We are pleased to announce today that we have rolled out broad support for Adobe Flash Media Server 3.5 through content delivery services provided by Limelight Networks to provide more than 700 customers in 28 countries with turn-key access to enhanced dynamic delivery capabilities for HD-quality online video. We also introduced on-demand access to advanced security options for video stream encryption and SWF verification.

Today's announcement will accelerate the adoption of Flash Media Server 3.5, enabling organizations around the world to deliver secure, up to HD-quality, long-form content to consumers and take full advantage of cloud-based services for H.264 encoding, bandwidth optimization, dynamic streaming for multiple renditions, interactivity, pre-built services for live and on-demand streaming, and other capabilities to deliver the highest quality end user experience for their online video content. Customers can also access on-demand content protection features to prevent abuse and ensure content is easily and reliably delivered.

Companies like Marvel Entertainment and Rainbow Media are taking advantage of turn-key access to the most advanced and ubiquitous technology to boost the quality and security of their direct-to-consumer online video programming, including ad-supported clips and feature-length shows.

This announcement delivers on our strategic alliance with Adobe, announced in April 2009, to collaborate on technology and services that will enhance the quality of online video experiences and accelerate the development of content protection for rich media. The announcement also continues our longstanding alliance with Limelight Networks. 

Click here to read the full release.

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We are very pleased to announce that the Brightcove Alliance, our global partner ecosystem, has doubled in size over the past seven months to include more than 200 technology, distribution and solution partners. We also unveiled 5 new technology partner categories, including content management systems, transcoding, e-mail, content and live, as well as a new training and certification program for our solution partners.

The Brightcove Alliance was launched in December 2008 to provide our worldwide customer base with access to a broad range of expert partners, pre-integrated technologies and services to support online video initiatives of any size and scope in every market. Since then, the program has rapidly expanded to include 200+ partners around the world. We now have a total of 12 technology partner categories, including the original 7 categories -- advertising and monetization, reporting and analytics, search and discovery, social media, viewer experience, distribution, and mobile.

We've also taken a structured and unique approach to nurturing solution partners to help create a labor force of external Brightcove experts. Our new training and certification program will only help to further the success of our solution partner ecosystem. These programs are designed to provide creative and interactive agencies and systems integrators with the opportunity to provide video services and take advantage of new revenue sources through a referral program with flexible business and campaign-based pricing models. Certified partners will also have access to a special Partner Edition of the Brightcove platform.

Check out today's press release and our full list of Alliance partners here.

Many of our Bay Area Brightcove Alliance partners were on hand at the Brightcove meetup in San Francisco last night, which turned out to be a fantastic event. Several partners, including Qik, Boxee, Apture and Cooliris, also showcased live demonstrations of how they have integrated with our platform. Thanks again to all of our partners who made it to the event!

We are extremely proud of what the Brightcove Alliance program has become as we continue to rapidly sign up important partners, execute with them in the field, and provide value to our customers. No other company can claim the breadth, depth, and substance of the Brightcove Alliance and we look forward to continuing to expand our partner ecosystem in the future.

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We're also very happy to announce that we have partnered with Boxee, the first "social" media center, to provide our media customers with turn-key distribution options to the living room television via Boxee's interface. The partnership provides our customers with new opportunities to expand audience reach and advertising inventory, while bringing online video from some of the biggest names in news and entertainment programming to Boxee users.

The integration with Boxee enables customers to set up their own branded content channel within Boxee and take advantage of the built-in publishing and distribution features inherent to the Brightcove platform. Content can be integrated into Boxee's catalogue, which includes websites like Netflix, CNN and CBS, in a matter of minutes and without sacrificing existing workflows or advertising policies. Customers can also expose content to third party sites like Twitter and Facebook.

The first Brightcove customers to take advantage of the distribution partnership include Conde Nast Digital, Qubo, and TheStreet.com.

Any folks in the Bay Area interested in learning more about this new partnership and in seeing a live demonstration can do so later this week at the Brightcove meetup on Thursday, 9/10, at 6:00 pm at the Thirsty Bear brew pub. Make sure to RSVP at http://anyvite.com/f9clwmghsf.

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We're very pleased to announce today that Germany's most widely read newspaper has selected Brightcove to deliver a more engaging and user-friendly online video experience. ZEIT ONLINE, the Web property for Die Zeit, is now able to tightly integrate advertising-supported video with other online video content through the Brightcove platform. ZEIT ONLINE will also be able to extend its online audience by giving visitors the ability to share and embed videos on third party sites. Brightcove's ease of integration with leading ad networks and servers will also enable ZEIT to introduce new monetization opportunities for advertisers.

Commenting on the news, Christian Ropke, managing director of ZEIT ONLINE said: "As the clear leader in the industry, Brightcove provides everything we need to publish, distribute and monetize our online video content. Video performance and quality are key factors in the success of our online video initiatives, and Brightcove's track record in both areas is unmatched. Brightcove's open platform approach and developer resources also enable us to develop new, highly-customized experiences that integrate online video with other website features, which helps to keep visitors on the site longer."

Check out the full press release at http://www.brightcove.com/en/press-releases/zeit-online-taps-brightcove-provide-enhanced-online-video-experiences.

Also, later today Brightcove vice president of business development for EMEA, Rags Gupta, will highlight the ZEIT ONLINE roll out as well as a host of other innovative online video use cases and trends during his presentation at the Medienwoche@IFA event in Berlin. Check it out if you're in the area!

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Lifetime Digital has just launched an exciting new video site for the much-anticipated debut of Project Runway season six on Lifetime Television Thursday, August 20, at 10 PM ET/PT.

The new site, which has already spiked daily traffic to myLifetime.com by 19%, has rolled out the first set of the more than 500 exclusive video clips that will be featured throughout the new season. New video content and applications include:

HOME VISITS: The Project Runway designers provide tours of where they live, work and create - be it their own home, a room at their parents' house or their car.

CLOSET TOURS: See the outfits that inspire the designers, what they will bring to wear on season six and garments they've designed in the past.

FASHION TIPS: Learn each designer's go-to fashion tip - from flip-flops to lingerie.

CASTING SESSION: Find out how each designer got on the show - what designs they showed the judges and how they reacted when they were given the good news.

HOME VIDEO: Watch the self-made video the 16 designers submitted to Project Runway's producers as part of their applications for the show.

FAN POLL AND VIDEO WIDGET: Fans can express their allegiance to their favorite designer and post a fan badge (featuring streaming video) of that designer on Facebook and other social media platforms.

Read the full press release from Lifetime Digital Media and Lifetime Networks.  

Since launching with Brightcove last year, Lifetime Television has been at the leading edge of online video programming with its expansive myLifetime.com portal, which features an enormous range of offerings from promotional clips and exclusive interviews to full episodes from hit shows like Army Wives and feature-length movies.

Congratulations to the Lifetime Digital team on the successful launch of the new Project Runway site, and continued innovation and leadership in the online video space.

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At a press conference in Tokyo earlier today, Brightcove announced the general availability of a fully-localized online video platform for Japan. With today's announcement, Brightcove extends its existing localized player architecture to inlude the full suite of back-end online video platform services, including content management, player design and publishing, delivery, product documentation and customer support.

In Japan, Brightcove is based in Tokyo with a local staff that includes senior leadership, sales, marketing, engineering and customer support teams. In under a year's time, Brightcove has achieved incredible momentum in the market with customers including Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS), Asahi Breweries Group, Sony Music Network Japan, Shueisha Publishing and Orange Page net. Additionally, Brightcove was chosen by Web TV distribution giant, PRESENTCAST, for gorin.jp, the exclusive online video portal in Japan for coverage of the Beijing Olympic Games.

Building on this momentum, Brightcove will accelerate platform adoption in the country with the introduction of a new 30-day free trial program for Japan that provides access to the localized, full-featured Pro edition of the Brightcove online video platform. The free trial program, as well as localized tutorials and documentations, can be accessed through Brightcove’s Japanese website www.brightcove.co.jp and the Brightcove 3 Studio http://studio3.brightcove.co.jp/login.

Brightcove established its majority-owned subsidiary, Brightcove KK, in Japan in 2008 with $4.9 million in new investment from Brightcove Inc. and four market-leading Japanese strategic partners: Dentsu, Inc., J-Stream, Inc., transcosmos, Inc. (transcosmos), and Cyber Communications, Inc. (CCI).

Full press release.

UPDATE: Beet.TV's Any Plesser caught up with Brightcove SVP of Marketing, Jeff Whatcott, to discuss Brightcove's international expansion and entry into the Japanese market. Click here for the video.

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We are very excited to announce a new deal with News Corp.'s Fox International Channels enabling its many media brands to use the Brightcove platform for online video initiatives. The first major new initiative to launch under the deal is Mundo Fox, a VOD portal opeated by Fox Latin American Channels that features more than 800 hours of ad-supported clips and full-length show, including 24, Family Guy, Burn Notice, My Name is earl and The Simpsons. The video is available dubbed or subtitled in Spanish or Portuguese. Since launching last month, Mundo Fox has generated 1.5 million unique visitors and 2.5 million page views.

With Brightcove Fox Latin American Channels is able to deliver up to HD-quality full episodes and clips of some of the most highly sought after programming on the Web from network brands including Fox, FX, Fox Life, Fox Sports, Fox News, National Geographic Channel, National Geographic Music, Universal Channel, Hallmark Channel, Utilísima, SPEED Channel, Baby TV Channel, .Fox Networks, BienSimple, Fox Toma 1 and Fox Telecolombia.

The deal announced today with Fox International Channels expands on exisiting online video platform deals between Brightcove and other News Corporation properties, including Fox Entertainment Group, British Sky Broadcasting, and News International.

Full press release.

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Today, Brightcove has announced a raft of major new customer wins in Japan including Tokyo Broadcasting System, Sony Music Network, Asahi Breweries Group, Shueisha Publishing, and Orange Page. We are thrilled to see wide-spread adoption of the Brightcove online video platform among such well-known and highly-respected brands in Japan.

Brightcove established operations in Japan last year with a majority-owned subsidiary backed by market-leading partners including Dentsu, J-Stream, CCI and transcosmos. In a little under a year's time, Brightcove KK has established itself as a leader in the region with major customer wins such as Presentcast, the Web video venture owned and operated by Japan's leading commercial television broadcasters.

Growth in Japan mirrors a similar trend we're seeing across North America and Europe where television broadcasters, traditional print publishers, and brand marketers are accelerating the development of online video properties to reach new audiences and, in the case of media businesses, tap new advertising revenue streams. In fact, Brightcove now has customers in 27 countries spanning nearly every sector of industry and society.

For more information, click here for the full press release. You can also visit Beet.TV to see an interview with our SVP of Marketing, Jeff Whatcott about the announcement today. 

-- Josh Hawkins

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Today, Simon & Schuster announced plans to open a new in-house digital media studio to ramp production of original online video content, including interviews and features about book authors and special projects, like the Stephen King Web series, "N." Over the coming months, the new studio will produce interviews with Arianna Huffington, Blair Underwood, and Philippa Gregory. Simon & Schuster expects to produce over 600 multimedia presentations annually. We are thrilled Brightcove has been chosen as the online video platform for this exciting and innovative initiative from one of the world's largest and most well-respected publishers. 

--Josh Hawkins

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Today, Brightcove has announced a wide-ranging partnership with OMS, Germany's online sales and marketing network for regional newspapers, which will enable OMS to use the Brightcove platform to develop an online video network for its member newspapers (full press release). The new network will feature premium content licensed and distributed by OMS, as well as local video published by the regional newspapers through Brightcove. OMS will sell advertising against the combined video inventory and provide a new ongoing revenue stream to participating newspapers. The online video network will launch later this year with seven regional newspapers and expand to include over 60 newspapers through the OMS initiative. The map below highlights the OMS member publications.

Commenting on the news, Kim Kriegers of OMS, said: "The deal announced today with Brightcove has given OMS the ability to rapidly launch an expansive video distribution network across multiple websites and manage a complex set of advertising programs." Kim's colleague, Managing Director, George Hesse added: "At the same time, OMS is giving member newspapers access to the most comprehensive and scalable platform in the world which they will be able to use to add premium video content to their websites from the network and publish regional news coverage produced by their local newsrooms. Our objectives are to collectively capitalize on the revenue growth in the online advertising categories of videos."

OMS joins a growing list of Brightcove customers in Germany, which also includes one of largest magazine publishers in Europe, Gruner +Jahr, which we announced earlier this year. 

-- Josh Hawkins

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