SVG Europe Sit-Down: MX1’s Ariel Nishri with thoughts on IP, the Cloud and the future of OTT
Ariel Nishri, VP of Product Development, MX1
MX1, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SES, is a global media services provider which works with leading media businesses to transform content into the ultimate viewer experience for a global audience. Every day MX1 distributes more than 2,750 TV channels, manages the playout of over 500 channels, delivers syndicated content to more than 120 leading subscription VOD platforms, and provides over 8,000 hours of online video streaming and 500 hours of premium sports and live events. Our discussions with Ariel Nishri, VP of Product Development at MX1 started with a look back at NAB…
NAB is still fresh in our minds. What was uppermost in the minds of those who visited your stand?
Media companies are looking for ways to increase efficiencies, reduce operational costs and CAPEX investments, and monetise content. It’s important for them to stay relevant in today’s ever-evolving media landscape, and at MX1 we provide them with the tools to do that.
Where next for the use of IP Technology for sports broadcasters?
Until last year, IP technology for sports broadcasters was still in the early stages of deployments. However, today it’s advancing very quickly. We’re seeing more and more of our customers moving away from traditional media distribution to IP delivery due to the operational and cost efficiencies it provides.
Is there still some suspicious about using ‘The Cloud’? and if so, how do you reassure such people?
Cloud has become more than just a buzz word because it’s both efficient and cost-effective. As media creation and distribution prices go up, we think the industry will increasingly rely on cloud infrastructure to aggregate, manage, and deliver linear and nonlinear content.
Can you tell us about the MXI 360 service platform and how it helps sports broadcasters?
In the past sports broadcasters required on-site editing suites at a major sports event. MX1 360 significantly streamlines sports broadcast operations, allowing broadcasters to record and archive their streams anywhere in the world, as well as edit content in real-time in the cloud. It’s a much faster and efficient approach that can be utilised on a global scale.
What developments can we expect when it comes to the delivery of OTT services?
The sports industry is moving to deliver all content via OTT. Many OTT platforms already have sports channels, and those that don’t will work on acquiring those capabilities over the next year.
Recently, a major sports league announced that it is transitioning from satellite to fibre delivery. It’s just the beginning of an industry-wide movement toward OTT. Amazon is acquiring rights to sports, and Facebook is also interested in this space.
Going forward, it will be important for OTT sports service providers to build recommendation engines that allow viewers to access relevant data, highlights, and content.
Do you have any future plans you can share?
We are working on some new tools for live content, especially for occasional live events. To be able to control, monitor, and share live events with any provider around the world is very important. Our solution will help customers share sports feeds and permissions with other content providers in a way that is cost- and time-saving.
Do you have a sports related case study you can share?
MX1 360 includes a cloud editing tool that allows for the quick and effective production of highlights directly from live feeds, whether the feed originates from satellite, fibre, or IP. Using this tool, media companies can access live sports, associate external metadata with feeds, and produce highlights packages that include events such as fouls, goals, and touchdowns, in real-time. From a single platform, sports clips and highlights can easily be distributed to social media, news outlets, OTT and editing suites for further content preparation. That tool is being used by several big-name content owners, including IMG and the Israel Premier Football League (IPFL).