New venture enables content creators & distributors to build immersive experiences
Sony DADC New Media Solutions has unveiled Ven•ueSM, an immersive channel creation service. Ven•ue is designed to enable content creators and distributors to build Over-The-Top (OTT) consumer channels with layered storytelling and exclusive content for fan bases of movie franchises, television series, bands, games, and more. Ven•ue will combine Sony DADC’s supply chain expertise with Ooyala’s multi-device video streaming capabilities and analytics, alongside RightsLine Software (a division of Critical Mass Studios Inc.), which will provide global rights management services.
“Ven•ue was designed to give content owners and distributors the ability to deliver a consumer experience that is equally unique and immersive, while remaining economical and accessible,” said Andy Shenkler, executive VP, strategy and operations, Sony DADC New Media Solutions. “By uniting supply chain services with fan engagement in a simplified, fully integrated, all-in-one turn-key solution, Ven•ue grants both large and small organizations the ability for their in-house teams to streamline the process of creating channels and easily manage their consumer experiences with limited expertise in this space.”
Ven•ue joins Sony DADC’s digital marketing and content monetization services portfolio, which offers immersive consumer experiences and numerous website and mobile solutions to market, promote and monetize content. Ven•ue services is planned to include the following: asset and inventory management, media servicing and fulfillment, rights management, localization, integrated ad insertion, fan engagement, digital marketing services, campaign management, consumer storefronts, consumer behavior analytics, and merchandise monetization. Ven•ue’s innovative user interface will be designed to allow content owners and distributors to manage their multi-device experiences with an intuitive, visual, and “consumer-type” content management system with drag and drop capabilities that eliminate the need for extensive customer training. Customers will be able to easily assess their content rights and availability, manage content workflows, and leverage deep analytics across commerce and performance enabling greater monetization and commercial activities.
“We are thrilled to be working with Sony’s DADC and Ooyala to offer content owners of all sizes and types access to their own OTT platforms,” said David Straus, CEO of Critical Mass Studios (parent company of Rightsline.) “Our vision continues to deploy enterprise technology solutions to both the largest libraries in the world and then make that same solution available to mid-size and individual content creators.”
Ooyala delivers personalized video experiences across all screens and is a leader in online video management, publishing, analytics and monetization. Ooyala’s integrated suite of technologies and services gives content owners the power to expand audiences through deep insights that drive increased viewer engagement and revenue from video. Companies using Ooyala technology include Univision, Foxtel, Comedy Central, NBC Universal, Telstra, ESPN, Telegraph Media Group, Telefonica, The North Face, Rolling Stone, Dell, Sephora and Yahoo! Japan.
California governor signs law to protect children from social media addiction
California will make it illegal for social media platforms to knowingly provide addictive feeds to children without parental consent beginning in 2027 under a new law Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Friday.
California follows New York state, which passed a law earlier this year allowing parents to block their kids from getting social media posts suggested by a platform's algorithm. Utah has passed laws in recent years aimed at limiting children's access to social media, but they have faced challenges in court.
The California law will take effect in a state home to some of the largest technology companies in the world. Similar proposals have failed to pass in recent years, but Newsom signed a first-in-the-nation law in 2022 barring online platforms from using users' personal information in ways that could harm children. It is part of a growing push in states across the country to try to address the impacts of social media on the well-being of children.
"Every parent knows the harm social media addiction can inflict on their children — isolation from human contact, stress and anxiety, and endless hours wasted late into the night," Newsom said in a statement. "With this bill, California is helping protect children and teenagers from purposely designed features that feed these destructive habits."
The law bans platforms from sending notifications without permission from parents to minors between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m., and between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays from September through May, when children are typically in school. The legislation also makes platforms set children's accounts to private by default.
Opponents of the legislation say it could inadvertently prevent adults from accessing content if they cannot verify their... Read More