Vode Keeps Them Laughing With Comedy Demon Deal

Vode, the UK-based VoD specialist, has announced its second major deal in recent months, to manage comedy content, this time with RDF Digital, part of the RDF Media Group for its much awaited new online comedy portal - www.comedydemon.com.
The deal comprises a one-year exclusive contract to digitise, quality control and manage upload of more than 1,000 hours of download-to-own (DTO) long-form programming and the 2,000 free short form clips ranging from 30 seconds to 10 minutes in length.
The content is being provided in various formats, both tape and file based.
Comedydemon.com has already supplied Vode with over 350 hours of its content library in the last month, originating from a clutch of high profile third-party content providers which complement RDF's own comedy output, sourced mainly from The Comedy Unit, as well as commissioning new content for the site.
Debbie Manners, Group Commercial Director of RDF Media and Managing Director of Comedydemon said of its decision to choose Vode: "We're very excited to be working with Vode. Their enthusiasm for the sector and experience with major brands means they are an ideal partner for Comedy Demon."
Comedydemon.com is RDF's first direct-to-consumer content business, offering TV and online comedy as streamed short clips and full length programmes via download-to-own. It aims to be one of the UK's premiere comedy sites, featuring full-length episodes of the nation's favourite comedy shows, live nights from top stand ups, exclusive interviews, live comedy footage and blogs.
Anita O'Donnell, Managing Director at Vode, said: "Comedydemon.com is our first opportunity to digitise content exclusively for an online portal and to go straight to the top with RDF Digital is a brilliant experience. RDF has created a great model in Comedydemon.com and has fantastic content supported by highly targeted marketing, In the not too distant future, every content provider will have some level of direct to consumer interface and we have the expertise, technology and customer focused team to provide that service."
This latest contract comes swiftly after another recent deal with Paramount Comedy to digitise and deliver an initial 80 hours of content for the BT Vision platform. Titles include 'South Park', 'Comedy Blue', 'Just For Laughs', 'That '70s Show' and 'World Stands Up'. Paramount Comedy approached Vode as they needed a technical partner to ingest, store, create metadata, re-purpose and deliver their content digitally to IPTV and VoD platforms worldwide.
Vode creates high-resolution digital files from any physical media from HD CAM SR to Dig Beta, Beta SP and 1-inch tape. All files can be stored in the VodeVault, and once a company has signed a deal with a distributor - be it IPTV, VoD or mobile operator Vode delivers a duplicate file to the platform in whatever format they require.
Further information is available at: www.vode.co.uk.
(KMcA)