Anystream(R) Supplies 'Hands-Free' Web Publishing Platform for TSR French Speaking Swiss TV

Anystream(R) Supplies 'Hands-Free' Web Publishing Platform for TSR French Speaking Swiss TV

System Delivers Swiss Broadcasting Corporation Multimedia Content to National and International Online Audiences

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- IBC -- Anystream today announced that TSR, a Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) enterprise, has deployed its Agility high-performance digital media production and Web publishing software in a completely automated workflow that enables TSR content to go from broadcast to online without manual intervention.

Anystream designed and deployed the advanced Web publishing system working in collaboration with TSR and swissinfo, SBC's hosting and content management company, under the direction of Swiss consulting firm and project leader Multimedia Architects.

The fully automated workflow is made possible via integration of Agility with a number of TSR core systems. Agility interfaces directly with TSR's VPG (video programming guide) to programmatically queue content for capture, encoding and distribution to TSR and swissinfo streaming servers. The Agility system delivers all online video at http://www.tsr.ch/.

Anystream also customized Agility to automatically read VPS triggers in the broadcast content to verify content accuracy regardless of schedule variations. Agility detects the beginning of the broadcast program, checks program metadata against SBC's broadcast automation system to ensure that the content has not already aired, and commences with the encoding and distribution process so that viewers with widely varying connection speeds -- up to 750 kbps -- can each access content optimized for their data rate in Windows Media or Real media players.

"As the project leader, Multimedia Architects takes pride in choosing the very best technology and partners to ensure that our broadcast clients successfully meet their national mandates. Anystream delivers on both, with the industry's most respected Web publishing platform and a skilled professional team capable of reducing a complex process down to a single system profile for both TSR1 and TSR2 channels," said Michel Croibier, head of Multimedia Architects.

"The Agility system delivers excellent cost efficiency because we can add content without incurring the incremental costs of using manual procedures to convert media for the Web," said Guy Dessaux, head of multimedia department of TSR. "Agility's reliability also enables us to use the system around-the- clock without losing time locating and producing assets for the Web or manually converting assets from tape to files," Dessaux said.

"Agility enables hands-free digital media publishing by bringing together the best facets of IT-centric architecture -- including software automation, fault tolerance and load balancing -- and the best of high-quality digital video processes from broadcast workflows. Its modular design also ensures that when TSR is ready to publish to other emerging platforms, such as mobile, IPTV and on-demand, their Agility system will deliver the same level of automation to those content repurposing workflows," said Steve Becker, Anystream executive vice president of sales and marketing.

Agility facilitates broadcast digital media workflows by eliminating manual production, conversion and delivery steps. Agility automatically ingests and outputs media in leading broadcast server, editing and streaming formats for exchange between editing systems, play-to-air servers, news production systems, streaming and Web servers. Agility is also the leading choice for Web and multi-platform publishing, automating the time-consuming, specialized processes required to repurpose broadcast-quality video for optimal viewing on a variety of IP devices. Agility integrates with existing production systems to ingest content from live, tape or digital file sources; pre-process video to adjust color, size and composition for multi-device playback; encode video into different streaming formats and data rates; and deliver finished files to the Web, mobile, VOD, IPTV and syndication outlets around the globe.

About TSR (http://www.tsr.ch/)

Television Suisse Romande (TSR) is based in Geneva with regional bureaus in Lausanne, Zurich, Sion, Fribourg, Moutier, Neuchatel as well as at the Swiss Federal Parliament building in Berne. TSR is aimed at the estimated 1.6 million French-speaking Swiss. TSR provides full-service programming on two channels in order to satisfy the many and varied expectations of this audience. TSR1's mission is to provide television for all. Its evening schedule consists mainly of in-house productions. TSR2's programming includes sports, a daytime schedule that serves children and young people, and an evening schedule featuring documentary films and cultural programming.

About Multimedia Architects (http://www.multimedia-architects.com/)

Multimedia architects is a Lausanne-based consulting firm that specializes in complete project management of broadcast, interactive and multimedia oriented projects for media companies and special operations (radio, TV and marketing events) for clients throughout Switzerland and Europe.

About swissinfo (http://www.swissinfo.org/)

swissinfo has developed its own news and information platform, which is available in nine languages: http://www.swissinfo.org/. The company was founded in 1934 and today swissinfo employs around 150 people from 24 different countries. swissinfo has its headquarters in Bern and offices in Geneva and Zurich. It also has office space at the federal parliament in Bern.

About Anystream (http://www.anystream.com/)

Anystream software automates digital media production and distribution. The world's leading broadcasters use its Agility products to automatically encode and transcode streaming, broadcast and production formats. Its Apreso products are used by institutions of higher education to automatically capture and publish lectures for online student review. Anystream awards include the Frost and Sullivan Market Leadership Award, Presentations Magazine's Standing Ovation Award, PC Magazine's 2003 Technical Excellence Awards Finalist and COMDEX Best of Show Finalist, Entrepreneur Magazine's "Hot 100," and Deloitte & Touche's "Fast 50." Anystream, Inc. is funded by SCP Private Equity Partners, SOFTBANK Capital Technology Fund III LP, Falcon Private Equity L.P. and Citigroup Investments, Inc. Anystream is based in Sterling, Va.

Source: Anystream

CONTACT: Darian Germain of Anystream Inc., +31-(0)6-3837-8954, or dgermain@anystream.com

Web site: http://www.anystream.com/ http://www.tsr.ch/ http://www.multimedia-architects.com/ http://www.swissinfo.org/

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