LONDON - As high profile TV executives prepare to debate the future of broadcasting, Best Before Media, an innovative digital technology company and Veodia, a browser-based service that enables high quality video broadcasting, have joined forces to stream live footage of the inaugural MediaGuardian Changing Broadcast Summit, which is being held at the Rich Mix arts complex in London, on October 31.
For the first time, MediaGuardian's high-profile speakers including ITV's Michael Grade and BBC Vision's Jana Bennett, will be streamed live to the web thanks to Best Before Media's innovative 'desktop publishing for TV' technology, Millicent, which transforms the way content is produced for TV and the web. And who produces it. Veodia is working in conjunction with Best Before Media to stream the high quality produced video with nothing more than a browser and internet connection to an online audience.
Already successfully launched with Channel 4's Dispatches Late Night & Live webcasts, Millicent is designed for broadcasters, brands and bloggers who want to harness the power of video distribution - on TV, the web or mobile phones - without the inherent costs associated with the traditional live TV production model. For a fraction of the cost of producing broadcast quality content for television, a producer armed with a laptop, video camera and an internet connection, will deliver the summit content, via Veodia's live video streaming service, to Guardian editorial staff who will be able to interact with speakers by using Veodia's integrated chat engine to text their questions to the chair of the conference, Kate Bulkley.
The summit will also be broadcast via Millicent and Veodia onto large screens inside the venue ensuring that delegates won't miss any presentations. Veodia's unique service will also archive all the sessions, making them immediately available for summit delegates to view online after the event. Jill Nurse, Commercial Director, Best Before Media, said: "It's apt that we are showcasing our new technology at a television conference debating the changing broadcast environment. Millicent has been designed for the future. With it, anyone with a web connection has the power to broadcast live content with the production values of a large TV channel. What once would have been prohibitive in terms of costs, skillset and investment is now possible." Nurse, added: "Millicent is also creating the opportunity for media owners to develop potential new revenue streams such as pay-per-view. The technology can also transform the way international companies do business enabling employers to communicate more cost effectively with geographically disparate staff."
Par Gandhi, VP of Corporate Marketing for Veodia, added: "Working with Best Before Media at the MediaGuardian summit is extremely exciting since Veodia will be streaming Millicent's high quality video output and bringing the content for this conference to an online audience that would ordinarily miss the event. This is a perfect use for Veodia, as the service is designed for broadcasters to easily bring high quality content to online viewers without any upfront costs or special technology needed."
Key features of Millicent: Easily design video screens, fill them with interactive content and schedule them for broadcast on TV, mobile or the web. Capture web data like weather or news and incorporate into a TV broadcast in real time. Add photos and video taken from the web straight to the programme. Supports the broadcast of streaming web video - concerts, company presentations, news or events - direct into TV output. Design screen overlays using any font, colour or combination. Real time particle generators. Output to SDI, Quicktime or as a DV stream for streaming servers. Web connectivity allows remote teams to work together seamlessly and faster."
About Best Before Media
Best Before Media, an innovative digital technology company that creates interactive solutions for brands, bloggers and broadcasters to create high quality, cost effective TV using material sourced from the web or mobile phones.
Millicent was designed and developed by Best Before Media and is best described as desktop publishing for broadcasting. It takes data from the web and mobile phones and converts it in real time to rich motion graphics. It allows existing broadcasters to work faster and more efficiently while also giving the next generation of content creators access to the tools needed to start their own channels.
The company was founded in 2003 by Mark Rock, co-founder of Static 2358 and the PlayJam channel, one of the first interactive games channels on Sky & Cable in the UK, TPS & Canal+ in France and Cablevision in the US.
Visit the Best Before Media website at www.bestbefore.tv or see Millicent at millicent.tv
Best Before Media Press Contact:
Debra Johnson at Taylor Herring PR 0208 206 5151 or debra.johnson@taylorherring.com
About Veodia
Palo Alto, CA-based Veodia, Inc., enables businesses, universities, and venues the ability to instantly broadcast high quality live video while remotely recording content for immediate on-demand playback. Broadcasters need nothing more than a video camera, computer, and internet connection and content providers retain full control of their content. Veodia replaces in-house digital video publishing solutions that require large budgets, vendor interoperability, and extensive IT support. In April 2007, Veodia joined the WebEx (NASDAQ: WEBX) Connect platform to offer WebEx Connect users an easy way to create and broadcast high quality video.