Software Gets Real-Time Teletext-To-Web Service

MTV3 in Finland has chosen SysMedia's Planet software to replace its teletext-to-web publishing solution, giving much faster updates within moments of the teletext page changing.
MTV Media, owners of MTV3, is a major player in the Finish broadcast market with two free-to-air channels (MTV3 and Sub) and seven pay-TV channels (MTV3 MAX, MTV3 Fakta, MTV3 AVA, MTV3 Sarja, MTV3 Scifi and SUB Juniori).
Tom Levlin, Production Manager at MTV3 Interactive, said: "The Planet solution is a natural extension to our existing SysMedia Plasma3 teletext system in order to enhance our web services.
"Prior to this we were using custom software that didn't allow real-time updates on the website - so we always had to use content that was approximately 45 minutes old. The Planet software solves this issue, and that is the key reason we purchased it."
The teletext service MTV3 Tekstikanava ( www.mtv3tekstikanava.fi) is very popular with 1.1 million users per day and a weekly audience of 1.6 million, according to the broadcaster, in a country with a population of approximately 5.3 million.
Levlin added: "Providing real-time, up-to-date information that is constantly available to viewers is a very popular service. Core content on MTV3 teletext includes news, MTV3 programme information, sports and weather. Additionally, we carry travel, motoring, mobile services and classified ads - with new products being developed all the time."
As each page is updated it is saved to MTV3's database and is then instantly published on-air and also sent to the website via the Planet software, which converts pages into HTML files with embedded GIF images.
Levlin concluded: "Planet brings improvement for both viewers and advertising customers. Advertisers can now view their ads online as soon as we create them. We have also developed an online editor where our customers can manage and update their own pages. Before Planet, they had to wait 45 minutes to see any changes they made to their pages."
Andrew Lambourne, Chief Executive Officer of SysMedia, said: "Planet creates page updates for the web at the same time as they hit TVs, making MTV3's website far faster than before. Teletext is still regarded as a valuable service by viewers in Europe, and our products enhance the publishing possibilities."
(KMcA/BMcc)