Signiant Powers Current TV’s Viewer Submissions Worldwide
Signiant Digital Media Distribution Technology Powers Secure File Transfer and Acceleration for Industry’s Only Emmy Award Winning Interactive TV Network
BURLINGTON, MA (December 17, 2007) —Signiant, the leading developer of digital media distribution management solutions for the media and entertainment industry,today announced that its technology powers secure file transfer and acceleration for Current, the industry’s first Emmy® Award-winning peer-to-peer news and information network. Co-founded by Al Gore and Joel Hyatt, Current pioneers a new model of television on air and social news online that allows viewers to weigh in on the news and information that matters to them, as well as create programming that has the chance to be broadcast on television internationally.
“At a typical news network, it would generally take days to send tapes via regular mail, or several hours sending files at regular network speeds,” said Steven Blumenfield, Current chief technology officer. “Once the content is received, editors would then spend more time reviewing and editing news footage for use on the air. With Signiant, Current is able to trim this time exponentially to ensure our viewers get up to the minute information.”
Current is the only cable and satellite television network and Internet site produced and programmed in collaboration with its audience. Approximately one-third of Current’s on-air broadcast consists of viewer-created content called VC2 (VC squared), submitted via short-form, non-fiction video “pods.” Each pod, which runs between two and 12 minutes in length, is created and submitted by viewers in more than 51 million households, spanning the U.S., U.K. and Ireland.
As Current’s unique programming format requires a large quantity of video footage to be submitted by viewers, the network needs a more flexible file transfer solution than satellite content uploads. Instead, Current employs Signiant Media Exchange to make the transfers rapidly over the Internet. The file transfer system is also a much more effective solution than streaming content, and syncs up well with Current’s entirely file-based post production workflow.
“A true testament to the value of file-based workflows is that Current is using the Signiant product to securely ingest and transfer more content than the average news network,” said Tom Ohanian, Chief Strategy Officer at Signiant. “This is an impressive outcome that clearly demonstrates the benefits of Signiant-powered file transfers.”
About Current TV
Launched August 1, 2005, Current, the world’s peer-to-peer news and information network, recently honored with an Emmy® Award for its interactive television service, is the first fully integrated 24/7 online and television network that helps users determine the news and information that is relevant to them. Current connects young adults with what’s going on in their world through its unique blend of citizen journalism and viewer participation, offering programming and content that’s authentic, often surprising and consistently compelling. Current pioneered the television industry’s leading model of interactive viewer created content (VC2) that comprises roughly one-third of Current’s on-air broadcast. The network has also advanced advertising models via Viewer Created Ad Messages (VCAMS).
Current is now seen in the U.S. and U.K. in more than 51 million households through distribution partners Comcast (Channel 107 nationwide), Time Warner (nationwide), DirecTV (channel 366 nationwide), Dish Network (channel 196 nationwide), BSkyB (channel 193) and Virgin Media Cable (channel 155).
