SEATTLE, Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- thePlatform, the leading white-label video management and publishing company, today introduced two new, optional services designed to reduce the overall cost of delivering broadband video for small and mid-sized media companies. Companies using thePlatform's video management and publishing system can order content delivery network (CDN) and storage services directly through thePlatform at significantly lower rates. In addition, thePlatform introduced a new preferred pricing program that provides additional savings for customers who use services from select companies within thePlatform's extensive partner program.
Media companies use thePlatform's media publishing system (mps) as their open, central hub for managing, monetizing and syndicating billions of professionally produced online video views annually. thePlatform's clients, as tracked by comScore, had a combined total of more than 440 million video views in December of 2008. Given the volume of video thePlatform manages, the company is able to leverage its collective purchasing power to dramatically lower the cost of delivery and storage.
"Effectively monetizing online video is one of the most discussed topics among media companies today," said Greg Ireland, research manager of Consumer Video Markets, IDC. "While focus on revenue is necessary for growth, companies must also prioritize ways to lower costs in order to improve the economics of online video. Innovative cost-saving initiatives, like those thePlatform announced today, can help to drive efficiency and growth across the industry."
"While we're best known for serving some of the largest media companies in the world and providing maximum flexibility to our customers, we recognized that we could do more for smaller and mid-tier customers," said Ian Blaine, CEO of thePlatform. "By providing low-cost storage and delivery options, in addition to our core service, we estimate that mid-size customers delivering up to 500 thousand video views per month could save up to 32 percent on their total cost to deliver video to consumers."
One of thePlatform's initial customers to sign up for the new services is the Chicago Sun Times, one of the top 10 most-read daily newspapers in the United States. The paper's Chicago Sun-Times News Group Online Network reaches over 3,425,000 unique monthly users.
"It is important to take advantage of efficient business models as we explore producing and delivering more online video content," said Mark Roth, Director of Media Services, Chicago Sun-Times News Group. "With thePlatform's new CDN and storage packages, we will lower our total costs, enabling us to focus on growth -- without being restricted by fears of what could be prohibitive costs."
mpsManage CDN & mpsManage Storage
The mpsManage Content Delivery Network (CDN) service provides flexible terms, distributed architecture, and technology that is specifically tuned for video delivery. mpsManage CDN features utility-based pricing with no long-term agreements or minimums required. In addition, the solution has been specifically customized for customer needs by offering Adobe Flash Media Server, progressive downloads, bandwidth throttling, load-balancing and digital media system security. Access points are available globally throughout the US, Europe and Asia. The mpsManage CDN services are made possible by a partnership with EdgeCast Networks.
mpsManage Storage provides flexible terms, enterprise-grade performance, dynamic access and utility-based pricing to simplify the process of hosting digital assets. As customers' needs change, thePlatform's new cloud-based storage offering scales dynamically to match the volume required.
thePlatform's Advantage Program
Today, thePlatform also announced the Advantage pricing program that offers savings to customers who use services from companies within thePlatform's extensive partner framework. Customers using thePlatform's media management and publishing system can receive a 10 percent or greater discount on services such as advertising, reporting and analytics, and online community creation from a select group of partners:
* Panache -- Ad-insertion platform for major media and entertainment
companies, providing infrastructure for generating revenues as these
companies move video to the Internet;
* BlackArrow -- Multiplatform ad management for viewer-controlled video;
* TubeMogul -- Audience and engagement data for syndicated videos managed
by thePlatform;
* LiveRail -- Online video advertising technology and optimization;
* ScanScout -- Online video ad network with targeted ad insertion,
scheduling, campaign management and reporting;
* Gloto -- Brand-safe social media and user-generated content (UGC)
services; and
* Visible Measures -- End-to-end reporting and analytics for online video
advertising campaign measurement and effectiveness.
About thePlatform
thePlatform(TM) is the leading white-label video management and publishing company. Media companies use thePlatform's media publishing system (mps) as the open, central hub for managing, monetizing, and syndicating billions of professionally produced video views annually. The company's services provide unmatched versatility for designing and supporting video businesses on PCs, mobile, and TV. Customers include BBC, Cablevision, CBS College Sports, CNBC, Comcast, Corus Entertainment, Cox Communications, ExerciseTV, Gannett/USA Today, HIT Entertainment, PBS, PBS KIDS Sprout, Sony BMG, Starz, Time Warner Cable and numerous others. With an eight-year history of service, thePlatform is an independent subsidiary of Comcast based in Seattle, Washington. For more information: http://www.theplatform.com.
