September 7, 2006

Sunflower Broadband, MTV Networks Launch Dynamic VOD Advertising

Weekly Pix

By Mike Robuck

Lawrence, KS-based Sunflower Broadband has a reputation for being on the cutting edge, which was further underscored this week when the cable operator and MTV Networks announced on Wednesday that they are launching a campaign to dynamically insert national advertisements into on-demand cable TV. Sunflower will begin dynamically placing ads into MTV Networks on-demand programming this week.

The first campaign, created and managed by the agency Mediaedge:cia, promotes the theatrical release of Paramount Pictures' and MTV Films' major motion picture "jackass number two," in theaters nationwide on Sept. 22. Ads for the movie will be inserted into Comedy Central On Demand programs at the moment that viewers request the free on-demand shows.

Using integrated on-demand and advertising technologies from SeaChange International and Atlas On Demand, Sunflower's VOD system can splice fresh ads into on-demand content on the fly. An Atlas Media Console at Mediaedge:cia enables media planning, creative management and campaign tracking, as well as remote monitoring of ad performance. For the Paramount movie campaign, ad copy will be changed out at various times before and after the film's premiere, ensuring that it remains fresh and delivers maximum impact.

"We've been offering dynamic ad insertion into on-demand programs for our local advertising clients for a few months, and the response has been overwhelming," said Patrick Knorr, general manager, Sunflower Broadband, in a press release. "By extending the capabilities to the national level with MTV Networks, Mediaedge:cia and Paramount Pictures, we're demonstrating the kind of win-win scenario that can unlock more value in on-demand advertising and advance the VOD business model for both programmers and operators."

Comcast On Demand Tops 3 Billion Views

Comcast announced this week that its VOD service surpassed three billion program views since 2004. Comcast, one of the first large cable operators to deploy VOD, also set a new monthly record for July, with customers watching 180 million On Demand shows.

Cleveland Rocks with Cox, Concurrent

Concurrent announced that Cox Communications has chosen Concurrent's MediaHawk 4000 On-Demand platform for the launch of VOD service in the cable operator's Cleveland, OH, division.  
 
"Now Cox Digital Cable subscribers in Cleveland can enjoy a customizable, interactive television viewing experience boasting a robust offering of on-demand content," said Michael Pasquinilli, director, interactive services engineering, Cox Communications. "Thanks to the flexibility of Concurrent's MediaHawk system, we can easily upgrade and scale our VOD offerings without massive plant expenditures."

Cox Cleveland serves approximately 73,000 basic subscribers.
 
Due to increasing digital penetration and VOD usage in Hampton Roads, VA, and Las Vegas, Concurrent is also upgrading existing MediaHawk 3000 platforms to the MediaHawk 4000 in each system. In each system, Concurrent will deploy a centralized library server with distributed edge servers - based on Concurrent Real Time Linux operating software. Cox serves more than 400,000 basic subscribers in Las Vegas and Hampton Roads.

T-Com Picks Harmonic for MPEG-4 AVC

Harmonic said today that T-Com Germany, responsible for the strategic broadband/fixed line business segment at Deutsche Telekom AG, is using Harmonic's DiviCom MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) standard definition (SD) and high definition (HD) compression systems for its new video service product T-Home.

Broadbus Adds IPTV Features

Broadbus Technologies announced today the latest version of its on-demand video platform. The release extends Broadbus' on-demand solution with enhanced support for IPTV applications and new reliability features. The Broadbus B-1 Video Server and Stream Commander management software have been updated to provide video service providers with new on-demand functionality including support for H.264/MPEG-4, improved security, support for IPTV-based advanced video services such as nDVR and Time-Shifted TV, as well as enhanced fault tolerance and reliability.