Siemens to address digital challenges at BroadcastAsia 2005

Siemens Business Services has announced that it will be addressing how broadcasters can respond to the opportunities provided by the new digital world, at BroadcastAsia 2005 (June 13-16, Singapore).
Chris Lawrence, Consultant, Siemens Business Services, will outline how broadcasters can avoid the pitfalls when setting up a new broadcast channel or service. Talking alongside Lawrence, Kirit Solanki, Senior Data Architect, also from Siemens, will reveal how broadcasters need to position their media assets as central to strategic business planning.
Lawrence will highlight to the conference that one of the most common mistakes broadcasters make when responding to the new opportunities provided by the digital world, such as launching new channels, is that they pay too little attention to their business models and operational processes. Instead, they focus too heavily on the role of technology in enabling them to launch new channels and services. Lawrence will explain the need to put technology into its proper perspective - as an enabler for and not the driver of change. Successful service launches require robust business and programming strategies, and new ways of working to support them through the appropriate use of new technology.
Solanki will outline that although Media Asset Management enables broadcasters to ingest, store, manage and retrieve digitised media from IT systems, each piece of media needs a unique identifier to make it a truly valuable asset. Solanki will explain how a unique identifier acts as a ‘hook’ on which to hang disparate information to improve operational efficiencies, enable sharing and collaboration, and maximise the creative value of assets.
“Broadcasters have a unique constitution of mission-critical challenges that need addressing as they work to understand the impact of today’s radically changing landscape,” commented Lawrence. “At the forefront of IT, communications and media innovation, we are ideally placed to help organisations transform their business models and transition their technology as they prepare for this new world.”
Siemens is the transformation partner to the media and entertainment industry. Through its media expertise, including the 2004 acquisition of BBC Technology, and a £2 billion, 10-year landmark partnership deal with the BBC, it provides technology services and solutions to the industry.
(GB)