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15 November, 2002
Kate Mackenzie
The Australian IT
Sydney-based iTVWorld, which develops software and produces broadband
and iTV content, announced it had sold its InOrbit software to the
BBC-owned BBC Broadcast.
BBC Broadcast will use InOrbit to
automate the updating and maintenance of interactive television
content that is broadcast through the BBC's digital and interactive
services.
BBC Broadcast is a private company
which acts as a service provider for the BBC, and plans to offer
services to other organisations. It manages the promotion, playout
and publication of interactive services on digital satellite, terrestrial
and cable television, as well as online and mobile platforms.
iTVWorld's production development
manager Sven Wolf said the software replaced repetitive manual work.
"There's not many other products addressing
that problem," he said. "The biggest competitor (to InOrbit) is
if a broadcaster or network operator builds their own solution."
InOrbit was developed with assistance
of a $1.35 million grant from AusIndustry in May last year. iTVworld
later received a second grant under AusIndustry's "COMET" program
to commercialise the software. It was launched in June at BroadcastAsia
in Singapore.
BBC Broadcast's director of futuroloy,
Adam Hume, said the system was expected to be deployed before the
end of the year.
The company's head of interactive,
William Cooper, said the decision to use iTVworld was made because
of the Australian company's "clear understanding of our requirements
as a major multi-channel operation."
The Australian IT
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