24i Media announced the launch of SmartOTT Backstage, a content management system (CMS) designed to organize VOD and OTT content metadata and offer social interaction, personalized recommendations, continued viewing and curated content collections across devices and regions.

SmartOTT Backstage is a cloud-based and modular system that sits between the clients' video backend system and their front-end applications. It consists of three core functionalities: a CMS, a metadata and data-source component and an API to organize content. The system is designed to handle curated content collections, recommended feeds, scheduling, data-sourcing and metadata while providing operator branding options.

"We're super exited to announce the launch of our leading-edge SmartOTT Backstage," said Martijn Van Horssen, CEO at 24i Media. "We wanted to empower our customers to take full control over their content and curation, with a comprehensive tool box to manage data for each piece of content, enabling them to meet the demands from their viewers for a personalized service. Our newly launched SmartOTT Backstage enables our customers to leverage the power of metadata and third-party integrations to create a more personalized experience across all devices."

Features include:

• A suite of connectors to integrate with existing systems and partners, allowing customers to enable/disable a range of integrations such as analytics, advertisement or recommendations.
• The API is designed as an independent component, which is integrated with the SmartOTT Backstage Metadata/Data-source component. It's also designed to connect to any source containing metadata or app configurations.
• A unified point of access for all applications to retrieve app configurations, metadata and additional services not provided by the OVP, such as recommendations.
• A tool to import the metadata from the OVP into the system.
• Data-source and import/export tool for all application related configurations, such as Template, Menu, Pages, Sections, Playlists, third party integration configurations.
• Personalization combining user preferences and metadata for customized content recommendations.
• Content and metadata orchestration via a query builder and collection editor allowing creation of curated playlists, content collections and schedule publishing.
• An app configuration tool allowing clients to select the modules and content they want to show on each page of their front-end apps, on any device.
• A branding tool enabling customers to incorporate their brand and look across apps, from uploading their logo to posting a promotional message.
• User and role management.
• Application pages via a defined set of page blueprints (browse, search, settings).

The SmartOTT Backstage will be demonstrated at the 2017 NAB Show in Las Vegas.