Channel Operations
One of the keys to running a successful TV channel is effective scheduling: ensuring that the right content is in the right place, with optimised advertising allocation (without breaching COSTA rules) and effective promotion across the channel. Our team already are experts is this field and will use their expertise to help manage the back-end operations of your channel as well.
Preparation & delivery of EPG data
The Electronic Programme Guide, or EPG, shows the viewers at home what is scheduled on your channel and allows them to record and series link programmes that they are particularly interested in. It is important to ensure that the information on the EPG is accurate and helpful and that is where we come in. MPB manage all of the data associated with your broadcast, including titles, synopses, genres, rating and series linking. We provide an editorial oversight on the content and deliver the EPGs, in the correct format, to all of the platforms that your channel is broadcast on.
Rights Management
It is important that content rights are managed effectively, both to ensure the right content is on air in the correct rights window and also to maximise the runs on a piece of content, to generate revenue. MPB uses a rights management tool to control this, on our clients behalf, and can provide reports with title availability to ensure that nothing is broadcast out of the allotted window of time.
Commercial airtime scheduling
MPB will work with your advertising sales team, either in house or third-party, to ensure your sales translate through to broadcast, whilst ensuring the channel’s schedule stays compliant with local advertising regulations. We will work with the advertising team to provide all required data and reporting within their deadlines and to ensure maximised revenue for the channel.
Promotion and marketing management
It is important, when running a channel, to inform your viewers of new shows, events and big moments on the channel. Working with the Channel team, MPB will enter promotional material into the broadcast schedule, according to your guidelines, in order to best promote that part of the playlist and boost the viewership of the promoted events.
VOD Scheduling
With the increased penetration of VOD services, many channels have a requirement to deliver VOD assets to third party VOD providers. This includes the rights elements, as well as the physical files, both of which MPB can manage.
Presentation schedules
The broadcast chain of almost every channel involves a playout centre, who bring together all of the elements of the schedule in order to broadcast the channel. These are driven by a presentation schedule, which contains every asset, from programmes to bugs and on-air graphics, that needs to be delivered in a specific and accurate format. Using scheduling software and under the guidance of the channel MPB builds these schedules and exports them to their playout centre in the required formats.
Leave cover
One area that some of our clients find very useful is that of leave cover. Due to our experience it only take us a day or so to understand the nuances of a new channel and our team of schedulers are well placed to provide both holiday and maternity cover for schedulers at other channels. We have experience of a range of different scheduling software and will work with all parts of the broadcast chain to ensure a smooth handover and ongoing operation.
Post-TX reporting (PRS, BARB, Kantar, etc.)
The work isn't over once the programme has broadcast! There are post transmission (post-TX) activities that are required. As-run logs, from the playout centre, have to be combined with advertising data for the ad sales house; music reporting has to be sent to PRS and information has to be sent to ratings agencies such as BARB or Kantar Media. MPB manages this process on behalf of the channel, so they don't have to worry about it!
Ongoing relationship management
Many of our client's hand over the entire management of their broadcast chain to MPB. We become the first point of contact for any technical issues and can often solve problems without the channel owners ever having to be bothered. Our excellent relationships and reputation across the broadcast industry mean that we can take the stress out the of the day-to-day operations of any broadcast services.