Streaming Video Alliance Announces Recipients of its First Annual Membership Grant Program

FREMONT, Calif., Jan. 29, 2018 -- The Streaming Video Alliance (the Alliance), an industry forum comprised of leading companies from the online video ecosystem, today announced the first recipients of its Membership Grant Program. Launched in 2017, the program sponsors select individuals and companies with a one-year Principal membership. This enables grant members to contribute to and benefit from the Alliance’s mission of deeper industry collaboration across the video streaming ecosystem.

www.streamingvideoalliance.org

“We have always taken pride in the diversity of companies in the Alliance, and it only makes sense we extend membership to those in the streaming video ecosystem who can benefit from financial sponsorship,” said Jason Thibeault, Executive Director at the Alliance. “Adding these new perspectives will help initiate fresh ideas and discussions, and we are very optimistic about the grant members’ contributions over the coming year.”

The grant recipient organizations range from content delivery to broadcast scaling and watermarking. The four companies and two individuals chosen by the Alliance board of directors from the application pool include:

• BlueFrame Technology: an end-to-end live streaming technology provider that helps teams, groups and organizations stream and monetize their video content.
• ContentArmor: global provider of content protection technologies that works with content houses, post-production houses, content distributors and video on-demand service providers.
• Touchstream: streaming media monitoring service that enables content providers to deliver the best streaming experience across all media formats and device types.
• Phenix: Provider of global, end-to-end real-time video IP solutions allowing for high-quality, synchronous viewing at broadcast scale with less than a half-second of latency.
• Ketan Bhardwaj: Research Scientist II at Georgia Institute of Technology and holds a PhD in computer science.
• Rob Dillon: Digital Operations Manager at Tribune Media and a streaming media evangelist with expertise in live streaming workflows, video tools, OTT design and deployment information technology and vendor relations.

“Audiences are increasingly turning to online video streaming, creating a shift in the content viewing industry,” said Stefan Birrer, PhD, CEO and co-founder, Phenix. “We’re looking forward to sharing our expertise in scalable, real-time streaming and contributing to the Alliance’s Scaling Working Group to develop and shape what’s to come in this rapidly advancing space.”

“We have been keenly interested in the Streaming Video Alliance having followed their work over the past several years. When the grant program opened, there was no hesitation on our part to submit a nomination,” said Brenton Ough, CEO Touchstream Media. “We deeply appreciate being able to spend the next year as part of this consortium which includes some of the best minds in streaming video.”

“As streaming continues to surge in use and blur the lines with broadcast content, we need common standards and best practices to ensure better viewer experiences on any device or platform,” said Chris Knowlton, Chief Strategy Officer at BlueFrame Technology. “The Streaming Video Alliance brings together the right set of diverse parties to make that happen, and we’re honored to be invited to join as one of the first recipients of the Membership Grant Program.”

“It’s an honor to join the Alliance, a truly unique opportunity that not only brings us together to further industry innovations, but also to connect to something bigger than one’s own work,” said Ketan Bhardwaj.

“Both the technological and business side of the streaming media industry are moving at light speed,” said Rob Dillon. “It is a rare privilege to be invited to join the Alliance and work with the greatest minds in our industry towards a common goal.”

As principal members for 2018, the recipients will be involved in various working groups and will participate in the Alliance’s quarterly member meetings. Applications for the 2019 Membership Grant Program will open later this year.

Members of the Alliance include companies from across the streaming video ecosystem such as network operators, technology providers, service providers, and content owners. Current members are: Adobe, Amazon Web Services, Anevia, Arris, ATEME, Cedexis, CenturyLink, Charter Communications, Ciena, Cisco Systems, Comcast, Concurrent, Conviva, Digital Element, Dolby, Edgeware, Encompass TV, Ericsson, Espial Group, FOX Networks, Friend MTS, Harmonic, Hughes Satellite Systems, IBM, IneoQuest, Intel, Interra Systems, Irdeto, Level 3 Communications, Liberty Global, Limelight Networks, MediaMelon, MLBAM, Mobolize, NBCUniversal, NCTA, NeuLion, Nexguard, Nice People at Work, Nokia, OWNZONES, Qwilt, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Sky, SSIMWAVE, Telecom Italia, THX, Verimatrix, Verizon, Viacom, ViaPlay, ViaSat Inc., Viavi Solutions, Western Digital Corp., and Wowza Media Systems.

For more information on the Alliance, the Working Groups, or to inquire about becoming a member, visit www.streamingvideoalliance.org.

About the Streaming Video Alliance
Founded in 2014, the Streaming Video Alliance’s charter is to encourage deeper collaboration across the entire online video ecosystem, which will include the development of standards and best practices for an open architecture that will operate across the entire online video value chain. The Alliance is currently focused on identifying issues and solutions related to open architecture, quality of experience, and interoperability. For more information, please visit www.streamingvideoalliance.org.

Press Contact
Amber Winans
Bhava Communications
(510) 984-1526
[email protected]