CASE STUDY

Mediaflex®-UMS
Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd

Astro implements first Introduction

phase of asset and Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd is Southeast Asia’s leading integrated media group
workflow management with key operations in pay-TV, radio, content and digital. Astro today has a 67%
penetration of TV homes in Malaysia (i.e. 4.8 million customers). Astro broadcasts
infrastructure with TMD 183 channels including 54 HD channels, delivered via DTH satellite TV via the Measat
satellite network, IPTV and OTT platforms.
The organisation operates from two centres. It is headquartered in the Technology
Park Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, with the second site, known as CBC, 30 km away
across the capital in Cyberjaya. The two sites split broadcast functionality between
them, each broadcasting about half the channels. In times of disruption, the channel
bouquet is adjusted so that all of the most popular channels can be delivered from a
single site to provide business continuity.
Customer
Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd
Project The Challenge
Multi-phased MAM installation Like many highly successful broadcasters, Astro has seen its channel portfolio expand
dramatically in recent years. Fuelled by its success, it has added HD capabilities to its
Industry existing SD bouquets while simultaneous embracing the demands of its OTT audience.
Broadcast As a result, in 2013 the company’s management embarked on a plan to upgrade,
Location consolidate and streamline their technology platforms, improve processes, and
eliminate tape-based workflows in order to support further significant growth.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Astro was keen to get all content driven from a single set of workflows and reap the
Challenge full benefits of a software-defined architecture, moving all content as files under the
Installing a complete file-based command of automated workflows. Astro also recognised that its workflows needed
workflow environment to be flexible, which meant it needed to be able to design and modify workflows
simply and reliably without recourse to specialist programming skills or the resources
from third parties.
A fundamental shift to a new architecture was required, and that this should be
based on automated workflows directed by metadata. The company looked at the
market, and concluded that the TMD Mediaflex®-UMS platform, which combines
asset management with automated workflows, was the right solution to provide end-
to-end life cycle control of the company’s media assets.
 Mediaflex®-UMS | Astro CASE STUDY | 2

Design Requirements Integration

During the contract negotiation and system design phases, While TMD’s Mediaflex-UMS would provide a new unified
a number of key deliverables were defined. Once fully asset management and metadata system, as well as workflow
implemented, the new platform should: management, Astro had an existing investment in a diverse
range of systems that were currently delivering the channels.
• Improve operational productivity, through automating
Staff were familiar with their operations and so there was a
repetitive tasks and thereby releasing staff to perform
need to maintain them during and after the move to the new,
creative work
software-defined operations. As these assets become due
• Allow complete flexibility in workflows today and in the for renewal in the future, so the Mediaflex-UMS platform has
future, through the ability for Astro staff to design and edit to be sufficiently flexible for the replacement of subsystems
their own processes via a simple intuitive drag & drop GUI without any disruption to operations.
• Support software-defined workflows allowing automated All content (linear and non-linear) flowing through the system
decisions to be taken within workflows based on metadata is commissioned by the existing broadcast management
values, allowing workflows to branch as required and only technology scheduling system, so this is the origination point
escalate issue to operators when absolutely required for metadata. Metadata is added by other systems as required
and tracked by Mediaflex-UMS. Today ingest includes tapes, but
• Through the workflow flexibility, provide the capability to
increasingly material is being delivered as files, and at the point
deliver more channels and VoD content using the existing
of ingest there is a need to verify file integrity and, if necessary,
level of staffing for increased commercial effectiveness
transcode or transwrap to the house standard. Long-term
• Ingest content once and re-purpose as necessary across content storage is by a central archive. This links to the playout
the whole organisation automation systems and transfers content as required.
• Provide a single content preparation and management At the start of the project, SD and HD playout chains were
platform, covering all broadcast content (HD and SD) and separate. For standard definition channels Astro used an
online material in all its various formats and resolutions. automation system with ingest and playout servers. As that
• Remove all bottlenecks in content flows, and provide platform nears end of life, it will be redeveloped during the
reporting to give staff insight into pinch points and course of the project.
inefficiencies The HD platform was initially driven by a number of manual
• Move to an IP-connected, file-based architecture which processes using ingest servers, embedded editing, and
eliminated tapes and manual content transport extended playout servers and automation. There is also a third
broadcast content control system that is chiefly used for pass-
• Provide seamless integration between systems from through channels, which only requires delayed censorship,
multiple vendors, creating a single entity with a common advertising insertion, and dynamic content replacement. To
control and management layer achieve the required operational productivity and efficiency,
TMD worked closely with Astro to develop a phased approach Astro is using software modules from the Mediaflex-UMS suite
to the project that would achieve all of these objectives. to deliver the required playout functionality.
The project had to be deployed within a working and busy This will manage:
broadcast environment causing minimal disruptions to the
day-to-day business, but equally had to move as quickly as • Ingest from multiple sources, including transcoding as
possible to deliver the various benefits. required
• Automated QC tools linked to compliance editing as
required
• The ability to add annotation metadata at the point of ingest
• The creation of browse resolution proxies • ingest and
linking to subtitling and other access services
• Ingest and linking to dubbed audio, where necessary
shuffling tracks to ensure the assets are stored in a
standardised form
• Moving the content between storage elements including
the deep archive and playout servers
One specific workflow requirement that Astro demanded was
an extensive compliance procedure. Television in southeast
Asia, and particularly in Malaysia, is governed by strict codes
of practice on decency covering violence, sexual content, and
bad language. All content, immediately after ingest, goes to
compliance to be assessed and edited as required.
Mediaflex workflows can be designed and edited easily Channel controllers and genre commissioners have the ability
 Mediaflex®-UMS | Astro CASE STUDY | 3

to set rules around compliance editing, which are carried in Following a path well-proven by TMD, the next stage was to
the content metadata. build a test bed system. This is a standalone implementation
of the target development, but including so far as possible
Astro’s non-linear services are branded Astro On The Go
sub-sets of the external devices to be integrated as well as the
(AOTG), which is available online, for Apple iOS devices, and
Mediaflex-UMS software. Only with this test bed concept can
for many android devices. Some linear channels are streamed
such a far-reaching project be proven without risking on-air
live, and much content is available for catch-up. Astro also
operations.
hosts a growing VoD library.
With the software and interfacing comprehensively proved,
All of this functionality is overseen by TMD’s Mediaflex, which
the test bed system was then used to develop workflows. A
supervises metadata management and all content moves;
key part of the requirements was that suitably trained Astro
ensures only correct and quality checked material is released
staff could develop workflows to meet their real needs. They
for broadcast; and publishes content online against defined
were able to refine their skills as well as configuring the initial
business rules.
workflows.
While the proven solution was taken from the test bed to
Project Phasing the production system, the test bed platform remains in
place. This is important, not just for developing and testing
The contract was awarded in 2014. To ensure a managed
new workflows and for certifying software upgrades, but as a
transition and business continuity, the project was divided
training platform ensuring staff are fully comfortable with the
into a number of phases. Phase one of the project covered
capabilities of the integrated system before working on the
three core asset management areas:
live environment.
• Ingest
Finally, the system is going live on channels in a phased
• Quality assurance and compliance editing approach, driven largely by the needs of the channel groups.
• Interfacing with the various transmission playout systems As a general rule the HD channels go live first.

The work was also defined by a number of stages, from As a separate but vital part of the project, TMD has worked
requirements capture to going live. on the Front Porch Diva database. It was necessary to restore
the legacy data, extract the relevant metadata and transfer it
A broad range of operational staff were consulted in a series accurately to the Mediaflex-UMS schema. This ensures that
of workshops to determine precisely what tasks made up the there is a single, clear point of control over the archive, and
running of Astro. The involvement of staff at all levels and eliminates the risk of multiple versions confusing operations
from all departments ensured a clear understanding of what and occupying excess storage space.
was required.
From this it was simple to derive a gap analysis, identifying
where developments were required in workflows and in Business Benefits
technology, and where specific work was required within the With this project, Astro has a consistent, end-to-end approach
Mediaflex-UMS platform. This led naturally to the design and to all services. Content identities are created in the scheduling
specification stage. system and its metadata grows as it flows through the operation
all the way to transmission,
online availability and archiving.
As new versions are created,
so they are associated with the
master title identity.
Even live content is treated in
exactly the same way. A title is
created in the scheduling system,
other necessary metadata
added through Mediaflex (such
as incoming lines feeds) and
the file itself grows as the event
proceeds.
Equally, content commissioned
by Astro, including trailers and
marketing material as well as
programmes, is defined in the
scheduling system to create the
single master identity. Mediaflex
includes a production module
which allows users to create
work orders for all the versions
which will be required.
The Master Control Room at Astro
 Mediaflex®-UMS | Astro CASE STUDY | 4

This single point of reference for each piece of content delivers Mediaflex MiSR User Interface
two things. First, it allows a completely file-based approach,
moving to eliminate tapes and removable media. That is a Ultimately the whole operation of the broadcaster is simplified
significant saving in direct costs, and in continuing manual through common workflows, and becomes more cost-
operations. Second, it ensures that efficient use is made of effective.
storage, so that the content is available where it is needed
when it is needed. Mediaflex-UMS implements a number of Conclusion
tools which give staff at all levels the information they need to
With the implementation of Mediaflex-UMS as the integration
do their jobs.
layer and asset management, Astro now has a means of
One element of this is a facility which TMD calls MiSR (Missing configuring its workflows to precisely match their commercial,
Stuff Report). This is presented as an on-screen report showing technical and operational requirements.
which content is missing. Operators have the ability to filter
Moreover, the Mediaflex-UMS platform allows Astro itself
and order the report as they prefer, but typically this will just
to design and re-design workflows themselves, allowing the
be a list of missing content, ordered by transmission time so
organisation to grow in the future, whether through more
that the most urgent items will appear at the top of the list.
channels, more online services or new offerings such as ultra-
A browse content server is included which puts all the content high definition services and more. As consumers expect “TV
online for viewing in Astro offices. This is linked to the privileges everywhere” services, so AOTG (Astro On The Go) is certain to
system so users only have relevant material available to them, grow, and its success will depend upon ever tighter integration
to minimise network traffic and to keep everyone focused on with broadcast workflows.
their own roles.
Most important, this future-proof capability sits in Astro’s own
The goal of the project is to ensure that users across Astro hands. They can develop the necessary new workflows and
can view what is available against a title. From the title they control new functionality themselves, without the need for
can see, evaluate, check and schedule. They can identify what support from TMD.
versions exist, what formats they are stored in, and what
quality control and compliance checks have been made.

To find out how you could improve efficiencies in your

content supply chain, contact TMD today. UK Head Office: TransMedia Dynamics Ltd., Tower House,
High Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP20 1SQ, UK
www.tmd.tv t: +44 (0) 1296 745080 | e: [email protected]

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