PBS Selects thePlatform for Nationwide Online Programming
PBS to dramatically increase online video; thePlatform to publish online video for PBS' national shows and local PBS stations
SEATTLE, WA / PALM DESERT, CA -- MAY 13, 2008
PBS announced today that it has chosen thePlatform to power its new online video initiative that will significantly increase the amount of PBS video available on both pbs.org and local PBS station Web sites.
PBS will use thePlatform, the leading broadband video management and publishing company, to publish and manage its national broadband video programming on its Web sites, including pbs.org, pbskids.org, pbsparents.org and pbsteachers.org. The agreement also allows PBS to enable online video distribution of national programming to PBS member stations and their respective Web sites. In addition, local PBS stations will have access to thePlatform's publishing system and video player technology to publish locally produced content to their individual Web sites and to make it available to other local PBS stations. The announcement was made by Jason Seiken, PBS Sr. VP, Interactive, at PBS' annual Showcase meeting in Palm Desert, Calif.
"We've already rolled out hundreds of hours of video on pbs.org, and it's proven to be tremendously popular, as shown by the 1.2 million streams of the recent FRONTLINE program 'Bush's War,'" said Seiken. "Using thePlatform's technology will allow us to execute on our far-reaching video strategy and considerably increase online video on both pbs.org and local PBS station Web sites."
"PBS has a proud history of offering important, high-quality programming across the country," said Ian Blaine, CEO, thePlatform. "We're very proud to be serving as the back-end publishing system for their broadband initiatives and look forward to helping local and national PBS audiences enjoy newly available broadband video."
Hundreds of companies use thePlatform to manage billions of video plays every year. thePlatform's system manages the entire logistics process behind the publication of broadband video from the content owner to the consumer. Media companies and video sites rely on thePlatform's services to manage their media, generate revenue from their content, syndicate media to outlets and create unique broadband video players.
In addition to PBS, thePlatform provides online video publishing and management for a host of well-known consumer brands including: BBC, Corus Entertainment, CBS College Sports, CNBC, Comcast, Gannett/USA Today, Fancast.com, Helio, HIT Entertainment, PBS KIDS Sprout, Sony BMG, The Hearst Corporation, Verizon Wireless, Vongo and numerous other media companies.
For more information, visit www.theplatform.com or www.pbs.org.