The Plus – Operational Overview Originally written on September 23 2006
Concept
A 24 hour video stream from PodShow, featuring the the best killer content fresh daily. Presented in segments by dynamic, compelling hosts.
The audience must always think that either they can be just as good as the host (peer) or that the party is definitely where the host is, and yearns to be a part of the action.
The content will consist mainly of independently produced video.
YouTube videos/Google/Dabble/Revver/OTM etc.
(PodSafe) Music Videos
Short form and Long form programming
Live programming/Call-in
The programming schedule will be based on rotation clocks and dayparts
History
In 1981 MTV entered a programming niche that utilized virtually free content (music video clips) combined with new distribution (basic cable) and created a global youth brand.
Audience was drawn to this community, you simply had to be ‘in the know’ on the latest clips. The channel expanded from music videos to a full radio-like format, with news breaks, VJ ’shifts’, contests and promotions.
Constantly striving to be on the cutting edge, MTV often toed the line on regulations and expectations of Basic Cable distribution, both a benefit (Hipness factor) and a drawback (threats of being cut off in certain markets)
Next to cheap content acquisition costs and distribution (at the time cable was begging for content) MTV also implemented a highly efficient and cost effective production process, that involved only a handful of mainly entry-level personnel.
We find ourselves amidst a very similar market situation. Content is readily available and cheap to produce independently (YouTube etc.) as is distribution.
Unlike MTV, discovery of exciting online content is only effectively happening through social networks. The Network sites aggregate and recommend based on statistics, the network users pass content around and provide annotation (comments), fulfilling the viral cycle.
The PodSafe Music Network has proven that ‘authority’ repetition and a simple licensing model results in ‘hits’ that can in turn be monetized by the content creator/owner.
There is a gaping hole in the authoritative distribution of video content. A place where audience can go to for guaranteed killer content, recommended and presented by dynamic personalities with built-in interactivity for connecting and sharing with a global community. It is this opportunity that The Plus will take advantage of.
Workflow
MTV process was ground breaking and unique to the type of content it aired.
A weekly schedule determined which video clips were to be played (acquisition), how often (rotation) and when (daypart).
Each hour was divided into segments of approximately 4 minutes. Each segment (slot) is filled by a programming element. Most slots were filled by music videos, others with VJ (host) segments, promos, channel imaging (bumpers/jingles/etc) and commercials.
The weekly schedule was created using off-the-shelf broadcast radio scheduling software and run each week as clips were added and removed from the rotation line-up.
The weeks’ programming elements, as determined by rotation (clips,promos,commercials etc) where shipped to the satellite uplink in upstate New York. Where they were aired in sequence according to the published schedule.
48 hours before airdate, VJ’s recorded segments in the studio according to the schedule. These segments were then shipped off to the uplink and inserted into the scheduled rotation in the appropriate spots. This gave the illusion that MTV was a constant ‘factory’ with hosts on-air, just like a radio station, talking about the clips they were playing.
As MTV grew, slots in rotation became highly coveted. The music department, responsible for 90% of the channel’s programming at the time, didn’t like giving up one slot an hour to the News department, or another to on-air promotions, but it did ensure what DID make it onto the air was top notch.
It is our intent to replicate this workflow and methodology utilizing the tools and technology available today.
Process and Technology
The workflow process can be broken down into three basic departments:
Pre-production and scheduling
For The Plus, this phase consists of content acquisition, which will require basic ‘clearances’. We will use knowledge from the PMN licensing here.
All acquired content will need to be converted, tagged and logged into a central storage system (database). This content store will be accessed by scheduling software to create the rotation and schedule. It will be accessed by operations for statistics and other sales and operational data (times played etc) and it will be the central drive used for accessing the content from the production environment.
Studio recording of host segments and other inserts
In the aforementioned MTV production model, a full studio crew was utilized for recording VJ segments. This included a director, associate director, vision mixer, audio engineer, chyron operator, camera operator(s), floor manager, associate producer, teleprompter operator and occasional lighting director/stage/props crew.
Using the Visual Communicator software from Serious Magic, The Plus will be able to record segments with only an associate producer and the host.
The software enables pre-assembly of the entire recording, including all clips,promos and other slots by pre-loading the rotation schedule into it’s memory.
The software handles all transitions, graphics, titles and even virtual sets through use of chroma-key (Green Screen). I have been testing this software for several weeks now, you can see results in Perversion For Profit.
The host and AP receive their portion of the daypart (typically 4 hours of programming) pre-loaded in the system, with gaps left open for their segments.
Because this is a non-linear based system, the segments can be recorded at any time, non-sequentially if desired. Intros and outros can be quickly reviewed by the host to ‘relate’ to what was just seen or what is about to come.
The system syncs a teleprompter to the rotation timeline, which the host and AP can populate with bullet-points, notes or fully written and timed scripts.
After recording, and needed transition tweaks or review can be done with ease from any pc connected to the system.
Once approved the daypart is rendered to a file for distribution and archive.
Assembly and distribution
Assembly is already handled in the previous step, all that is left is to drop the completed file into the sequential playlist on the streaming server and podcast feed.
The video stream is linear. When you connect you are dropped into whatever happens to be going on at that moment on The Plus. Audience everywhere is connected to the same content stream at the same time.
The playlist that the streaming server utilizes is used only for basic transitions between dayparts, or programming blocks.
Team
Content Acquisition, Clearances and Conversion
A single person will accept content through a number of channels, i.e. Submissions, biz-dev, popularity lists (youtube/google/myspace)
Permission for use must be clarified through license. This is a simple template. The goal is to create a repository with a built-in license such as the PodSafe Music Network.
The content must be converted into the appropriate format for use in our system and entered into the central database and storage system
IT Support/Tech setup
A single person is needed during operating hours to assist with studio configurations and general support during recording and production.
Streaming Server
A shared resource with operations. Consists of ensuring proper playlists are running on the server and continuous server health monitoring
Production
Associate Producer: Reporting directly to the VP of Production, Associate Producers are responsible for their daypart of programming. An AP can produce 2 dayparts per day and work with their assigned host(s) throughout the process. They assist the hosts with understanding where they are in the rotation line-up (that was…. coming up next is…..) and with information the hosts can use in their segments.
Other responsibilities include coordinating guest walk-ons, remote shoots etc.
Talent
Talent Management is a shared resource with the Talent department. This consists of coordinating talent for recordings, managing schedules, booking and handling guests or remote shoots.
Promo Departments
Each hour, slots will be given to the Promo Department, who will fill it with content as scheduled in rotation. It consists of creation of promotional spots as well as imaging for the entire channel.
Conclusion
Time to market is critical. Already we are seeing independently produced video content making it through to mainstream media, always with great appreciation of the mainstream audience. Staking our claim is an important mission.
Image and Brand is everything once competition appears. Our mission is killer content, everything that airs on The Plus will relevant to the audience, but must also surprise, challenge, and evoke emotional reaction. Our channel imaging must be cutting edge and recognizable. MTV’s logo, consisting of the big M and little tv where perfect for digital mashing, the same holds true for The Plus and her image. Production of imaging must start immediately and must be open for the audience to participate.
Core hosts are needed. We can draw upon our existing talent pool, but also need fresh faces. Undition?
We could get the show rolling very quickly once the technology is in place. A streaming solution is required asap, as are three workstations and a large-capacity disk storage system. Scheduling and rotation can start with off-the-shelf packages commonly used for radio broadcast. Integration with PS+ will require engineering resources for viewer windows/modules and other interactive elements.
We can start testing as soon as the technology is in place, and we have at least one person handling content acquisition/clearances and conversion. One Associate Producer (Crayon?), sufficient imaging (Chris B) and at least 4 hosts. This will get us to 12 hours per day of original independently produced content flowing through The Plus.
In paralell, our studio facilities can be built, which need only consist of a Green Screen environment, appropriate lighting, 2 cameras and a high-end pc with the VC software.