Channel 5 goes live with Pilat Media solution

Information Release: 25 March 2002

London, 25 March 2002 - Enabling it to streamline its content and rights management processes, UK terrestrial broadcaster, Channel 5 has gone live with software solutions from leading broadcast systems supplier, Pilat Media.

Channel 5 is using the Pilat Media system to manage and support its full programme content and channel administration needs, from acquisition to playout. Specifically, the integrated Pilat system includes acquisition, music returns, media tracking and programme scheduling as well as handling rights utilisation and compliance issues.

The system is now live at the broadcaster's London headquarters, supporting forty users. "We chose to partner with Pilat Media for the provision of the our new Broadcast Management System because of their broadcast expertise and an ability to provide a customised, integrated and scalable solution to meet Channel 5's rapidly growing and evolving needs, said Ken Davis, Head of IT at Channel 5 Broadcasting"

As much of Channel 5's programming is acquired, it is a major benefit that the Pilat solution is able automatically to capture and enforce acquired programming rights. The system also helps Channel 5 comply with the Independent Television Commission's (ITC's) reporting requirements by storing and providing easy access to report files and other relevant information.

Creating a hot standby solution for added security and resilience, the Pilat Media system has also been rolled out across another Channel 5 site in central London, which is connected to the main facility by a wide area network.

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Notes to editors:

Pilat Media is a UK company, currently 150 strong, operating from headquarters in London and offices in the USA, Australia and Israel.

Pilat Media's IBMS (Integrated Broadcast Management System) is a new generation software system for managing the business of broadcasting. It is the world's most comprehensive solution, designed to maximize revenues and reduce costs by integrating airtime sales, content programming and media trafficking across an unlimited number of different channels or stations, regions or even countries, all under a single centralized, scalable and digital ready system. Al these have been historically serviced by several, typically dispersed systems. IBMS' functional breadth, depth and flexibility to suit all types of broadcasters are unrivalled, making it the first truly global system of its kind.

IBMS' first version was originally developed by Pilat for BSkyB, to support their fast growing multi-channel programming needs. Pilat Media was established in 1999 to further develop and market the system as a generic product. IBMS's scope was subsequently more than doubled by adding the advertising sales functionality in partnership with Network Ten of Australia. Since then Pilat Media has rapidly established itself as a rising force in the market for business management software for broadcasters. Today, Pilat Media's software solutions have been selected by 35 broadcasters in Europe, North America and Australasia, representing a wide spectrum of business models, organizational size and transmission technologies - digital and analogue, on terrestrial, cable and satellite platforms. Additional clients include CTV (Canada), Discovery (International), five (UK), TV New Zealand, Playboy (US), Sky Italia and TV4 (Sweden).