• by Alex Weprin , December 7, 2018

While over-the-top video services continue to grow in popularity with advertisers and consumers, the barrier for entry for content providers remains high.

Cinedigm, a company that operates more than a half dozen OTT networks, is planning to launch a new product in 2019 meant to lower the cost of entry for publishers, content distributors and others looking to break into OTT.

Matchpoint will be a maned-maned-service OTT platform designed to allow companies to rapidly build and deploy customized OTT services.

Cinedigm says Matchpoint has been in development for more than four years and currently operating its own OTT services, including Dove Channel, Docurama and CombatGo.

The product is modular, with built-in tools for billing, alerts, recommendations and watch lists. It also has a built-in advertising and viewing analytics platform and support for third-party distributors, such as Amazon Channels or virtual MVPDs.

While video is the heart of OTT functionality today, Matchpoint also supports other content formats, such as streaming music, ebooks, audiobooks, digital comics and magazines.

Many newer OTT services, such as WarnerMedia’s DC Universe, are creating OTT services that blend video content with audio content and digital comics.

Cinedigm says Matchpoint will hit the market in Q1 2019, with plans to preview the technology at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next month.

Matchpoint is one of only a handful of companies offering full-service OTT technology products. Others, such as Amazon, have their own offerings, but they are more complex to get up and running, and are not managed.

Managed OTT services are closer to “plug and play,” with far less development work necessary. They also allow for continued customer service and tweaking by the company managing the platform.