Media hub conqueringthecontentwave

© Tech Mahindra Limited 2010

Media Hub Conquering the content wave

Abstract: Media Hub is a framework that addresses the

user needs of accessing branded and user contributed

media. The framework helps an operator to create next

generation interactive multimedia applications and

services. The framework also proposes various stages of a

content value-chain evolution and strategies for an

operator to play a key role in this ecosystem.

Authors: Chitresh Markanda, Principal Consultant –IP networks

Gururaj Phadnis, Sr. Consultant- IP networks

Raj Sahakari, Sr. Consultant- Customer Premise Technologies

Chirag Shinde, Consultant in Wireless Technologies

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Table of Contents

Introduction ............................................................... 2

Content Value-Chain ..................................................... 2

Trends in Content value-chain ...................................... 2

Media Hub.................................................................. 2

Architecture............................................................ 3

Benefits ................................................................. 4

Recommendations ........................................................ 4

Phased approach ...................................................... 4

Investments in Ecosystem building................................. 4

Investments in Ad-driven & Parallel ecosystems ................ 4

Conclusion ................................................................. 5

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Introduction “Global spending on entertainment and media will reach $1.6 trillion in 2013”, says

PriceWaterhouseCoopers, June, 2009. Today’s consumers are more media savvy and demand better

media management of branded and user contributed content. The current white paper presents

possibilities that communication providers can go for to address this changing demand. Media Hub aims

to provide an operator with an aggregation platform that can leverage telecom investment in IP based

service infrastructure and to create a differentiation for the operator in the market place.

Content Value-Chain

Content value chains are multiple, fast maturing and becoming increasingly complex. Entertainment/TV

content, VOD content and Adverts form essential parts of the content creation and distribution value-

chains. Besides these, domain driven content such as Enterprise content, Digital signage, Maps, Tourism

content, and Digital Cinema has high consumption and churn rates. Additionally, user-generated

content is changing the current value chains dramatically - Wikipedia, YouTube, flickr, facebook are

redefining ways in which users experience content. Telcos need to re-invent the services that are being

offered to consumers to match the experiences of today’s Web and excel in providing a much richer,

interactive and contextual user experiences. Telcos can leverage their uniqueness in possessing service

infrastructure and subscriber information such as usage, profile and contextual data

Trends in Content value-chain Media publishers and Broadcast community are moving to acquire subscribers and not eyeballs. Reliable

media delivery via Internet and other open mediums are opening new opportunities for Media publishes

to reach subscribers directly. On the other hand, Service providers such as Telcos, ISPs and Cable

operators are building service platforms and content stores to deliver reliable services to end

subscribers.

For a Telco to be dominant player in the content value-chain, it needs to capitalize on the following

trends

B2B content distribution - New Media B2B content distribution is fast emerging as a business

opportunity to enable “long-tail” characteristic of content consumption

Content availability - Availability of content in favorable contractual terms, pre-transcoded

metadata and media formats, packaging of content to enable rapid content distribution

Content Convergence – Multi-modal delivery and consumption of content, P2P based content

distribution

User contributed content – UGC processing, distribution and consumption

Contextual search - content based media retrieval, presentation and personalization of

content

Ad-funded content services – non-intrusive , context, behavior based ad insertion, targeted

advertising

Business models – innovate business models enabled by Ad-funded, Brokerage models, Retail

(Apple Store), Info-mediary (User profiles)

Media Hub

Local, Regional or International Media Hub can be realized based on business case for an operator. Key

architectural drives include -

Maximize content monetization through business orchestration and delivery of content globally

Package Content and introduce innovative ways of content discovery and content consumption

Rapidly build a scalable, multi-service, multi-channel content delivery business

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Architecture

Media Hub framework comprises of the following key components

Content aggregation, management and discovery

Triple play converged service delivery

Cloud based UGC (User generated content) and P2P content distribution infrastructure

Subscription and Advertising based subscriber management

User Experience management

Adoption Roadmap

Telco can benefit by adoption of Media Hub in a phased manner. Key phases include

Phase I

o Content - Content Ingestion , Content Processing, Content QA, Content Distribution

o Contract Management & Revenue Settlement systems

o Content packaging and bundling

o Open metadata exchange interfaces for B2B

o B2B Portal for Order management and content delivery and distribution

o Support for User generated content ( UGC)

Phase II

o Profile DB - Subscriber profile & Network profile (Presence, Location)

o Three screen strategy

o Enhanced Search & recommendation engines

o Offer management, Rating and Billing system

o Advertising Platforms – Inventory, Campaign managements

o Cloud based Streaming and storage infrastructure

o P2P Content distribution platforms

o Enhanced CPE audience measurement and analysis tools

o Ad-funded business models

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Phase III

o Enhanced user profiling and distribution management (via new analytical, statistical

models)

o CDN optimization for QoE (Quality of Experience) and QoS ( Quality of Service)

Benefits Rapid Integration and Service Launch

o Rapid integration of metadata and media with VOD Platforms of Operators,

Broadcasters, ISPs, Cable Operators

o Open standard of metadata exchange enabling standardization of media such as

Cablelabs, TV Anytime, Dublin Core etc

o Digitization of “needed media assets”

Mature content-life cycle management function

o Content Product Acquisition, Inventory management - Content Catalogue creation,

Metadata creation, Asset Tracking

o Content Quality Assurance -Encoding profiles, Assembly

o Contract Management -What do I own, how do I negotiate, Usage rules

o Editorial desk - Create schedules, create promotions – assemble trailers, images, music

o Network Ready - Validate content dispatched

Content services convergence benefits

o Improved User experience

o OPEX and CAPEX improvements

o New revenue generation options

Recommendations

A phased rollout of Media-Hub framework, key investments in ecosystems and alternate revenue models

would propel Telcos in “new media” businesses. Key recommendations include -

Phased approach Proposed framework helps transform a media hub from a B2B to B2C to C2C. Phased approach ensures

sustained evolution of media hub and focuses on the following

Standardization of metadata and media exchange, acceptance of large types of contents

Convergence & optimization of network & infrastructure assets

User driven content life-cycle - contribution, discovery, selection and distribution

Investments in Ecosystem building

Most Telcos today try and limit the content-provider’s access to subscribers by taking lion’s share of

revenue. This mindset needs a pro-ecosystem approach to build trust among players, facilitate joint

investments in infrastructure, and improve participation in standardization of content exchange and

consumption technologies. Media Hub would be the ideal platform to converge service offerings of

ecosystem players.

Investments in Ad-driven & Parallel ecosystems

Advertising revenues are important revenues for sustainability of Internet and TV businesses and hence

adequate infrastructure needs to be made available – for example, bidding systems, ad-inventory

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systems, impression & non-intrusive targeting, campaign management systems – to bring advert based

revenue streams to Telco offerings. As Media Hub framework is investment intensive, it is important to

add advertising revenues to create rapid ROI possibilities

Incremental investments in Media Hub can open Telco infrastructure to support Parallel ecosystems

such as Digital Cinema, Digital Signage, Enterprise content etc. This will help rapid development of

these value-chains leading to increased revenues

Conclusion

Media Hub can bring about transformation of Telco service offerings from a voice/data centric service

to content centric services. Telcos would hence create a robust, scalable and flexible content

infrastructure to enable participation in evolving content value chains. This would provide Telco a giant

leap in offering content services and help drive customer satisfaction.

ABOUT TECH MAHINDRA:

Tech Mahindra is a global systems integrator and business transformation consulting organization

focused on the communications industry. With the convergence of media and telecom, the changing

landscape of the telecom industry is becoming extremely competitive. As companies rapidly strive to

gain a competitive advantage, Tech Mahindra helps them innovate and transform by leveraging its

unique insights, differentiated services and flexible partnering models. This has helped our customers

reduce operating costs and generate new revenue streams. Margins from connectivity are rapidly falling

and future growth in revenues will only come from new applications, content and services. Hence,

operators today are busy addressing business opportunities revolving around commerce, content,

convergence and customer experience to gain a sustainable competitive advantage. At Tech Mahindra,

we understand this and we offer solutions that help our customers achieve their business goals.

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Media hub conqueringthecontentwave