F E ATUR E going to be experiencing content beyond just a flat screen.” Crownshaw envisions Microsoft playing a supportive role in this transformation. He highlights the capabilities offered by Microsoft Azure as a fundamental building block for media companies looking to meet the challenges facing the industry. “We deliver a reliable and trustworthy cloud experience that enables us to support the vision of our customers and partners,” says Crownshaw. “We’ve thought about the way content is created, and what we’re designing will allow our customers to keep that process entirely within the cloud. They come to Microsoft because we will think through the problems they have and the direction the future is heading in, and then deliver solutions that work for them.” Among the partners working with Microsoft to make media industry transformation a reality is Support Partners, a system integrator specialised in helping media companies migrate their workflows into the cloud, and streamline them for greater efficiency and faster content creation. “Support Partners really embody the spirit of the media culture,” says Crownshaw. “The company really understands how solutions need to be delivered, and helps us with a lot of our projects. I’ll happily bring the team in on any engagement, and they continually deliver for us.” Crownshaw also highlights Microsoft’s collaborations with MediaKind as an example of innovation in media delivery. The two companies expanded their partnership in April 2022, committing to enhancing the integration and optimisation of MediaKind’s video delivery solutions with Microsoft Azure products and services. “MediaKind is a strategic partner for us,” says Crownshaw. “It has supported our work on Olympic broadcasts and live events for the NBA, and its software and technology consistently perform to deliver the right content at the right time.” Microsoft has also been working with Harmonic, a provider of virtualised cable access and video delivery solutions, to support broadcast services for customers including Major League Soccer. “Harmonic brings a wealth of knowledge about live streaming and broadcasts,” says Crownshaw. “The company is able to stream content in the right formats for our customers, dynamically target advertising, and make workflows smarter. When those capabilities are bundled together with Azure, it’s a recipe for success.” With the capabilities of Azure and its industry partners, Microsoft is positioning itself to help facilitate the transformation of broadcasters as they compete to stay relevant into the future. Crownshaw predicts that the companies that most embrace the concept of delivering an overall experience to viewers will be successful. “I think a trend that will separate the successful companies will be how they make connections with users,” says Crownshaw. “Winning is not going to be defined by how much content you can throw out the door, it will be about how you connect the dots between those pieces of content to stay relevant in the daily lives of the people consuming it. Technology that can facilitate that relationship, taking advantage of the cloud’s ability to scale anywhere, is what I see as the future.” 168
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