Turner Broadcasting Selects Digital Rapids' Kayak Workflow Platform for Multi-Screen Media Operations

MARKHAM, Ontario, Nov. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital Rapids announced today that Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.) has chosen the Kayak™ dynamic workflow platform as the technology foundation to power Turner's media processing operations for its current and future multi-screen video initiatives. The two companies have expanded their relationship, collaborating on advanced workflows to bring Turner's extensive range of premium content to audiences across an expanding range of viewing platforms.

As the technology platform powering the upcoming version 2.0 of the Digital Rapids Transcode Manager^® high-volume media processing software, Kayak integrates seamlessly with existing Transcode Manager deployments while adding unprecedented new levels of intelligent automation and new video processing functionality not available in any other solution on the market.

Turner's initial use of Kayak and Transcode Manager 2.0, processing and transforming content for multi-platform distribution, showcases the capabilities of the Kayak platform.  Incorporating tasks from multi-stage image processing and transcoding to packaging the media into the multiple formats required by varying viewing devices, the Kayak-based workflow addresses the challenges of processing a vast back-catalog of content with widely varying technical characteristics. Leveraging its robust metadata handling and continuous analysis of the media on a frame-by-frame and sample-by-sample basis, Kayak's intelligent, logic-driven automation adapts the workflows to the source content, minimizing manual effort while maximizing processing efficiency and eliminating unnecessary steps.

Kayak's modular, component-based architecture and rich development environment also enable the easy integration of custom-developed functionality directly into the Kayak architecture.

"We have developed our own custom Kayak components, enabling seamless integration with Turner's existing business systems," said Brooks Tobey, SVP Sales Solutions and Multi-Screen Development & Delivery at Turner, "and we are pleased to partner with Digital Rapids to further our digital encoding initiatives."

"This platform allows us to efficiently process and deliver content from our news and entertainment services across a wide array of consumer platforms," said Keith Chandler, Vice President, Media and Multi-Platform Operations at Turner.

"We're proud that Turner Broadcasting, a pioneer in the multi-screen delivery of premium content, has chosen Kayak as the foundation of their media operations," said Brick Eksten, President and CEO of Digital Rapids Corporation. "Kayak is the ideal platform to enable forward-thinking media organizations to execute on their ideas, while freeing them to focus on their core business rather than the technology that supports it. We're also thrilled to be building on our successful relationship with Turner with our new strategic partnership, through which both of our companies will benefit from our close collaboration."

A significant departure from other workflow technology approaches, Kayak enables media organizations to design, deploy and manage customized workflows that empower their businesses with the operational efficiency, agility and insight they need to thrive in the expanding multi-screen media landscape. Kayak's component-based architecture and rich, open ecosystem provide unparalleled ease in integrating new technologies, while its intelligent automation and dynamic deployment model maximize processing efficiency, optimize resource utilization, minimize management effort and reduce costs. Kayak is available as a comprehensive workflow technology platform for customers, systems integrators and software developers, and in product form within the Digital Rapids Transcode Manager 2.0 high-volume media processing solution. 

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news; entertainment; animation and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

For more information about Digital Rapids, please visit www.digitalrapids.com.

About Digital Rapids Corporation– Digital Rapids provides market-leading content transformation and workflow solutions that empower the world's leading media organizations to reach wider audiences more efficiently, more effectively and more profitably. Recipients of more than two dozen prestigious awards for company and product excellence, Digital Rapids combines innovative technology with proven expertise and visionary insight to help our customers expand their audiences, increase their revenues, and reduce their costs. Digital Rapids Corporation (www.digitalrapids.com) is headquartered in Ontario, Canada with offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Australia and Argentina.

Copyright 2012 Digital Rapids Corporation. All rights reserved. Digital Rapids, the Digital Rapids logo, Digital Rapids Transcode Manager and Kayak are trademarks or registered trademarks of Digital Rapids Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders. Features, pricing, availability and specifications are subject to change without notice.

SOURCE Digital Rapids Corporation