LONDON and MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA--(Marketwire - Mar 6, 2013) - Ooyala, the fastest growing online video technology company, today announced it is powering the UK's first regional commercial TV channel, for the Norwich and Norfolk region. Mustard's blend of news, sport and other regionally-flavored content is available now across PCs, tablets and smartphones at MustardTV.co.uk, and is coming to digital TV service Freeview in the autumn. The service is called Mustard TV in a nod to the famous Colman's condiment that has its origins in Norwich, and is owned by regional newspaper publisher Archant. Archant also owns magazines and daily papers including the Eastern Daily Press.
Mustard TV is the first local channel launch following Parliament granting Ofcom, the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, the power and duty to award independent local TV licenses. It will air seven days a week from 6am to midnight online and is using Ooyala's online video technology and analytic tools to help target relevant content to its viewers across all of the various devices that consumers increasingly use to view content both in and out of the home.
Archant chose Ooyala to power its new online channel because of Ooyala's market-leading position delivering detailed viewer analytics tightly integrated with an off-the-shelf solution -- providing a simple yet sophisticated channel launch. Ooyala's Big Data architecture and video analytics deliver key insights on audience behavior that inform critical decisions for premium video broadcasters.
Fiona Ryder, managing director of Mustard TV, said, "Partnering with Ooyala has enabled us to launch quickly, and by using its analytics we will be able to engage with our audiences and ensure we are delivering relevant content. The seamless integration between Ooyala and our existing back office systems has enabled us to reduce time to market and realise multiple workflow efficiencies from day one. We are excited to launch this valuable service to the people of Norwich, bringing to life a wide range of relevant local issues, stimulating well-informed debate, and motivating local people to engage. Our vision is for Mustard TV to be seen as a community asset: a local broadcast service that reflects life and champions community concerns giving viewers a new voice. Ooyala is the ideal partner to help us achieve that goal."
Mustard TV's news bulletins will devote roughly five times as much airtime to Norwich focused news each weekday than to the existing coverage provided by BBC East and ITV Anglia, and its flagship magazine programme, The Mustard Show, will add over three hours per week of Norwich-related programming to the Freeview schedule. Ooyala's technology will enable Mustard TV to personalise and tailor programming for its audience. Other content will include original local programming in a number of genres such as factual, entertainment and documentary, arts and sports coverage.
Neil Berry, vice president of EMEA for Ooyala, said, "Ofcom's ability to award local TV licenses has opened up new opportunities for local media companies to broadcast relevant content to local audiences. The challenge and opportunity will be to make these online channels a destination for local audiences as they compete with other sources of local content online. By utilising Ooyala's powerful analytics, it is now possible for broadcasters to fully assess what their audience is watching and tailor hyper-local programming accordingly. Ooyala's solution is helping Mustard TV personalise programming for its audience in a way that also unlocks the maximum monetization potential of its content."
About Ooyala
Ooyala delivers personalized video experiences across all screens and is the leader in online video management, publishing, analytics and monetization. Our integrated suite of technologies and services give content owners the power to expand audiences through deep insights that drive increased viewer engagement and revenue from video.
Companies using Ooyala technology include Telstra, ESPN, Pac-12 Enterprises, Miramax, Bloomberg, Telegraph Media Group, Telefonica, The North Face, Rolling Stone, Dell, Sephora and Yahoo! Japan. Headquartered in Mountain View, California, Ooyala has offices in New York City, London, Sydney, Tokyo and Guadalajara, Mexico. The company works with premier reseller and technology partners throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa, Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. For more information visit www.ooyala.com.
Contact Information:
Steve Biondolillo
steveb@ooyala.com