PARIS—In an effort to expand its cloud-based advanced content-based workflows beyond its traditional M&E base, Dalet has entered a strategic business partnership with Fincons Group (Fincons), an international IT business consulting and system integration company. 

As part of the agreement, Fincons will offer as part of its solutions portfolio Dalet’s cloud-native solutions and SaaS offerings which include the media logistics solution Dalet Flex, and the company’s Dalet Pyramid  advanced news planning, production and distribution solution.

The partnership leverages Fincons’ technical expertise in cloud solutions and expansive customer base across international media markets, and Dalet’s cloud-native solutions to empower customers with modern, scalable content workflow solutions, according to Dalet.

“With growing demands for advanced content workflows beyond the traditional media and entertainment (M&E) boundaries, Fincons and Dalet are well-positioned to enable digital media transformation and success in new markets,” the company said. 

“The partnership with Dalet represents another important enrichment of our solutions portfolio,” comments Francesco Moretti, Group Deputy CEO and CEO International of Fincons Group. “In the media industry, we bring extensive consultative and technology expertise to our customers, many of whom are Tier-1 players that are transforming operations digitally and migrating workflows into the cloud. We are committed to partnering with the leading technology providers to ensure we are always offering the most cutting-edge and responsive solutions as markets evolve. Dalet is a key player in supporting content supply chain transformation initiatives and perfectly matches our need to provide best-in-class solutions to our customers. 

"The collaboration could also go far beyond the media industry as digital assets—and video in particular—are becoming vital for any organization in any industry," Moretti added. "Fincons can count on dedicated business units looking after sectors such as financial services and insurance, energy and utility, manufacturing, transportation and others.”

“We recognize that nearly everyone today is a content creator and have designed our solutions to enable content workflows for both traditional media and entertainment organizations and those who are blazing new paths in storytelling across non-traditional media markets,” states Ewan Johnston, Strategic Alliances and Channel Partner Director, Dalet. “Fincons’ industrial portfolio combined with its M&E practice enables us to expand our reach and connect with new brands. Their trusted guidance and technology expertise will ensure success as customers transition to the cloud with Dalet.” Johnston concludes, “The partnership also enables us to expand our services and support to our existing customers as our cloud business grows.”

For more information on Dalet solutions, visit www.dalet.com. To learn more about Fincons, visit https://www.finconsgroup.com/.

MILAN, Italy—As the world of sports broadcasting is evolving, international system integration consultancy Fincons Group has released a new whitepaper that details the new technology that is essential to keep up and how exactly it can be properly utilized.

“Next Gen Technologies Now at Bat: Machine Learning, AI and Next Gen TV Drive the Sports Entertainment Experience Revolution” provides an insight into how technology like machine learning and next-generation TV standards like ATSC 3.0 and HbbTV will usher in a new era of personalization and interactivity—put on the fast track due to the coronavirus pandemic that is leaving sports broadcasts without one of their staples, live fans.

These new technologies will enable sports content owners to leverage data in new ways, including for targeted, personalized advertising and monetization with access to near real-time data analysis and prediction capabilities that can be applied to both the sporting action and audience preference and behavior.

The white paper focuses on four key areas: data analytics, gamification, smart watching and targeted advertising and ecommerce.

“It is critical for this forward thinking industry to remain constantly poised toward the future by harnessing these new technologies and introducing an expanded Sport Supply Chain with production-ready software frameworks to accelerate transformation ahead of competitors,” Fincons said.

The “Next Gen Technologies Now at Bat: Machine Learning, AI and Next Gen TV Drive the Sports Entertainment Experience Revolution” is available for free download here. 

LOS ANGELES—The development of the ATSC 3.0 standard and AI has proceeded on parallel tracks, but next week at CES 2020 in Las Vegas the two look to come together in the form of a new publishing platform that promises to make the most of the personalization and addressable advertising potential of Next Gen TV.

Fincons Group, an IT business consultancy, will show its Smart Digital Platform (SDP) that leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning with plugins for machine learning engines to enable broadcasters to take advantage of new monetization models enabled by Next Gen TV.

The platform addresses application development by enabling their automatic generation to speed delivery of advanced television services. At CES, the company will demonstrate the platform being used in live applications that take advantage of the TV personalization potential of Next Gen TV, the company said.

The company also will show how ATSC 3.0 interactivity in combination with cloud machine-learning services can be used to analyze video assets and enable viewers to personalize navigation. This platform is already in use by sports networks and leagues to develop TV apps for contests, betting and gaming, the company said.

The framework for the publishing platform distributes functions in logical smart modules forming the basis for hybrid TV solutions. Among its capabilities:

• enabling broadcaster apps to be monetized via addressable advertising;
• providing contextual information via a Now/Next and Channel dashboard;
• promoting deeper viewer engagement with an Electronic Program Guide; and
• supporting video on demand and catch-up content

The new platform is the first to offer complete compatibility with both the European HbbTV and IP-based ATSC 3.0 standards, which reflects the company’s role in development of both, Fincons Group said.

“A year ago we announced our new platform, the Fincons Smart Digital Platform to the market and explained its potential as the sole platform that integrates with both HbbTV and ATSC 3.0 standards,” said Francesco Moretti, deputy CEO of Fincons Group and CEO of Fincons.US.

“We have been working hard since then to turn this potential into live, working applications that we are proud to be presenting to you here at CES. Our objective is to continue to deliver on our commitment towards advancing technology for Next Gen TV for broadcasters and the viewers of the future.”

More information is available on the company’s website.

For a comprehensive source of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see ourATSC3 silo.

MILAN—With ATSC 3.0 preparing to launch in the U.S. in the next year, Fincons Group, an IT business consultancy based in Italy, has published a white paper that highlights some of the Next Gen TV features and what lessons European broadcasters could take from them in the eventual updating of the existing Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) and future marketplace demands.

While Fincons notes that the U.S. had used HbbTV as a model for the development of ATSC 3.0, it now says that things have flipped as a number of systems in Europe have become outdated and are in need of an overhaul to keep pace with evolving technologies and to support innovation.

Topics covered in Fincons white paper include the importance of user experience and keeping up with consumer expectations; how to unlock the addressable advertising potential of Hybrid TV; AI powered OTT advertising; the impact of second screen advertising; and how to balance content and advertising.

“It is clear that next generation connected TV technology has come full circle and Europe needs to tackle new developments,” said Oliver Botti, head of international business development and innovations at Fincons Group. “European broadcasters can’t risk falling behind their U.S. competitors, meaning the time is now for savvy broadcasters to invest in developing their platforms and improving user experience to stay ahead of the curve in the European marketplace.”

The whitepaper, titled “After Laying the Foundations for Hybrid TV in the USA, European Broadcasters Can Now Benefit From Further Impulse Coming From USA ATSC 3.0.,” can be downloaded here.

For a comprehensive source of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see ourATSC3 silo.

SAN DIEGO and MILAN, ITALY—Verance Corp. has partnered with Fincons Group, an expert in deployment of Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) to advance the development of Next Gen TV in the United States and Europe, Verance said today.

Together the companies will combine Fincons’ expertise deploying HbbTV applications with Verance’s Aspect watermarking technology.

“We are pleased to partner with Fincons Group to provide programmers and manufacturers with additional tools and technologies that help them realize the benefits of Next Gen TV as quickly as possible” said Nil Shah, CEO of Verance.

Out of the gates, the companies will focus their efforts on accelerating ATSC 3.0/Next-Gen TV readiness in the United States and HbbTV in Europe. Projects include identifying and developing consumer offerings, business models and proof of concept and market trial management.

“The convergence of broadcast and broadband enables novel strategies and new revenue streams within the traditional TV space,” said Francesco Moretti, Deputy CEO at Fincons. “We look forward to partnering with Verance to apply our HbbTV experience to the ATSC environment in the U.S. and include the Aspect watermark into our portfolio for the European market.”

More information is available on the Verance and Fincons Group website.

For a comprehensive list of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see our ATSC3 silo.