Case Studies - Zone Media

Background

Founded in 1991, Zone Vision Networks is still stretching across the globe, bringing with it quality entertainment to more than 125 countries – that’s more than 150 million paying subscribers.

Zone Vision Networks is among the world’s fastest growing digital channel providers. As well as having 18 offices worldwide, they enjoy well established distribution relationships with more than 30 popular channels from prestigious companies like Discovery, Viacom, Turner, Hallmark and Eurosport.

Zone Vision Networks’ pioneering work has had a tremendous effect on global broadcasting, both in terms of expanding technology and viewership. With chellomedia, a division of Liberty Global, Inc., at the helm, Zone Vision Networks benefits from major financial investment, allowing it to increase its services worldwide, including translation, dubbing and voice-over facilities at studios across Europe.

Requirements and Solutions

Zone Vision Networks has five of its own channel brands: Reality TV, Romantica, Europa Europa, Club and The Horror Channel.

EBS currently provides EPG and listings distribution services for Reality TV UK, Reality TV UK +1, Reality Extra, Reality TV EMEA 1& 2, Reality TV India & Asia, and The Horror Channel. Reality Extra is the newest addition to the UK’s Reality TV brand and it was given to EBS due to our reliable production of the other Reality schedules. The channel launched on February 28th 2006 and broadcasts a range of popular Reality TV UK programmes, as well as feature films and an interactive game show.

The services required by Zone Vision Networks are:

• EPG for Reality TV UK, Reality TV UK +1, Reality Extra, The Horror Channel
• Programme research
• Creative writing
• Schedules with full listings (time, title, synopsis, movie certificates and year of release) for Reality TV UK, Reality TV UK +1, Reality TV India & Asia, Reality Extra, The Horror Channel
• Schedules with time and title only listings for Reality EMEA 1 & 2
• Listings distribution for Reality TV UK, Reality TV UK +1, Reality TV India & Asia, Reality Extra, The Horror Channel

When EBS receives the schedules from Zone Vision Networks our creative writing team gets to work, researching new programmes and producing exciting copy to get the viewers interested. We liaise with Zone Vision Networks’ programming and press office staff to ensure programme descriptions are correct both in content and in branding. When schedule changes occur, EBS immediately responds – updating the EPG, editing the published schedule then sending the amended Word schedule via email to a list of press contacts supplied to us by Zone Vision Networks.

EBS uses a program developed in-house called Digifile to create schedules. It parses Excel and Word documents to produce a text file, which EBS schedulers can edit and perfect before uploading to the online schedules editor Digigate, also created in-house, where schedules are prepared for the EPG.

From Digigate, we can publish a Word document that contains the channel’s schedule, which is then thoroughly proof read and edited before being sent to Zone Vision Networks for press distribution. The format of the schedule can vary depending upon each channel’s requirements. We can supply a schedule with full listings information – time, title and synopsis, with movie information such as age certificate and year of release. We can also supply a very simple schedule detailing time and title only.

With each new channel that EBS gains, Digifile and Digigate expand and improve to meet the requirements of our clients. Series linking, an integral part to the Sky+ system, is one of Digifile’s components and ensures Reality UK viewers never miss their favourite shows.

Testimonial

Jane Wynyard. PR Manager. Zone Vision.

"EBS New Media has been a dream to work with. The company has been extremely efficient in getting the schedules out on time and in meeting the EPG requirements. EBS has responded immediately to any changes or additions to both The Horror Channel and Reality TV schedules and the creative writing has been witty, well-researched and thorough. I would highly recommend EBS New Media to any new or existing television companies wishing to launch on the Sky platform."

Examples

Reality TV – “Real People. True Stories.”

This brand is proud of its strong human element. With no actors, no special effects and no stunts, Reality TV provides us with sharp, interesting entertainment and proves that it takes more than a script and good lighting to be a star.

Reality TV currently has 120 million subscribers across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, Asia and the United Kingdom.

The Horror Channel

Luring serious fans as well as casual viewers, The Horror Channel’s crypt contains old and new horror movies and thrillers, supernatural TV series and documentaries that unearth the careers of the people behind this specialist genre of entertainment.

Zone Vision Networks acquired The Horror Channel in summer 2005 and since then has increased its programming and even earned the right to broadcast films that were, until recently, banned. The Horror Channel currently attracts 9.5 million subscribers on the BSkyB and ntl platforms. That figure is set to grow too as The Horror Channel launched on Telewest in December 2005.

Links

www.zonevision.com
www.realitytv.co.uk
www.horrorchannel.co.uk