Broadcasters are under constant pressure to deliver increasing volumes of content to users across an ever-growing number of platforms and devices, all while reducing costs. This is an incredibly complex challenge and simply isn’t possible without automating many of the manual and time-consuming tasks that feed into today’s broadcast workflows. Consequently, automation plays a crucial role in streamlining these complex, multifaceted workflows.
In playout and content delivery, media companies can improve operational efficiency and reduce the time and cost it takes to deliver channels and content to end users by automating many of the manual and time-consuming tasks involved in channel management. This need to automate manual processes and work more efficiently is one of the key drivers for media organisations adopting cloud-based solutions.
Elevating automation
The cloud enables broadcasters and media companies to elevate automation to levels beyond what is achievable with traditional infrastructure. Cloud-based infrastructure makes it easier for media organisations to seamlessly join up processes so that workflows can be streamlined and optimised. When this is combined with cloud-native tools which are powerful and effective by their very design, new opportunities for automation are created.
Cloud platforms also offer virtually unlimited scalability, allowing media companies to scale up operations without worrying about hardware limitations. This elasticity enables businesses to leverage automation to handle variable workloads much more efficiently. Broadcasters can automatically adjust resources based on demand to manage peak times more effectively. Cloud tools can be used to dynamically scale up systems to handle increased demand, for example during major live events or when there is big breaking news.
Reducing complexity
Handling playout typically entails managing input feeds and media assets, scheduling for both live broadcasts and video-on-demand content, applying graphic overlays, inserting ads, and continuous monitoring. And as more platforms, devices, input sources, file formats, and distribution methods have come into use, the processes involved in playout have grown increasingly complex. As a result, broadcasters need to reduce complexity and simplify workflows. This makes embracing automation all the more important.
Automating playout tasks such as ingest, QC functionality, scheduling, and playlist management can help media companies to improve operational efficiency, simplify channel management, and reduce the time and cost of content delivery. When managing files from different sources as well as live feed inputs, ingest can be a complex process, particularly given that there are now so many different file formats in use. Being able to automate ingest for multi-format files and automatically record incoming live feeds ready for scheduling significantly simplifies the channel management process.
When playout QC tasks such as verifying media playability, extracting metadata, analysing audio levels, and verifying secondary data streams, are carried out manually, not only is this time-consuming, but there is also the possibility of human error which could result in regulatory compliance issues. Automating this QC functionality can save time and effort as well as help to prevent human error. Scheduling and playlist management is another crucial part of playout that must be carried out efficiently and effectively. Tasks such as fixing gaps and overlaps, identifying missing content, timing deviations, creating placeholders, ad-insertion and updating EPG data, can all be automated which improves efficiency and helps to ensure quality.
Utilising AI-powered tools
By leveraging the cloud, media companies have access to a range of integrated and powerful AI-powered tools which can be used to automate highly complex and data intensive tasks. These tools can be used for everything from analysing viewing patterns and user behaviour for personalised recommendations, to optimising ad insertion to maximise engagement and ad-revenue.
AI-driven data analytics tools can also help broadcasters to forecast viewership trends, helping to guide scheduling decisions. Additionally, automated testing and verification of backup systems improves redundancy and disaster recovery, ensuring seamless operations and enhanced reliability.
Maximising productivity
Another benefit that comes from automating labour-intensive and time-consuming tasks is that media operators can work smarter, focusing their expertise where it’s needed most. Automation allows media and broadcast teams to concentrate on more complex activities that need a human touch, such as manual scheduling when broadcasting live events with moveable timelines, or inserting ad breaks into live events and sporting fixtures.
Although automation can simplify any playout operation, it’s particularly valuable when managing complex multichannel playout. The challenges faced in single-channel playout are exponentially greater when dealing with multichannel playout, because broadcasters must simultaneously manage all the complexities that playout involves across multiple channels. It’s therefore crucial to have effective tools in place that automate and simplify channel management as much as possible.
There’s no denying that the cloud is a strategic tool that can help to unlock media operations’ full potential. This is particularly true given that cloud services go hand-in-hand with automation. By embracing both the cloud and automation, media businesses can accelerate workflows, maximise productivity and improve operational efficiency.
