PBS has selected Accenture to build a program and trafficking system to provide PBS' member stations with programming and scheduling information management services related to the DTV transition.

The product, PBS Orion, is a web-based extranet solution that supports programming and scheduling information for PBS, program producers and program distributors. Orion lets the network capture and manage information around the scheduling and programming process, such as credits, rights, technical and funding information. Orion will help PBS manage the additional mass of information anticipated with the greater number of channels enabled by DTV technology.

By upgrading its operational capabilities, PBS will deliver more timely and complete programming and scheduling data to member stations and users of the trafficking and programming information. The PBS Orion solution has reduced the PBS Broadcast Operations group's need for data re-entry by up to 85 percent and PBS has compressed the process of delivering program and schedule information to its stations by 10 days a month.

A reduction of cycle times lets PBS acquire, schedule, manage and deliver programming in less time than before, according to the network. Data accuracy is expected to improve since producers and distributors will manage their own programming and scheduling information.