Mediamorph, a provider of cloud-based rights management systems for programmers and video distributors, said it has inked a deal with Redbox, which recently launched a new online streaming service.

RELATED: Going All In on Automating the Rights Stuff (subscription required)

Under the deal, Redbox will use Mediamorph’s platform to streamline the process of avails management and pricing.

Redbox offers DVD, Blu-ray disks and video game rentals via a network of more than 41,500 self-service kiosks. Late last year, Redbox introduced Redbox On Demand, a streaming service that supports web browsers and the Chromecast streaming adapter, apps for mobile devices, Apple TV boxes, Roku players and Roku TVs and LG Electronics and Samsung smart TVs.

“With the launch of Redbox On Demand, we sought out a partner to help streamline our avails management, content ordering and pricing management processes,” Lowell Bike, director of product management at Redbox, said in a statement. “By leveraging Mediamorph’s cloud solution and industry-specific systems, we can seamlessly scale our content offering and ramp up to support consumer demand.”

Examples of other Mediamorph partners include Cinedigm, Liberty Global, Ellation, Frontier Communications and Altibox.

As traditional pay TV providers reach more types of screens, and as more over-the-top video players enter the fray, managing and accounting for massive amounts of content — with respect to tricky distribution rights — has become increasingly complex and fragmented. Given the intricacies of those rights, which include the kinds of devices content can be offered on and when (and for how much), rights management systems have been pivoting away from tedious, manual processes to more automated (and accurate) systems powered by the proverbial cloud.

This trend has played into the hands of digital rights management companies such as Mediamorph, which now works with the world’s top 10 content studios, traditional pay TV providers such as Liberty Global, digitally focused distributors such as Cinedigm, and an array of OTT video specialists such as Ellation, a company tied to Otter Media, the AT&T-The Chernin Group joint venture.

Related: Ellation Taps Mediamorph to Manage Content Rights, Contracts

Multichannel News recently caught up with Mediamorph CEO Rob Gardos to discuss how rights management systems have evolved to meet the challenges of multiscreen video and OTT delivery. An edited transcript follows.

MCN: What are your top priorities this year?
Rob Gardos: I think one of the biggest areas that we’ve been trying to focus on is making the supply chain around publishing as seamless and reliable as the playout experience. You’ve got this mess in the middle, starting from when content providers say, “Get us content that you’re allowed to exploit,” to ultimately that content being made available.

Mediamorph for the past few years has been building — and it has been an uphill battle, I’ll tell you — a lot of the pieces to facilitate the seamless exchange of information: What kind of content is available and when it’s available and how it’s available and what are the financial terms related to its availability. This is the year where that full cycle of content is going upstream seamlessly and money is going downstream seamlessly.

MCN: What’s been the greatest change in rights management in recent years? Is it all now about automation and cloud-powered systems and a move away from more difficult manual processes?
RG: This is not a challenge around rights. This is a challenge around an operational workflow. And it’s something that the industry, I think, is getting a lot better at recognizing as something that is of huge importance.

When I think of the operational workflow, it’s akin to a physical fulfillment workflow — I want a product, I order it, FedEx picks it up, they scan it and it gets delivered. The rights and rules that make up that package all happen beforehand.

What we have found is the need to grab information from all of these different systems to actually execute on that properly. You need to get information rights systems. You need to get information from traditional financial systems, traditional operational fulfillment systems that are internal. Some of the big customers we integrate to [involve] no fewer than 10 systems. And that’s the low number.

The hardest part is … how to normalize [that information] so, essentially, you’re speaking some common language.

MCN: So how do you drive that commonality?
RG: Part of it is this: The more we can embrace standards, the better. We don’t want to recreate the wheel. But the hard part is getting all of this information in and getting it to conform to the standard.

MCN: How has the emergence of over-the-top and multiscreen distribution affected your business? Has that accelerated things?
RG: It’s accelerating things materially. There’s a bunch of new distribution players.

We support specific players that deliver their content over-the-top, including SVOD [subscription video-on-demand] and pure AVOD [ad-based VOD].

But even more so, the traditional MSOs are extending and providing new ways for their customers to consume content. This has happened a lot internationally. You’ve got a variety of legacy platforms that they now have to support — they have set-top box platforms, they have mobile platforms, they have an over-the-top platform.

All of that needs to be centralized. That’s been a huge driver. It increases complexity, and the last thing that these folks want is another set of manual processes and manual profiles and more Excel [spreadsheets] and other things that they use right now. With nearly every implementation … we’re always integrating with a legacy system and some newfangled OTT system.

MCN: Where are you seeing the most growth coming from these days? Is it coming by way of traditional programmers and content suppliers that are pursuing OTT now, or is it from new, pure-play OTTs?
RG: It’s a mix. Some of the traditional players are using it as a vehicle to protect their subscriber-recurring revenue, and some of them — even a few of the traditional players — are looking at ways to increase ARPU [average revenue per user], recognizing full well that they are losing traditional customers who are cutting the cord.

A good [OTT] example is Crunchyroll and Ellation. [Crunchyroll is the anime-focused SVOD service that’s owned by Ellation.] That’s very indicative of new opportunities we have where a provider is reaching critical mass and they need to keep up with all of the content. The ones that are sort of hitting their stride, they quickly realize that the manual processes they have currently are not sustainable. And that’s driving a lot of growth for us.

Mediamorph, a provider of cloud-based rights management systems for programmers and video distributors, has inked a deal with Cinedigm, which will use Mediamorph’s platform to track the performance of how its content assets are distributed digitally around the world.

Cinedigm provides custom content systems for a range of digital platforms including iTunes, Netflix and Amazon, as well as for MVPDs such as Comcast, Dish Network and DirecTV, along with retailers that include Walmart and Target.

RELATED: Ellation Taps Mediamorph to Manage Content Rights, Contracts

“With today’s rapid proliferation of entertainment content and the trends toward globalization based on digital distribution platforms, our business is now considerably more complex than it was just a short time ago,” Bill Sondheim, president of Cinedigm, said in a statement. “Mediamorph’s solutions deliver the information we need to ensure that our company and our clients will get the best possible performance for the assets we are responsible for distributing.”

RELATED: Mediamorph Lands $21M ‘C’ Round

“With expertise squarely in the entertainment content sector, our team looks forward to working closely with Cinedigm to maximize the value of its content assets,” added Mediamorph CEO Rob Gardos.

RELATED: Mediamorph Lands Hulu Deal 

Ellation, the OTT-focused company tied to Otter Media (the AT&T-The Chernin Group joint venture) has tapped Mediamorph’s cloud-based platform to help it manage content rights and contracts tied to subscription services such as Crunchyroll and VRV.

Ellation manages more than 25,000 titles across Crunchyroll and VRV, a new SVOD aggregation service, along with 20 million registered users and more than 1 million paid subs across both OTT brands.  

RELATED: Mediamorph Lands $21M ‘C’ Round

Ellation joins a list of known Mediamorph customers that includes Liberty Global, Frontier Communications, and Altibox. Ellation is a portfolio company of Otter Media, the OTT-focused joint venture of AT&T and The Chernin Group.

RELATED: Mediamorph Lands Hulu Deal 

“As we continue to grow, it is critical for us to scale successfully and better manage the complex nature of our contracts and title rights,” Susanna Hofmann, Ellation’s CFO, said in a statement. “Mediamorph will both improve the visibility into our library of content to take full advantage of its value, and more effectively aid the automation of our financial processing.”

Mediamorph, a provider of cloud-based rights management systems for programmers and video distributors, said it has won a string of deals for a new VOD orchestration system that can help partners drive more dollars out of the content assets they create or have under license.

Those wins include Liberty Global, Frontier Communications and Altibox.

Mediamorph, which just turned 10 and also works with major studios and select OTT players, said its orchestration system is helping operators bridge the gap between their legacy and next-gen platforms.

RELATED: Mediamorph Lands Hulu Deal 

VOD has become “table stakes” for service providers, but managing that content across new platforms has made everything more complicated as they try to track all of the rights, restrictions and pricing models and availability windows that are being woven into the fabric of the on-demand model, Rob Gardos, Mediamorph’s CEO, said.

RELATED: Mediamorph Lands $21M ‘C’ Round

“It’s not slowing down,” he said. “It’s creating a massive amount of complexity.”

It has become a significant challenge, Gardos added, as operators strive to support legacy systems as they roll out new ones while also maintaining firm control of the rights that govern the content they are distributing.

Mediamorph is answering that call with an orchestration system that serves as the glue that can keep both sides together while also adding in automation that removes time-consuming manual processes.

RELATED: Mediamorph Lands Frontier Deal

“As the largest international cable company, it is important to ensure we are maximizing the value of our content across our entire customer base,” Bob Greene, Liberty Global’s managing director of online entertainment and Mediamorph board member, said in a statement. “Mediamorph’s best-of-breed solutions are an essential component in making that happen, and their new orchestration technologies are quickly having an impact.”

Mediamorph, a provider of cloud-based rights management systems for programmers and video distributors, said Fronter Communications will use its platform to help it “streamline content handling and confirm content obligations.”

“Frontier has significantly grown its customer footprint and increased its TV content offerings. We view Mediamorph’s solution as a way to integrate contract details, content information, and financial processing.” Steve Ward, Frontier’s SVP of video technology and content, said in a statement.

“As Frontier continues to create new consumer experiences, Mediamorph’s platform will enable it to leverage licensed content and automate key financial use cases to improve revenue and operational productivity,” added Mediamorph CEO Rob Gardos.

Frontier joins other Mediamorph partners that include Hulu, TDC Group and Millicom.

Last August, Mediamorph closed a $21 million “C” round of funding led by Advance Vixeid Partners and by senior advisors to Lee Equity Partners that include former NBCU chairman and CEO Bob Wright and former USA Networks president and COO Barry Baker.

Mediamorph, a provider of cloud-based rights management systems for programmers and video distributors, has closed a $21 million “C” round of funding led by Advance Vixeid Partners and by senior advisors to Lee Equity Partners that include former NBCU chairman and CEO Bob Wright and former USA Networks president and COO Barry Baker.

Mediamorph, which has raised a total of $43 million, said it will use the funding to expand its global reach and enhance its platform, which helps partners manage the financials and rights components of  video and integrate that info into the supply and distribution chain.

Along with the new funding, Mediamorph also announced the appointment of several new board members, including Nomi Bergman, president of Advance/Newhouse Partnership and the former president of Bright House Networks; Bob Greene, managing director, Liberty Global; and Baker.

Rob Gardos, Mediamorph’s CEO, said the C-round was oversubscribed, and that most of the company’s growth is coming from MVPDs and OTT players in the U.S. and abroad. 

Mediamoroph’s platform brings together rights and financial data in a way that helps its partners make informed decisions on how to track and further monetization their media assets.

“There’s so much content coming from different places and the rights are getting more and more complex,” Gardos said.

Recently added Mediamorph customers include Hulu, Millicom, Norway’s Altibox, and Discovery Networks. Other Mediamorph clients include Liberty Global, A&E Networks, AMC Networks, BBC Worldwide, CenturyLink, NBCUniversal, Paramount Pictures, Starz Media, Turner Networks, Warner Bros, and Viacom, among others.

Founded in 2007, Mediamorph is private and doesn’t disclose specific financials, including whether it's profitable, but Gardos said company revenues have grown 100% year-over-year.

“We’re experiencing a massive inflection in Media & Entertainment, where rapid change has made it critical for companies to deploy high-performance systems in order to survive and grow,” Bergman said, in a statement. “Mediamorph is a vital technology platform in this ecosystem and I am excited to provide additional industry insight and expertise.”

Mediamorph said Hulu has picked the cloud-based rights management firm to help the OTT-SVOD provider improve its contract management capabilities and assess the financial value of its growing content library.

Mediamorph said the deal came together amid content deal structures that are growing increasingly sophisticated, and that its platform will provide Hulu with insight into content costs and how they can help to drive decisions on future investment.

Hulu  announced last week that it was nearing 12 million SVOD subs and confirmed that it is looking to expand its repertoire with a new virtual MVPD service that will feature skinny TV packages.

Mediamorph’s said its “rights-aware” Deals contract module enables clients to manage, control, and analyze contracts in a centrally while supporting complex and evolving financial deal elements that are becoming more common in content distribution deals. Its Accounting and Analytics modules, meanwhile, provide insights into content costs and calculate amortization schedules, generate accrual reports, and produce supplier payment records.

“We are thrilled to be working with Hulu, a pioneer and leader in streaming TV,” said Rob Gardos, CEO of Mediamorph. “Contracts, titles, and rights have exploded in the digital age. Our platform provides our customers improved understanding of costs and revenue drivers of their most valuable asset – their content. We look forward to helping Hulu continue to lead the pack as their service grows exponentially in the years ahead.”

Separately, Mediamorph announced that Millicom, a provider with more than 62 million customers in Latin America and Africa, has selected it platform to fuel and accelerate growth for services such as Tigo Star (its satellite TV offering), as well as residential cable and other TV offerings.

Other Mediamorph customers include A&E Networks, AMC Networks, BBC Worldwide, CenturyLink, Liberty Global, NBCUniversal, Paramount Pictures, Starz Media, Turner Networks, Warner Bros, and Viacom, among others.

Mediamorph, a maker of cloud-based rights management systems, has tapped former Vubiquity exec Jim Riley as chief revenue officer, where he’ll be tasked with heading up the company’s global revenue expansion.

Mediamorph said Riley will lead the company’s sales team across all products, verticals, and territories. On the product side, he will focus on Mediamorph’s  cloud-based platform spanning content rights, contract management, royalty processing automation, and digital supply chain optimization for video models such as SVOD and over-the-top distribution.

A vet of the cable industry, Riley, who was named to The Cable Center’s Cable TV Pioneers in 2014, helped to grow AMC Networks and was part of the E! launch team before joining video-on-demand distribution pioneer TVN Entertainment in 2000, which merged with Avail Media in 2009. Avail-TVN was rebranded as Vubiquity in 2013.

“Jim has always been an industry thought leader and advocate for innovative solutions that meet the demands of a changing global media business,” Eddy Zervigon, former Morgan Stanley managing director and TVN board member. “As media deals grow increasingly complex and personalized TV evolves, I predict that Jim will apply his expertise to expand the Mediamorph value proposition and create monetization opportunities for content owners, providers, and distributors.”

“Jim understands the significant changes facing the media space and he knows how to address them - just as he did with a nascent VOD industry,” added Rob Gardos, Mediamorph’s CEO. “Jim will help Mediamorph drive innovative leading-edge solutions for a changing industry.  Adding Jim to the team allows us to transition Steve Pitts to a larger delivery role as EVP - Global Services, working more closely with strategic customers.”

Here’s another sampling of what else is making news as the IBC show (September 11-16) gets rolling in Amsterdam (please go here for our first IBC news roundup):

-Media data management and analytics company Mediamorph has raised a $10 million in a  Series B found led by Liberty Global Ventures, with help from  Smedvig Capital, an existing Mediamorph investor. Mediamorph, which has raised $23 million so far according to Crunchbase (Mediamorph confirmed that figure), said it expects to close the round soon, with the participation of one or two more additional investors. The latest round, “will help us invest in our data management platform and bring on key hires to further scale our business,” Rob Gardos, the recently named CEO of Mediamorph, said in a statement.

-Elliptic Technologies said it is working with CableLabs to provide a reference implementation for DLNA’s CVP-2 (Commercial Video Profile-2) specs that utilizes Elliptic’s tVault for DTCP-IP (Digital Transmission Content Protection over Internet Protocol)  security system. DLNA just unveiled “VidiPath” as the consumer-facing brand and label for a certification program that will test CE video devices, including retail products, that are capable of supporting an MVPD’s full suite of services and user interface. Elliptic and CableLabs will provide a CVP-2 server reference design that uses Elliptic’s security and will facilitate client testing and the interoperability of VidiPath/CVP-2 devices.

-Cisco Systems said it’s expanding its Videoscape Virtualized Video Processing (V2P) system to virtualize and orchestrate the key functions required to deliver multiscreen video. Instead of requiring pay-TV operators to hardwire optimized gear for each type of screen, Cisco claims that its new orchestrated approach creates a common pool of hardware and software for multiscreen delivery.

-Broadcom has unleashed a family of eight hybrid satellite/terrestrial broadcast chipsets for set-top boxes that support High Efficiency Video Compression (HEVC)/H.265, a codec that is billed as 50% more bandwidth-efficient than MPEG-4/H.264. Broadcom said it’s also combining HEVC with the modulation efficiencies of DVB-S2, DVB-T2 (terrestrial standard for Europe and South Africa) , ISDB-T (terrestrial standard for Brazil, Latin America, the Philippines, Botswana and Japan) and ATSC (North America and Korea), and home-side IP connectivity using the 2.0 version of the Multimedia over Coax Alliance standard.

-IneoQuest Technologies said it has inked a deal to supply  video headend monitoring systems to Kabel Deutschland, the largest cable operator in Germany. KD’s systems connect about 8.3 million homes.

-Accedo has launched Accedo VIA, a next-gen multiscreen platform for PCs, smartphones, tablets, smart TVs and gaming consoles. Accedo stitched VIA together in tandem with several tech partners, including DivX, Elemental Technologies, Movideo, MPP, NexStreaming, NXP Software, Ooyala, PayWizard, Comcast-owned thePlatform, Verimatrix, Vimond, VisualOn and Xstream.

Mediamorph, a provider of rights management systems for multiscreen video service providers and digital retailers, has appointed Rob Gardos to CEO.

Gardos succeeds Mike Sid, a Mediamorph co-founder, who will remain on as a member of the board of directors and in the role of chief strategy officer, where Sid will “focus his efforts on corporate and product strategy.”

Mediamorph said it’s bringing Gardos on to head up the company’s growth initiatives. He previously served as CTO and general manager of Register.com, a major Internet domain name registrar, and later founded GridApp Systems, a data base management automation platform that was acquired by BMC systems. Most recently, Gardos was CEO and president of LiiiiKE, an iOS mobile shopping app.

Sid and Shahid Kahn, Mediamorph’s chairman, founded the company in 2007. The company, which operates offices in New York, Los Angeles and London, claims that it monitors $10 billion in revenue tied to over 1.2 million film, television and video products. The company said it now tracks data and reporting from more than 600 platforms globally, rights from over 400 content providers, and analyzes the streaming of more than 4 billion videos per month.

Of recent note, Mediamorph was selected as the rights management system partner for Vubiquity’s AnyVu Cloud platform, which is being developed to handle on-demand and live video for pay-TV and over-the-top video service providers.