Media Practice

EDGE Media Practice consultants help media companies improve their technology platforms and operational best practices. We routinely exceed delivery expectations on mission-critical projects.

  • Business Process Documents – The EDGE Media Practice has earned a reputation for precise review and description of the key business and operational factors which make each client unique. Our documentation captures the essential components for planning any significant media technology  addition or improvement project.  

  • Project Planning - Once we have created solid business process documentation, we develop a comprehensive conversion and implementation blueprint, including deliverables such as:

    • Competitive Market Analyses

    • Operational Requirements Gathering

    • Fit/Gap Analyses

    • Operations & Workflow Documentation

These components serve as the reference points for a detailed strategic and tactical project plan appropriate for the project scope. The project plan becomes a roadmap for successful delivery on time and at or under budget. 

  • Project Leadership– It takes extensive real world experience to develop the knowledge and demeanor necessary to manage a complex media technology project. The leadership required to skillfully listen to competing viewpoints,  objectively evaluate alternative methods of proceeding, create consensus, or “crack the whip” when necessary, is difficult to master. EDGE Media Project Managers have done so.    

  • Project Recruiting & Staffing – This is the critical competitive advantage EDGE has over most consulting companies. We have substantial recruiting and staffing practices for various IT-oriented industries, in addition to Media. When we need to secure the right combination of skills and experience to fill a key role on a Media systems project team, we most often have the right person pre-qualified and in our active pipeline. In those rare instances in which we don't, our Recruiting team, led by the Media Practice's Director Of Talent Acquisition, has the expertise to quickly identify the proper resource. 

  • Custom Software Architecture & Development– New Media technology solutions rarely come “plug & play” right off the shelf. Most Media companies have intricate software environments and workflows which require configuration, integration and even modification of the new solution in order to make it fit perfectly. EDGE has performed sizeable custom software development projects for major Media clients. These initiatives have included all phases from initial discovery all the way through post-implementation support. 

Where’s Your EDGE?

The media industry has entered an exciting and challenging era of multi-platform content creation, delivery and monetization. The next few years will witness revolutionary projects which will stretch traditional linear, non-linear and digital operations to the limits. Edge looks forward to performing an even larger in projects taking media companyies forward. We are confident in our ability to do so because:

  • EDGE delivers the deep subject matter expertise in media technologies normally associated with much larger consulting firms

  • EDGE has a unique blend of consulting, recruiting and staffing services giving us access to key talent and skill sets well beyond the reach of most smaller firms

  • EDGE prides itself on comprehensive discovery, project planning, expert leadership, and exceeding delivery expectations

  • EDGE will continue to deliver the right talent to execute innovative media projects to desired outcomes

FOX Network Group reviews Advertising Sales and Commercial Operations

Fit/Gap Analysis and Vendor Reviews Learn More >

FOX Network Group reviews Advertising Sales and Commercial Operations

FOX Networks Group (FNG) – Since the late 1980s FNG has relied on in-house developed systems to support all their sales and commercial operations across all networks, broadcast and cable. Senior FNG management in 2011 decided to explore suitable alternatives from outside vendors, and engaged Edge to capture the functional requirements and workflow managing over $9US-Billion in advertising assets, and perform a Fit/Gap Analysis against current systems as well as leading 3rd party applications. The Edge team surveyed and prioritized the requirements, built an F/GA decision-making matrix and conducted an RFI process to pinpoint leading choices for outside vendor, solution and integration to replace the retiring systems. FNG’s CIO called the Edge results and recommendations ‘thorough’ and ‘just what we needed’ to make key decisions on the future course of their operations. FNG has since proceeded to contract and begin implementations with one of the vendors Edge profiled.

 

Edge's Media Practice provides full-service business management, technology consultancy and staffing to the Media, Broadcasting and Advertising industry. Edge's Media Practice has an established track record for helping media, broadcasting and advertising companies achieve quantifiable ROI with evolving and emerging systems and supporting technologies. Within the Media Practice business consultants are engaged with many of the world's major media organizations adding insight, value and innovation to their operations and workflow.

Client selected recommended system and implementation is in progress

Edge retained to evaluate and implement advertising sales and traffic systems at Disney owned properties

Created extensive plan and analysis Learn More >

Edge was retained by Disney to conduct a Gap Analysis in order to determine the feasibility of implementing ESPN’s internally developed Ad Sales and Traffic system at other Disney owned media properties. The results of this study were used to assess and determine where it made sense to deploy the application. The analysis was extensive and required an in depth interview process of all functional departments for all of the Disney media properties. Our methodology, approach and deliverables for conducting this analysis are briefly summarized below:

Business Process Architecture - defines how all of the functional requirements are captured and organized and “outlines” the component parts of each function.

Business user interview session notes - were compiled based on information gathered during interview sessions and meetings that were held with all of the related functional areas. 

Functional Narratives - Describe Individual business processes and the “inputs and outputs” to each business process. The functional narratives also describe the inter-relationships and process flows that make up each function.  The narratives are derived from a validated set of Business User Interview Notes for each functional area and are presented within the framework of the Business Process Architecture. 

Business Process Flows  - process flows are developed to support the information captured by the functional narratives. The Process flows visually depict what has been captured in the narratives and the user interview notes. “Swim lane” diagrams are used as the technique for documenting the process flows. This method is useful when attempting to highlight both the user roles and how data/workflow occurs across departmental or functional boundaries for a given business process.

System capabilities - Based on the user interviews, narratives and process flows, a set of system capabilities (business requirements) can be extracted. The requirements are represented as “short sentence descriptions” of necessary system capabilities. These capabilities can then be weighted, ranked, defined in terms of complexity, prioritized etc. The capability list can then be used as a tool when evaluating the “fit” of alternatives for a system selection, build, or deployment. The capabilities are also defined within the framework of the process architecture. 

 

Edge's Media Practice provides full-service business management, technology consultancy and staffing to the Media, Broadcasting and Advertising industry. Edge's Media Practice has an established track record for helping media, broadcasting and advertising companies achieve quantifiable ROI with evolving and emerging systems and supporting technologies. Within the Media Practice business consultants are engaged with many of the world's major media organizations adding insight, value and innovation to their operations and workflow.

Successfully provided Disney with recommendations on business process and required systems

Edge selected at the exclusive partner by the NFL to access the business functionality, systems and structure necessary for the launch of the New NFL Network

Edge was selected as the exclusive partner by the NFL to assess the business functionality, systems and organizational structure necessary for the launch of the new NFL network Learn More >

Edge selected as the exclusive partner by the NFL to access the business functionality, systems and structure necessary for the launch of the New NFL Network

Edge was selected as the exclusive partner by the NFL to assess the business functionality, systems and organizational structure necessary for the launch of the new NFL network.

Even though this was a new network launch, the NFL was already selling some commercial time on CBS, Fox, ESPN, and DirecTV. They were also syndicating their own ancillary programming on these networks with barter agreements for commercial inventory.  While these activities were not part of the new network launch, they still needed to be considered in order to assess capabilities and the systems that could support all of the new existing business functionality.

Edge conducted interviews with all related user departments.  Since the network was a startup, there was no “As-Is” business process to evaluate.  Instead the NFL relied on our experience with other customers to help define the proper procedures, workflow, and staffing necessary to launch a new network.  This expertise was vital in helping the NFL establish the framework for a successful launch.

Once the required functionality was documented, a vendor assessment was conducted to determine which product best fit the requirements of the NFL. The study was to rate product functionality based on the NFL’s prioritized requirements, including a cost and services analysis.

Recommendations for software, staffing, and process were provided by Edge to NFL.  

Edge was also retained to manage the sales/traffic system implementation and oversee the implementation of process improvements for the network.

Edge's Media Practice provides full-service business management, technology consultancy and staffing to the Media, Broadcasting and Advertising industry. Edge's Media Practice has an established track record for helping media, broadcasting and advertising companies achieve quantifiable ROI with evolving and emerging systems and supporting technologies. Within the Media Practice business consultants are engaged with many of the world's major media organizations adding insight, value and innovation to their operations and workflow.

Client implemented plan with immediate improvement

Viacom turned to Edge to design and lead a project for a next-generation solution

Edge was tasked to design and lead a project developing a next-generation solution with a 3rd party supplier. Edge also provided guidance in selecting the appropriate vendor with which to build the Plan-It proprietary system. Learn More >

MTV Networks/Viacom – MTVN was relying on an internally-developed ad sales and proposal system when, in 2009, Viacom turned to Edge to design and lead a project developing a next-generation solution with a 3rd party supplier. Edge also provided guidance in selecting the appropriate vendor with which to build the Plan-It proprietary system. The following services were delivered by Edge during the engagement:

·      System requirements gathering and prioritization

·      Gap analysis

·      Current and future business process flow mapping by network

·      System integration requirements

·      Use and test case development

·      Third-party vendor engagement

·      Functional design specifications

·      Software release management

·      Software defect reporting and tracking

·      Network rollout implementation

·      Data Conversion

·      User training and support

Edge then led the implementation and training phase of the project resulting in high customer satisfaction across a total of 15 networks.

Edge's Media Practice provides full-service business management, technology consultancy and staffing to the Media, Broadcasting and Advertising industry. Edge's Media Practice has an established track record for helping media, broadcasting and advertising companies achieve quantifiable ROI with evolving and emerging systems and supporting technologies. Within the Media Practice business consultants are engaged with many of the world's major media organizations adding insight, value and innovation to their operations and workflow.

For a major entertainment group:

Learn More >
  • Business requirements definition and analysis for a new Deal Planning system
  • Responsible for project oversight, application strategy and vendor management
  • Managed all phases of software specification and development, detail design, integration, QA testing and implementation

Media Technology Entertainment Plans at MTV

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