Complying with regulatory requirements in Singapore without new satellite feedsLearn how a large TV network from India replaced content atheadends in Singapore without creating new satellite feeds.

CASE STUDY

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AboutClient TV Network

Amagi Solution

Our client is one of India’s leading general entertainment networks, creating and delivering premium content to millions of viewers in the language of their choice. As part of its expansion strategy, the TV network planned to launch its channel in Singapore.

Leveraging its edge content insertion platform STORM, Amagi was able to replace two hours of religious content with other evergreen programmes at local headends in Singapore. Amagi STORM platform leverages an innovative watermark-based workflow, a cloud network and an edge content insertion device to enable localized feeds.

Watermarking

Watermarking is Amagi’s patented technology for identifying content assets on satellite / fibre feed (network feed). It is an audio-video watermark that is invisible and inaudible. Watermarks are embedded on content that needs to be replaced locally. These watermarks act as local content insertion triggers when a watermarked asset is played on the satellite feed.

Cloud

A cloud-based distribution model is used to push and store local content and insertion playlists to Amagi content insertion devices at individual headends. A Transport Server was installed at the channel’s facility to simplify transport of content. Any replacement content dropped on to the transport server was automatically pushed on to the cloud.

Business Requirements

Technical Requirements

The channel is broadcasted in India via Insat 4A satellite and incidentally the C band transponder of the satellite also covered Singapore. The channel planned to leverage this access and distribute the existing India feed in Singapore at no additional costs. However, broadcast regulations in Singapore restrict the transmission of religious content in the country. This posed a huge challenge to the channel as two hours of religious content was being aired in the channel feed in India.

• Mask two hours of programming on existing India feed only in Singapore• No additional satellite/fibre to be used• Zero integration with existing workflow• Automated playout• 1+1 fail-safe redundant system• Robustness to cater to last minute updates to schedules• Remote management of infrastructure from its existing playout facility in India• 24 x 7 monitoring of Singapore feed• As-run reporting for reconciliation

• Upload and manage playlist for local feed• Content management: Monitor and manage replacement content for the local feed

and manage archive, deletion across the system• Telecast Monitoring:

Pre-telecast: Real-time content and playlist upload status across each headendTelecast: A real-time low-resolution IP monitoring stream of the local feed was given back to the channel’s playout facility for monitoring (Additional third party hardware was installed at the headend for providing the IP stream)Post-telecast monitoring: As-run reports of playout status for the local feed

Infrastructure monitoring was managed by Amagi from its operations center in Bangalore

Content Insertion Device

A content insertion device was placed at the affiliate headend in Singapore. The network feed was provided as an input to the device. Content to be replaced locally was watermarked and played out on the network feed. The local replacement content is sent via the cloud to the relevant broadcast headend ahead of transmission. Amagi content insertion devices then detected the watermark and spliced in the replacement content as appropriate.

Playout Management

Amagi additionally provided web-based playout management interface for channel to enable:

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Outcome The channel has been fully compliant with the regulations in Singapore ever since the feed went live in July 2013. The operation has been completely hassle-free. In addition to designing and delivering the end-to-end infrastructure, Amagi also provides continuous support for the entire operations.

Creating a new feed for Singapore did not justify the ROI as it would not only increase the playout costs but also the delivery costs needed for new satellite/fibre bandwidth. Blacking out the channel was not an option either, as the religious program was being aired during the prime time in Singapore.

“We had envisioned the STORM Edge Content Insertion Platform keeping in mind the complexities of the existing broadcast systems. The platform works completely in parallel to the existing satellite broadcast processes and scheduling. We found it most suitable for our client’s requirements.”- Srividhya Srinivasan, Co-founder, Amagi

About Amagi

Amagi is the world’s largest platform for delivering targeted TV content and advertising anywhere across the globe. Every month, Amagi delivers and plays out more than one million advertising seconds and thousands of hours of content for many leading broadcasters. Amagi’s patented core technology delivers new market access, content localization, and advertising revenue streams for broadcasters at a fraction of the cost when compared to existing traditional satellite and fiber based delivery models.

E-Mail Contact cloudandme@amagi.com