e-interview with Media Distillery

Q1. Could you kindly provide a succinct overview of your company and the solutions showcased during IBC 2023?

Amsterdam-based Media Distillery is an acknowledged leader in AI-driven video analysis solutions for the worldwide entertainment Industry. The cloud-based Deep Content Understanding™ solution provides fully automated real-time content analysis which empowers broadcasters and pay-TV service providers to optimise viewer engagement through accelerated and accurate content discovery and enhanced user experience. Media Distillery’s customer base includes major operators and broadcasters located around the globe including Liberty Global, Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom and ClaroVTR in Chile, delivering enriched viewing experiences in over 30 million homes. 

The solutions showcased during IBC 2023:

1. Topic Distillery

Topic Distillery™ enables topic-based discovery for any live broadcast content, allowing viewers to find content impossible to discover before and access it faster through a chapter-based playback.

2. Ad Break Distillery (part of Time Marker Suite)

By identifying the exact start and end times of ad breaks in video content, Ad Break Distillery enables ad skipping, insertion or replacement in the replay and catchup environment.

3. Image Distillery

With Image Distillery™ we offer a fully automated solution that delivers high-quality and attractive images directly from any live broadcast feed or video asset, representing each programme in the most visually attractive and relevant way possible.

4. Context Distillery for Ads

Context Distillery for Ads™ enables contextual and privacy friendly advertising that is tailored to the content consumed, creating better audience segments and maximising the ad value via improved ad-placements and branding opportunities.

5. EPG Correction Distillery (part of Time Marker Suite)

EPG Correction™ ensures seamless and VoD-like experiences for catch-up and replay by fully automated and real-time correction of the difference between the scheduled and the actual air times of TV programs.

Q2. Among the solutions presented at your booth, could you specify which one garnered the most visitor attention, and could you offer insights into the factors

contributing to its appeal?

Media Distillery's latest solution, Ad Break Distillery, has garnered the most attention among visitors. The recent surge in OTT popularity has led to increased user demands for a more modern and flexible viewing experience, including tailored ad experiences for on-demand viewing. The absence of ad break time markers in broadcast video poses challenges for service providers and broadcasters in creating customized ad experiences, such as dynamic ad insertion or shorter ads, which can limit viewing experiences.

However, with Ad Break Distillery, TV service providers can instantly detect ads and effectively manage their ad inventory. This includes dynamically replacing ads, enforcing ad break trick play restrictions, or allowing premium skipping of ad breaks. Consequently, Ad Break Distillery empowers TV service providers to enhance the viewing experience and maximize the potential for content monetization.

Q3. Does your company currently engage in any business activities within the Turkish market? If you can share, could you provide some insight into your plans for expanding your business in Turkey?

Media Distillery is actively engaged with the Turkish Association of Telecommunication Satellite and Electronic Industrialists Business People (TUYAD) and is presently in negotiations with major Turkish TV operators. Given Turkey's significance as an emerging market with a vibrant content industry, it is crucial for TV operators to enhance user experiences. This is precisely where Media Distillery solutions can be highly relevant for TV operators.

One noteworthy solution is EPG Correction Distillery, which has the potential to elevate the viewing experience, resulting in increased catch-up and replay usage, higher engagement, reduced churn, and improved content utilization. This also translates to a higher NPS for the video service and fewer EPG-related customer support calls.

Additionally, Image Distillery can personalize the user experience by generating real-time automated images from broadcast signals or video assets.

Media Distillery's Topic Distillery solution enriches content discovery in the Turkish video industry by adding meaningful metadata such as topics, transitions, locations, and personas.

As mentioned above, Ad Break Distillery offers the potential for a more flexible ad viewing experience and empowers TV operators to derive greater value from their ad breaks in replay and catch-up formats.

In summary, with the assistance of Media Distillery's AI technologies, the Turkish TV and broadcasting industry can significantly enhance content discovery, boost revenue, and maintain a competitive edge in the ever-evolving media landscape.

Q4. Is there any additional information or insights you would like to share regarding your company or your participation in IBC 2023?

Media Distillery is a trusted partner for numerous Video Service Providers (VSPs), dedicated to enhancing their viewer experience, reducing churn, and optimizing monetization strategies. 

In today's fiercely competitive landscape for viewer attention, providing viewers with a strong user experience is imperative.

Media Distillery addresses this challenge by offering a range of AI and ML solutions based on its in-house deep content understanding platform. Key benefits of this approach include a reduction in helpdesk calls, a decrease in NPS detractors related to replay viewing, and increased replay consumption.

Over the past few years, Media Distillery has successfully launched partnerships with industry leaders such as VodafoneZiggo, Altice, NLZIET, and recently announced integration with Deutsche Telekom/Magenta. The company anticipates announcing collaborations with two more customers in the Nordics later this year.

Considering Media Distillery’s significant investment in cloud-based processes over the past year, it now enjoys greater operational efficiency. The most visible difference is the reduced onboarding time, which has been slashed from months to weeks. As proof of its increased production scale, Media Distillery now provides EPG Correction services for a remarkable 1000 channels.

In addition to the cloud transition, Media Distillery holds a positive outlook on the future of technology, particularly the recent advancements in Generative AI/LLMs. It leverages industry-leading tools and a combination of open source and proprietary models to drive the revolution in Content Discovery. This shift aligns with the broader industry change in mindset around AI, with VSPs increasingly willing to adopt these technologies to stay on trend.

Media Distillery is actively expanding into other regions, with a keen focus on MEA and LATAM as highly attractive and valuable markets that share strong similarities with the European market. The Dutch video analysis company anticipates announcing its initial successes in these regions early in 2024. Media Distillery is committed to driving innovation and empowering VSPs worldwide to excel in an ever-evolving media landscape.

Media Distillery extends heartfelt gratitude to everyone who visited its booth during IBC 2023. The enthusiastic response from the visitors, coupled with the honor of receiving three prestigious industry awards, serves as the greatest motivation and inspiration for Media Distillery. It is eager to showcase even more cutting-edge and daring solutions to the visitors at IBC 2024 next year.

Thank you very much for your answers and hope to meet you in other events or in Turkey.