Sezmi Completes Landmark Seattle Trial
November 13 2008 - 12:01AM
Business Wire
Sezmi Corporation, creator of the first complete personal TV
system, today announced the conclusion of technical trials for its
new television service, marking a significant milestone in the
company�s breakthrough efforts to dramatically improve the way
consumers experience television and internet video. Successful
technical trials in Seattle, a geographically demanding broadcast
environment, have substantiated the seamless operability and broad
scalability of Sezmi�s advanced video distribution technology. The
company demonstrated that its innovative FlexCast� technology
combines the efficiency and scale of terrestrial digital broadcast
delivery with the interactivity and access of existing broadband
infrastructure. The local Seattle broadcast partners include
Fisher, Tribune, and Daystar, over whose spectrum Sezmi operates in
the metropolitan area. Sezmi has redefined TV with the first
personal television system in the market. It is a true alternative
to the legacy TV experience with a line-up of content from
traditional broadcast networks, cable and specialty networks,
internet video, pay-per-view movies, and more. It not only enhances
the on-demand experience, but it stands out from traditional
television offerings with a highly personalized, intuitive user
experience at an affordable cost. �This is a significant milestone
not only for Sezmi, but also for the broadcasting industry and for
the television viewing public, whose choices today are narrowly
confined by what they can watch and when,� said Buno Pati,
co-founder and chief executive officer of Sezmi. Broadcaster
Benefits Sezmi�s transformational platform opens additional revenue
streams to broadcasters. Sezmi licenses broadcasters� spectrum to
distribute, or datacast, popular television and internet video
content to its subscribers. Sezmi also enhances revenue with highly
targeted advertising and new ad forms and extends broadcaster
brands by bringing together local news and programming with online
content in a single, local station content Zone�. Sezmi�s regional
broadcast partners in Seattle are: Fisher Communications, Inc. is a
Seattle-based communications company that owns or manages 21
televisions stations and eight radio stations, including the local
ABC affiliate (KOMO-TV) and Univision affiliate (KUNS-TV) in
Seattle. Tribune Broadcasting owns and operates 23 major-market
television stations and reaches more than 80 percent of U.S.
television households. The group is anchored by WGN America, which
can be seen in more than 70 million U.S. households via cable and
satellite services. Thirteen Tribune stations are affiliates of The
CW, America's new fifth network and seven are FOX affiliates.
Seattle�s KCPQ-TV is a FOX affiliate and KMYQ-TV is a MyNetwork
affiliate. Daystar Television Network operates more than 50
television stations in major markets across the U.S. including
KWDK-TV in Seattle. Colleen Brown, President and CEO of Fisher
Communications said, �With the drive among consumers for greater
customization and control over their media, Sezmi strengthens our
core business by improving our ability to better target advertising
and engage with viewers while positioning us for future
opportunities utilizing our digital spectrum.� �Since our company
launch, we have received an overwhelming response from consumers
looking for a highly personal television system and requesting our
service in their market,� said Phil Wiser, co-founder, president
and chairman of Sezmi. �Through extensive consumer testing, it�s
clear that viewers are ready for an alternative to legacy
television services. They have told us they want advanced features
like HD, on-demand, expansive content and personalization�all in a
more affordable offering. Today marks a significant step forward in
our progress to deliver such an end-to-end, transformational
television experience.� Harris Collaboration Sezmi has collaborated
with Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS), an international communications
and information technology company, to host Sezmi�s national
network operations center in the world-class Harris broadcasting
facilities in Melbourne, Fla. As part of the trials, Sezmi also
confirmed that its end-to-end video processing platform is
operational and is broadcasting content from the network operations
center to the local markets. Sezmi is now launching technical
trials in additional cities and preparing consumer trials in
several markets around the country. �It�s exciting for Harris to be
working with a company that is enabling broadcasters to leverage
their digital investment and respond to consumer demands for an
advanced and personalized means of watching television,� said Tim
Thorsteinson, president of Harris Broadcast Communications. �By
adopting an end-to-end Harris ONE� solution, Sezmi has created an
environment in which it can effectively accomplish its workflows
and ensure reliable delivery of its product to the consumer. We
look forward to continuing our relationship as Sezmi goes to
market.� �Consumers expect more from their TV experience every day.
They want not only to be entertained, but also to have control over
what content they view, when they view it and how they interact
with it,� said Anton Denissov, a digital media analyst with Parks
Associates. �To remain successful, service providers must find ways
to deliver consumer experience that seamlessly blends traditional
entertainment with personalization, interactivity and content
discovery.� About Sezmi Sezmi Corporation has developed the first
complete personal TV offering by combining traditional TV content,
movies and internet video in a single easy-to-use product. Designed
from the ground up with next generation TV functionality, Sezmi
puts consumers in total control with a personalized on-demand
viewing experience. Sezmi is working with partners from broadcast,
broadband, content and advertising industries to create a new TV
choice for consumers. Sezmi is now in trials and will be
commercially available to U.S. consumers through broadband
providers and national retailers in 2009. For more information,
visit www.sezmi.com. About Harris Corporation Harris is an
international communications and information technology company
serving government and commercial markets in more than 150
countries. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company has
annual revenue of $5.4 billion and 16,500 employees � including
nearly 7,000 engineers and scientists. Harris is dedicated to
developing best-in-class assured communications� products, systems,
and services. Additional information about Harris Corporation is
available at www.harris.com. FlexCastTM and ZoneTM are trademarks
of Sezmi Corporation. ONETM is a trademark of Harris Corporation.
Harris (NYSE:HRS)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2024 to Jun 2024
Harris (NYSE:HRS)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2023 to Jun 2024