Enterprise Content Management for Converging Media Channels

By Marisa Peacock | Published Jun 14, 2010

The process of managing content across various media channels has evolved so as to keep up with the new and emerging types of media. It used to be photos and email, but now it’s mobile, video and social networking. Yet, as the enterprise increases its adoption of digital content through new and innovative technologies and tools, so have the challenges related to management of digital content.

Virtusa, a global information technology services company, has launched a Media Convergence Solution Accelerator that combines consulting best practices with proven technology components to offer a consistent, branded user experience that optimizes revenue generation opportunities.

We spoke recently with a few of Virtusa’s key management, including Behzad Ilchi, vice president of media and entertainment; Doug Mow, senior vice president of marketing; and Srinivas Kandikonda, senior director of ECM practice about managing content across converging media channels and the role the Accelerator plays.

Media Convergence Solution Accelerator

Virtusa’s new Accelerator combines consulting services, technology implementation and ongoing support and maintenance, all in an effort to develop and deliver a convergence roadmap, Web 2.0 strategy, user experience strategies and globalized content.

Media, Information & Entertainment (MI&E) industry is experiencing a rapid shift into digital content and multi-channel distribution models, as a result of technological advances and convergence of telecom, online, interactive media, & internet.

With the Accelerator, companies can employ more than 20 pre-configured technical components, including:

Multi-Channel Publishing — Users can share dynamic and consistent content across multiple channels, including online, mobile Web, mobile applications and print media.
Social Media Integration — By integrating internal and external interactive features such as blogs, wikis, rating/ranking options and social bookmarking, users can facilitate engagement with visitors.
User Experience Enhancement — Using consistent meta-data, users can customize the navigation experience based on user preferences.
Video Platform Integration — Enables streaming and embedding capabilities while integrating systems and data for improved consistency.
Internationalization and Localization — Ensures website and content offer value to consumers in a globalized environment independent of location.
Search Optimization — Increases search engine rankings with federated search, keyword-rich URLs and site-specific search capabilities.

Overall, the Accelerator aims to provide similar content experiences no matter where the end-user is. From online or on television, compelling experiences can be shared and managed.

Approaching ECM from your Content's Perspective

Before companies can begin to share their content, they must organize it appropriately. Many companies fail to manage the consistency of their brands’ messages as it travels across platforms and channels, which can be more hurtful than helpful.

Enterprise Content Management (ECM) is an umbrella of tools and strategies that allow an organization to create, manage, deliver, store and dispose content and documents related to organization’s business needs.

The same information architecture used for a website cannot be used for a mobile interface, nor can the same solution be used for every company. Virtusa works first to establish solutions that are appropriate and then works to establish a content workflow that outlines data preparation, repositories and content governance policies.

Publishing trends are also driving the way content is managed and pushed out by organizations. Mobile platforms, like smartphones and the iPad are exciting to companies, but Virtusa says that many are not yet focused on creating content that is mobile-focused. Rather, they are more concerned with creating web channels that are friendly for mobile platforms, instead of creating higher-end user experiences.

The Future of Media Convergence

In the next year or so, Virtusa expects that higher-end user experiences will be developed as companies start to figure out their mobile strategies. As well, Virtusa also anticipates that technology designed to make content integration easier for mobile interfaces will mature.

Ultimately, implementing a system that integrates content across multiple channels is still costly. Companies are still trying to balance content management with emerging technologies, shifting the priorities and forcing them to integrate content and business models.

While some in the enterprise were able to adapt and include advanced technologies into their processes during the past few years, most companies were stymied by the recession. As we emerge successfully from the economic downturn, more companies will hopefully have a chance to catch up, leveling the playing field between content management and maturing technological platforms.