Case Study: CNET TV
Key Features Utilized
- Monetization »
- Thanks to Castfire, CNET TV is able to monetize its content wherever the content ends up, which includes iTunes podcast downloads, in iPhone and Android apps, as well as living room devices like Boxee, TiVo, Roku and Google TV. Castfire integrates directly with CNET's in-house Madison ad server, which traffics campaigns directly.
- Multiple formats »
- CNET sends Castfire one high-quality version of its content, which Castfire then encodes for delivery on multiple platforms. No settings to configure, no encoding headaches to deal with.
- API »
- CNET has an established workflow for managing a large library of video content. Rather than be forced to change how the workflow works to adapt to Castfire, instead Castfire adapts to how CNET does things. Thanks to Castfire's extensive API, most content creators at CNET don't need to interact with Castfire to properly publish content. They continue to do their jobs, while Castfire makes everything work behind the scenes.
Castfire integrates completely with CNET's prioprietary ad server Madison through extensive APIs.
About CNET TV: CNET TV is an immersive environment that provides people a single destination to find and organize all of their favorite CNET videos. Featuring a customizable user interface, CNET TV is home to shows such as Buzz Report, Car Tech, Prizefight, Insider Secrets, and The Apple Byte.
CNET desired to monetize their video and sent an RFP to several vendors. Requirements included being able to dynamically insert targeted in-stream video ads and deliver a single mp4 or h.264 file. Integration with their Madison ad server was essential. After sending the RFP out twice, Castfire was the only vendor that was able to provide a solution.
Castfire manages thousands of current and back-catalog videos that include in-stream pre, mid and post roll ads which are dynamically inserted at the time of user request. At the time of download, Castfire connects with Madison and is instructed which ad or ads to include in a video and where the ads should be placed. Castfire then stitches the files together in real-time and delivers a single mp4 or h.264. Castfire and Madison are integrated using Castfire's APIs. Once the download is complete, Castfire pings CNET's third party ad verification partner for reporting purposes.
In addition to managing CNET TV's downloadable media, Castfire manages and delivers the CBS video that is syndicated to CNET TV.
