PBS, VOD Deal Depends on Canadian Technology

7/8/2005

Canadian technological developments underlie a new VOD distribution partnership between PBS and Liberty Video Company.

Library Video and its subsidiary, Safari Video Networks, have inked a distribution partnership with PBS to bring educational programs to schools -- in a digital format -- through Safari Video Networks.

Liberty, meanwhile, recenly completed the product acquisiton of eZedia, Inc., a digital video networking and educational media technology development company founded in Winnipeg, Manitoba. eMedia has received an honourable mention for its application of technology as part of a Canadian CANARIE IWAY technolgy and innovations awards ceremony.

The Safari Montage Video-on-Demand serve provides users with digital access to their choice of video content.
Educational material affected by this deal includes such programming as Ken Burns' The Civil War, CYBERCHASE and WGBH's ARTHUR, NOVA, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, FRONTLINE and BETWEEN THE LIONS.

The server resides in a media center or computer room, and can be expanded to accommodate more programming and, ultimately, self-created content.

The Safari Montage server will come pre-loaded with both segmented and full programs, and will allow teachers to "bookmark" particular segments for classroom use. Additionally, this content will be indexed and correlated to state curriculum standards.

"Safari is committed to the principle of offering the educator a choice in the digital video content they want to see in their classrooms. We are proud to announce our first official partners as PBS and WGBH, two of the most distinguished educational video publishers in the industry," said Andrew Schlessinger, President and CEO of Library Video Company.

"Every school in the U.S. and Canada is going to want to have access to their programs, as well as Schlessinger Media programs," he added.

"The technology Safari has developed is designed to support the classroom educator," said Tim Beekman, President of Safari Video Networks, adding "Our mission, along with Library Video Company, to offer the educator choice, is why educators will want to work with us."