Briefs

Qualcomm says it’s going to create subsidiary MediaFLO to deploy and operate a network of video and audio programming delivered to cellphones. MediaFLO will cut deals with content providers in an attempt to roll out services to cellphones using the 700 MHz spectrum (UHF channel 55). Qualcomm holds licenses for the spectrum, but it’s going to take $800 million over the next four or five years to bring the services to consumers, slated for 2006.

Two Meredith stations in Portland, Ore., have consolidated their master-control operations, and Pesa routing systems are aiding in the process. KPTV was rolled into KPDX’s facility earlier this year, but it was a Pesa Tiger 144x144 digital routing switcher that made it easy to do. The station also added a 24x16 analog router and a Jaguar 64x64 router tied in with the Tiger. An Ocelot-HD 8x8 router is on hand for any HD demands.

Agentsmith is rolling out software that will help TV networks and affiliates create customized ad packages. It will also give sales managers and account execs access to historical sales information, ad inventory and performance metrics. It can be used with traffic systems from such companies as Encoda and Optimal Solutions.

Another newspaper has signed on with WorldNow to bring video streaming to its sites. Earlier this year, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution added video, and now The Boston Globe is using WorldNow’s Video Producer integrated browser-based tool. It lets non-technical staff edit, manage and post video clips to a Web site. Jeff Moriarty, vice president of product and technology for Boston.com, says, “Our readers want broadband video content. This allows us to quickly increase the amount of video content available on our site, for both users and advertisers.”

The MPEG Industry Forum is about to kick off a new round of interoperability testing of MPEG-4, the next-generation encoding technology that has the industry chomping at the bit. The test involves 30 companies and will conclude in December.