Mediagenix - Scheduling Automation
Category Automation
Mediagenix Scheduling Automation speedily schedule linear channels (from FAST to traditional) with an 80% reduction in effort compared with manually-scheduled channels.
From automating FAST to tackling generic channels and beyond, scheduling linear channels is a complex, yet creative task. The popularity of FAST channels in the past few years has revived the interest in linear schedules. However, economic reality dictates that ‘more’ must be achieved with ‘less’, acting as a paradox to the ambition of broadcasters to launch more services and channels. Customers are clear, they want to automate more than only their FAST channels. The need is to dramatically increase automation for any type of channel and even for some dayparts of their primary services.
Our goal is to let a single user run dozens of channels offering an engaging, high-quality experience indistinguishable from ‘hand-crafted’ schedules.
The automation process has several phases, each using dedicated AI techniques. Content for scheduling can be selected manually and/or by a recommendation engine, which starts from an audience profile and refines it with performance data. This multi-dimensional profile describes both audience and content, enabling recommendations based on storylines, style, themes, and mood.
Once content is identified, our AI algorithm ‘crafts’ a transmission plan that respects scheduling styles, patterns, and rules, considering series planning, binge watching, repeats, seasonal topics, children’s programming, anchor points, and audience flow. Performance metrics further refine profiles for future planning.
Before generating the final playlist, the tool times the schedule, checks business rules, and adds promotions, secondary events, fillers, and SCTE markers delivering a ready-to-air playlist at the click of a button.
The openness of broadcasters to embrace AI and automation technology makes this the right solution at the right time for our customers. However, setting expectations is primordial to onboard customers successfully. The power of publicly available AI-driven solutions (such as ChatGPT) creates the impression that AI solutions are an easy one-size-fits-all technique and can be applied to any domain at a reasonable cost.
The real strength of Mediagenix Scheduling Automation is that it leverages the knowledge and best practices that we have identified with broadcasters over the last 30 years. We adapted and automated this knowledge via multiple AI techniques for the real and current needs of our customers.
The result, an efficiency gain of up to 80% for most channels and up to 50% for prime channels. Additionally, we envision a reduction in average content cost by reviving ‘dormant’ content in the stock that was unused. Now, the discovery and recommendation engine can unearth forgotten stock.
The recommendation engine can even propose new market/audience segments for which there is a lot of content. This can be used as inspiration to serve new (non-demographic) theme / mood-based target groups and tap into an unexpected revenue stream.
