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Tag: PlanetCast Media Services

  • Planetcast takes media to the cloud with cutting-edge AI at NAB 2025

    Planetcast takes media to the cloud with cutting-edge AI at NAB 2025

    MUMBAI: Planetcast Media Services is set to make waves at NAB Show 2025 in Las Vegas, unveiling a suite of AI-driven, cloud-first innovations designed to streamline content workflows and supercharge media monetisation. As the industry grapples with rising complexities, the company’s unified Nexc platform promises a seamless, cost-effective solution for broadcasters, streamers, and content owners.

    “NAB Show is where the media industry’s future takes shape, and at Planetcast, we’re delivering the agility, intelligence, and cost-efficiency that broadcasters, streamers, content owners, and rightsholders need to thrive,” says Planetcast Media Services CEO Sanjay Duda. “From cloud-native playout and IP-based distribution to AI-powered content prep and metadata automation, our integrated solutions suite ensures seamless content management, delivery, and monetization across every platform and screen.”

    At the core of Planetcast’s NAB 2025 showcase is NexC, an end-to-end, cloud-first media content supply chain orchestration platform designed to streamline workflows and maximise efficiency. NexC seamlessly integrates content supply chain management, from ingestion to archival, ensuring smooth processing. Its hybrid cloud playout offers flexible, scalable, and ultra-responsive solutions for live and linear content, while its robust IP-based distribution enables software-defined delivery for both live and on-demand media.

    The platform also enhances post-production and compliance services with AI-powered content quality control, metadata enrichment, subtitling, and localisation. Additionally, Nexc unlocks new revenue streams for content owners through white-label OTT and FAST channel solutions, solidifying its role as a game-changer in modern media management.  

    At the heart of Planetcast’s showcase is Nexc, a next-gen media content orchestration platform that integrates cloud-based playout, IP-driven distribution, AI-powered content QC, and white-label OTT solutions.

    Planetcast is set to unveil major enhancements to its NexC solutions suite at NAB Show 2025, introducing cutting-edge innovations in sports playout, AI-driven content processing, and postproduction. Cloudx-Turbo, an ultra-responsive sports playout solution, delivers real-time content automation, AI-generated highlights for multi-platform distribution, and dynamic ad insertion for maximised monetisation. The company’s AI-powered content supply chain automation now features advanced metadata extraction, automated segmentation, and compliance enhancements to streamline content prep while ensuring cultural and regulatory adherence.

    Additionally, PlanetPost, Planetcast’s first collaboration with Postudio, brings AI-optimised postproduction capabilities, including customisable workflows, high-precision colour grading, Dolby Atmos audio, and a cloud-native platform for seamless collaboration. These advancements reinforce Planetcast’s commitment to transforming media workflows with efficiency, intelligence, and scalability.  

    With fully managed services integrated into its offering, Planetcast ensures clients not only have cutting-edge tech but also the operational support to maximise efficiency.

    “The reality is that, while media companies love great technology, they increasingly need tech tightly integrated with managed services to stay competitive,” said Planetcast Media Services EVP Mark Johns. “Our customers are choosing Planetcast over Software-as-a-Service-only providers because we don’t just sell, we operate it. The success of our service model in Asia and beyond demonstrates clearly that managed services can drive significant cost efficiencies.”

    As the industry looks to future-proof its content supply chains, Planetcast invites media professionals to Booth #W3657 at NAB 2025 for an exclusive look at how Nexc can redefine their distribution and monetisation strategies.

  • Planetcast Media Services to showcase NexC at IBC2024

    Planetcast Media Services to showcase NexC at IBC2024

    Mumbai: Planetcast Media Services, the global broadcast technology and media services provider, will be demonstrating its new end-to-end, single-window media management and delivery offering at IBC2024 (RAI Amsterdam, 13-16 September, Booth 5.H59). The event will witness the public EMEA debut of Planetcast’s cloud-first NexC architecture. NexC empowers media companies to overcome the complexity challenge of today’s distribution landscape, enabling frictionless movement of content assets across each stage of post-production, content management, distribution, and monetisation.

    “We are showcasing NexC’s capability to solve the complexity challenge faced by media companies today as they deal with even more formats, markets, devices, and distribution points than ever,” said Planetcast Media Services CEO Sanjay Duda. “Media organisations find it increasingly cumbersome and costly to navigate the various stages of post-production, content delivery and monetisation. Our in-house development team of over 250 professionals are meticulously building and upgrading NexC to offer a seamless integration of media asset management, cloud playout, over-the-top (OTT), and IP distribution. In addition to developing the NEXC product roadmap, the team also provides bespoke solutions tailored to specific customer needs, significantly reducing time and cost compared to outsourcing.”

    NexC: A game-changer for the media industry

    As a comprehensive, cloud-based service suite, NexC offers a unique platform as a service (PaaS) proposition. It integrates content supply chain management with upstream services like post-production and content prep as well as downstream services like cloud playout, digital delivery, FAST and OTT into a single system, streamlining operations and enabling clients to meet the complexity challenge of today’s media industry.

    “NexC pairs flexible workflows with product-level customization, providing the best of both worlds,” Duda explained. “Its ability to scale and deploy solutions at significantly lower cost is highly popular among CTOs & CFOs with tight budgets.”

    By integrating content supply chain management, content preparation, metadata enrichment, tagging, subtitling, dubbing, editing, playout, OTT platforms, and FAST channels into a single, cohesive system, NexC stands out as a comprehensive solution for media companies. The platform’s architecture is built on several core components, each accessible through Planetcast’s unified customer user interface (UI) and dashboard:

    . Contido – content supply chain orchestration and media asset management.

    . Content preparation and localisation services – a full suite of core technical post-production services from quality control, technical and compliance checks to subtitling, dubbing, editing, and re-scoring.

    .  RECASTER – a dynamic and robust IP transport solution, which delivers a secure internet stream from anywhere to anywhere, be it a linear channel or a live sports stream.

    .  Scheduling, playout and distribution through Cloud BATS scheduler, Cloud.X playout and RECASTER digital delivery platforms.

    .  MediaHQ – a white-labelled OTT solution for non-linear content distribution that has delivered complex, multi-award-winning online streaming solutions, from ingest to delivery, for major brands and live events worldwide, including the Olympics, FIFA World Cup, and Formula 1 for customers such as Foxtel Australia and Media Prima Malaysia.

    .  FAST channel services – provided by Planetcast across the US, Europe, Latin America, and Asia, in tandem with established ad-tech partners in USA, Europe and Asia.

    In addition to the core components of NexC, Planetcast’s team will also talk about the company’s other services, including:

    .  Post-production – a software and cloud-curated ecosystem of services with a high degree of process automation, plus AI-enabled capabilities to provide best-of-class services at impressive turnaround times and competitive rates.

    .  Playout disaster recovery – cloud-based DR solution that provides incredibly cost-effective protection against broadcast service disruption.

    Demonstrating innovation and strategic investments

    “Our acquisition of Switch Media earlier this year highlights our drive to expand our solutions portfolio to provide customers with proven world-class OTT capabilities,” noted Duda. “As audiences become more reachable, we recognise that there is a growing need to leverage technology that will empower media companies to open new markets and broaden their audience base. Switch Media’s modular and flexible solutions and versatile workflow engine, Planetcast ensures that its customers can power exceptional online content for viewers and drive OTT monetisation.”

    Planetcast’s in-house development of intellectual property provides a significant competitive advantage for its customers. This agility allows for rapid deployment of new solutions, enabling quick response to market demands and client needs.

    “The seamless integration of individual solutions into our NexC unified platform simplifies user workflows and enhances content management efficiency,” Duda noted. “Our focus on innovation and strategic investments, particularly in multi-cloud-based solutions, is crucial as the industry moves towards more personalized and integrated viewing experiences, enabled by advanced analytics and AI-driven technologies.”

  • Planetcast Media Services sets new standards in live sports broadcasting

    Planetcast Media Services sets new standards in live sports broadcasting

    Mumbai: Planetcast Media Services is proud to announce its faultless delivery of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, with zero downtime or glitches across 74 matches held in 13 stadiums. This exceptional performance continues Planetcast’s legacy of providing top-tier media services for major cricketing events, including the recent T20 World Cup (2 to 29 June), which ended with India defeating South Africa.

    Having established itself as a leader in seamless, high-quality broadcasting and streaming solutions, Planetcast has been a trusted technology partner for the IPL for the last 17 years and, in 2024, ensured that cricket fans enjoyed coverage of the T20 World Cup via Star Sports, Hotstar and Times Internet Group’s Cricbuzz. Planetcast’s advanced media services enabled the delivery of advertising of around $450 million for the IPL rightsholders (almost equally split between broadcast and digital platforms, and on par with the $465 million in 2023).

    For the 2024 IPL season, Planetcast provided the following services:

    1   Star Sports: Delivering domestic TV broadcast to 17 channels in 11 languages with services such as encoding, live transmission, playout, packaging, and delivery solutions.

    2   Viacom18: Supporting over-the-top (OTT) streaming on JioCinema.

    3   Times Internet: Facilitating international OTT streaming and playout for Cricbuzz.

    “Our long-standing partnership with IPL rightsholders underscores our capability to handle live events of significant scale that generate advertising revenues of $450 plus million,” said Planetcast Media Services’ CEO Sanjay Duda. “With the financial stakes so high, it’s critical that we remain dedicated to performing flawlessly and that we enhance match coverage across all the platforms we handle. We are also incredibly excited to have provided media services for the T20 World Cup, which concluded last weekend with India hoisting the trophy after the exciting win against South Africa.”

    The IPL’s exponential growth is evident in the record-breaking viewership figures year after year. Star Sports, Disney Star’s broadcasting channel for IPL 2024, drew a record-breaking audience of 546 million over the first 67 matches, according to figures from India’s Broadcast Audience Research Council. JioCinema’s streaming figures show a 38 per cent increase in viewers streaming IPL in 2024 over 2023, with 620 million viewers watching matches on the Viacom 18 service. IPL’s opening 2024 match alone attracted 111 million fans on JioCinema, marking a staggering 51 per cent increase from the year before.

    Building on its IPL success, Planetcast is also providing comprehensive services for the T20 World Cup, including:

    1   Star Sports: Managing the world feed via satellite, covering 17 channels in three languages, and providing encoding, live transmission, playout, packaging, and delivery solutions.

    2   Hotstar: Delivering disaster recovery services, channel content replacement, and vertical feed delivery.

    3   Times Internet Group (Cricbuzz): Implementing AI-based editing for instant highlight creation, near-real-time ad insertion, and graphic insertion and playout for the US market.

  • Planetcast expands online content streaming services with acquisition of Switch Media OTT, Australia

    Planetcast expands online content streaming services with acquisition of Switch Media OTT, Australia

    Mumbai: Planetcast Media Services, a leading media technology services provider in India and Southeast Asia, today announces the acquisition of one of its key partners, Switch Media, a white-label OTT platform provider deployed across Asia-Pacific, Europe and the US. The transaction, which has been finalised, will transfer full control of all Switch Media’s assets to Planetcast.

    Founded in 2006, the Australian-headquartered Switch Media has innovated and delivered complex, multi-award-winning online streaming solutions, from ingest to delivery, for major brands and live events worldwide, including the Summer and Winter Olympics, FIFA World Cup and Formula 1 for customers such as Foxtel Australia and Media Prima Malaysia. Switch Media is already a strategic partner of Planetcast and has been providing cutting-edge OTT solutions to the company. The acquisition enables Planetcast to fully integrate Switch Media’s online video solutions with Planetcast’s unified platform, NexC and ensure that Switch Media’s OTT product roadmap is perfectly aligned with Planetcast’s customer requirements.

    “Switch Media is the perfect acquisition for Planetcast’s NexC platform, providing us with proven world-class OTT capabilities that are a vital cornerstone of our media services and solutions portfolio and one that will help us build out our international expansion strategy,” said Planetcast’s CEO, Sanjay Duda. “Battle-tested across varied customer segments such as Pay TV Operators, broadcasters and Telcos, Switch Media’s OTT platform has successfully hosted some of the most sensitive global sports and entertainment properties. We welcome the Switch Media team to the Planetcast family. We are looking forward to more tightly integrating its feature-rich OTT solutions with NexC, our cloud-first unified-service platform, to ensure that our customers can streamline content operations and drive monetisation.”

    Commenting on its plans for Planetcast, Apollo Global head of India Private Equity Utsav Baijal said: “Because Planetcast adds significant value to its Indian and Asian customers, we are actively looking for such synergistic cross-border, global transactions such as Switch Media as the most effective way to build their international footprint and capability set.”

    Developed over almost two decades, Switch Media’s modular and flexible solutions meet the media and entertainment industry’s changing requirements, through a versatile workflow engine that enables customers to ingest, manage, deliver, monetise, and analyse online video. The result is exceptional online content for viewers and a flexible suite of capabilities enabling customers to drive OTT monetisation.

    Switch Media’s CEO Mark Johns said of the acquisition: “Our journey with Planetcast promises to open up new markets and broaden our

    customer base. The integration with Planetcast’s NexC platform will unlock tremendous value for Switch Media’s customers seeking to better leverage their content. Additionally, Planetcast’s large support infrastructure will further enhance agility and availability of support to Switch customers.” 

  • Planetcast expands online content streaming services acquiring Switch Media OTT, Australia

    Planetcast expands online content streaming services acquiring Switch Media OTT, Australia

    Mumbai: Planetcast Media Services, a media technology services provider in India and Southeast Asia, has announced the acquisition of one of its key partners, Switch Media, a white-label OTT platform provider deployed across Asia-Pacific, Europe and the US. The transaction, which has been finalised, will transfer full control of all Switch Media’s assets to Planetcast.

    Founded in 2006, the Australian headquartered Switch Media has innovated and delivered complex, multi-award-winning online streaming solutions, from ingest to delivery, for major brands and live events worldwide, including the Summer and Winter Olympics, FIFA World Cup and Formula 1 for customers such as Foxtel Australia and Media Prima Malaysia. Switch Media is already a strategic partner of Planetcast and has been providing cutting-edge OTT solutions to the company. The acquisition enables Planetcast to fully integrate Switch Media’s online video solutions with Planetcast’s unified platform, NexC and ensure that Switch Media’s OTT product roadmap is perfectly aligned with Planetcast’s customer requirements.

    “Switch Media is the perfect acquisition for Planetcast’s NexC platform, providing us with proven world-class OTT capabilities that are a vital cornerstone of our media services and solutions portfolio and one that will help us build out our international expansion strategy,” said Planetcast’s CEO Sanjay Duda. “Battle-tested across varied customer segments such as Pay TV Operators, broadcasters and Telcos, Switch Media’s OTT platform has successfully hosted some of the most sensitive global sports and entertainment properties. We welcome the Switch Media team to the Planetcast family. We are looking forward to more tightly integrating its feature-rich OTT solutions with NexC, our cloud-first unified-service platform, to ensure that our customers can streamline content operations and drive monetisation.”

    Commenting on its plans for Planetcast, Apollo Global head of India private equity Utsav Baijal said: “Because Planetcast adds significant value to its Indian and Asian customers, we are actively looking for such synergistic cross-border, global transactions such as Switch Media as the most effective way to build their international footprint and capability set.”

    Developed over almost two decades, Switch Media’s modular and flexible solutions meet the media and entertainment industry’s changing requirements, through a versatile workflow engine that enables customers to ingest, manage, deliver, monetise, and analyse online video. The result is exceptional online content for viewers and a flexible suite of capabilities enabling customers to drive OTT monetisation.

    Switch Media’s CEO, Mark Johns said of the acquisition: “Our journey with Planetcast promises to open up new markets and broaden our customer-base. The integration with Planetcast’s NexC platform will unlock tremendous value for Switch Media’s customers seeking to better leverage their content. Additionally, Planetcast’s large support infrastructure will further enhance agility and availability of support to Switch customers.”

  • Planetcast promotes seamless content management, distribution and monetisation at IBC2023

    Planetcast promotes seamless content management, distribution and monetisation at IBC2023

    Mumbai: Planetcast Media Services, a leading global broadcast technology and media services provider, has announced that it is promoting its full portfolio of cloud first media suite including the unified service orchestrator for content processing, distribution and monetisation services and technologies at IBC2023 (15-18 September, RAI, Amsterdam, Hall 5, stand H78). Planetcast’s single-window, seamless content supply chain management will show how media companies can utilize an integrated suite of services that enable frictionless workflows and a hyper-connected approach to content creation and distribution.

    “We are excited to be promoting at IBC2023 our unified service layer that puts the customer at the centre of the content processing, distribution and monetization journey,” said Planetcast’s chief executive officer Sanjay Duda. “As operators seek new opportunities, there is a growing number of components and service providers in the value chain that can make the process of creating, distributing, and monetising content more complex and costly. At IBC we will be promoting  our single window offering that brings together all our existing modules – including content management, post-production and localisation, cloud playout, IP distribution, OTT and FAST channel services – as a seamless, yet modular, fully integrated solution.”

    At IBC2023, Planetcast will show how it enables broadcasters and other media and entertainment companies to employ cloud solutions more efficiently – together or as separate components. Innovative services and solutions Planetcast is demonstrating live on its booth include:

    ●   CLOUD.X, its cloud playout platform, which enables FAST workflows and rapid ad insertion in partnership with Wurl, a world leader in dynamic ad insertion for streaming TV services;

    ●   Contido, a leading-edge, cloud-native content supply chain management solution designed to handle video processing and publishing across multiple platforms.

    ●   Switch Media will showcase Its versatile suite of OTT solutions – whose customers include Foxtel (Australia), Antenna (Greece), Media Prima (Malaysia), and Freeview (New Zealand).

    Planetcast has developed one of the industry’s most comprehensive cloud offerings, trusted by the world’s most demanding global media companies, including Disney, Star TV, Viacom, and Doordarshan, the premier public broadcaster in India. Other world-class clients include Amazon Prime Video, Discovery, Indian Premier League (IPL), and Sony.

    As the global media landscape continues to evolve rapidly, throwing up new challenges for media companies trying to meet the changing needs of consumers, Planetcast has looked for ways to help its customers meet new demands on their businesses.

    In addition to providing demos of the company’s innovative and proven cloud playout and MAM solutions at IBC2023, the Planetcast team will discuss other elements of its comprehensive media services portfolio, including:

    ●   Recaster – a dynamic and robust IP transport solution, which delivers a secure internet stream from anywhere to anywhere, be it a linear channel or a live sports stream;

    ●   Managed Post-Production Services – a software and cloud-curated ecosystem of post-production services with a high degree of process automation, plus AI-enabled capabilities;

    ●   Playout Disaster Recovery – cloud-based DR solution that provides incredibly cost-effective protection against broadcast service disruption;

    ●   OTT solutions, which it is offering internationally in partnership with Australia-based Switch Media, whose customers include Foxtel (Australia), Antenna (Greece), Media Prima (Malaysia), and Freeview (New Zealand).  

  • 5G remote production: Need of the hour or call of the future

    5G remote production: Need of the hour or call of the future

    Broadcast to mobile is a fascinating concept which came into light in the early 2000s. The mobile networks were busy with offering GPRS based services. The early days saw a variety of mobile broadcast solutions including DVB-H, DMB, DAB-IP, ISDB-T and MediaFLO. The success of such solutions would depend on availability of compatible handsets and broadcasters could not justify huge investment into alternate/parallel network just to deliver content to mobile users.

    As 5G infrastructure garners pace into 2020, the response from media and entertainment industry has been very encouraging in terms of testing and potential adoption of 5G technology. Broadcasters are looking at ways to leverage and capitalize on this next-generation mobile technology. As the internet takes centre stage in content delivery and distribution, 5G will play the role of a catalyst in the growth of both, broadcasters and technology providers.

    Almost 92 per cent of broadcasters are planning to adopt 5G in the next two years(IBC report) and remote production has been identified as a major application of 5G wireless technology. As broadcasters continue to realize the potential of 5G, 65 per cent would imbibe it for remote production and 61 per cent of the broadcasters are willing to adopt 5G for distribution as an alternative to satellite, DTT or cable (OnePoll, Nevion).

    With its unique qualities like mobility, flexibility and reliability, remote production has emerged as the most vital application of 5G technology and could forever change the production workflows of live content such as events, sports and news. 5G has great potential to enable broadcasters to enhance coverage and streamline production by allowing multiple cameras and microphones. 5G will help in managing multiple live events from a central broadcast facility.

    Having said that, the transition to 5G will not be an easy one. It will take immense effort and courage to completely replace centralised production studios and widely popular OB vans with cloud-based workflows. Also, migration from SDI to IP will define the near future production techniques and it will be very interesting to see how 5G merges with these new techniques.

    Ultimately, adoption of 5G will hugely depend on the efficiency of the business model around which it will be built. The revenue-generating power of 5G is yet to be tested and broadcasters must be facing a dichotomy about migrating from the existing model which has been tried and tested for years. Change is the only constant but coexistence is nature’s amazing trait which could possibly lead to 5G complementing existing technologies and create an enhanced ecosystem for the growth of all the relevant stakeholders of the media and entertainment industry.

    (The author is founder and executive director, Planetcast Media Services. The views expressed are his own and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them.)

  • AION Capital to acquire majority interest in PlanetCast Media Services

    NEW DELHI: AION Capital Partners Limited (the “AION Fund”) is to acquire a majority interest in PlanetCast Media Services Limited (earlier known as Essel Shyam Communications Limited) from shareholders including affiliates of the Essel Group, the Shyam Group and private equity firm Kubera Partners.

    However, the full terms of the transaction were not disclosed. This represents the second transaction affiliates of Apollo Global Management, LLC have done with the Essel Group, having invested $100 million into DishTV in 2009, having successfully exited that investment in 2015.

    The AION Fund is an India-focused fund established by an affiliate of Apollo together with ICICI Venture Funds Management Company Limited. With approximately US$825 million in committed capital, AION Fund is currently one of the largest private equity funds in India.

    Founded in 1996, PlanetCast is a professionally managed, market-leading provider of technology-led managed services to the broadcasting industry in India and neighbouring countries, with a rapidly growing footprint across Southeast Asia.

    PlanetCast provides comprehensive, customized solutions across content management operations (including storage, enrichment and automated play-out) and distribution (including satellite broadcasting, digital streaming and cloud distribution). Following the acquisition by the AION Fund, PlanetCast will continue to be led by the current management team.

    “We are excited for the AION Fund to acquire PlanetCast” said AION Fund partner Utsav Baijal. “We believe PlanetCast is a market leading franchise that delivers best-in-class digital media solutions to its customers. We look forward to working with PlanetCast’s talented and dedicated team to continue the business’s strong heritage of innovation and customer satisfaction”

    “We are pleased to have sponsored PlanetCast during this period of significant growth and transformation. PlanetCast’s foundation as a leader in the broadcasting services industry, position the company well for its new ownership under the AION Fund,” PlanetCast promoter Jawahar Goel said.

    PlanetCast Executive Director M N Vyas said, “We are grateful to our existing shareholders for all the support and guidance to date and look forward to our relationship with the AION Fund”.

    Executive Director Lalit Jain added that “We believe that under the new leadership, PlanetCast can build on its industry leadership position and invest in emerging technologies to become the leading service provider to both the traditional and digital media economy”.