Pilat Media is an independent, public UK company. It was founded by Pilat UK, part of Pilat Technologies International Limited, an international software and consulting group. Pilats interest in the broadcasting market stems from a series of successful custom software development projects undertaken by Pilat UK in the mid nineties. These projects covered areas such as subscriber management and billing, affiliate station billing, media library management, satellite operations, electronic booking of airtime and outdoor advertising. This experience and track record enabled Pilat to win a major fixed-price development project in 1996 with BSkyB (UK).
Early in 1996, BSkyB made the decision to develop a new broadcast management system. With many new channels to be launched, planned transition to digital technology and high running costs of the serving system at the time, BSkyB made the choice to commission a new system. Pilat was awarded the development contract, on fixed price and fixed deadline terms and worked on the project with BSkyBs analysts and users as an integral part of the team. A year later, as originally planned, the old system was disconnected and the new system went live. Several hundred BSkyB users have been using the system since then intensively and uninterrupted, driving over 350 analogue and digital channels, PPV and NVOD services. Subsequently, BSkyB awarded Pilat the right to exploit the BSkyB development to create a generic product (now called IBMS) in return for royalties and technology exchange rights.
In 1998, Pilat Media was established to further develop and market the IBMS system as a generic product worldwide, operating as a separate business whilst remaining a subsidiary of Pilat Technologies International Limited. In late 1999, Pilat Media acquired and absorbed Rebus Media Solutions who developed and marketed a similar product called MediaMachine, moving most of its key clients to IBMS. Today, only two ex-Rebus clients are using the MediaMachine product. The key Rebus staff were absorbed into the Pilat Media organization and helped enriched our experience and skill-base.
In 2002, having reached the necessary critical mass, Pilat Media was demerged from the Pilat Technologies group, to facilitate more focused and specialized management and separate funding. The demerged Pilat Media was then dually floated on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange and the Tel Aviv stock exchange (under the framework of a new parent company Pilat Media Global plc.) Despite tough market conditions successfully raised additional investment, further funding its geographic expansion and product development.
In 2006 Pilat Media extended its product range and customer base through the acquisition of ML Software Services BV, an Amsterdam based company offering an air-time sales product with a strong European focus and presence. This product, MediaPro, is now offered as part of the Pilat Media portfolio and provides our customers with a range of airtime sales solutions.
