Paulo Custodio & Associates and StorerTV team up to help bring Brazil into the digital age of mediaFor 20 years, Paulo Custodio & Associates (PCA), a Brazilian software solutions provider, has improved business processes and developed unique software solutions for Brazil’s entertainment, service and trade industries. During the past year, Peter Storer, founder and President of StorerTV, was consulting for a Brazilian multichannel cable and satellite TV service owned by the largest media organization in Latin America. Peter was introduced to PCA through exposure to their ground-breaking advertising sales solution as a perfect fit for not only the division he was consulting, but the entire organization, a world renown broadcasting company that owns one of the world’s largest production studios and distributes content to over 110 countries. Peter found their programming was managed on several legacy systems that were not effectively integrated for maximum efficiency and the time it took to process media from production to air often jeopardized their operations commitment to quality broadcasting. After meeting with PCA founder Paulo Custodio to discuss a partnership, StorerTV and PCA submitted a plan for a complete media management solution and a re-defined workflow process. Although the project received other bids from large multi-national companies, it was PCA’s integration expertise and Brazilian proximity, along with the functional expertise of StorerTV’s program and contract rights management system called SIMS that ultimately won the award for the project in late 2009. The Brazilian customers selected StorerTV because the product was not only a modern architecture but a solid design incorporating years of industry specific knowledge. The goal of this massive project is to provide SIMS as a modular, .NET-based system to replace six legacy systems that handle program planning, contract management, production, sales, traffic and program play-out. As one system gets replaced by a new SIMS module that new software product will fully integrate with the other existing legacy systems, and ultimately with the updated SIMS modules as they are deployed. StorerTV, with its 25 years of leadership in program and rights management systems, was uniquely positioned to supply a forward facing product and manage a long term project of collaborative design and unique deployment requirements. SIMS is able to manage international program information from contractual rights to program scheduling to financial management and reporting. It supports multi-currencies and languages, and can easily integrate with most back-office systems. The flexibility of SIMS helps to streamline the program management process and adapt quickly to the latest industry standards and the demands of new business growth. 
"Each year, new engineering requirements are demanded of Brazilian broadcasters", notes Helder Amaral, PCA Partner and Project Manager, "which means that television networks must have a flexible solution that grows with the industry to provide more content on more platforms." Currently, Brazil is experiencing a 20% yearly increase in cable subscriptions as its cost is becoming more affordable to consumers. Brazilian networks are racing to provide quality high definition programming with 5.1 audio, and rushing to supply key content on multiple platforms and in "on demand" formats. Helder and his team frequently visit the StorerTV home office in suburban Milwaukee to assist the development staff with Brazilian broadcast model design expertise, module configuration and quality assurance testing. The two teams are currently testing the custom code products that will provide a smooth transition from the legacy systems to SIMS. "Designing the right process to use with the right technologies is only part of the challenge, “said Helder, “It is also innovating change management techniques that will allow a quick acceptance by veteran staff accustomed to using the legacy systems.” PCA will be working to ensure that the SIMS modules not only integrate with the current back-office systems, but also meet the operational needs of each user. "We’re very fortunate to have PCA as a partner," said Peter Storer. "Their commitment to the success of this project is unparalleled, and we certainly look forward to working with their expert staff on future projects." |
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PCA is a leading developer of highly specialized solutions for global companies, including MetLife, Kodak, Hewlett Packard, Direct TV, Globosat, and Sony Pictures. In 2004, PCA had developed a traffic and advertising sales tool for Sony Pictures to better manage their AXN and Sony networks in Mexico and Latin America. This solution enabled Sony to take on management of 6 new channels, and gave their sales team a way to easily enter in negotiation figures, generate customized reports, and calculate international revenue variables.