AR&D debuts web platform for TV stations
Cory Bergman April 15th, 2008
The consulting company AR&D has unveiled a new full-service content management system, built by partner Synapse Multimedia. Here at NAB-RTNDA, AR&D is actively pitching the product to local TV media groups. “It puts the flexibility to innovate the next generation of local media at the local level,” said CEO Jerry Gumbert. I watched a demo of the product, and it’s packed full of features. The web-based CMS allows just about anyone to drag-and-drop widgets to create their own web pages. It includes ad serving with behavioral targeting, a video player (live and on demand), basic video editing, image editing and user-generated content. One of the big sells of the CMS is its ability to publish content seamlessly across multiple sites — and import RSS feeds from any other site. It also has the ability for a local TV station to run a local ad network of unaffiliated sites. “We’re not taking on WorldNow or IB (Internet Broadcasting),” Gumbert said, explaining that AR&D has no plans to create a national ad network. But the idea is to empower local newsrooms with the technology tools they need to “have control at the local level to be more successful on the web.” You can see the CMS in action on KTBS.com in Shreveport as well as AR&D’s recently relaunched site.
9 Comments Add your own
1. Ed | April 16th, 2008 at 7:30 am
Did they just OEM Synapse?
2. Aaron | April 16th, 2008 at 9:01 am
It does look like a white-label version of Synapse’s product. The flash player on AR&D’s front page comes with a Synapse copyright, too.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that — if they can provide value on top of Synapse’s CMS, more power to them.
The bigger issue is design — that player looks like it’s straight out of 1998. Either Synapse or AR&D needs to hire a design firm ASAP.
3. Cade | April 16th, 2008 at 11:47 am
I am one of the Synapse developers. I think we have developed a flexible product that will allow local media companies the ability to fully integrate their newsroom into their website. With drag and drop page creation and integration of ads, blogs, stories, live streaming video (with DVR capabilities), podcasts, polls, etc. content creation is fast and simple.
The flash player you see on AR-D is totally skinable. If you guys have any other questions, shoot me an email at cade AT synapse DOT ws.
4. Ed | April 16th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Cade -
Is it available as a SaaS product, or as an installable product? Do you have any screen-recordings of the CMS in use?
Thanks,
Ed.
5. Cade | April 16th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Ed -
Right now the CMS is available as an installable product, and you can schedule a personal CMS demo at the provided link.
- Cade
6. Dude | April 16th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Cade-
Is there an API to develop against for custom features, or is it limited to the functionality you support? As a follow up to the earlier question, so this is not offered as a hosted solution?
-Dude
7. Cade | April 16th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Dude and Ed -
I’m sorry, I misunderstood the question regarding the SaaS or installable options. The CMS is offered as both a hosted and an installable product. We do have a widget that allows for including fully custom code.
- Cade
8. Mike D. | April 16th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
I’m a webmaster at a local station in Austin. We have an extremely limited, clunky system that controls our web content, and an easy solution for not only publishing, but video as well seems like it could relieve a lot of my daily workload (not to mention stress). I followed the link and can’t wait to see the personal demo.
9. Foxy | July 4th, 2008 at 8:45 am
good news
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