Pilat Media Drives Global Broadcasting Service

Leading global supplier of business management software solutions to the media industry, Pilat Media, has announced that BBC World Service has gone live with its first major programme scheduling system, based on Pilat Media's Integrated Broadcast Management Systems (IBMS).
The system drives the scheduling of worldwide broadcasts in English. It is the first stage of an ongoing joint development project with Pilat Media to build a system to manage the complex scheduling requirements of BBC World Service's very large multiplatform distribution networks.
Pilat Media's IBMS was enhanced with customised bulk scheduling capabilities which allow a small number of operators to manage large workloads, and with specially developed interfaces to the broadcaster's playout and programme listings systems.
BBC World Service is implementing both the programme scheduling system and the distribution management system as part of a project to revise and update its infrastructure, hardware, and the management of signal distribution.
The project, begun in 2006, also involves the replacement of over 1200 satellite receivers worldwide.
Avi Engel, Chief Executive Officer of Pilat Media, said: "The scale and scope of this project make it an exceptional challenge, and very exciting to be involved with.
"This is the first major scheduling system implementation for an organisation that has been a touchstone of global broadcasting since 1922.
"The multilingual nature of the output, together with the use of a wide range of distribution technologies - FM, AM, shortwave, Internet and DTH satellite - place a premium on Pilat Media's tools and the ability they provide to manage complex workloads effectively."
IBMS streamlines the entire content management workflow from media acquisition and rights management to scheduling, media management, log preparation and analysis. Because the system leverages a single integrated database, it provides better visibility on inventory utilisation and easily enables the user to generate "what if" programming and cost scenarios.
In the final phase of the delivery, Pilat's software for distribution scheduling will provide a familiar, intuitive user interface for operational managers to understand very quickly how individual receivers and groups of receivers are switched at different times.
The software indicates how and where the programme content streams (channels) will be available to listeners and operators can control the switching schedules through interfaces. On-screen displays show available satellite/router bandwidth and allow the operator to see the impact on changes to channel availability in specific countries and regions, making it easy for the broadcaster to cater for planned and unplanned regional and global events.
(KMcA/BMcC)