Use Cases:
Solutions for Ministries
Asset management, closed captioning, transcoding, and worldwide distribution.
Use Case:
An agency responsible for a group of ministries.
The challenge:
Media coordinators at the agency needed to improve the management of files and deliveries across various media outlets.
Three ministries already provided files containing closed captioning via
Dropbox folders.
Other ministries required files to be closed captioned prior to distribution.
Two ministries produced similar files with a slightly different message for each market.
All files, closed captioning, transcodes, and deliveries must be monitored within a centralized.
"Filenames" needed to be replaced with unique IDs and versioning to
avoid confusion across all parties.
Each outlet requires a different file format and delivery method—a
logistical nightmare for individual ministries or the agency.
All closed captioning
had to adhere to FCC/ADA requirements and best practices
and not cover
CTAs and phone numbers on the screen.
Non-date-specific files must be ready to be delivered to the same or new
outlets in the future.
The solution:
Basic Setup:
During onboarding, each ministry was setup to either upload files
directly into Fig or provide a remote storage location to be monitored by Fig for
automated file transfers.
Rules were created to turn filenames, dates, and usable metadata into
industry-acceptable unique IDs
that can be used for searching, tracking, and connecting to external traffic and automation systems.
Role-based access was given to each user within the agency and the ministries.
The statuses of all files and deliveries became readily available in a centralized platform,
including proof of deliveries.
From Single Upload to Distribution:
Ministries are able to provide a single master upload, from which
Fig validates and distributes according to each media outlet's required
specs and internal processes.
Occasional deliveries to international markets, such as Australia and New Zealand, undergo
motion-compensated standards conversion from NTSC to PAL.
Uploaded files pass a multi-point automated QC to flag potential issues and mismatched
technical specs.
Embedded closed captioning is checked for FCC/ADA compliance.
As a bonus, ministries gain a library of validated media assets
that can be sent to additional media outlets as they expand their outreach.
Optional Closed Captioning Service:
Some ministries preferred to
order closed captioning through Fig's integrated service for a more streamlined process.
Fig CC is created by humans, FCC/ADA compliant, and manually placed to avoid covering
CTAs
and phone numbers.
Ministries also imported Fig's captions and subtitles to their digital channels
to support accessibility and increase content discoverability
(SEO).
Learn More
Conclusion:
Fig enhanced the agency's distribution processes by providing a
centralized platform to manage
time-consuming and technically-challening processes, including media validation,
closed captioning, transcoding, and distribution.
Fig also provided
transparent, real-time access to the statuses of all files, closed captioning jobs,
and deliveries. Lastly, whenever necessary, Fig's expert human
support has helped producers and media coordinators
understand and quickly address technical and procedural issues.
Capabilities that made the difference:
-
Single upload:
Upload only one master file and Fig automatically prepares the needed deliverables according to required specs (ask us about standards conversion to/from international media companies). -
Upload connectors:
Files can be transferred into Fig via connectors to Sony CI, Dropbox, Box, Wetransfer, Hightail, Google Drive, and other asset management and storage systems. -
Automated QC and spec compliance:
Your content immediately undergoes automated QC against required specs. -
Expert support:
Count on our support team to assist your producers and media coordinators with technical and procedural questions. -
Centralized management:
Each program uploaded is stored on our cloud backed and secured system. This allows the agency and its clients to easily view past programs and make them available to stations as needed without additional uploads. -
Media archive:
Create a library of validated media assets for immediate or future use by various media outlets. -
Centralized management:
Monitor the status of files and deliveries from a centralized location with real-time statuses and receipts. -
Metadata done right:
IDs and required fields bring your files up to industry standards and ensure clear communication with everyone involved. - Fewer scrambles:
Reduce rejections, resubmits, and late fixes with exception-based monitoring. -
Captioning and embedding:
Order closed captioning for programs with the click of a button. All captions created by humans, manually placed on the screen away from important information, and checked for FCC/ADA compliance and best practices.
Note: Clients can also provide their own captioning and order our embedding service (for perfect files every time) and/or our validation service (to check against FCC/ADA compliance and best practices).
Use Case:
A regional church had the opportunity to reach new audiences, but had no experience with linear and digital television.
The challenge:
The church needed to adapt very quickly to several new processes and file formats.
Producing files in various formats for various media outlets.
Understanding the complexities of broadcast file formats, including
interlacing and drop-frame timecodes.
Making sure all files contained FCC/ADA-compliant, CEA-608 and CEA-708 closed captioning.
Implementing a system of unique IDs to handle versioning and to
communicate clearly with all parties involved.
Delivering files using disparate ways, from FTP servers to upload portals.
Monitoring the status of each file and delivery for each weekly program.
The solution:
Fig support staff worked with the church's producer to devise the ideal master output format
from which Fig would generate all the other needed file formats (called profiles or builds).
The church now uploads weekly to Fig, where
each file passes a multi-point automated QC to flag potential issues and mismatched
technical specs.
Closed captioning is ordered for each file: created by humans, FCC/ADA compliant, and manually placed to avoid covering
CTAs
and phone numbers.
Two separate distribution lists of television stations were created to facilitate
the distribution of different versions of each file to specific outlets.
Fig enforces the use of unique IDs
that can be used for searching, tracking, and connecting to external traffic and automation systems.
Each station automatically receives programs in their required specs with notifications sent
to the correct people and departments.
The statuses of all files and deliveries are readily available in a centralized platform,
including proof of deliveries.
The church was also able to import Fig's closed captioning and subtitles into their digital channels
to support accessibility and increase content discoverability
(SEO).
Conclusion:
The church's small staff is able to focus on their product and overall strategy while Fig managed time-consuming and technically-challenging processes, including media validation, closed captioning, transcoding, and distribution. Traffic coordinators at each television station receive clear scheduling requests while at the same time their technical department receives timely deliveries in the correct file formats. When necessary, Fig's expert human support helps producers and media coordinators understand and quickly address technical and procedural issues.
Capabilities that made the difference:
-
Single upload:
Upload only one master file and Fig automatically prepares the needed deliverables according to required specs (ask us about standards conversion to/from international media companies). -
Automated QC and spec compliance:
Your content immediately undergoes automated QC against required specs. -
Expert support:
Count on our support team to assist your producers and media coordinators with technical and procedural questions. -
Centralized management:
Each program uploaded is stored on our cloud backed and secured system. This allows the agency and its clients to easily view past programs and make them available to stations as needed without additional uploads. -
Media archive:
Create a library of validated media assets for immediate or future use by various media outlets. -
Centralized management:
Monitor the status of files and deliveries from a centralized location with real-time statuses and receipts. -
Metadata done right:
IDs and required fields bring your files up to industry standards and ensure clear communication with everyone involved. - Fewer scrambles:
Reduce rejections, resubmits, and late fixes with exception-based monitoring. -
Captioning and embedding:
Order closed captioning for programs with the click of a button. All captions created by humans, manually placed on the screen away from important information, and checked for FCC/ADA compliance and best practices.
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