Smooth Multimedia Content Management Talk
Any content, anywhere, anytime, could that be true?
Q&A with Willem-Jan Schutte CEO, BackStream
1 November 2001
BackStream, based in Amsterdam, promote their technology Content Processing Platform as system
capable of handling and distributing all content formats to all devices, including digital TVs, interactive TV set-top boxes, information channels, and printing devices.
The Platform, according to Backstream, addresses user requirements to track and trace content and generate usage reports which link to billing systems. Among their clients, Compaq, Giant Bicycles (for those who like big rides, we guess).
Willem-Jan Schutte, CEO, talks about his company and the ultimate content vision: any content anywhere anytime.
A couple of words about your company and its positioning
Given the tough economic times that all businesses are facing, one of the biggest mistakes companies can make is to invest in content
management and distribution systems which only focus on one distribution channel.
Why should they do this when technology makes it possible to store content in a neutral format and distribute it to different devices? Our
technology is based on open architecture and common standards such as XML and Java. Companies can use it to upgrade their existing Web content management systems because it easily co-exists with other software solutions on the market.
One of the exciting projects we're working on includes developing a content management and distribution system for a Belgian media company to deliver location-specific multi-media content to TV monitors on trams.
How is the market evolving in terms of content billing?
Content billing has not been well thought out by the vast majority of companies. Most still view content billing as only relevant for entertainment, media, and publishing companies which produce commercial content such as music, movies, and TV programming. Companies still think in terms of traditional billing models such as monthly subscriptions whereby for a fixed sum, people can access services or content. But what if I only want one article instead of the whole newspaper, a few digital music files instead of the whole CD, highlights of last week’s football game instead of a replay of the whole game? It doesn’t make sense to bill people for content they don’t want or don’t think is valuable.
Large enterprises are missing significant content billing opportunities. Many have no idea that they are sitting on valuable information that people are willing to pay for. Why don’t consumer electronic manufacturers put their product manuals online and bill customers for on-demand access? Why don’t academic publishers and professional associations bill per article AND offer yearly subscriptions for people who want to access all of their content?
With the introduction of always-on Internet connections, present content billing models will have to change because they’re not viable from a business perspective. In our view, companies will have to move from flat-rate billing models to usage-based billing based on factors such as volume and bandwidth. More forward-thinking companies will move to value-based billing based on the quality, timeliness and relevance of content. Delivering location-specific content will also present opportunities to bill for content.
How is BackStream’s technology implemented?
Say you’re a broadcasting company. You publish information about your programs on the Web as well as in printed guides which are published weekly.
We develop one system to store and manage all the content about your programs (name of program, broadcast time, short description, photo, etc.) which you already have in databases. In this system, your content is transformed into a neutral format which enables it to be distributed to the Web and printing devices.
Our technology includes Web publishing tools which allow your staff to add new content, upload photos, audio and video, and delete old content in real-time. It provides your print staff with the ability to add fresh content to standard templates and send fiinalized layouts to printing devices.
Once your content is distributed to the Web and printing devices, our technology can track usage: how many people accessed each listing on your Web site, how many times were specific streaming video or audio clips downloaded, which programs were included in the printed guide.
In the future, if your company wants to begin sending SMS alerts promoting your programs, you can upgrade BackStream’s system to devia PCs, mobile devices, and digital TVs.
What are the challenges that companies in your sector are facing?
The main challenge which we face right now is the drop in spending on software solutions because of the downturn in the economy. It’s harder for us to sell our solutions when companies are putting off software investments and holding on to their money. However, we see tough times as an opportunity to help companies manage and distribute their content better and orient themselves for a future in which people will access content and information, 24/7, from any and everywhere, using multiple devices.
What’s the difference between content management and digital assets management?
Digital assets management usually focuses on internal content. Our content management technology facilitates content exchange so that content can be shared internally within an organization or with external parties such as clients, suppliers and partners.
Why is multi-media content an issue when any decent CM architecture would be format independent?
It’s not an issue for us since we focus on channel-independent content management and distribution. We can send content to a Web site, a mobile device, or a broadband-enabled device. A lot of content management systems don’t recognize non-Web content and can’t combine multi-media content with corporate content. BackStream’s technology can.
Is single source publishing the way forward?
We think single source publishing, or hybrid content management and distribution solutions, is the way of the future. Companies which are focused on saving costs and streamlining operations should be using one content management and distribution system to handle all of their content and information. Why should a newspaper have one content management system for its print version and a completely different one for its Web operations? Why should a broadcaster have one system to publish its weekly TV programming guide and another to publish the same content on its Web site? That’s the purpose behind our technology.
www.backstream.com
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