Since most Pay TV operators provide around seven days of guide information through custom-built guide applications, they have to acquire the data to populate the guide from somewhere, because the most commonly used industry standard format, DVB-SI, does not support 7-day ahead information, nor is the data set rich enough to support these more robust guides.

For pay TV operators, to date, typically the guide is a cost center and the schedule data must be acquired from a separate third party (known as ‘metadata aggregators, who collect this information from all the channels).

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The most common solution is to use a ‘metadata aggregator’ or ‘TV listings’ company - specialist firms who collect the broadcast schedules and prepare them in a format suitable for compatibility with the EPG system.

Numerous new standards have been prepared and introduced by the leading minds of the industry. However, acquiring data in these news formats is not yet widespread. Thus, there is still widespread disparity amongst producers, content owners and broadcasters regarding how they describe their programs.

Rather than offer an academic or political view on standards-based metadata exchange, we instead focus on the business objectives of broadcasters, operators and other key elements of the value-chain.

For the delivery of information describing content choices, information must be ‘machine - interchangeable’ meaning that it can be useful across many different types of EPG or entertainment information services, whether they are on digital TV, the web or on mobile devices. 

Why? Because the EPG provider needs to receive a single incoming data format for great number of individual channels. It’s just not practical to manage multiple incoming data formats; and each EPG ‘database’ will require specific fields and characteristics. The metadata aggregator therefore provides a useful role in the delivery of data in different formats to different EPG operators. 

We strive to assist our clients by focusing on good system design, closing down ambiguities and designing effective operational procedures. We also aim to work with our clients to create the best possible data in order that useful information in the right format reaches the ultimate consumer.