LONDON—Jasmine International Public Co. Ltd (JAS TV) has selected anti-piracy and video cybersecurity provider Friend MTS to safeguard its premium live sports content across Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.

The collaboration brings together Friend MTS’s advanced anti-piracy solutions, including forensic watermarking and global monitoring services, to protect English Premier League (EPL) soccer matches.

JAS TV, operator of the MONOMAX streaming service, acquired EPL rights through 2031 for Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. At the start of the 2025-26 EPL season, JAS TV went live with Friend MTS to deliver an end-to-end anti-piracy strategy. The focus is to identify and take down restreaming users who feed Thai pirate sites, Fiend MTS said.

JAS TV chose Friend MTS for its technology solutions, global services and track record protecting premium live sports, including the EPL. The deployment combines Friend MTS’s 24/7 global monitoring with subscriber watermarking and distribution watermarking.

Subscriber watermarking embeds a unique identifier in each individual stream, enabling rapid identification and disconnection of pirate accounts. Distribution watermarking adds an invisible fingerprint at the channel or platform level to trace leaks anywhere in the video supply chain. Together, these layers enable real-time detection of illicit redistribution and swift removal of illegal feeds during live matches.

“Securing the Premier League rights was a major milestone for us and protecting that investment is critical to our strategy,” JAS TV President Sang Do Lee said. “With FMTS’s anti-piracy solutions, we can ensure fans enjoy the Premier League through official platforms like our MONOMAX streaming service, while safeguarding the value of our rights across Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. We take piracy very seriously and see the partnership with FMTS as a vital step to sustaining the future of premium sports content in our region.”

More information is available on the Friend MTS website.

Earlier this year, The Motion Picture Association (MPA) revealed that it’s planning to work with Congress to establish site-blocking legislation in the United States. With such an order in place, broadcasters, rights holders and content owners would be able to ask the court to order Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block websites sharing stolen content. MPA CEO Charles Rivkin highlighted that many countries use blocking as a tool against piracy and he strongly believes that the U.S. should be one of them.

For years, sports providers and media and entertainment companies outside the U.S. have been using domain and server blocking because it is a sophisticated enforcement method that stops piracy more effectively than traditional approaches.

Testing the Waters: What is Blocking?
In simple terms, blocking disrupts access to illegal content. Once an organization identifies that content is being stolen, blocking can rapidly make a significant impact, cutting off access to illegal streams and helping content owners and rights holders secure their revenue.

Although there are multiple deployment methods, there are two main types of blocking: Domain blocking, which works to stop access to pirated content at a domain resolution level; and server blocking, which restricts access to pirated content at a residential ISP level in real time.

Domain blocking works by deleting certain records in the Domain Name System (DNS) – essentially the phonebook of the internet. So, if an address has been subject to a domain blocking order, the record of the domain is removed from the public register so that when someone types in the URL in their browser, no result will appear.

In countries where it can be used, server blocking proved to be one of the most effective forms of supply-side content protection actions. It allows ISPs to block their subscribers from accessing pirated content, following specific legislation issued by the appropriate regional authority.

Blocking is especially effective in changing consumer behavior: as viewers get blocked by their ISP, it encourages them to watch their content on legitimate commercial sites – either because they discovered that they were unknowingly using a pirate service, or simply because they still want to access the content and are now forced to view it legitimately.

On the other hand, establishing which targets should not be blocked is equally critical. That means ensuring that any blocking target won’t cause collateral damage on unrelated and legitimate services. To prevent over-blocking and ensure proportionality, the IP block list should be updated every five minutes, and any IP addresses should be subjected to a battery of customizable tests.

Blocking is a technical tool approved by legal governing bodies in more than 40 jurisdictions. These regions have either adopted and implemented blocking, or are legally obligated to adopt measures ensuring that ISPs can block access to copyright-infringing websites.

Navigating International Waters
If the United States were to establish and enforce site-blocking legislation, they would be far from a test case.

Blocking technology has proven to effectively stop piracy. In fact, in Indonesia, blocking caused a significant drop in reach of pirated content—from 437 million to 118 million views, a 75% reduction from 2020 to 2022.

In France, blocking has also proven to be successful for live sports streaming. Between January and June 2022, the overall pirate sports audience decreased by 49%, thanks to blocking measures.

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has closely examined the use of blocking and determined it to be effective and fair, based on its success in Europe. With that, the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) – an independent nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational institute recognized as a leading think tank for science and technology policy—among other organizations also shared their support for the U.S. pursuing blocking, noting that, “it would be a massive step in the right direction if policymakers in the United States and around the world could focus on the facts and weigh up the various interests and stakeholders in a similarly sober and dispassionate way as the CJEU.”

Other countries closer to North America have also explored blocking to combat piracy. For example, key Canadian operators have worked with an advanced video security and anti-piracy provider to detect piracy. And with that, government orders to dynamically block pirated access were swiftly implemented.

With blocking, illegal streams can be stopped in under four minutes, a timeframe that is critical when it comes to live sports content. Their provider monitors illicit streams so illegal servers can be blocked in an instant, ultimately reducing pirated streams of NHL and NBA games in Canada.

Steering the Ship: The Path Forward with Blocking
The evidence is clear: blocking is an effective tool in the fight against video piracy. The United States, with its massive media and entertainment industry, stands to benefit immensely from adopting such measures. By following the examples set by other countries, the U.S. can protect its premium content, secure revenue for rights holders, and maintain a fair and legal digital landscape.

It would be in the best interest of U.S. businesses to test the waters and get aboard with site-blocking, charting a course towards a more secure and prosperous future for digital media.

LONDON—Numerous Canadian video service providers have selected Friend MTS and its Dynamic Delivery Server Blocking (DDSB) solution to prevent piracy, the company said this week.

Forming an industry-first collaboration, these organizations have secured a nationwide court order to dynamically block access to any servers hosting broadcasters’ pirated content, including content from major sports leagues, such as FIFA, NBA, NHL and UFC, it said.

The court order allows Internet Service Providers to block access dynamically to servers attempting to distribute pirated content without requiring a new court order for each sporting event. This approach will save money and time in protecting content and billions of dollars in associated content rights, it said.

Friend MTS developed DDSB in 2017. It delivers large scale blocking of content while meeting strict legal standards required for court orders blocking servers. The solution gives users the intelligence and evidence needed to persuade ISPs to restrict access to illicit services, thereby cutting the number of illegal streams, it said.

As a result, viewers are encouraged to watch content from legitimate commercial sites, maintaining the value of the content, it said.

“This collaboration shows the powerful impact that results from video service providers, ISPs and video security specialists coming together to fight piracy,” said Shane McCarthy, CEO, Friend MTS. “Canadian operators are leading the global industry by setting the bar for piracy prevention in new, dynamic ways. We’re thrilled to have helped them not only implement security solutions but to obtain the blocking order as well. Our unique blend of expertise and blocking technology innovation is aiding their security teams, legal counsels, and business leaders with the right analytics and evidence to effectively stop piracy, without impacting legitimate websites.”

More information is available on the company’s website.

LONDON—U.K. commercial broadcaster ITV has selected Friend MTS anti-piracy services to help protect its content.

ITV will protect its main linear channels across broadcast and streaming platforms with Friend MTS’s 24×7 Global Monitoring service. These channels feature exclusive, premium content including Six Nations Rugby, the FA Cup, the England Women’s football team matches and the upcoming UEFA EURO 2024 tournament as well as entertainment like “The Masked Singer.”

“ITV’s aim is to contribute to making piracy unsustainable and through appointing Friend MTS we will be working together to enhance our anti-piracy activities in the U.K., said ITV director of distribution Sarah Tierney. “As a key part of our strategy to optimize broadcast and supercharge streaming, it’s important that we maximize ITV’s reach while protecting audiences from the material consumer harms of pirate sites and meeting our contractual obligations with rightsholders.”

Using the Friend MTS best-in-class global monitoring platform, which includes proprietary, fingerprinting technology and automated detection systems, backed by a highly experienced 24×7 operations team, ITV be able to identify illegal streams across the internet for immediate takedown. The platform also will facilitate removal of links from primary search engines, the company said.

“We are seeing a tide of key entertainment brands turning to us to help them fight piracy and keep their content secure,” said Chris Gibbs, Friend MTS senior vice president of sales. “Our unrivalled capabilities not only reduce exposure to piracy but ensure advertiser messaging is seen by the right people, which is paramount for an ad-funded businesses like ITV.”

 More information is available on the company’s website. 

The media and entertainment business is built on what it offers its viewers: programming, sports, news and other live events. While language purists may balk at the current use of the word “assets” instead of “programs,” it does convey the value of the material—both creative and commercial—shown on TV channels and streaming services. They are valuable commodities and have always needed to be protected. Unfortunately, the move to file-based production, with everything on computer servers and network or cloud access, has left assets—and their owners—extremely vulnerable.

This was starkly illustrated by the 2014 hack of files and data from Sony Pictures, which included staff details, emails, corporate information and copies of at-the-time unreleased films. Calls for heightened security in the aftermath of the breach ultimately led to the creation in 2018 of the Trusted Partner Network (TPN) by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and the Content Delivery and Security Association (CDSA), with the MPA taking full control of TPN in 2021.

Early Moves
The MPA issued its first best practice guidelines for content security in 2009, in collaboration with member companies and consultancy Deloitte. Updates and revisions followed between 2011 and 2018, with authorship moving exclusively to the MPA and its membership.

Deloitte published its own report on the subject in 2018, highlighting the digital transformation of content in all its forms. Among its recommendations for securing material were digital fingerprinting, encryption, blockchain (a digital ledger for recording transactions and events), watermarking and plugging the “analog hole,” where programs are copied from legacy sources.

John Footen, managing director of Deloitte Consulting, acknowledges that the situation continues to evolve but says new technologies are now being used with established practices to further tighten security.

“Automation can reduce the effort to maintain a consistent security posture in large-scale systems and to recover after an attack,” he explains. “We’re also seeing greater integration of media technology with enterprise security systems. More products can work with single sign-on in zero-trust environments, for example. At Deloitte, we’re applying AI for cyber defense, not only for well-established uses such as detecting anomalous behavior and interdicting threats but also for assessment and visualization.”

The changing nature of the threat— hackers developing new viruses and ways of infiltrating systems—calls for content owners to be ever vigilant. This is reflected in the MPA/TPN Best Practice Guidelines, which have been updated on an annual basis (sometimes twice in a year) since 2018. The most recent revision appeared in August this year, with new guidance on working from home and remote access to data centers, plus minor updates to cloud specific controls.

The recommendations from Crystal Pham, vice president of operations and product management for TPN are fairly universal no matter the process: Ensuring that content owners and facilities have secure connections— including not logging into applications from unsecured networks; keeping applications updated and patched; using strong passwords and authentication mechanisms; not sharing accounts or credentials; always installing applications from trusted sources; and adhering to MPA Best Practices, as well as completing an annual TPN assessment.

Pham characterizes the security issue in M&E as “always evolving” and can be influenced by new technologies, the shortening of  release windows and emerging threats. 

“Change is a constant,” she says. “I do think there’s more awareness about security, with better understanding of the constant change and the need to get ahead of it when possible. I believe it’s becoming more embedded in the process of creating, distributing and consuming content. It’s also becoming more ingrained in our culture.”

New Methods Needed
The ever-shifting landscape is summed up by Asaf Ashkenazi, chief executive of Verimatrix, who observes that as technology advances, so do the techniques used by pirates to illegally obtain, distribute and monetize content.

“DRM and other traditional security methods are no longer as effective against today’s savvy hackers,” he says. “New real-time detection and prevention systems that are layered on traditional protection methods are needed to combat modern piracy efforts—especially those that leverage AI/ML and cloud infrastructure to exploit at scale.”

To counter such threats, Verimatrix has developed Streamkeeper, which combines multi-DRM, forensic watermarking and “Counterspy,” which Ashkenazi describes as a “motion sensor” or “alarm” that detects piracy as it happens. “The goal, however, should not be to completely eliminate piracy but to disrupt the pirates’ business models,” he comments. “By increasing costs beyond potential profits, the motivation for piracy diminishes. Real-time detection, prevention and rapid response are key.”

Among the ways of disrupting the activities of pirates is to track down purloined programming to the sites where it is being offered illegally and shut them down. Another company providing such monitoring enforcement services is Friend MTS, which does this using both fingerprinting and watermarking technologies. 

“A customer will give us a clean reference feed of their playout and we fingerprint that,” explains Nik Forman, vice president of marketing for the U.K.-based company. “This allows us to uniquely identify that clip of video. If the monitoring systems— which are all automated and crawling the web—then find a suspicious web site is playing that content, we fingerprint it so we can compare them. 

“If they match, we know it is an illicit player and the client can send an enforcement notice or a takedown order,” Forman continues. “If they also take our watermarking services, the content is marked invisibly and basically sits like a QR code in the actual video. When we find the illicit content and we identify it, we match it with a fingerprint and can then say it is one of our watermarks and we extract that payload of subscriber information.”

‘Never Trust, Always Verify’
While the Sony hack made the M&E sector painfully aware of its vulnerabilities, the threats have only increased since then due to otherwise innocent technological developments. The threat landscape has evolved with emergent technologies such as the Internet of Things, 5G connectivity and advanced generative AI capabilities, according to Eric Elbaz, principal strategic engagement manager at Akamai.

“We’ve also seen state-sponsored attacks become more brazen,” he said. “Nation-state actors are believed to be behind some of the most sophisticated and persistent threats seen to date.”

This was the suspicion surrounding the attack on the supply chain of software company SolarWinds in 2020, while, as Elbaz points out, ransomware attacks have increased “dramatically.”

A recent example of this is the breach of MGM Resorts’ systems in Las Vegas, which reportedly cost the company approximately $100 million. But Elbaz does see progress in dealing with the threats: “On the defensive side, we’ve seen major strides being made across threat intelligence, a paradigm shift from ‘trust but verify’ to ‘never trust always verify’ architectures, which is zero-trust security. Deeper public-private sector collaboration and information sharing, as well as a catch up in privacy laws, regulations, and standards are also helping.”

The threat shows no signs of going away and future attacks are likely to be even more cunning and sophisticated. According to “Variety,” in 2022, hacking of popular entertainment content rose 18% YOY compared with 2021, with the U.S. having the largest share of film and TV demand (i.e., illicit streams, downloads and the like), with more than 13.5 billion visits to piracy sites.

But the tools to combat it are there and, when it comes down to it, the greatest weapons are probably vigilance and common sense. 

LONDON—Friend MTS has appointed Chris Gibbs as senior vice president of global sales and Fabien Gauthier as vice president of sales for the Asia-Pacific region, the company said today.

With 30 years of experience in the M&E technology sector, Gibbs joins the company after holding senior sales roles at ThinkAnalytics, Accedo and Pace. In his new position, Gibbs will devise strategy and build teams to drive new business growth across all territories and markets.

“I am excited to join Friend MTS at the beginning of a new chapter and to be part of the Leadership Team leading that growth," said Gibbs. "The media and entertainment industry is continuously faced with new challenges and risks, caused by content piracy. Friend MTS is recognized as the world leader in content security for live sports and premium content and is therefore in a prime position to help brands, content owners and pay-TV operators address these business challenges.”

Gauthier, who has 20 years of experience in video technology, is based in Singapore and has responsibility for driving sales growth in the region.

“Friend MTS is entering a new phase of growth as we expand our global presence and bring our industry-leading expertise and solutions to a rapidly growing number of customers around the world,” said Shane McCarthy, company CEO. “Our customers are looking to use data, analytics and advanced video security tools to protect their content and increase revenue, and we are thrilled to be their selected partner. It’s critical that we have the right skills and qualities in the team and, with Chris and Fabien joining Friend MTS, I am confident that we will be successful.”

LONDON—Friend MTS has appointed Shane McCarthy as chief executive officer (CEO) with the goal of driving growth across all markets and growing its list of customers, the company said.

Prior to joining Friend MTS, McCarthy was chief operating officer (COO) of Irdeto and president for international business at Pace. Founder and CEO of professional consultancy Caldero, McCarthy currently sits as a Non-Executive Director at U.K. technology trust board Consult Red.

“It is an exciting time to join Friend MTS as we plan and implement the next phase of growth for the company,” said McCarthy. “As the world leader in content security for live sports and events, we already protect some of the biggest brands in the Media and Entertainment Industry. Our goal is to bring the class-leading tools and expertise trusted by our customers to every content creator, owner and distributor around the world.”

Among McCarthy’ career accomplishments are creating and managing a 500-person cyber security business unit to develop, deploy and maintain cyber security systems for the video entertainment market. 

“We are excited to welcome Shane as our new CEO,” said Daniel Harris, chair of the board at Friend MTS. “His invaluable wisdom, knowledge and experience will make him an excellent leader and CEO at Friend MTS and we look forward to the future with confidence.”

More information is available on the company’s website.

LONDON, U.K. & PHILADELPHIA, Pa.—Friend MTS, a market leader in content protection technology solutions for sports, media and entertainment, has appointed James Caselton as head of product. He is responsible for the company’s product strategy, expanding its portfolio of video fingerprinting, watermarking and monitoring solutions. Caselton is based in London.

Friend MTS Chief Product Officer Jonathan Friend said Caselton was “the perfect fit to lead the development and delivery of our highly effective anti-piracy products and services.” With the rest of the team he will work to enhance the user experience for broadcasters in the fight against content piracy.

Caselton has 20 years of experience in mixed channel marketing, product management and sales and business development on a global scale. Caselton has served as marketing director, EMEA at Dolby Laboratories; and as international sales & marketing manager for Phillips.

LONDON, U.K., PHILADELPHIA, Pa.—Friend MTS has appointed Mike Baron to the position of senior vice president, Sales & Strategy, Americas. Baron oversees business development for the company’s full suite of managed anti-piracy services for new and current partnerships with operators, rights holders and broadcasters, and is responsible for sales and marketing strategies as well as strategic growth plans, policy and procedures. With a regional focus on the United States and South America, Baron is based in Los Angeles, Calif., and reports to John Ward, executive vice president, Americas, Friend MTS. 

“As the media industry increasingly sees the importance of incorporating anti-piracy measures into their business strategy to safeguard valuable content and revenue, we continue to expand our global leadership team to exceed demand for our proprietary content protection solutions,” Ward said in a press statement. “A true media insider, Mike brings a unique perspective to Friend MTS along with a proven track record of driving millions in revenue for companies that span the sports/entertainment, production services and technology sectors.” 

With 25 years of experience, Baron most recently served as senior VP of Partnerships for Super League Gaming/Virtualis Studios where he launched Super League Gaming’s proprietary cloud-based, virtual studio technology. Prior to that he held the position of VP of Global Business Development and Special projects for Deluxe Entertainment Services, as well as head of Fox Sports Enterprises, where he was responsible for managing and monetizing Fox Sports’ IP-related new business initiatives.

LONDON, U.K. & PHILADELPHIA, Pa.–Friend MTS, has expanded its leadership team with the appointments of John Ward to executive vice president, Americas, and Andrew Shindler to general counsel. Together with content owners, broadcasters and operators, Friend MTS provides end-to-end technology solutions to address real-world piracy to safeguard valuable content and revenue for a global media industry.

Derek Chang, chief executive officer of Friend MTS, said in a company statement, that Ward and Shindler bring a wealth of experience and background in sports and media and will be important additions to the team. “Their expertise will enhance our ability to provide our valued customers and partners with cutting-edge advanced piracy solutions as we innovate to meet their needs.”  

Ward is responsible for creating and managing both sales and operations across North and South America. Most recently, he served as chief technology officer for iNDEMAND, a U.S. cable consortium, where he was responsible for the distribution of premium VOD and PPV entertainment to more than 200 North American TV operators. Previously, he held positions with Deluxe Creative Services, AT&T Mobility & Entertainment and DIRECTV, where he managed broadcast operations and production for the original content and sports businesses. He also held positions with Fox Sports Productions, where he supervised all studio production for Fox NFL, MLB and NASCAR coverage. Ward has received 12 Sports Emmy Awards in his career. He is based in Santa Rosa, Calif. 

Shindler brings more than three decades of legal experience in technology, commercial and intellectual property law, with a focus on sports and information technology. As general counsel, he will oversee all legal matters for Friend MTS. Previously, Shindler was partner for Locke Lord (UK) LLP, where he represented clients in technology. He was also partner and head of IT at the European law firm SJ Berwin LLP for 20 years. Shindler has acted on many high-profile complex transactions and led a number of award-winning legal teams, including Commercial Law Firm of the Year. He is based in London.

LONDON, U.K. & PHILADELPHIA, Pa.—Friend MTS announced the appointment of Derek Chang as the company’s chief executive officer. Former CEO Jonathan Friend, founder of Friend MTS, will serve as chief product officer and continue to drive growth through the creation of the company’s proprietary solutions. 

Change previously served as CEO of NBA China, and has held leadership positions with several recognized sports, media and entertainment providers. He will be based in London.

“As we continue to innovate with groundbreaking solutions that our valued customers and partners have come to expect, now is the time to transition to our next leader and we are thrilled to welcome Derek to the helm of Friend MTS,” said Friend. “With deep expertise in the global sports and entertainment space, Derek brings invaluable insight to leveraging technology to create an impactful footprint for an ever-evolving media and content ecosystem.”

“It is my privilege to join Friend MTS as we ramp up our innovation of the technology essential to protect the needs of a complex global media industry,” said Chang. “We are at the forefront of rapid changes in consumer behavior, new business models and technology, and will ensure that creators, owners and distributors worldwide will have the formidable tools necessary to protect their valuable content.”

Prior to leading NBA China’s business, Chang was head of International Lifestyle Channels for Scripps Networks Interactive, and had served as executive vice president, Content, DIRECTV. He also held senior roles for Charter Communications, the YES Network and TCI Communications. Chang currently serves on the board of directors for Liberty Media Corp. and Isos Acquisition Corp., and formerly served on the board of Starz.

PHILADELPHIA & BIRMINGHAM, U.K.—Content protection provider Friend MTS has expanded its partnership with content delivery network Akamai to offer content owners, broadcasters and operators a new smart server-side A/B variant watermarking solution based on the former’s ASiD OTT Edge-switched technology and the latter’s Access Revocation solution, Friend MTS announced.

The expanded partnership gives Akamai customers access to a new way to watermark premium content with accelerated watermark extraction. Combined with Akamai’s Access Revocation solution, the solution provides immediate remediation of live and VOD content streams if piracy is detected.

“With Akamai as our long-term valued partner, we continue our important work of developing and deploying content protection technologies at scale that serve to proactively prevent content theft as the media industry increasingly faces highly sophisticated real-world piracy threats,” said Friend MTS CEO Jonathan Friend.

“Now with ASiD 4th Generation, we’re delighted to integrate ASiD OTT Edge-switched with Akamai’s Watermark Token system to offer maximum protection with ASiD’s end-to-end functionality for all operator and service provider distribution workflows.”

ASiD 4th Generation, along with the new ASiD OTT Edge-switched proprietary technology, works to secure high-value content and revenue across all types of broadcast and OTT devices, clients and apps, the company said.

Friend MTS’ watermarking technologies remain fully compliant with the MovieLabs Specification for Enhanced Content Protection. They enable the industry to prevent content theft and other business-affecting activities, such as credential or account sharing by revoking access to compromised accounts.

“Our latest collaboration with Friend MTS brings an expanded content protection offering for our joint customers, giving them the ability to rapidly terminate delivery of content to devices that have been identified as sources of piracy,” said Akamai Director of Media Product Marketing Ian Munford.

More information is available on the Friend MTS website.

PHILADELPHIA & BIRMINGHAM, U.K.—Friend MTS has announced the fourth generation of its ASiD subscriber-level watermarking solution that addresses content protection scenarios to secure broadcast and OTT content, which includes the new ASiD OTT Edge-switched feature.

The fourth generation of Friend MTS’ advanced subscriber identification watermarking (ASiD) has enhanced two of its main features, the ASiD Embedded and ASiD OTT Client-composited. ASiD Embedded now offers accelerated watermark generation in certain devices as well as optimizations to enable memory and CPU-efficient watermark parameters for different content types. 

ASiD OTT Client-composited, meanwhile, features a new collaboration mechanism between head-end and client, and improved intelligence feedback to take action on bad actors. It also offers higher precision of session identification and stronger support for cloud PVR. Another new feature enables variable per-device watermark parameters for different content and playback types for optimized watermarking compositing based on individual client devices’ capabilities.

The new component to ASiD is ASiD OTT Edge-Switched. This is based on proprietary algorithms to offer accelerate watermark extraction working in conjunction with Friend MTS’ distributor-level watermarking solution, Distribution iD.

The new ASiD remains compliant with the MovieLabs Specification for Enhanced Content Protection, including 4K and HDR content.

For more information, visit www.friendmts.com.  

PHILADELPHIA & BIRMINGHAM, England—Friend MTS has announced a new anti-piracy partner program and the appointment of Dennis Scott, director, channel sales, to lead the program with media partners and customers worldwide. Friend MTS continues to combat piracy in sports and entertainment with technologies developed in-house to reduce the competition of illicit pirate services, drive subscriber growth and protect revenue.

“Our valued partners and customers know they can rely on our premium content protection services to effectively detect and disrupt the financially damaging large-scale content theft of their valuable content, including live and on-demand video assets,” said Friend. “With Dennis leading our Partner Program, we are poised for sustainable long-term growth as we continue our more than two-decade mission to combat piracy with our signature subscriber-level watermarking technologies coupled with extensive automated content monitoring for which we are known industry-wide.” 

Scott is based in Friend MTS’ Birmingham headquarters and reports to CEO Jonathan Friend. Previously, he held senior positions in BT Group, including general manager, BT Business, where he developed a pan-European solutions channel from scratch, heading large multicultural teams across Europe. He was also managing partner and founder for Metanoia Partners Ltd., where he provided information and cybersecurity services as a certified GDPR practitioner.

LAS VEGAS—Content and revenue protection specialist Friend MTS is looking to expand its reach to North American customers in a couple of ways, the first of which will include a stop at the 2019 NAB Show to spotlight its new Piracy-iQ service, among its other platform, channel and content protection services. In addition, the company has announced that it is establishing its first North America office in Philadelphia.

Piracy-iQ is designed to measure streaming piracy consumption over internet service provider networks for content owners, programmers and pay-TV providers to assess the impact of piracy and track their content protection services performance. The system offers content monitoring and IP address capture, and it enhances the reporting of third-party network flow analysis systems to streamline the generation of piracy analytics. With the system, users can have real-time and post-event analytics with in-depth reporting of piracy consumption patterns. Piracy-iQ operates in both fixed and mobile broadband environments.

On the business side, Friend MTS’ Philadelphia office will include sales and professional services teams and be led by Simon Williamson, the company’s chief commercial officer.

Friend MTS will be located at booth SU8921 on the NAB Show floor. To register for the NAB Show, visit www.nabshow.com.