Cartoon Network draws on Globecast for pop-up kids’ channels
Details
Joseph O'Halloran
| 02 July 2019

As part of extending its long-standing partnership with the media solutions provider, Cartoon Network has engaged Globecast for technical services in the launch of two, pop-up kids’ channels.

Following discussions earlier this year with Globecast that explored the possibilities of such outlets, Cartoon Network has now launched pop-ups in Singapore with Singtel and in the Philippines with Cignal.

In Singapore, the Pop & Watch channel was available free on Singtel’s IPTV service, as well as its Singtel TV GO and Singtel CAST mobile apps from 12–21 June. Cartoon Network Classics was available as a pay-per-view channel on Cignal TV from 3 May–2 June.

Globecast augmented its existing media management, playout and content archiving agreement with WarnerMedia, owner of Carton Network parent Turner, to provide technical services for the channels.

WarnerMedia in London delivered content to Globecast’s ingest and playout system in Singapore.

The content was then supplied as transmission-ready files and these were automatically ingested. Much of the content was already held in archive by Globecast and was restored to playout as required by the daily playlist, and any missing material was highlighted well in advance of playout. Distribution to the affiliates was handled using existing WarnerMedia satellite capacity. Graphics were also added to the channels.

Testing was carried out before launch, including full trial runs, with Globecast providing complete pop-up channel monitoring, 24/7, while on air.

“These pop-up channels were something new for us in Asia and we were really pleased with the results,” commented James Crossland, senior vice president of international operations for Turner. “We’re always looking to offer our broadcast partners innovative new platforms to showcase our content and it’s important to everyone that the technical services are seamless and hitch-free.”