Canadian broadcaster APTN relies on IT solution from Arvato Systems

• Integration of rights, scheduling, and advertising unlocks powerful efficiencies
• Successful deployment during lockdown using remote paths

(Arvato Systems) Cologne –Avatega, the advanced cross-platform rights management and programme scheduling solution, is now in use at Canadian TV broadcaster APTN. APTN is the first national television network, both in Canada and worldwide, to target the indigenous population. Special feature of the launch: Due to corona-related restrictions, the entire installation process was done remotely.

Avatega is used for all linear and non-linear rights management and all operative processes related to program scheduling. As part of an overall channel management solution for the broadcaster, it is supported by other components from the Arvato Systems Vidispine product family that handle content monetization workflows, inventory optimization and yield management processes.

The integration of rights, scheduling and advertising in the new system un-locks powerful efficiencies for APTN, allowing it to dispense with a significant amount of manual processes, and automate and optimize key parts of the workflow for increased profitability. Avatega maximizes the utlilization of content, including purchased rights and intellectual properties across traditional and all new media outlets. It also simplifies APTN’s planning and scheduling processes, reduces the time it takes to populate both linear and non-linear schedules and maximizes ROI on content by ensuring that purchased rights are used before they expire.

The new system is an important part of APTN’s overall digital transformation project, allowing it to be future-ready and responsive to the needs of a fast-changing market.

A particular challenge was the live deployment of Avatega under lockdown protocols which meant that the Arvato Systems Vidispine team had to ensure the complete delivery could be met remotely, with customized components delivered incrementally in two-week periods before passing on to testing and user acceptance. The end result was a system that went live two weeks ahead of its scheduled date.

“APTN provides programming in English, French and a variety of Indigenous languages on its four linear channels across Canada, in multiple time zones and with multiple conditions of license. Plus, we share content on APTN lumi, our streaming platform,” says Mike Omelus, executive director of content and strategy at APTN. “Our scheduling, trafficking and reporting requirements are as complex as it gets, yet we switched seamlessly to our new Avatega solution and advertising sales systems and didn’t miss a beat. The Vidispine team at Arvato Systems is amazing; they worked around the clock and even on weekends to ensure any development issues were dealt with quickly and efficiently. We’ve been blown away by both the product and the support, and everyone at APTN is thrilled to be up and running on the new system.”

“We are delighted to welcome APTN into our Canadian client family and look forward to a fruitful partnership that will further strengthen the creativity and innovation power of the Canadian media landscape,” commented Christian Schneider, Strategic Market & Account Development within the Vidispine team at Arvato Systems. “Our North American team was able to work closely with the client despite the COVID-19 restrictions in place, and the result is a fully agile system that can quickly adapt and respond to a rapidly changing market and ensure APTN can look to the future with confidence.”