Just announced at MIX07 in Vegas, CBS’ owned-and-operated stations are partnering with Microsoft and its new cross-browser video technology Silverlight to power user-created content on the sites. Explains the press release:
The new local initiative will allow users of the CBS-owned stations’ sites to view, upload, share, rate, comment, sort and search video, images, audio and text submissions. A key component of the application is its full integration into the existing content publishing workflow of the CBS Television Stations’ digital media groups. It allows the community-generated content to be managed alongside the station’s professional content in a single workflow.
The video detail page. You can see more screen grabs here. The functionality is expected to launch in select markets later this year. Press release below…
PRESS RELEASE — NEW YORK and LAS VEGAS — CBS Television Stations,
a division of CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A) (NYSE:
CBS), today announced the development of an innovative community-generated
content initiative for its network of local Web sites that uses the new
Microsoft Silverlight technology, a cross-browser, cross-platform plug-in
for media experiences and applications on the Web.
The new initiative, which is being displayed in proof-of-concept form
at the MIX07 conference in Las Vegas this week, helps bridge the gap
between user-generated digital media and traditional TV broadcast while
capturing the hearts, minds and local stories of the CBS stations’
audiences across the country.
“Central to our ‘Always On’ strategy has been the desire to create an
interactive environment where our audiences can participate in the local
broadcast process,” said Jonathan Leess, President and General Manager of
CBS Television Stations Digital Media Group. “This project, using Microsoft
Silverlight technology, allows us to empower the massive long tail of
untapped local media content which is waiting to converge with the
broadband and broadcast mediums.”
The new local initiative will allow users of the CBS-owned stations’
sites to view, upload, share, rate, comment, sort and search video, images,
audio and text submissions. A key component of the application is its full
integration into the existing content publishing workflow of the CBS
Television Stations’ digital media groups. It allows the
community-generated content to be managed alongside the station’s
professional content in a single workflow.
“We are excited about working with an industry leader such as CBS
Television Stations,” said S. Somasegar, Corporate Vice President of the
Developer Division at Microsoft Corporation. “CBS has demonstrated a
commitment to unique digital media experiences and a drive to develop
platforms that incorporate the voice of the community, while also
delivering the highest quality experiences.”
“Broadcasting is no longer a one-way directional medium,” Leess said.
“Audiences and advertisers are looking for compelling local content that
speaks to them, to their families, to their neighbors. This project allows
us to help foster that connection.”
The CBS project will be built on the recently announced Microsoft
Silverlight browser plug-in for Windows and Mac-based Web browsers and
Microsoft Expression Media Encoder, a new tool for client and server-based
encoding and publishing of Silverlight-based content. Silverlight
integrates with existing Web technologies and assets to provide
higher-quality experiences with lower costs for media delivery. Delivered
to end users through a seamless, fast installation, Silverlight also offers
consistent experiences to both Macintosh and Windows users on a variety of
browsers including Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari.
CBS Television Stations is working with Microsoft to build the
Silverlight-powered beta version of its community-generated content
initiative, which is expected to launch in select markets later this year.