Fox Inks Deal with BCE at MIPCOM

Those cumbersome analog program tapes are going the way of so many other outmoded technologies in the international TV market. Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution has just inked with Dutch-based Broadcasting Center Europe to facilitate the digital delivery of file-based broadcast material for the Hollywood studio's key TV station client RTL in Germany and Holland as well as for other BCE station partners throughout Europe.

This initiative is part of Fox's first steps toward the goal of converting its entire distribution operations from tape-based delivery to digital file-based delivery by early 2011. With this transition, Fox is looking to streamline the distribution workflow process and achieve reduced distribution costs and faster, more secure delivery of broadcast materials to its clients all with a reduced environmental carbon footprint.

"This is simply a natural progression for us, our broadcast partners, and our industry," said John Koscheka, VP-Servicing for Fox Television Distribution.

BCE's COO Tun van Rijswijck and his team have apparently made several trips to Los Angeles to further such relationships with the Hollywood majors. It's unclear if any other key studios have signed on to BCE's services.

BCE's digital delivery system, Movie2Me, will allow BCE to service customers worldwide with a digital delivery solution that will easily integrate within their specific workflow, van Rijswijck said.

By Elizabeth Guider, The Hollywood Reporter