• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, June 13, 2011

Tribune Media Services, which operates entertainment databases for TV viewing, is now offering two new packages of metadata for tagging, organizing and managing information about TV programs.

Both services are intended to help TV viewing guide publishers keep up with the changing habits of TV viewers with enhanced onscreen, online and mobile entertainment guide applications.

The first TMS service -- On TV GuidancePack -- features navigational products specifically designed to show viewers multiple content options, spanning various devices, including home entertainment centers, tablet computers, and mobile phones. The On TV GuidancePack provides information such as TV program listings for linear TV schedules, online video and video-on-demand services.

In addition, TMS' new On TV DiscoveryPack provides "relational discovery tools" designed to help viewers find new programming options based on their previous viewing and other contextual clues. It provides users with a variety of program-related content, including images, keywords, recommendations and episode guides.

Both new TMS services draw on three new metadata systems.

The first, covering online video data, compiles data (produced by CastTV) about all the online video available for indexing by viewing guide-type services.

The second new system, covering keywords and recommendations, combines editor-selected content with search and recommendation engines to enable user discovery of new programming. Finally, the new TMS services also draw on an image gallery for popular movies and TV shows.

TMS metadata powers television and movie guide products that reach millions of consumers through various clients, including Microsoft, Google, TiVo, Time Warner Cable, Comcast, DirecTV, Dish Network and IMDb.