EMI, CBS Newspath, Lions Gate Entertainment Embrace Windows Media, Windows
2000, SQL Server 2000 and BizTalk Server 2000 to Digitally Distribute
Music and Films
LONG BEACH, Calif., June 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Today at Streaming Media West
2001, Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) together with key digital content
solution vendors The Bulldog Group Inc., eMotion Inc., Mediasite Inc.,
BitCentral and Jaguar Consulting Inc. unveiled how their solutions
incorporating Microsoft(R) Windows Media(TM) Technologies, Windows(R) 2000,
SQL Server(TM) 2000 and BizTalk(TM) Server 2000 are helping change the way the
media and entertainment industry manage digital media assets such as music,
film, news feeds and digital dailies. Companies such as EMI Music
Distribution, CBS Newspath, Lions Gate Entertainment are already using a
variety of innovative solutions with Windows Media Audio, Video and DRM
technology in such diverse scenarios as distributing digital music and video
catalogs to Internet retailers, distributing video news feeds to television
affiliates, and managing film and TV asset distribution.
(Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO )
"As EMI has rapidly embraced digital distribution of music, we discovered
it was critical to have a digital warehouse and begin to deploy the systems to
enable us to pick, pack and ship our music and videos to Internet retailers,"
said Richard Cottrell, president of EMI Music Distribution. "As promotion
agreements are made with online music retailers, EMI now has the systems to
take that content, convert it into digital form, secure it using Windows Media
DRM technology, and manage content licensing."
Converting and managing entertainment and news assets for digital
distribution requires sophisticated software to create, manage, distribute,
syndicate, protect and track those assets. PC-based technology is transforming
what was a labor- and paper-intensive process done primarily by hand and
transported via mail into a more streamlined and integrated Web-based delivery
system. Digital asset management solutions convert traditional music, video or
film content into digital form and help manage all the phases of a
distribution process, helping traditional media and entertainment companies
capitalize on new business with greater speed, achieve rapid distribution
using Internet-based technologies, and improve the efficiency of
labor-intensive licensing and royalty-management processes. New comprehensive
digital asset management solutions have emerged via a wide range of developers
running on Windows 2000 Server, SQL Server 2000 and BizTalk Server 2000
supporting Windows Media Audio and Video and Windows Media Digital Rights
Management (DRM) technology. Microsoft Consulting Services Media and
Entertainment Practice, and key technology providers such as Bulldog,
BitCentral, and Jaguar Consulting, are helping these key companies thrive in a
digital distribution world.
-- EMI Music Distribution has created an integrated digital fulfillment
system to manage its catalog of more than 6,000 CDs' worth of
digital content that can be previewed using Windows Media and
distributed online to Internet retailers using Windows Media. Based
on a digital asset management system from the Bulldog Group, this
system also manages a vast collection of music videos and digital
forms of album cover art. As a result EMI MDG now has a single
system to take its content, covert it into digital form, secure it
using Windows Media DRM technology, and manage the licensing and
distribution. This provides a complete digital warehouse for EMI's
assets and rapid distribution as business deals are completed.
-- CBS Newspath is the world's largest satellite news-gathering system,
providing 24-hour news service to more than 200 CBS stations and
affiliates. Using a browser-based PC application developed with
BitCentral Inc., each CBS affiliate news producer can browse an
intranet of news stories, and preview them using Windows Media
Video. News stories are purchased for use on air are then downloaded
into digital servers at each affiliate station via a one-way digital
satellite transmission.
-- Lions Gate Entertainment working with Jaguar Consulting created a
license- and royalty-management system for major film and TV
productions. This integrated system is using Jaguar's System 7
Universal Rights Management together with Windows Media Video and
DRM technology and Microsoft BizTalk 2000 Server to distribute Lions
Gate programming assets. Now Lions Gate can distribute its key
content from theater chains all the way to the Internet, including
new consumer services such as CinemaNow, which is distributing
full-length major motion pictures using Windows Media Video and DRM
technology.
-- Sample Digital, a service provider in Santa Monica, working with
Microsoft Consulting Services, has co-developed a new solution using
Windows Media Video and DRM technology to deliver daily rushes of
film and TV productions for producers, directors and production
managers in digital form. Key decision-makers, often located across
the country or across the world, can now collaborate online while
watching streamed or downloaded video and provide comments using an
interactive Web-based tool for providing written comments, on-screen
annotation, and direction in the film post-production process. This
solution can also be used on a mobile device such as a Pocket PC and
is now rolling out for use by major studio productions.
Solution Scenarios Demonstrated at Streaming Media West
At Streaming Media West in Long Beach, Microsoft, working with eMotion,
Jaguar and Mediasite, will demonstrate examples of integrated digital asset
management, video on demand, digital dailies, and digital fulfillment systems
built using Windows Media, Windows 2000, SQL Server 2000 and BizTalk Server
2000. These demonstrations will be in the Windows Media Booth 819 in the Long
Beach Convention Center.
About Microsoft Consulting Services - Media and Entertainment Practice
The Microsoft Media and Entertainment Practice, based in Los Angeles,
Calif., focuses on the delivery of digital content solutions using Microsoft's
Windows Media Technologies, Windows 2000, SQL Server 2000 and BizTalk Server
2000 together with other third-party technology solutions. Key areas of
expertise include integrated solutions focusing on integrated digital asset
management, video on demand, digital dailies and digital fulfillment systems.
The MCS Media and Entertainment Team can be contacted via Mark Kapczynski at
310-449-7387 or via email at markkap@microsoft.com.
About Windows Media
Windows Media is the leading digital media platform, providing unmatched
audio and video quality to consumers, content providers, solution providers,
software developers and corporations. Windows Media offers the industry's only
integrated rights-management solution and the most scalable and reliable
streaming technology tested by independent labs. Windows Media Technologies
includes Windows Media Player for consumers, Windows Media Services for
servers, Windows Media Tools for content creation, and the Windows Media
Software Development Kit (SDK) for software developers. Windows Media Player,
available in 26 languages, is the fastest-growing media player. More
information about Windows Media can be found at
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmedia/.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services
and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company
offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people
through great software -- any time, any place and on any device.
NOTE: Microsoft, Windows Media, Windows and BizTalk are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other
countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be
the trademarks of their respective owners.
SOURCE Microsoft Corp.
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http://www.microsoft.com
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NewsCom:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO
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PRN Photo Desk, 888-776-6555 or 201-369-3467
CONTACT:
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for Microsoft Corp.
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