Santa Monica, Calif.-based ZoneTV has forged agreements with a major media logistics firm and a division of Microsoft in an effort designed to automate the curation of content of what is being billed as a “first-of-its-kind, customizable suite of linear TV channels” scheduled to launch this autumn.
In a move that the company asserts will take it “a quantum leap forward in the linear TV experience,” ZoneTV will utilize media logistics tools from Ooyala, a global provider of video monetization technology and services, plus Video Indexer, part of Microsoft Cognitive Services.
ZoneTV has licensed digital-first content that it will curate into specialized channels delivered to pay-TV subscribers.
These channels will initially appear like any traditional linear channel. But, as ZoneTV says, it seeks to combine linear, on-demand and customized choices into a new offering called ZoneTV Dynamic Channels.
“We’re building the next generation of pay-TV services, so we need next-generation tools,” said ZoneTV CEO Jeff Weber. “With the combination of Ooyala’s platform and Microsoft Cognitive Services, the ZoneTV Programming Studio delivers an unmatched capability to enhance the TV ecosystem and translates into a one-of-a-kind viewer experience.”
“ZoneTV shows what Microsoft Cognitive Services can do for TV programming,” said Sudheer Sirivara, GM of Enterprise Video at Microsoft Corp. “By integrating their content with Microsoft Azure, they can leverage Azure Media Analytics and Ooyala Flex for automated content indexing potentially driving more value for ZoneTV affiliates and subscribers.”
