Microsoft Demonstrates Vision for Simplifying the Digital Supply Chain

Microsoft Demonstrates Vision for Simplifying the Digital Supply Chain:

LAS VEGAS — April 13, 2010 — At the 2010 National Association of Broadcasters Show (NAB) Show, Microsoft Corp. is introducing a set of new solutions for digital content management, supply chain management for media, editorial collaboration and business intelligence. Delivered for key industry partners such as Ascent Media Group LLC, KUOW, ProSiebenSat.1 Group and Sport1, these solutions enable media companies to simplify and streamline their processes, offering greater integration and insights into their digital supply chain.

Microsoft is presenting the next iteration of its service-oriented-architecture-based Digital Content Management (DCM) Framework based on the upcoming release of Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010. This framework provides enhanced content management and collaboration, advanced workflow capabilities including powerful search technology, and enhanced metadata management and business intelligence for deeper insights into the production process. Key products integrated in the solution include FAST Search for SharePoint, .NET Framework, and Silverlight (including Deep Zoom capabilities to provide advanced media asset visualization).

At NAB, Microsoft will showcase a number of media business management solutions designed to help media companies improve their advertiser and audience relationships, maximize yield, use their resources more efficiently, and gain better business insight. With the help of industry partners, Microsoft Dynamics AX is combining its supply chain management best practices and industry expertise to offer an end-to-end operational system for media companies. The Media Business Intelligence Framework is a new solution that provides an extensible data model and a set of configurable reports addressing the basic business intelligence needs of broadcasters. With the Microsoft Solution Framework for Editorial Collaboration and Mobile Journalism, based on SharePoint Server 2010 and Silverlight, journalists and editors can use Microsoft Office 2010 to support editorial planning, content re-use, resource management, event scheduling, output planning, and status tracking across teams and sites.

The initial result of the strategic alliance between Microsoft and Ascent Media, AERO (Advanced Enterprise Resource Operation) was built on Microsoft Dynamics AX technology to meet the specific needs of the media and entertainment industry. The system creates a seamless management system that streamlines and integrates the entire digital media supply chain process from pre-production all the way through distribution, incorporating processes from work orders and asset management to resource scheduling, tracking and invoicing. AERO provides media and entertainment companies with a scalable, fully integrated solution, helping them smoothly transition to the digital age while offering a customized alternative to expensive IT system upgrades.

“With this Microsoft alliance, Ascent Media amplifies its commitment to service excellence by offering a world-class resource planning solution specifically designed for the media and entertainment industry to help studios, broadcasters, as well as entertainment companies, bring digital content to the marketplace in a faster, more cost-efficient way,” said Jose Royo, CEO of Ascent Media Group. “AERO enables content owners and distributors to focus on the creative elements of the production, post-production and delivery of their content, thus enhancing core media production and distribution capabilities and creating new revenue-generating opportunities.”

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