Want to future-proof your CMS?
BLOG by Oscar Gutierrez, VP Business Development, Switch Media
If content is king, then the content management system (CMS) that allows operators to create and manage all the workflows that enable the smooth and consistent running of their streaming service, is certainly queen. Many broadcasters and content owners, particularly longstanding companies, have a legacy CMS and the longer it’s been in situ, the more difficult it is to change any elements of it (pretty much impossible in some cases). Adjusting a single piece can cause huge complications across other workflows such as integration with analytics, integration with the front–end, or integration with monetisation.
The introduction of cloud-based solutions has not only made it quicker and easier to make changes in the CMS it also allows the system to be future-proof – that popular buzzword that’s likely to be a part of every piece of IBC marketing next month. A cloud-based solution means that you can easily develop new elements inhouse and you can integrate APIs with multiple elements very quickly and simply.
Replacing an outdated system that has been developed inhouse for the past 10 or 15 years is not an easy task and finding the right partner to do this is critical. Big tier one companies, for example, might have an internally developed solution or a solution that is quite old and clunky. When they want to enhance it, they struggle because the APIs are not well documented. This means that when they integrate with the company that’s supplying the applications, it’s a long and arduous process. Having a solution that can run in the cloud – or on-premises – that’s based on very clear and well-defined APIs allows companies to create a modular solution, meaning they can essentially cherry-pick components from different vendors.
Switch Media’s MediaHQ online content publishing platform has a powerful workflow engine and houses an advanced suite of modular capabilities that are flexible and easy to integrate. It’s the glue that holds everything together and it allows operators to replace any element in the supply chain. The simplicity comes from the APIs and the fact that they are well documented.
For media companies going forward, selecting a partner that allows this level of modularity is critical allowing them to be flexible and (that phrase again) future-proof.
