New standard simplifies delivery process of media assets for online video

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On 19 January, the Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA) and Motion Pictures
Laboratories, Inc. (MovieLabs) released the Media Manifest Delivery Core
specification, a simplified scheme for the delivery of media assets related to online
motion picture and television content.

The Media Manifest Delivery Core, jointly developed by EMA and MovieLabs with
participation from EMA-member companies, derives from the more encompassing
Media Manifest specification and will be used to identify assets such as video and
audio files, trailers, subtitles, closed captions and images that are delivered to an
online distributor for a video title. In doing so, the Media Manifest Delivery Core
organises the packaging of the multitude of files needed for online video and the
various versions required in countries around the world to enable retailers to
deliver and manage the user experience. The specification enables automation and
allows online retailers to scale up global operations and deliver assets to 100+
countries with much greater efficiency and speed.

Key members of EMA have been working together to push this new standard in
order to more rapidly scale up international expansion.

The reality of getting online video from the content provider, through the retailer,
and ultimately to the consumer is quite complex, and EMA is committed to
identifying and promoting ways to generate greater efficiencies in the digital supply
chain, noted Mark Fisher, president and CEO of EMA. The Media Manifest Delivery
Core is a significant contribution to that effort and will help ensure the highest
quality user experiences across all platforms. We were pleased to work with
MovieLabs to help refine the Media Manifest Delivery Core.

« This is a key element in the process of helping online retailers expand
internationally, declared Craig Seidel, vice president, Distribution Technology at
MovieLabs. This scheme will automate the process. More automation cuts errors,
increases efficiency and turnaround, eases support for multiple language deliveries,
and future proofs the full offering lifecycle.

The Media Manifest Delivery Core is keyed to the EMA Content Availability Metadata
(Avails) specification. Avails are the communications from content providers to
retailers about when a video title will be available online and in which territories,
plus the language, run-time, format, and the like.

The Media Manifest Delivery Core was refined by a workgroup consisting of EMA-
member digital retailers and MovieLabs.

For more information visit the MovieLabs website.

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