LUXEMBOURG—SES has been selected by BBC Studios (BBCS) and its subsidiary UKTV to manage the playout and distribution of more than 50 linear channels, as well as their associated video on demand services via a new multi-year agreement.

SES will now provide playout, content processing, distribution and VOD services for the delivery of BBCS and UKTV content to affiliates across the globe and in the U.K. The services will be based on SES’s European global delivery services—technical playout infrastructure will be provided from SES’s new London facility; the company’s Munich playout facility will oversee operational management.

“Our London and Munich service delivery approach is specially crafted so that broadcasters and production houses like BBCS and UKTV can focus on producing great content while we take care of the content preparation, playout and delivery,” said Steve Collar, CEO of SES. “This dual facility approach is fundamental to our success in ensuring that we have always-on, fully backed-up content delivery services and will enable us to provide the highest quality of service for BBCS.”

“By selecting SES, we believe we have found a partner that is committed to delivering innovation and can meet our business needs going into the future,” added Marcus Arthur, president, U.K., Ireland BBC Studios & CEO UKTV.

The deal is said to also build on BBCS and UKTV’s desire for cloud innovation in the media industry, per SES’s announcement.

For more information, visit www.ses.com. 

STOCKHOLM—U.K. viewers are expected to be getting one of their first experiences with a virtualized live broadcast, courtesy of Ericsson and UKTV. The two companies announced the news of incorporating Ericsson’s Virtualized Live Playout service with UKTV broadcasts during IBC 2016.

Virtualized Live Playout is a software based, fully managed service that operates on a virtualized cloud environment. A commercial and operational model enables broadcasters and content owners the ability to rent playout or channel capacity on a daily/pay-as-you-go basis. The Ericsson system carries live content and support graphics and ad insertion, and is designed to be operated by traditional linear services standards. The service can be used for “pop up” or temporary live channels, or as a disaster recovery service.

UKTV will use the Virtualized Live Playout service to launch and broadcast live events on its network of channels.

STOCKHOLM—Ericsson and UKTV have reaffirmed their relationship, as the companies announced a multi-year extension for Ericsson to provide its playout, video on-demand, and access services to the U.K. broadcaster. The services will be offered to UKTV’s 10 channels and on-demand services.

Part of the new extension will see Ericsson migrate UKTV’s VOD preparation services to Ericsson’s end-to-end package and deliver managed service, powered by the company’s cloud media processing service platform. The service platform uses cloud-based tools to deliver non-linear contribution, archiving and media processing.

In addition, Ericsson has announced it has extended its access services contract with UKTV, which includes subtitling and audio description services across UKTV content.