Questek, a solutions provider specialising in broadcast technology and audiovisual equipment, has acquired a 50% stake in local communications company Media Host.
This partnership has fast-tracked Media Host`s solutions offering to provide media players and corporates with the ability to easily and efficiently access, manage and deliver audio and video content, from their computers using telecommunications and information technology.
"Questek`s involvement in Media Host is to strengthen Media Host`s positioning from being the first to market with TV commercial delivery in SA to becoming the preferred rich media ISP," says Frans Kruger, CEO of Questek. "Our aim is to provide a stable infrastructure for Media Host to become the central repository of rich media content in SA."
Media Host`s solutions include media asset management, media collaboration, media delivery and media network.
Questek`s Broadcast and IT Division, responsible for the sales and support function, will implement Media Host`s solutions in order to grow a new generation business that exploits the convergence of broadcast, IT, commercials, film and television.
According to Mike Smit, founder of Media Host, Questek`s technology capability supports Media Host`s solutions which facilitate the full lifecycle of media. He says this allows broadcasters, production houses, advertising agencies and organisations across different industries to expedite the process of search-view-collaborate-deliver audio files, static and moving picture content (video) and associated text, using video-over-IP and private broadband networks.
"It`s becoming more important for companies to digitise their assets and make them available," says Smit. "Media Host`s asset management solution is a set of coordinated technologies and processes that bring all your content together allowing quick and efficient storage, retrieval, delivery and re-use of digital files that are essential to business."
Media Host offers a central repository of rich media assets with shared access enabling simultaneous online collaboration and annotation. "Remotely approve work from anywhere in the world or on any desktop, or take on international productions and collaborate online with decision-makers back home," says Smit. "Who says local facilities can`t compete on the international market!"
Smit says delivering digitised media with speed and reliability to major centres internationally is of great benefit to companies and especially media players. "Companies are able to send and receive news and other content from anywhere in the world using Media Host`s network and it is cheaper than using satellite."
He says broadcasters are already receiving commercials online, no tapes - no couriers, which is a last minute benefit to advertisers.
Broadband connectivity and online collaboration via Media Host`s network adds another significant benefit to SA as a destination for international filmmakers. According to Smit, digital dailies - viewing film rushes on a computer - is becoming an accepted option internationally but is severely limited by local bandwidth.
"Media Host has a solution that uses User Datagram Protocol (UDP) as opposed to traditional File Transfer Protocol (FTP) to circumvent problems associated with large file transfers and we`re getting international transfer rates of up to 100 times faster."
Media Host has an extensive partner network within the media industry. Its technology partners include eMotion, an international company that provides digital asset management software, and Telestream which specialises in the encoding and decoding of video for delivery over IP networks. Media Host has also formed strategic production and post-production partnerships with the major facility houses in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
"Media Host has implemented the hardware and software solutions needed to connect the major broadcasters with the media industry and other international players, says Smit. "We have used a combination of off-the-shelf solutions that are customised to suit the South African environment. This allows us to continually update and improve our solutions offering rather than being tied down to continuous local development."
According to Smit, Media Host`s concept of digital media solutions will make new media markets available to traditional broadcasters, production houses, advertising agencies and organisations as the access, management and delivery of rich media content becomes standardised and technology obstacles are overcome.
For more information, please visit www.mediahost.co.za.
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