ExtendMedia launches competing TV Everywhere solution

ExtendMedia, an online video content management software provider, announced the launch of OpenCASE Publisher, which it is marketing to Tier 1 multichannel operators for on demand online video programming. Tom MacIsaac, CEO of ExtendMedia, said in an interview that the company already has signed three Tier 1 operators that currently are building "TV Everywhere" type content offerings for multiscreen delivery.

"OpenCASE Publisher is focused on several of the problems we think operators are going to face when they deploy TV Everywhere," MacIssac said. "There is the gateway issue with authentication, but after authentication, the operator is still going to have to deliver a unique service and manage a wealth of content. Even basic cable has about 100 cable networks in it, so if I'm going to unlock all of that content online for you, I'm going to have to access hundreds of hours of on demand content."

MacIssac said ExtendMedia built a robust set of tools to confront these pain points, including features to aid search and discovery of content, as well as billing and service management capabilities. He said the company's closest competitor is Comcast subsidiary thePlatform, which is designing Comcast's OnDemand Online video content offering. MacIssac said thePlatform's status as a subsidiary of Comcast makes ExtendMedia's solution more attractive to Comcast's operator competitors that want to build their own competing offerings.

But Marty Roberts, vice president of marketing for thePlatform, said in an interview he didn't think any single customer ruled out thePlatform's solution based on corporate ownership and also cautioned against rushing TV Everywhere-type solutions to market.

"If you want to roll this out without a trial, you're a little crazy," Roberts said. "I wouldn't dismiss Comcast's offering or those of other customers who are approaching this situation in a stepwise fashion. They want to make sure the tech is rock solid, and we advise every customer to allow for the technology to be validated in tests before we open up the throttle to make sure everything works and that content rights and subscriber identities are protected."

Roberts said thePlatform is positioned uniquely in these deployments, as it manages online video assets for four major MSOs, Comcast, Cox Communications, Cablevision and Time Warner Cable. 

For more:
- see the company press release here
- see the Contentinople article here 

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