7 essential features for a traffic and scheduling system (BMS)

Whether for a traditional TV channel, for a VoD, for an OTT or for any other case of content distribution (Web TV, social networks…), a BMS system must be prepared for any circumstance, particularly taking into account the great transformation that the sector has experienced in recent years and that has compelled many companies to multi-platform broadcasting of their content. Working with a single catalog, but with each type of programming organized in different sections and adding tools that increase the fluidity and clarity of the processes is essential to remain competitive in a field in which there are fewer and fewer intermediaries and advertising monetization is becoming more and more precise.

As remote working is now a reality, promoting quick and easy access from any browser or computer is crucial for any form of broadcasting, as this capability allows professionals the control and organization needed to manage their scheduling anywhere, anytime. In addition, having the ability to operate locally or in the cloud, coupled with being able to access the software through a SaaS service model, allows operators greater flexibility depending on their peak workloads and needs.

The advantage of being able to centralize all the scheduling flows of a broadcast and media company is a must nowadays: being able to manage the catalog, advertising and the media status itself from a single interface, as well as supervising its export to the continuity system and the possibility of importing broadcast log files. Having a single interface from which to execute and monitor all these processes is essential, as it allows quick decision-making, minimizing errors and optimizing all scheduling-related workflows.

Having functionalities dedicated exclusively to advertising management should therefore be a priority for program operators and decision makers in the company, as they allow to manage advertising campaigns and spaces in the best possible way, defining time slots and intelligent rules for broadcasting at the most appropriate time.

The ideal system should have this set of automatic rules, such as avoiding repetition of ads of the same type and/or product or industry, as well as avoiding a certain type of advertising at specific times (e.g. children’s timeslots). This allows users to automate much of their advertising needs, providing the necessary freedom to take care of key details for the monetization of their content.

Nowadays, any software dedicated to corporate tasks that generate return cannot afford not to have functionalities that help to understand its performance in the medium and long term, generating market intelligence and statistics that help decision making. In the particular case of BMSs, the ability to create customized reports and dashboards to analyze the profitability and return on investment (RoI) of the content are very useful tools to know the details of the investments made and plan accordingly based on the results.

Interoperability between different systems is also very relevant for any broadcast organization, since in general terms we are referring to companies that have different operators to manage different key processes until the content reaches the right screens. Hence the importance of the BMS software we choose to be open and interoperable, i.e., to facilitate integration with third parties and to fit in with playout or content management systems. Regarding the latter, it should be noted that the bidirectionality between both systems ensures that all changes made in the traffic system can be automatically replicated in the MAM platform, thus enabling users to preview content from the traffic interface and not need to access the MAM system to make changes to the metadata and/or segments of the stored assets as required.

Since content planning is rarely a one-man task, an optimal BMS must be able to serve multiple clients or organizations from a single software instance, with the resulting cost savings for companies. Related to this, it is also important that it has a powerful permissions system according to user profile, roles and scheduled tasks, with customizable permission hierarchies for each user and department.

Of course, VSNCrea, VSN’s traffic and scheduling system, has all these features and will offer many more, since it is a software in constant evolution. Discover everything it is capable of in this video: