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Azure to revitalise media and entertainment industry

Aims to develop cloud solutions for three separate base components it has identified

  • IN DEPTH: Full wrap of Microsoft World Partner Conference 2010 - news, interviews, slideshows

Microsoft wants to leverage its Azure platform to bring a new value proposition to the media and entertainment space, and is looking for partners to help it.

Speaking at the World Partner Conference 2010, Microsoft managing director, worldwide media and entertainment group, Gabriele Di Piazza, said the media and entertainment industry was facing an upheaval in the creation and distribution of content.

"Media consumption is now different, it's a new world of marketing and there are many channels to the same consumer," Di Piazza said.

"Many media organisations are starting to take this change in a very serious way - they can't afford to let customers go to anyone else."

Microsoft is attempting to differentiate itself by taking the three separate base components of the media and entertainment industry - software platforms and solutions, online and advertising and consumer and devices, recognise that those key areas all overlap, and develop cloud solutions to bring everything together.

"The nature of some of the agreements we're having with entertainment companies is in developing a complete business proposition," Di Piazza said.

He pointed to a Spanish customer of Microsoft, Telecinco, as an example of how prominent the cloud would be to the media industry in the future.

The vendor created a World Cup streaming solution for Telecinco. It was the largest single Azure application within Spain to date.

However, to take full advantage of the market, Di Piazza said Microsoft needed to develop a better breadth of partnerships in the space.

"Simply deploying services for multiple screens, enabling new monetisation models and with cloud solutions offering greater choice and flexibility, it requires a broad partner ecosystem," he said.

"We need more partners to make our full value proposition."

Nominations for the 2012 ARN IT Industry Awards open on Tuesday, June 12.

More about: Microsoft, Telecinco
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