Archant's Mustard TV, serving the Norwich and Norfolk region of the United Kingdom, has taken its local content online using technology from Ooyala, the online video technology vendor said in a news release.
In making the move, Mustard TV became the first local channel in the UK to present its blend of news, sports and regionally-flavored content on PCs, tablets and smartphones. The channel is also on tap for digital TV service Freeview starting this fall. The move follows a decision by Parliament that granted independent regulator Ofcom the "power and duty" to award independent local TV licenses.
Interestingly, the channel will only air from 6 a.m. to midnight online, although it will be there seven days a week.
Fiona Ryder, Mustard TV's managing director, credited Ooyala for the fast launch.
"[B]y using its analytics we will be able to engage with our audiences and ensure we are delivering relevant content," she said in the press release. "The seamless integration between Ooyala and our existing back office systems has enabled us to reduce time to market and realize multiple workflow efficiencies from day one."
If all goes according to plan, Mustard TV will "be seen as a community asset: a local broadcast service that reflects life and champions community concerns giving viewers a new voice," Ryder said.
Ooyala's vice president of EMEA, Neil Berry, indicated that Mustard TV is just the start of what should be a wealth of new online channel offerings.
"The challenge and opportunity will be to make these online channels a destination for local audiences as they compete with other sources of local content online," he said in the press release.
And there, he said, is where Ooyala comes in with "powerful analytics [that make it] possible for broadcasters to fully assess what their audience is watching and tailor hyper-local programming accordingly."
For more:
- Ooyala issued this press release
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