximizing revenue potential. For 24/7 live linear channel operators, especially in news and sports, Amagi LIVE handles multi-source ingest, low-latency control, precise switching, ad-breaks, and real-time advanced graphics. Through an intuitive web interface, users manage single or multiple channels with unique ad and graphics playlists during breaks.
Amagi NOW: Unified Self-Service Portal Adds New Media Manager and VOD Functions
Unveiled at NAB Show, Amagi’s new unified self-service portal, Amagi NOW, provides media companies with comprehensive channel management and monetization solutions to enhance operational efficiencies and optimize content performance across linear and VOD platforms. As competition intensifies in the streaming landscape, this modular SaaS solution equips content owners and platforms with a critical edge, expediting time-to-market and accelerating revenue generation by automating processes that enhance operational efficiencies.
Amagi will showcase how Amagi NOW benefits content partners with streamlined automated content workflows, integrated scheduling and monetization, a hands-on approach for consistent user experiences, and pre-integrated platforms for both linear and VOD deliveries. Key highlights will include comprehensive workflow functionality, enhanced process automation, and effortless playout.
Amagi THUNDERSTORM, ANALYTICS, and ADS PLUS: Enhanced Monetization Toolset, and Unified Observability
Amagi will demonstrate how combining Amagi THUNDERSTORM and Amagi ADS PLUS provides content publishers and streaming platforms with a comprehensive toolset regarding advertising strategies, including adding new ad formats and better/granular contextual metadata. The new Unified Observability view enables content publishers and streaming platforms to monitor, analyze, and optimize content viewership, ad performance, and monetization strategies in real time. Amagi ANALYTICS will announce the launch of its next-generation Content Viewership and Ad Performance product to enable data-driven programming and monetization decisions.
In its third generation, Amagi THUNDERSTORM — the company’s dynamic server-side ad insertion (SSAI) solution — prioritizes top-tier ad render rates, effectively balancing the inserted ads against available inventory. When integrated with Amagi ANALYTICS, Amagi THUNDERSTORM gains performance metrics on content viewership and ad performance across devices and geographic dimensions. And, when paired with the Amagi ADS PLUS real-time marketplace for CTV advertising, Amagi THUNDERSTORM enables content creators to leverage advanced yield management techniques, including unified auction capabilities, to optimize ad revenue.
With the ability to deliver personalized, contextually relevant ads across devices, comply with privacy regulations, support multiple ad formats, and maximize ad revenue through programmatic demand, Amagi’s suite of ad tech solutions offers a holistic approach to achieving unparalleled observability in the dynamic landscape of streaming TV.
Tech Partnerships for Seamless Cloud Migration, Hybrid Operations, and Monetization
At IBC2023, Amagi will also highlight how its strategic partnerships are empowering cloud solutions to improve the creation, management, distribution, and monetization of live linear and VOD. Particularly, the company’s milestone partnership with Imagine Communications — a global leader in advertising and media solutions — yields significant benefits for TV networks and broadcasters.
Together, Amagi and Imagine address critical customer priorities, harmonizing cloud-based and on-premises technologies to seamlessly facilitate cloud migration, hybrid operations, and orchestration. The integration of Amagi CLOUDPORT into Imagine’s Aviator™ suite and Imagine’s SureFire™ into Amagi’s THUNDERSTORM offering creates a versatile environment for fluid contribution, playout, and distribution workflows across broadcast, FAST, and CTV audiences. This integration is bolstered by the new Aviator Orchestrator, enhancing orchestration of streams, services, assets, and automation within the cloud-based services provided by Amagi.
This collaboration also enhances monetization through improved advertising capabilities. From a business standpoint, the partnership enables holistic advertising planning, sales, and execution for both linear and CTV audiences. Leveraging Amagi THUNDERSTORM, Imagine’s SureFire video ad server, and the Plan/Make/Monetize framework, this solution caters to audience re-aggregation and optimization needs across all viewer and inventory types. This capability is particularly crucial for FAST publishers seeking sophisticated advertising management platforms.
FAST 2.0 Innovations: Zslate, CLIP Personalized EPG, Interactivity, and More
Finally, Amagi will highlight its growing spectrum of FAST 2.0 services, including channel creation, distribution, monetization, its first-party programmatic ad platform, and its content marketplace to launch FAST channels globally. In particular, Amagi will highlight new developments for the next iteration of FAST, including:
- Zslate: A personalized streaming experience where a viewer is never shown or stalled by disruptive ad slates as part of their ad experience
- Personalized EPG: A capability for FAST services to offer a personalized lineup and set of channels based on various rules (event-based, geo-based, cohort-based etc.)
- Interactivity: Interactive features and buttons dynamically rendered on a video player, so viewers can choose how they want to navigate their content in FAST channels
Amagi delivers linear channels in over 40 countries around the world, with the majority of clients from the American market. Amagi’s customer list includes ABS-CBN, AccuWeather, A+E Networks UK, Cinedigm, Cox Media Group, Crackle Plus, Fremantle, Gannett, Gusto TV, NBCUniversal, Tastemade, The Roku Channel, and numerous other global companies.
More information about Amagi and its streaming TV solutions is available at www.amagi.com.
Company Overview:
Amagi is a next-generation media technology company that provides cloud broadcast and targeted advertising solutions to broadcast TV and streaming TV platforms. Amagi enables content owners to launch, distribute and monetize live linear channels on Free Ad-supported Streaming TV and video services platforms. Amagi also offers 24×7 cloud-managed services bringing simplicity, advanced automation, and transparency to the entire broadcast operations. Overall, Amagi supports 700+ content brands, 800+ playout chains, and over 2100 channel deliveries on its platform in over 40 countries. Amagi has a presence in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, London, Paris, Melbourne, Seoul, Singapore, and broadcast operations in New Delhi, and an innovation center in Bangalore.
