Comcast Technology Solutions Tapped by AMC Networks as Centralized Video Platform for Managed Channel Origination and VOD

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Sep 10, 2024, 00:01 ET

New multi-year agreement for AMC Networks to use CTS to manage & deliver linear TV playout for 28 channels across the Americas including AMC, BBC AMERICA, IFC, SundanceTV, We TV, & others

CTS to manage third-party distribution of VOD to MVPDs, vMVPDs, OTT partners & serve as primary archive to enforce viewing windows for AMC Networks' vast library of premium shows & films

DENVER, Sept. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In advance of the 2024 IBC Show, Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) today announced a new multi-year agreement with AMC Networks to serve as its centralized video platform for Managed Channel Origination (MCO) and Video On Demand (VOD). CTS will also serve as the primary video archive to enforce viewing rights and availability of AMC Networks' vast library of premium shows, films, and brands across third-party content distribution partners.

Under terms of the new agreement, AMC Networks will use CTS' Managed Channel Origination (MCO) service to ingest, manage, and distribute linear TV, on demand, and OTT video content across North America and South America for 28 channels including AMC, AMC+, BBC AMERICA, IFC, Shudder, SundanceTV, We TV, and others. In addition, CTS' VOD service will be used to deliver on demand and OTT video content to MVPD, vMVPD and OTT partners globally. CTS' Managed Channel Origination delivers a fully managed 24x7 service aimed at improving operational efficiency, reducing capital expenses, and future-proofing customers' ability to monetize world-class viewing experiences at scale. CTS' MCO and VOD capabilities provide media companies, content owners, and broadcasters with a platform for unified video workflow from content ingest through delivery.

"AMC Networks is home to many of the best stories, characters, and brands across TV and film, and a premier destination for global fan communities," said Bart Spriester, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Streaming, Broadcast, & Advertising for Comcast Technology Solutions. "We're honored that AMC Networks will rely on us to help streamline their efforts to reach and monetize audiences across the Americas and around the globe. At Comcast Technology Solutions, our mission is to help leading media companies, like AMC Networks, reduce workflow complexity and redundancy, lower capital and operational expenses, and deliver exceptional quality viewing that today's consumers demand across their screens of choice."

"During this time of evolution and change across our industry, AMC Networks is laser focused on achieving the highest levels of efficiency and service quality across our video portfolio," said Stephanie Mitchko, Executive Vice President, Global Media Operations and Technology at AMC Networks. "Whether it's to support of our premium channels, our archives, or distribution of our acclaimed original franchises such as The Walking Dead Universe and the Anne Rice Immortal Universe, we believe that Comcast Technology Solutions provides us with the right technological backend for our future. CTS is committed to helping us shift towards a single ingest model, consolidate workflows, and manage our linear TV and VOD efforts across our networks and our third-party distribution partners. By centralizing with CTS, we expect to streamline operations, automate highly complex tasks, and free up valuable resources to focus more on creating and monetizing our extensive programming assets."

CTS' Managed Channel Origination provides media companies with a unified workflow, from content acquisition through delivery, with 24x7 service level agreements (SLAs). It provides the capabilities needed to acquire, prepare, create, package, and deliver linear TV and OTT channels. Content is acquired either as live video or file-based acquisition via satellite, fiber, or secure IP. Channels are then prepared with Comcast Technology Solutions' rendering operations, cloud-based content supply chain implementation, media asset management, and traffic and metadata services. Next, channels are created with capabilities such as channel automation playout (e.g., SCTE triggers, advanced graphics, closed captioning, and more), master control, and VideoAI™. From there, channels are prepared with the necessary encoding, encryption, and authorization policies, then delivered via satellite uplink, fiber, secure internet, or CDNs for MVPDs, vMVPDs, and OTT to any screen. Managed Channel Origination's redundant and diverse IP routing infrastructure provides a secure global playout solution to accelerate delivery. In addition, CTS' VOD services enable MVPDs, virtual MVPDs, and OTT providers to launch and manage their own SVOD, TVOD, and AVOD offerings. It provides companies the ability to ingest, store, process, distribute, and monetize their video assets to set-top boxes and connected devices while optimizing C3/C7/D4/D7 windows.

Comcast Technology Solutions at IBC 2024

At the 2024 IBC Show, CTS will showcase its solutions for streaming, broadcast, entertainment, and connectivity experiences in Hall 5, Stand C80. Experts will be on-hand to discuss CTS' full suite of products for content and streaming providers, MVPDs, and advertisers. In addition, Peter Gibson, VP of Product & Marketing at Comcast Technology Solutions will also present on "The New Age of Cloud TV" on Friday, September 13 at 12:15 p.m. on the IBC Content Everywhere Stage. Customers, prospects, and partners of CTS seeking to schedule on-site business meetings can visit: https://www.comcasttechnologysolutions.com/ibc-2024.

To learn more about Comcast Technology Solutions' entire portfolio of solutions, visit: https://www.comcasttechnologysolutions.com/our-products. For more information about AMC Networks visit https://www.amcnetworks.com/

About Comcast Technology Solutions
Comcast Technology Solutions, a division of one of the world's leading media and technology companies, brings Comcast Corporation's proven technologies to an evolving list of industries worldwide. Comcast Technology Solutions offers a broad portfolio of solutions that deliver flexibility at scale for global video, media, communications, data applications, and cybersecurity & compliance. Customers include leading content and streaming video providers, pay TV operators and MVPDs, advertisers, communications providers, financial service providers, retailers, and more. For more information, visit https://www.comcasttechnologysolutions.com/.

SOURCE Comcast Technology Solutions