Astral Media Selects Signiant to Transform VOD Delivery Processes

Astral Media Selects Signiant to Transform VOD Delivery Processes

New System Saves Time and Opens New Revenue Streams

AMSTERDAM - IBC 2009, September 11/PRNewswire/ -- Signiant(R), Inc., the leading developer of content distribution
management solutions, announced today that Astral Media, a Canadian media
company active in TV, Radio, outdoor advertising and interactive media, has
implemented Signiant as it transforms its Video On Demand (VOD) content
delivery infrastructure from a manual process to an automated file-based
workflow. The move forms part of a collaboration with other major Canadian
Cable operators and media and entertainment companies.

Astral Media supplies almost all of the major Canadian Cable companies
with content for Video On Demand services. Until recently, content was loaded
onto hard disks and couriered around Canada to the various affiliates, then
the content was manually transferred into the VOD systems. This method was
time-consuming, resource intensive, and did not scale to enable new digital
syndication outlets.

"The Signiant installation saves us time in two ways: firstly by sending
content over secure ftp instead of by courier, and secondly by enabling us to
free up staff from carrying out repetitive tasks which allows us to redeploy
them more productively," said Chris Bell, VP Technology, Astral Media. "In
addition, by going the secure ftp route we are poised to enable new revenue
streams by sending content to emerging IPTV, Mobile and Over-The-Top services
by tailoring the content to meet individual format requirements. These
opportunities were not economically attractive with the manual processes."

Astral Media's Signiant CDM system is already installed and supplying
five Cable operators with digital content, with automated ingest directly
into the VOD server systems. A rapid roll-out plan will see several more
affiliates enabled within the next couple of months.

"Signiant enables organizations to facilitate a freeform B2B exchange of
digital media assets and automate manual processes, allowing our partners to
monetize their content in more profitable and efficient ways, " said Tony
Lapolito, VP Marketing and Product Management. "Astral Media has embarked on
a business transformation that allows it to be more productive with its
valuable resources and to realize more revenue opportunities. We are thrilled
to partner with them as they transform their business processes."

About Signiant

Founded in 2000, Signiant software is trusted as an essential solution to
control the movement of content and automated processes, within and between
organizations. The Signiant solution empowers global collaboration during the
creation, processing and distribution of digital content - enabling customers
to increase revenue, reduce costs and optimize existing asset investment.
Signiant is headquartered in Burlington, MA with development facilities in
Ottawa, Canada and offices in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London,
Munich and Singapore. Find out more at http://www.signiant.com, and read the
Signiant blog at http://www.digitalmediagalaxy.com

IBC 2009, IPTV Zone, Stand 741

For further information, please contact:

Wendy Mattock, Bubble & Squeak
wendy@bubblesqueak.co.uk
Tel. +44-7912-300231

Tara Bartley, Signiant
tbartley@signiant.com
Tel: +1(781)221-4000

Source: Signiant

For further information, please contact: Wendy Mattock, Bubble & Squeak, wendy@bubblesqueak.co.uk, Tel. +44-7912-30023; Tara Bartley, Signiant, tbartley@signiant.com, Tel: +1(781)221-4000

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