Archive notice: This article was originally published on November 22, 2007. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
At the end of August, all conventional channels of CanWest Global Television and E! Networks went live. S4M’s integrated solution thereby replaced three different software systems and eight separate databases.
“CanWest is the first conventional broadcaster in Canada to have succeeded in moving all channels completely into an integrated, customer-oriented business-management system,” said Brett Manlove, Senior Vice President, Broadcast Sales and Marketing at CanWest MediaWorks. “The system not only enables us to provide excellent customer service. We can now also benefit from synergies across our assets and open up new business prospects.”
A brief look back: In 2004, arvato systems and S4M were commissioned by leading Canadian media company CanWest MediaWorks to introduce a new broadcast-management system for its conventional TV networks. The aim was a solution that would map all day-to-day operational business processes of the network’s various channels:
from drafting programme contracts, licence management and programme planning, through quotation and airtime-sales processes; and from inventory management and transmission-schedule checking to billing and comprehensive seamless reporting.
It also had to meet the particular requirements of the North American market in general and Canadian television operators in particular. The result is a fully integrated, customised overall system based on S4M’s S4Rights, S4Schedule and S4AdSales systems. CanWest is thus positioning itself as a technological leader among broadcasters and is well equipped for the future challenges of a highly competitive market.
Integrated Broadcast Management: everything at the right time, in the right place
The system went live in several stages. S4Rights and S4Schedule entered productive operation in 2005. Since then, procurement management has been automated and CanWest has been able to plan network programming in real time in a complex and highly dynamic environment.
“Since programme-finance and programme-inventory tracking was switched to the S4M system, our team has been able to work very efficiently and proactively with S4Rights and S4Schedule,” said Andrew Janik, Vice President, Program Operations at CanWest. “This applies not only to effective programme planning for multiple channels through the simultaneous exchange of programmes. We also significantly accelerated the month-end billing process, from around three days to two to three hours,” Janik illustrated. “Contracts can be linked, allowing costs and transmissions to be allocated across different channels. It is an enormously powerful tool.”
The S4M system also offers CanWest various automatic monitoring functions. For example, the use of content produced in Canada, precise programme transmission dates and financial information can be checked in real time. This too has greatly reduced the time required by CanWest’s programme team. Janik said: “Our employees now always have the most current information on programme inventory available when making planning decisions. In this new integrated IT landscape, linked to the sales division, real-time analyses of profit margins at programme level are within reach.”
With the introduction of the cross-media sales system S4AdSales, the broadcast-management system is now virtually complete. Around 300 users work on the new platform simultaneously.
A key benefit is the high degree of system integration. Christian Schneider, Senior Manager Sales & Traffic at S4M, said: “The heart of the system is the so-called spot-optimisation engine. It ensures that available inventory is always used optimally while all legal and customer-specific requirements are met.” Advertising spots can therefore be placed precisely for target groups, allowing the broadcaster to plan and sell advertising time efficiently. “The S4M system makes it possible to turn highly complex offers into binding, confirmed contracts within a few minutes,” Schneider said.
S4M: broadcast-management systems in North America, New Zealand and Asia
The major project was technically, professionally and organisationally challenging. Dr Siamak Tadjiky, Head of Development at S4M, said: “The gradual go-live of the channels repeatedly motivated all those involved. The entire team worked together with discipline throughout the approximately three-year development phase. At the same time, continuing to develop a system while it is live is a particular challenge.” Both sides needed a highly specialised and highly motivated team that made an exceptional commitment, he said. “And that is precisely the case at S4M and CanWest,” Tadjiky praised. The international team of 50 developers was therefore able to keep the system up to date throughout the project and account, for example, for new order types and competition guidelines.
Two comparable S4M system installations were still under way, at TV New Zealand and TVA Canada, Canada’s largest French-language network. In both cases, go-live was planned for 2008.
Work was also continuing at CanWest. Following the acquisition of Alliance Atlantis, a further 20 specialty channels were to use the S4M system over the following year. S4M had already set its next goals: the Cologne-based systems and consulting firm intended to further expand its presence in the North American and Asian markets.
Further links:
- S4M – Solutions for Media GmbH
