itvt

–Player Version 2.7 Integrates Microsoft Silverlight, Atlas Ad Server
–Appoints New President and COO
–New Deals with tvtv, CAN Communicate and FIFA, Fox Intl’s BabyTV

Broadband TV infrastructure company, Narrowstep (note: the
company’s telvOS technology has been used to power a number of
high-profile broadband TV services, including the ITV Local service of
UK commercial terrestrial broadcaster, the Independent Television
Network; it recently announced that it was shifting the focus of its sales
and marketing efforts away from smaller niche content
providers–which it says “traditionally had lower margins and less
financial resources”–and placing it instead on larger enterprises that
require “sophisticated tools and functionality” for broadband video–see
[itvt] Issue 5.78 Part 1), has generated a fair amount of news over the
past few weeks:

• The company has released what it claims is the first commercialized
  Internet video player to integrate Microsoft Silverlight technologies
  with Atlas Ad Server solutions. According to Narrowstep, the new
  version 2.7 of its player offers video playout on various operating
  systems and browsers, including current versions of Mac, Safari and
  Firefox, and is the first product of its kind to integrate a
  multi-functional industry-standard tool for delivering ads across
  platforms. Additionally, the company says, the Narrowstep Player 2.7
  will provide improved functionality to end-users and increased backend
  support for the company’s channel-operator clients. “We are excited to
  deploy Player 2.7,” Michael Stanislawek, Narrowstep’s chief software
  architect, said in a prepared statement. “This release not only gives a
  rich cross-browser experience but further helps our customers to
  monetize content with the first integration of Silverlight and Atlas.”
  Narrowstep says that the new player also offers enhanced scheduling,
  flexible player client-side API’s, and improved community tools such
  as comments and ratings. A number of Narrowstep-powered broadband
  TV channels have already migrated to the new player, including
  Torque.TV (targets car, truck and motorcycle enthusiasts), Outdoor
  Channel, and MTBcut (targets mountain bike enthusiasts), and the
  company says that several others will be adopting it within the coming
  weeks. Narrowstep also says that it has made various improvements to
  its platform in anticipation of the launch of Player 2.7 and to further
  support its new business strategy of providing customized video
  solutions to large enterprise customers. Because larger broadcasters and
  content-owners require a broadband video solution with an
  enterprise-class advertising platform, the company says, it decided to
  develop the first integration of Atlas and Silverlight (which it
  showcased in Microsoft’s booth at the recent NAB show). “The
  integration with Atlas will enable our customers to utilize a
  sophisticated advertising platform to leverage third-party ad networks,
  in addition to using in-house advertising efforts, to deliver both banner
  and video advertisements,” Anthony Yi, Narrowstep’s SVP of
  worldwide sales and business development, said in a prepared
  statement. “This Player upgrade is just one example of how Narrowstep
  will continue to integrate the best tools to help our customers develop
  profitable on-line video models–which is a rarity outside of our
  customer base.”

• The company says that it is partnering with tvtv services, a branch of
  Sony UK that has developed a cross-platform EPG, on a project to
  extend that EPG beyond the presentation of linear broadcast TV
  schedules to encompass information on VOD and broadband TV
  services across multiple hardware devices. According to Narrowstep,
  the project sees the companies “optimizing the use of a traditional
  broadcaster EPG in an Internet environment” in order to ensure that the
  EPG allows “users to be guided to Web TV and on-demand video
  content delivered through Narrowstep’s Internet TV platform.” “As a
  leading Internet TV technology provider with world-class customers in
  the UK and Europe, Narrowstep was a natural partner for us to work
  with on this project,” Tassilo Raesig, general manager of tvtv services,
  said in a prepared statement. “We look forward to moving this project
  forward to deliver a next-generation EPG experience which leverages
  tvtv’s expertise.” Added Barak Bar-Cohen, Narrowstep’s recently
  appointed president and COO (see below): “Working with tvtv’s
  leading EPG product allows us to potentially extend the Narrowstep
  platform and the reach of our customers’ channels to the livingroom
  across the best entertainment products from leading CE manufacturers
  who integrate tvtv’s EPG in their products. This is a very exciting
  opportunity for us.”

• The company has appointed Barak Bar-Cohen as president and COO.
  He was previously general manager of its European operations, and
  will continue to be based in London. “With February’s release of our
  technology upgrade, which will include a new advertising platform,
  more community tools, as well as cross-browser and cross-platform
  support, I feel our technology is once again leading the industry,”
  Narrowstep chairman and interim CEO, David C. McCourt, said in a
  prepared statement. “We have also streamlined the operations and
  removed roughly $7 million in costs that began to be reflected in the
  last quarter. We will continue to focus on driving sales and I can think
  of no better executive to focus on sales and the day-to-day execution
  than Mr. Bar-Cohen.” According to Narrowstep, Bar-Cohen has over
  12 years of international and operations experience in the
  telecommunications and media industries. Among other things, his
  resume includes stints as VP of customer service, marketing and public
  relations at competitive triple-play provider, RCN; as VP of investment
  banking at Tel Aviv-based international investment house, Zannex
  Investment; and as a senior associate at US-based economic consulting
  firm, Putnam, Hayes & Bartlett. He holds an MBA from Dartmouth
  College’s Tuck School of Business.

• The company has appointed 28-year telecommunications-industry
  veteran, Jon Harrington, to its board of directors. According to
  Narrowstep, Harrington’s appointment is part of the company’s new
  strategy of focusing its efforts on large enterprise customers.
  Harrington was previously a managing partner of Accenture’s
  Communications & High Tech practice, in which role, Narrowstep
  says, he directed a portfolio of around 50 major communications,
  media/entertainment and high-tech companies in the US and Canada;
  managed a staff of around 3,700; oversaw sales and marketing,
  budgeting and planning, human resources and quality assurance
  functions; and was responsible for strategic direction, strategic growth
  initiatives, new client development and client relationships.

• The company says that CAN Communicate and international soccer
  body, FIFA, are using its platform to offer over 250 television networks
  around the world the ability to download (for broadcast, free of charge)
  a new, promotional documentary series entitled “Football’s Hidden
  Story” (www.footballshiddenstory.com). The 26-part series, produced
  by CAN Communicate and Infront Sports & Media, features
  individually researched stories that are billed as providing “an up-close
  look into a world where football is more than just a game” and is “a
  way of life.” “FIFA wanted us to provide an insight into how football
  has an impact at a grassroots level and feature some of the powerful
  human stories where football really does make a difference,” David
  Wooster of CAN Communicate said in a prepared statement. “The
  Narrowstep platform provided us with an effective means to reach
  broadcasters through a high-quality and secure destination on the
  Internet so that they could then share these stories with millions of
  people around the world.” According to Narrowstep, its
  downloadServer technology provides broadcasters with all the
  resources they need to offer the series to their viewers–whether in full
  or as part of another program (such as a news or sportscast): each
  episode is available in full via digital download on a 24/7 basis, and is
  also provided in edited three-minute segments and as a video news
  release; in addition, broadcasters can access supplemental B-roll
  footage, as well as scripts, and separate audio files for radio or
  podcasts. To date, content from the series has been downloaded and
  broadcast by ESPN Star Sports (Asia), Sky Italia, Bloomberg TV,
  Canal France International, Setanta, Sports News TV, Al Jazeera
  (English), CCTV (China), and a number of other broadcasters.

  

• The company has signed a deal with Fox International’s BabyTV to
  deliver the latter’s original programming (dedicated to infants and
  toddlers, and developed by a team of child-development experts) over
  the Internet. BabyTV, which as a result of the deal is now available on
  babychanneltv.com, is also available on 100 pay-TV systems in 65
  different countries and in 12 different languages. In addition, it is
  available on VOD, mobile, home video and inflight services. The deal
  sees Narrowstep providing BabyTV with its flagship telvOS Internet
  TV platform, which includes a content-management system, and
  various DRM and monetization tools (Narrowstep claims that these
  tools allow broadcasters to “integrate a customized Internet TV strategy
  into their existing workflow without the need to deal with multiple
  vendors”). In addition, Narrowstep has designed and built a custom
  video player for BabyTV, which allows viewers to choose their child’s
  favorite programs by themes or by characters, and also supports such
  activities as “baby karaoke,” singalongs, and the ability to access
  programming in a number of different languages. “The fact that we
  were chosen by an industry-leading company like Fox International,
  only reaffirms that we have developed the right strategy of focusing on
  our technology and on targeting world-class broadcasters,”
  Narrowstep’s David C. McCourt said in a prepared statement.