NAB Show Perspectives: The three aspects critical to efficient workflows

The content supply chain (or content lifecycle by another name) is the beating heart of every broadcaster, network and media company, connecting each company’s unique (and expensive!) content with audiences that are dispersed in every geography and platform imaginable.

Making workflows in that content supply chain more efficient is the goal of every company. The supply chain needs to be lean, smart and collaborative, and above all, provide one source of truth as to where all your titles are within the content lifecycle.

At Mediagenix, we think in practical terms about how you can achieve this, and for us, three aspects are critical in establishing and sustaining efficient workflows:

1. The content supply chain has to be connected.
2. Decisions made along the content lifecycle must be driven by real-time, accurate data.
3. The content supply chain should be automated, with a “human-in-the-loop” only where it makes operational sense.

But that is much easier said than done.

Our extensive survey globally of broadcasters, networks and media organizations of all shapes and sizes found that more than half struggle to integrate data-driven decision-making, automation and connectivity into their content supply chains.

For example, two-thirds of the companies we surveyed said that their efforts to automate supply chains were either sporadic or ad hoc at best!

There is no easy solution to this. No magic wand will make workflows more efficient overnight. But a few key points are driving the conversation today when companies make buying choices:

Automate intelligently

Quickly implementing an off-the-shelf automated product for part of your supply chain can leave you with buyer’s remorse. A product that provides 80% of the capabilities you would have compared with a non-automated, “bells and whistles” service but for less cost is a good idea — but be very clear what the 20% of previous capabilities you will lose are. And be very certain that you don’t need them!

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Not all automated products offer the same value

Take scheduling, for instance — there’s a stark contrast between basic, “quick and easy” automated scheduling, which arranges content with little thought or strategy (much like shuffling a music playlist), and advanced scheduling solutions that leverage data-driven insights to craft schedules designed to engage and resonate with audiences effectively.

Mediagenix has been relentless in learning from more than 30 years’ experience of delivering scheduling solutions to customers both large and small — and then using that knowledge to automate the essential, value-creating part of the scheduling process into its award-winning Scheduling Artist product.

In addition, our automated scheduling products now include new, market-leading curation capabilities by Spideo, which seamlessly automates content discovery and scheduling based on defined channel rules and content topics. We also include rights management checks to ensure content can be used in specific regions and timeframes.

Check the credentials!

One of our North American clients built 40 channels in three days with just two people, using our Scheduling Artist product.

So, workflows within the content supply chain absolutely can be more efficient. However, broadcasters, networks and media companies must take the time to properly assess which automated products deliver real, effective results. Focus on proven products that meet your specific needs and have a track record of success among industry peers. And avoid wasting time on flashy slideware on an NAB booth!

Nick Moreno, MediagenixNick Moreno is the director of thought leadership at Mediagenix.