Screen And Sysmedia Reach Solutions Partner Agreement

SysMedia Ltd and Screen Subtitling Systems Ltd have announced the signing of a strategic agreement that will enable them each to recommend the most cost-effective 'best of breed' solutions for all existing and future customers.
Screen Subtitling Systems has identified SysMedia as a solutions partner for newsroom and associated live subtitling opportunities, and has also chosen SysMedia Ltd as a strategic technology supplier for teletext insertion equipment.
At the same time, SysMedia has adopted Screen as a solutions partner for multi-language multi-channel subtitle transmission systems.
The agreement allows both companies to focus on their core competencies to the benefit of customers.
"By choosing SysMedia as a partner with a best-of-breed solution for newsroom subtitling, we enhance our overall offering and customers benefit because of SysMedia’s wide experience. At the same time it makes perfect sense to use SysMedia’s latest teletext subtitle insertion technology," said Matt Deakin, Managing Director of Screen.
"We always welcome the chance to work with companies like Screen that have a skills and experience-focus complementary to our own," said Andrew Lambourne, CEO of SysMedia. "Systems sales for live newsroom subtitling or for multi-language transmission demand not just good technical solutions but also the experience of those backing it up – with this arrangement, customers get both.
"Accessibility legislation is leading to increasing demands for teletext-based subtitling to benefit the deaf and hard-of-hearing audience – both for live programmes and for pre-recorded content. The technologies, skills and experience of these two companies provide real competitive advantage to customers," he said.
"Screen’s channels to market will see this as a positive step, as systems integrators can now confidently tick the box across the subtitling functionality range. We are mutually committed to achieving interoperability at file and protocol levels," added Deakin.
Belgian broadcaster VMMA - Vlaamse Televisie Maatschappij - has become the first broadcaster to take advantage of the strategic alliance.
VMMA – which broadcasts VTM, KA2 and JIM – has ordered four WinCAPS Live systems to interface with existing Screen Subtitling technology.
The deal, which has been overseen and fully implemented by Screen Subtitling’s Belgian partner DigiNet, is initially to support the increased use of subtitles on VTM, the main Flemish-speaking commercial channel. The first stage is subtitling the 7pm news on the channel, making full use of WinCAPS’ tight integration with the broadcaster’s existing iNews system.
Subtitling use is then likely to increase following on from pressure from the Belgian government, a situation increasingly familiar to broadcasters across Europe. In addition to the iNews integration, VTM will also use dual keyboard and speech recognition technology as input.
"One of VMMA’s key requirements when specifying this technology upgrade was that it would integrate with deployed technology. That included a Screen Polistream transmission system. SysMedia’s strong relationship with Screen Subtitling was therefore very important, the proof being that their technology provided a complete solution," explains Karl Imbrechts, Sales Manager, DigiNet.
"Next steps include reuse of captured subtitles for a VOD version of the news, other news shows and different live programmes,” says Chris Verhoeven, Manager TV-productions, VMMA.
"As pressure grows on broadcasters to increase their subtitling output it is essential that technology suppliers work to provide not only the most technologically elegant solutions but also the most cost-effective. The strategic alliance between SysMedia and Screen Subtitling is designed to do precisely that and we are pleased that VMMA has recognised this,” said Andrew Lambourne, CEO, SysMedia.
(SP)