Verizon debuts digital media management play

LAS VEGAS--Verizon (NYSE: VZ) unveiled its Digital Media Services, a platform designed to make it easier for content owners to distribute live and on-demand video content to consumers' smartphones, tablets and other devices, setting the stage to allow them unicast video tailored to specific consumer preferences, at NAB.

Verizon Digital Media Services automates the workflow around formatting, managing and delivering digital media, reducing costs and turnaround time for video and taking advantage of scale.

"Verizon is creating a first-of-its-kind automated digital utility," said Mike Millegan, president of Global Wholesale. "With this unique delivery platform built on top of Verizon's high-IQ infrastructure, content owners, entertainment companies and digital media retailers will be able to create new business models that capitalize and deliver on the promise of digital entertainment."

Verizon is partnering with other vendors on the initiative, including Technicolor, Motorola, Alcatel-Lucent, and HP.

Among the first companies to use the technology are Turner Broadcasting, Hearst Magazines and The Associated Press. The services remain in beta, but are expected to be widely available in July.

"Verizon is making a bold play in the digital media distribution space by creating an innovative new category of service based on an automated supply chain model," said Melanie Posey, vice president of hosting and managed network services for research firm IDC. She added the new service likely would "stimulate new thinking about different ways to package, deliver and consume all forms of digital media content." 

For more:
- see this release

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