Comcast wins A+E distribution deal

Comcast Technology Solutions said on September 8 that A+E Global Media had selected it for a multi-year premium content distribution agreement centered on Comcast MediaExpress. The companies said the service will provide a single point of ingest and managed distribution for video-on-demand content across platforms that include Amazon, Apple Channels and Xfinity. (prnewswire.com) A+E Global Media said the arrangement covers content from its portfolio of brands, which includes A&E, HISTORY and Lifetime. ### What exactly did Comcast win from A+E? Comcast Technology Solutions said the deal gives it responsibility for centralized VOD management and distribution for A+E Global Media’s premium content. The agreement is multi-year, though neither company disclosed financial terms. (prnewswire.com) A+E Global Media said on its corporate site that it operates a portfolio of media brands and markets entertainment content to audiences worldwide. Comcast Technology Solutions describes itself as a provider of media and video infrastructure for broadcasters, operators and content owners. ### What does MediaExpress do in this arrangement? Comcast MediaExpress is the product named in the agreement. Comcast says the service is designed to let content providers ingest video, metadata and supporting files once and then distribute titles across digital and pay-TV outlets from a centralized workflow. (prnewswire.com) Comcast said in Tuesday’s release that A+E will use MediaExpress as part of Comcast Media360, the company’s broader managed distribution and media operations platform. Comcast’s product materials describe Media360 as a single-point-of-ingest system for managing and delivering live and on-demand content. (prnewswire.com) ### Which outlets are named in the deal? Amazon, Apple Channels and Xfinity were specifically named in the release as distribution endpoints for A+E content under the new workflow. (aegm.com) Comcast said MediaExpress will provide managed distribution across those services and other platforms. A+E’s brands include A&E, HISTORY and Lifetime, according to the company’s site. (comcasttechnologysolutions.com) The release did not specify whether every A+E brand or every title will move through the new system, but it said the agreement covers premium content from A+E Global Media brands. ### Why are both companies talking about ingest and distribution? Comcast’s product description says MediaExpress is built to simplify VOD aggregation and distribution by centralizing prep, metadata handling and delivery. (prnewswire.com) Comcast’s Media360 materials say the broader platform is intended to reduce operational complexity by giving customers one managed workflow rather than multiple platform-specific integrations. Tuesday’s release framed the agreement in those operational terms. (prnewswire.com) Comcast said the service would streamline content distribution across A+E’s brands, while A+E said it was adopting a managed distribution setup through Comcast Technology Solutions. ### What should readers watch next? (prnewswire.com) Financial terms were not disclosed on September 8, and neither company gave a start date beyond saying the agreement is in effect under a multi-year structure. Comcast’s next public updates on MediaExpress and Media360 typically appear on its product and news pages, while A+E posts corporate announcements on its newsroom site. Comcast Technology Solutions said last week that it was also rolling out next-generation video AI applications for broadcasters and streaming providers, indicating the company is continuing to add products around the same media-services business it is selling to customers such as A+E. (comcasttechnologysolutions.com) (prnewswire.com 1) (prnewswire.com 2)