In Broadcast - November 2012 - 67

ISSUE 14 - NOV/DEC 2012 | WWW.INBROADCAST.COM

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

N E W S

InSTUDIO
MAM – Maximise Media Value And Minimise Costs Cont.

Broadcast is a rich media asset environment

Business process integration is vital

More manual steps are needed when assets and metadata can’t be passed between systems. A MAM integrates all the processes into a single open framework. Adding a MAM on top of a ﬁle-based workﬂow removes costs associated with redundancies and opens up a whole new way of working collaboratively. It also substantially reduces maintenance costs.

How MAM Can Help
A MAM is made up of multiple components and user tools all integrated into a common system in order to manage stock and workflow. • Stock/Inventory: A MAM lets you store and retrieve assets via: A Shared Database gives a repository of all assets of all kinds, with a conﬁ gurable metadata model; Indexing and Searching allows users in any location to ﬁ nd assets in the system based on any criteria and is customisable for different departments; Proxy Viewing generates streamable proxies of all video assets, which can then be viewed on standard desktop or mobile platforms; and BackOfﬁce Services allow users to manipulate “business” objects such as subtitles or videos; • Integration: A MAM connects your different systems via: Broadcast System Interfaces which allow the MAM to

exchange data and coordinate processes with key systems such as trafﬁc, automation, and post-production; and Industrystandard APIs – allow for custom integration where an existing integration does not exist; • User Tools: Tight integration of user-friendly tools is essential. You don’t want the MAM living in the basement and being used only by librarians. Instead, the MAM should touch and add value to every step of the workﬂow. Tools such as: Integrated Editing And Production Tools help producers, journalists, and others to perform editorial tasks, from logging and storyboarding to craft editing; NewsRoom Computer System (NRCS) integration – News and Sports production, NRCS story and rundown tools integrate directly with the MAM; and Task-Speciﬁc Tools allow users enter metadata and time-based markers (locators), perform QC and review, and approve material within a common integrated environment; • Workﬂow engine: a Business Process Manager (BPM) is an optional addition that further improves efficiencies. While MAM is focused on assets, BPM is focused on processes that can be broken down into repeatable tasks, which can then be optimised and automated.

It delivers three key beneﬁ ts: Productivity – more deadlines met and less time wasted through more streamlined workflows; Agility – more business ﬂexibility through an intuitive workﬂowbuilding interface; and Insight – more control of your business as a result of increased visibility into all activities. From an operational perspective, you can embed best practices into documented and traceable user workﬂows. From a business perspective, you have reports that can help optimise operations and measure, in real-time, the cost of production. From a user perspective, it simpliﬁes the work. The BPM and its task list make it easy to know deadlines, to know what needs to be done, and to prioritise. A flexible MAM will offer an integrated BPM and capabilities to integrate with external BPM systems.

MAM Beneﬁts
Efficiency – a MAM delivers measurable improvements in productivity in multiple areas: • Automate processes: ingest, ﬁle transfers, format conversion, QC, and distribution are automatable. Staff can focus on value-creating activities; • Ingest media only once: avoid ingesting the same material multiple times – for instance during program production and, subsequently, to make promos; • Capture metadata only once: reduce errors and avoid having multiple users re-enter metadata separately into multiple systems; • Speed up editing: built-in logging, storyboarding, editing, review and approval tools can double team output; • Improve Collaboration: integrate the work of multiple departments. When a ﬁlm and its eight promos are scheduled in the traffic system, the process can be set up in advance, with placeholders for all elements, metadata in place, and easy sharing of media and metadata;

• Speed time to air: fast turnaround features, such as edit while record, so material is available faster on any platform. Visibility – An unprecedented set of tools helps optimise your resources. For instance, you can see who is working on what and what is left to do. Also, you can see how much content has been ingested or produced over a period of time. You have a business dashboard to assess your ROI. Using the reporting part of BPM, you can implement KPIs and create custom reports to track costs, analyse usage, or other metrics every month or every 15 minutes. A business that can be measured is a business that can be improved. Quality – A MAM increases quality. Formalised data-entry processes and fewer instances of data re-entry can minimise errors. A MAM ensures you don’t use content for which you have no rights. Rapid search and immediate access to material gives users more time to create compelling content and improves the quality of programming. Agility – Your business is evolving fast, and your technology must follow. A MAM platform provides the agility to design and hook into new business processes in a straightforward manner, whether it be accepting material from a new production company or opening up a new publishing channel through traditional channels, the web, or mobile platforms. Future standards such as FIMS or MXF AS02 promise even greater ﬂexibility for replacing one component with another with minimal disruption.

Value Added
A well-conceived and implemented MAM project will set you up for a proﬁtable future. It substantially improves productivity, increases the value of your existing assets, and empowers the organisation while you build new business models to conquer new markets. ■

File-based workﬂows – inefﬁcient for asset handling

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In Broadcast - November 2012

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