Ascent Media Group, CBS and Warner Bros. Entertainment announced the creation of a new platform designed to provide a cost-effective, optimized and streamlined platform for broadcast syndicated programming for North American broadcast stations.
The new platform builds on an established relationship between Ascent Media and Warner Bros. digital content distribution arm – Global Digital Media Xchange (GDMX). Since 2004, Ascent Media and GDMX have worked together to deliver syndication services to a variety of clients in the U.S. CBS will join Ascent and Warner Bros. to distribute CBS’s syndication programming via the new platform.

The new platform will provide the capital investment and technology upgrades to create a cost-effective delivery solution which streamlines transmission of both HD and SD programming, significantly improving upon current technologies that require two streams to achieve the same goal. Combined with better compression techniques, additional storage capacity and optimized transmission technologies, the new platform hopes to provide many benefits to syndicators and stations at a critical time in the adoption of HD.

The service footprint will include a guaranteed minimum of 800 stations, including top 100 domestic markets, as a result of Warner Bros. and CBS both delivering their syndicated content over the network. The new service is expected to launch later this year.

“Broadcast stations need a simple solution for receiving both HD and SD programming, and syndicators require a cost-effective solution for getting their syndicated content to the largest number of stations. This new platform leverages the strengths of Ascent Media and Warner Bros. to meet those needs,” said Jose Royo, CEO of Ascent Media Group. “Warner Bros. is a leader in syndicated HD programming and has been instrumental in designing the platform and incorporating feedback from stations. We are excited about the potential of this new platform to enable rapid innovation and address the content management challenges of distribution of syndicated content.”

“This platform reflects the collective desire of Ascent Media and Warner Bros. to bring greater efficiency to the distribution process while providing improved High Definition delivery service to our collective affiliates and clients,” said Darcy Antonellis, President, Warner Bros. Technical Operations. “We are excited to launch this new platform, to continue our work with Ascent Media.”