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OmniBus Systems' Andy Ioannou Talks About Why Automation Is The Wave Of The Future
DigitalTV: There are a number of different forms of automation controls being marketed to TV stations today. Systems range from robotic camera automation to ad insertion to full station-wide control. Where does OmniBus fit in?
Ioannou: OmniBus really crosses the board in its offerings. Everywhere there is media to control, whether it is robotic camera control or studio lighting control, we are there. We have an interface to those control systems and they become part of a solution set, if you'd like. It's a bunch of metadata that we put into a schedule and it has a preroll 'clip' to get the camera into position in addition to any other event. So, to us, it is just another element that can be automated. OmniBus is a solutions company, but the focus is more on the media and media context, and we are a management and program player.
DigitalTV: The move to automation has been going on for some years now. What percentage of TV stations, globally, do you estimate has installed some form of automation control?
Ioannou: Most stations use some form of automation, even if its of the very basic [Sony] FlexiCart sort. That has to be considered automation, though it is very rudimentary. In that sense, there is a de facto market saturation now, because the majority of stations already have some form of automation in place.
DigitalTV: And, what is the average station spending on automation?
Ioannou: Now the operative word in that sentence is "average." The range can be from a couple of hundred thousand dollars to millions. I would have to say that at an average station it ranges between $600,000 and $750,000.
DigitalTV: About how long would...