broadcast vendor-provided professional services

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Broadcast VendorProvided Professional Services Delivering competitive differentiation August 2012 MAD Perspectives LLC Peggy Dau

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The broadcast industry continues evolve. As a result the vendors serving this dynamic industry are also expanding their capabilities to include professional services. This white paper highlights the market trends and challenges facing broadcast vendors.

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   Broadcast  Vendor-­‐Provided  Professional  Services  Delivering  competitive  differentiation                                              August  2012  MAD  Perspectives  LLC  Peggy  Dau  

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION  

Vendors  serving  the  broadcast  markets  have  been  undergoing  a  dramatic  shift  in  their  product  and  service  offerings  over  the  past  decade.    While  these  companies  achieved  recognition  for  products  to  capture,  manage,  process,  and  deliver  broadcast  content,  the  proprietary  products  of  the  past  have  given  way  to  software-­‐based  solutions  run  on  industry-­‐standard  servers.    As  a  result,  the  service  offerings  from  these  companies  have  shifted  as  well.    Vendors  have  had  to  improve  their  customer  support  offerings,  enabling  some  level  of  customer  self-­‐service  while  providing  process  improvements  to  fulfill  customer  need  for  rapid  problem  resolution.    In  addition,  professional  services,  which  had  been  the  domain  of  independent  local  system  integrators,  have  become  a  strategic  differentiator  for  many  product  vendors.  

This  analysis  will  present  market  trends  and  customer  perspectives  leveraging  leading  industry  research  reports,  competitive  reviews  and  vendor  interviews.    The  analysis  took  place  from  March-­‐May  2012,  assessing  alignment  of  defined  customer  needs  versus  actual  customer  investment.    MAD  Perspectives  engaged  in  discussion  with  broadcast  vendors,  broadcast  companies,  industry  consultants  and  analysts  to  validate  key  trends  as  well  as  market  perceptions  regarding  professional  services  providers.  This  analysis  incorporates  content  reflecting  publically  available  data  regarding  key  offerings  from  identified  vendors  serving  the  broadcast  market.  The  intent  of  this  analysis  is  to  baseline  the  current  state  of  professional  services  in  the  broadcast  market  and  rationalizes  the  professional  services  growth  opportunity  for  broadcast  vendors.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABOUT  MAD  PERSPECTIVES  LLC.  

MAD  Perspectives  is  passionate  about  digital  media  and  the  technologies  that  are  shifting  the  way  that  businesses  communicate  and  collaborate  to  accomplish  business  goals.    MAD  Perspectives  leverages    25+  years  of  corporate  business  experience  to  assess  business  needs,  define  strategy,  develop  solution  selling  and  relevant  go-­‐to-­‐market  models  and  create  effective  communications.  

Founder  Peggy  Dau,  has  spent  the  last  10  years  identifying  trends,  opportunities  and  solutions  surrounding  the  delivery,  management  and  consumption  of  premium  digital  media  content.    Since  founding  MAD  Perspectives  in  2009,  Peggy  has  consulted  for  high-­‐tech  companies  and  broadcast  vendors  serving  the  media  and  entertainment  industry.  MAD  tracks  market  trends  and  emerging  technologies  while  making  the  connection  between  business  goals  and  relevant  solutions  to  define  new  ways  of  achieving  success.  

 

MARKET  OVERVIEW  

The  constant  evolution  of  the  broadcast  market  has  resulted  in  a  greater  number  of  participants  from  both  the  customer  and  vendor  perspectives.    Improved  network  capacity  has  opened  the  door  for  broadcast  content  consumption  via  devices  never  before  considered  to  provide  viable  alternatives  to  TV.    At  the  same  time,  companies  known  for  aggregating  content  are  now  becoming  producers  (e.g.,  Google/YouTube).    These  shifts  present  opportunities  for  product  vendors  and  professional  services  firms,  even  as  they  create  greater  competition  and  introduce  new  challenges  for  traditional  broadcasters.  

 

Figure  1:  Market  Shifts  Create  Opportunities  

Broadcasters  have  been  facing  relevancy  challenges  as  online  news  aggregators  and  social  media  networks  deliver  news  in  real-­‐time.    In  most  cases,  broadcasters  have  elected  to  brand  their  own  online  and  social  channels.    This  has  introduced  the  need  for  incremental  resources  to  produce  content  for  these  channels  and  manage  interaction  with  consumers.    Broadcast  journalists  are  now  not  only  expected  to  uncover  and  share  the  news  on-­‐air,  they  are  also  expected  to  interact  with  viewers.    In  addition,  for  the  first  time,  broadcasters  are  able  to  get  instantaneous  feedback  related  to  programming,  content  and  presentation.    These  pressures  are  forcing  broadcasters  to  prioritize  solutions  simplifying  content  production  and  streamlining  workflow,  while  enabling  the  introduction  of  content  from  non-­‐traditional  sources  (e.g.,  social  media)  and  the  simultaneous  distribution  of  content  across  a  variety  of  networks  to  an  even  greater  number  of  devices.  

As  the  number  of  broadcasters  and  content  producers  increase  (e.g.,  local  stations,  religious  organizations,  educational  institutions,  online  services,  corporations),  so  do  the  range  of  requirements.    Technology  purchase  decisions  are  no  longer  solely  feature/functionality  based,  but  incorporate  a  broader  set  of  business  needs,  including:  revenue  generation,  business  process,  total  cost  of  ownership,  return  on  investment,  time  to  market  and,  perhaps  most  importantly,  risk  mitigation.    Add  to  this  that  broadcasting  is  an  industry  in  which  the  technology  itself  is  transitioning  from  purpose-­‐built  hardware  to  software-­‐based  solutions  leveraging  industry-­‐standard  IT  servers.    The  relevance  and  need  for  consulting  and  professional  services  to  define  pragmatic  solutions,  improve  operational  efficiency  and  increase  monetization  opportunities  has  never  been  higher.    

 

Customers  are  seeking  hardware,  software  and  services  to  address  the  infrastructure  requirements  supporting  their  most  basic  business  goals:  revenue  generation  and  cost  mitigation.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure  2:  Customer  Solution  Drivers  

In  fact,  the  Devoncroft  Big  Broadcast  Survey  has  found  a  disparity  between  the  prioritization  of  industry  trends  and  actual  spending  by  broadcasters.    The  2011  survey  indicated  multi-­‐channel  content  delivery  as  the  trend  most  broadcasters  were  talking  about,  yet  their  project  dollars  were  spent  on  HD  upgrades.    This  anomaly  can  be  attributed  to  the  competitive  need  to  provide  HD  content  to  consumers  and  the  challenges  surrounding  multi-­‐channel  content  delivery.    Without  addressing  the  internal  workflows  necessary  to  prepare  content  for  delivery  in  different  formats,  customers  cannot  pursue  solutions  to  simplify  distribution  and  delivery.    This  is  where  consultants  are  stepping  in  to  help  broadcasters  understand  the  dependencies  and  interconnectivity  between  a  variety  of  technology,  process  and  human  resource  topics.  

As  this  industry  continues  to  adapt  to  consumer  demands,  new  market  participants  and  ever-­‐evolving  technology,  the  opportunities  to  advise,  design  and  deploy  will  continue  to  grow.    The  choice  is  to  be  a  vendor  providing  products  where  the  most  differentiating  factor  is  increasingly  price  rather  than  features  and  functionality  or  to  provide  differentiation  through  the  delivery  of  solution-­‐centric  professional  services.  

 

CUSTOMER  REQUIREMENTS  

In  speaking  with  broadcasters,  the  terms  ”systems  integration,”  “professional  services”  and  “consulting”  are  used  interchangeably.  The  overall  market  definition  of  systems  integration  includes  construction  and  cabling  of  physical  studios,  in  addition  to  the  deployment  of  cameras,  routers,  switchers,  control  room  automation,  etc.    Customers  interviewed  during  this  analysis  have  narrowed  their  definition  to  represent  the  implementation  of  integrated  technologies  supporting  a  defined  workflow  environment.    The  expectations  for  vendors  providing  professional  services  are:  

• Integration  of  vendor  and  third-­‐party  products,  including  those  from  competitors  

 

• Robust  project  management  capabilities,  with  a  project  team  comprised  of  customer,  vendor  and/or  third-­‐party  engineers  

• Interoperability  testing,  including  upfront  advice  as  to  products  already  tested  and  the  conditions  recommended  for  optimal  use  

• Collaborative  deployment  model  (e.g.,  working  side-­‐by-­‐side  with  customer  engineers  to  educate  them  during  deployment  as  to  nuances  of  the  systems  being  integrated)  

• Knowledge  of  systems  and  workflows,  anticipating  customer  challenges  and  requirements  • Capability,  process  and  methodology  to  mitigate  customer  risk  

Demand  for  services  to  define,  plan,  design,  implement,  integrate,  test  and  deploy  is  on  the  rise  as  broadcasters  address  challenges  to  utilize  infrastructure  more  effectively  while  accessing  new  markets  via  new  distribution  channels.    “Professional  services”  or  “consulting  services”  are  widely  defined  by  customers  as  any  services  providing  assistance  in  educating,  formulating  and  architecting  solutions.    These  services  can  be  provided  by  broadcast  or  IT  vendors,  hardware  or  software  suppliers  or  pure  system  integrators.  

Customers  are  seeking  assistance  from  vendors  who  define  a  vision  to  support  company  strategy  and  turn  that  vision  into  a  functional  design.    They  recognize  a  lack  of  in-­‐house  knowledge  when  it  comes  to  designing  complex  systems,  particularly  those  that  integrate  multiple  functions  across  many  departments.    Broadcasters  demand  partners  who  can  analyze  their  unique  needs  and  architect  integrated,  best-­‐of-­‐breed  solutions  that  are  customized  to  their  specific  requirements.  As  broadcasters  plan  for  next  generation  services,  they  hope  to  “leapfrog”  to  cutting  edge  technology  that  will  address  their  growth  requirements.      

Professional  services  providers  must  be  able  to  address  not  only  current  needs,  but  provide  the  roadmap  as  to  how  technology  will  address  future  demands.    They  must  be  able  to  reflect  market  knowledge  from  both  a  business  and  technology  perspective  and  define  an  implementation  plan  that  mitigates  risk.  Vendors  who  can  address  both  business  and  technology  needs,  in  a  partnership  model  of  shared  risk,  stand  to  gain  the  most  traction.    Customers  are  not  only  seeking  advice  as  to  the  most  relevant  technology,  they  are  pursuing  insight  into  new  business  models,  go-­‐to-­‐market  channels  and  revenue  streams.      

Customers  are  asking  consultants  to  assess  organizational  structure  as  related  to  business  process  and  identify  areas  for  operational  efficiencies.    They  want  to  understand  the  risks  and  benefits  of  insourcing  or  outsourcing  parts  of  their  workflows.    Customer  perception  of  consultants  generally  leans  towards  recognizing  that  these  consultants  may  not  have  a  deep  knowledge  of  broadcast  technology,  but  that  they  understand  business  operations.  

Customer  perception  is  won  through  successful  engagement.  The  key  capabilities  broadcasters  are  seeking  from  professional  services  vendors  are:  

• Broadcast  market  knowledge  (business  vision,  respect  for  broadcast  transition,  technology  products  and  trends)  

• Agnostic  approach  to  products,  focus  on  functionality  • Business  modeling,  workflow  analysis,  new  service  definition  • Validation  of  product/system  interoperability    

 

• Addressing  business  continuity  from  a  broadcast  environment  perspective  • Defined  project  management  methodology  relevant  to  the  industry  

Each  type  of  integrator  brings  its  own  competencies  to  the  table.    While  the  broadcast  vendors  have  intimate  knowledge  of  the  technologies  and  business  challenges  facing  the  industry,  broadcast  and  IT  system  integrators  bring  unique  competencies  to  transform  business  and  technology  operations  that  the  broadcast  vendors  have  not  yet  achieved.  

Knowledge  built  from  deploying  products  throughout  broadcast  operations  gives  broadcast  vendors  a  strong  entry  point  for  offering  professional  services.    Those  vendors  that  can  separate  solution  recommendations  from  product  sales  will  earn  deeper  customer  relationships,  which  will  result  in  increased  product  sales.    Broadcast  vendors  can  learn  from  their  agnostic  competitors  in  how  they  lead  with  their  professional  services  to  address  business,  function  and  technology  requirements.  

 

MARKET  PARTICIPANTS  

Systems  integration  has  long  been  a  challenge  in  the  broadcast  space.    The  complexity  of  functions  performed  within  a  broadcast  operation  raises  challenges  for  performance  and  consistency.    There  are  many  vendors  providing  products  that  address  specific  needs,  while  competing  at  the  high  and  low  ends  of  the  market.    Customers  seek  integrators  with  the  ability  to  combine  systems  from  different  vendors,  creating  cohesive  end-­‐to-­‐end  workflows  from  acquisition  to  production,  playout  and  distribution.    Challenges  arise  when  one  vendor  upgrades  its  product  without  validating  continued  interoperability  with  other  vendor  products.    

There  are  several  types  of  vendors  providing  professional  services  in  the  broadcast  space.    They  can  be  categorized  as:  

• Broadcast  Vendors,  who  provide  services  to  install,  commission  and  integrate  their  products  • Broadcast  System  Integrators,  who  combine  technology  and  business  experience  specific  to  the  

broadcast  industry  to  envision,  design,  implement  and  integrate  solutions  • IT  System  Integrators,  who  use  business  requirements  to  define  technology  solutions  facilitating  content  

monetization,  operational  efficiency  and  business  agility  

Broadcast  vendors  have  inconsistently  enriched  their  service  capabilities  by  offering  professional  services.    The  vendors  that  do  offer  professional  services  reflect  their  capabilities  using  terms  common  to  all  consultants  and  system  integrators.    The  question  is  in  the  maturity  level  of  their  services.    Maturity  comes  from  definition  and  use  of  consistent  processes  and  methodologies.    It  is  also  present  in  the  experience  of  the  project  managers,  solution  architects  and  system  engineers.    

 

 

 

 

VENDOR  PROFILES  

We  spoke  with  EVS,  Grass  Valley,  and  Harmonic.    Each  of  these  vendors  has  been  providing  products  to  the  broadcast  industry  for  over  15  years.    More  interestingly,  each  of  these  vendors  has  increased  its  focus  on  its  professional  services  organization  in  the  past  year  or  two.    Consistently,  each  vendor  indicated  that  customers  were  pursuing  vendor-­‐provided  professional  services  to  help  with  the  following:  

1. Software-­‐Centric  Products.  The  increasing  volume  of  software-­‐based  products,  installed  on  industry  standard  servers,  has  reduced  total  cost  of  ownership  and  simplified  upgrade  paths  and  workflow  integration.    However,  customers  do  require  assistance  to  install,  configure  and  customize  software  to  meet  their  specific  requirements.    In  addition,  these  products  introduce  new  concerns  for  managing  security,  performance,  scalability  and  usability.  

2. Augment  In-­‐House  Expertise:  Many  solutions  used  in  the  broadcast  industry  were  developed  in-­‐house,  and  broadcaster  staff  often  had  the  expertise  to  create  customized  solutions  to  augment  or  integrate  existing  functionality  provided  by  broadcast  vendor  products.  With  the  shift  to  software-­‐based  products,  budget  pressures  reducing  engineering  and  operations  headcount  and  a  focus  on  using  existing  headcount  to  support  revenue-­‐generating  activities,  broadcasters  simply  don’t  have  the  knowledge  or  the  bandwidth  to  handle  product  implementations.  

3. Mitigate  Risk:  While  products  have  become  less  complex  to  install,  they  have  become  more  complicated  to  use  and  manage  as  part  of  an  integrated  workflow.    Broadcasters  are  seeking  assistance  to  define  the  end-­‐to-­‐end  architecture,  validate  interoperability  between  products  and  manage  the  overall  implementation.    A  single  project  manager  will  establish  the  project  plan,  working  with  each  vendor  to  ensure  the  implementation  stays  on  schedule  and  within  budget.  

4. Training:  Due  to  the  complexity  (or  “flexibility”)  of  software-­‐based  products,  in-­‐house  staff  requires  training  on  both  the  technical  and  operational  aspects  of  the  products.  Vendors  must  develop  providing  a  combination  of  onsite  and  online  training  to  educate  managers  and  users  of  the  systems.  

Each  vendor’s  strategy  is  aligned  with  core  competencies,  corporate  initiatives  and  a  recognition  that  products  alone  do  not  fulfill  customer  need.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.evs.tv  

EVS  has  recognized  that  the  days  of  interconnecting  cables  and  creating  customized  products  are  over,  and  that  the  market  is  demanding  solutions  that  can  easily  adapt  to  any  customer’s  specific  requirements.    Not  only  are  their  customers  seeking  flexibility  in  how  solutions  can  be  deployed,  they  demand  that  vendors  provide  the  resources  to  implement  the  solution  in  their  environment.        

EVS’  strategy  is  to  listen  to  their  customers  and  understand  how  they  wish  to  use  a  product  then  use  their  professional  services  team  to  implement  the  solution  in  the  manner  desired  by  the  customer.    This  results  in  customized  software  deployments  with  key  features  that  are  rolled  into  future  product  releases.    EVS  professional  services  then  provide  the  required  training  to  optimize  customer  use  of  the  configured  solution.  

 

EVS’  professional  services  team  is  growing.    EVS  sees  this  team  as  key  part  of  its  strategy  to  make  its  customers  happy.    EVS  has  prioritized  customer  satisfaction  as  it  expands  its  professional  services  capabilities.  The  team  provides  a  new  way  to  deliver  solutions  and  interact  with  customers.      Opportunities  are  pursued  directly  as  well  as  through  partnerships  with  global  or  local  system  integrators.    With  the  customer  at  the  center  of  its  strategy,  EVS  is  positioned  for  increased  revenue  from  both  products  and  services.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“With  roots  in  live  sports  broadcast,  EVS’  strategy  has  focused  on  three  key  attributes;  reliability,  modular  systems  and  responsive  support. Viewer  behavior  has  dramatically  changed  the  broadcast  landscape  with  an  ongoing  shift  in  how  and  where  content  is  consumed.  EVS  is  helping  industry  professionals  monetize  their  content  through  tangible  and  flexible  media  solutions.”              Johann  Schreurs,  EVS  General  Manager  New  Media  Broadcast  

 

 

http://www.grassvalley.com  

Grass  Valley  continues  to  evolve  its  service  offerings,  despite  its  spin-­‐off  from  Thompson/Technicolor.  Professional  Services  are  a  key  element  of  their  strategy  to  be  a  trusted  partner  to  their  customers.    Drawing  on  its  history  of  product  innovation  and  ability  to  adapt  in  a  rapidly  changing  industry,  they  recognize  the  need  to  deliver  services  addressing  the  transactional  and  transformational  needs  of  their  customers.  Grass  Valley  is  providing  services  to  define  and  deploy  both  product  led  and  industry  specific  solutions.    Their  solutions  reflect  the  company’s  strengths  in  live  production,  news  and  playout.  

Grass  Valley  recognizes  the  growth  and  value  provided  by  its  software  solutions.    However,  they  also  recognize  the  challenge  this  represents  to  their  customers.    Software  based  solutions  introduce  new  concerns  related  to  security,  performance,  interoperability  and  usability.  As  a  result,  they  have  developed  services  to  manage,  secure  and  optimize  their  hardware  and  software  products  -­‐  all  focused  on  improving  the  customer  experience.    Grass  Valley  is  taking  advantage  of  regional  strengths  and  sharing  knowledge  globally  to  create  a  comprehensive  and  consistent  professional  services  offer.    This  includes  a  go-­‐to-­‐market  model  that  includes  services  partners.    

Grass  Valley  continues  to  invest  in  a  robust  training  program  targeting  customers  and  partners.    This  demonstrates  their  clear  understanding  of  the  customers’  mandates  for  both  operational  and  technical  knowledge  as  a  key  component  for  success.  Grass  Valley’s  focus  on  governance,  training  and  solutions  represent  a  strategy  recognizing  customer  need  for  technology  expertise  that  goes  beyond  the  product  itself  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Most  broadcasters  have  a  wealth  of  experience  in  traditional  broadcasting,  however  increasingly  the  introduction  of  disruptive  technology  and  competition  from  new  entrants  is  leading  them  to  seek  greater  support  from  their  suppliers  to  ensure  swift  secure  implementations.  At  Grass  Valley  we  have  embraced  this  need  and  seek  to  provide  our  customers  with  complementary  skills  that  de-­‐risk  projects  and  speed  up  implementation."    Marcos  Gonzalez-­‐Flower,  Grass  Valley  VP  EMEA  Services  

 

 

 

www.harmonicinc.com  

Harmonic  has  realized  that  leading  with  solutions  rather  than  individual  products  opens  the  door  for  a  wider  conversation  with  customers.    With  products  across  the  digital  video  value  chain,  they  are  focused  on  differentiation  through  providing  customers  with  solutions  greater  than  the  sum  of  their  parts.    Harmonic,  in  listening  to  its  customers,  has  realized  that  their  customers  are  willing  to  pay  for  services  if  they  understand  the  benefit.    In  most  cases,  their  customers  reflect  the  ongoing  trend  of  reduced  engineering  resources  or  resources  without  the  knowledge  to  implement  today’s  network-­‐oriented  or  software  based  products.  

Harmonic  is  committed  to  growing  its  Professional  Services  team.    However,  they  recognize  the  internal  cultural  challenge  of  shifting  the  mindset  of  a  product  company  to  understand  the  value  of  services.    They  are  addressing  this  hurdle  through  close  alignment  with  product  teams,  facilitating  new  product  introductions  with  complementary  and  differentiating  services  and  showcasing  customer  value  achieved  through  solution  sales.      

Harmonic’s  go-­‐to-­‐market  model  is  a  solution  sale  that  incorporates  products,  networking  and  services.    The  services  component  includes  implementation,  integration,  testing  and  training.    They  often  pursue  a  “Proof-­‐of-­‐Concept”  model  that  allows  them  to  prove  the  feasibility  of  their  proposed  solutions.    In  their  customer  engagements,  they  focus  on  the  customer’s  business  priorities  and  the  end-­‐to-­‐end  requirements  to  achieve  them.      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Professional  services  are  a  key  element  in  leveraging  the  strength  of  the  broad  Harmonic  product  and  technology  portfolio  to  provide  comprehensive  solutions  for  our  customers.”    Alex  Derecho,  Harmonic  VP  Professional  Services  

 

 

PROFESSIONAL  SERVICES  BEST  PRACTICES  

As  broadcasters  pursue  and  implement  new  solutions  to  drive  revenue  and  reduce  costs,  they  are  faced  with  multiple  alternatives  when  selecting  professional  services  providers.    As  broadcast  vendors  enhance  their  services  capabilities,  they  should  strive  to  attain  the  perceived  maturity  level  of  their  system  integrator  competitors/partners.  

GOVERNANCE • DEFINE  PROJECT  MANAGEMENT  METHODOLOGY • DEVELOP  CONSISTENT  DEAL  PURSUIT,  REVIEW  &  PRICING  MODEL • IMPLEMENT  GLOBAL  KNOWLEDGE  MANAGEMENT • CREATE  CONSISTENT  &  COMPREHENSIVE  DOCUMENTATION • CONTINUOUSLY  DEVELOP  INTERNAL  &  EXTERNAL  TRAINING

GO-­‐TO-­‐MARKET • PACKAGE  PRODUCT-­‐LED  SOLUTIONS  FOR  CONSISTENT,  PREDICTABLE  DELIVERY • PURSUE  COMPLEX  TRANSFORMATIONAL  SOLUTIONS  ALIGNED  WITH  INDUSTRY  STRENGTHS • RECOGNIZE  CUSTOMER  GOALS  AND/OR  LIMITATIONS  AND  PROMOTE  SOLUTIONS  ACCORDINGLY • FORMALIZE  STRATEGIC  PARTNERSHIPS  TO  AUGMENT  TECHNOLOGY  CAPABILITIES  AND  GLOBAL  REACH

 

CONCLUSION  

Given  the  complex  nature  of  broadcast  operations,  it  is  natural  that  the  global  market  reflects  a  high  number  of  niche  system  integrators.    The  IABM  identifies  more  than  fifty  independent  vendors  supporting  broadcast  needs  in  specific  countries  or  regions.  The  maturity  and  capabilities  of  these  integrators  reflects  the  nature  of  the  broadcast  markets  in  which  they  reside.  Countries  with  mature  broadcasters  are  focused  on  managing  transitions  (HD,  tapeless  workflow)  and  introduction  of  new  channels.    However,  less-­‐developed  countries  are  seeking  complete  facility  build  out.    In  both  cases,  the  requirement  for  agnostic  consulting  and  design  provides  the  competitive  differentiation  for  niche  SIs  versus  their  broadcast  vendor  partners.      

The  value  each  these  vendors  brings  to  their  customers  will  continue  to  evolve  and  shift  based  on  market  need.    The  ongoing  adoption  of  IT-­‐based  solutions  will  allow  IT  vendors  to  increase  their  penetration  across  all  segments  of  the  digital  media  lifecycle.    The  challenge  for  broadcast  vendors  is  to  increase  the  value  associated  with  the  services  they  provide.    If  these  vendors  want  to  become  true  partners  to  their  customers,  they  must  provide  services  that  may  start  with  product  integration,  but  must  evolve  to  address  wider  requirements.      

As  broadcasters  face  increasing  pressure  to  streamline  operations,  services  have  become  more  important  as  a  means  to  mitigate  or  share  risk.    More  importantly  for  vendors,  these  services  provide  them  with  incremental  differentiation  in  a  market  with  increasingly  commoditized  products.    Professional  service  providers  must  rise  to  the  challenge  of  fulfilling  both  business  and  technology  issues  related  to  increased  revenue,  improved  employee  productivity,  operational  efficiency  and  future-­‐proof  technology.