Earlier this year, Myers joined forces with PBS in an effort to launch its new 24/7 PBS KIDS channel, a new service provided by member stations across the country on TV and via live streaming on digital platforms. This new offering extends PBS KIDS’ commitment to using the power of media to open worlds of possibilities for all of America’s children. 109 PBS licensees are expected to launch the new channel by the end of this year, making it available to nearly 95% of U.S. TV households.
Preparations began months in advance of the launch, as PBS enlisted Myers to assist with the operational and technical roll-out of the new service. During the lead up to the launch, schedule and program metadata was fed to subscribing stations through an existing integration point between PBS and Myers.
There was a good deal of coordination that was needed behind the scenes, as new channels had to be created and synchronized with downstream technical systems, such as PSIP generators and automation systems; however, PBS member stations utilizing ProTrack were able to download the schedule and program metadata directly into their scheduling environment. This allowed them to focus resources on other important aspects of the project, like taking advantage of localization opportunities prior to playout.
“It’s no small feat to launch a channel – nationwide. Myers is honored and proud to have played a pivotal role in helping PBS successfully introduce its newest venture,” said Crist Myers, president and CEO of Myers. “We are grateful to PBS and its member stations for putting their trust and confidence in us,” said Myers.
“[T]he launch was a major success and the collaboration between Myers and PBS was a major contributor to that success,” said Lesli Rotenberg, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Children’s Media & Education at PBS. “[We’ve] received [very] positive feedback from stations about how smooth their launches were, and we know that this is largely due to the great work that[…]the entire Myers team did in getting stations set up” said Rotenberg.
