Broadpeak is offering content providers the chance to create personalised channels for streaming to connected TV platforms, harnessing its manifest manipulation technology to stitch together video assets into a schedule that viewers enjoy as a linear experience. On-demand assets including catalogue VOD and cloud DVR recordings can be pulled into the linear timeline and these can be enriched by the inclusion of live events, like sports.
According to Xavier Leclercq, VP Business Development at Broadpeak – whose solutions span advanced CDN, Origin packaging, multicast ABR, ad insertion and video analytics – the most important gain from a personalised linear-like channel is ease of content discovery. “The main problem we are solving is finding content. We can create channels that are unique and relevant to the viewer, and give them control.”
Leclercq describes the concept as a personalised virtual channel and views it as complementary to classic AVOD (including FAST channels) or even SVOD. The role of Broadpeak is the ‘channel assembly’, with manifest manipulation at its heart, offered ‘as a service’ to content providers.
This solution is part of Broadpeak.io, described by the company as an advanced video API platform. Content recommendations would be integrated to provide the personalisation intelligence for the virtual-linear channels.
Content within the linear schedule, which can be created just-in-time, can be skipped (if it is drawn from a VOD asset). Viewers can also go backwards through the ‘linear’ programme schedule.
