Client is the leading provider of television information services both nationally and locally for television networks and affiliates, independent stations, syndicates, cable networks, cable systems, advertisers and agencies across United States and Canada. The client name is synonymous with television ratings and audience estimates. Customers use the company’s television audience research information to purchase and sell television time and to make program decisions.

The Client needed:

• Common Web-based interface for all names collection systems, replacing three client/server systems.
• System to be used by United States cable and broadcast networks, syndicators and unwired networks to supply program lineup information back to the client.
• Cost-effective and intuitive way for users to switch to new system from existing applications.
• Way to incorporate major changes in consumer behavior due to time-shifted viewing into its core application.

We have provided application value management services to the client for more than ten years; this project marked an important milestone in our relationship.

We developed the information gathering solution called myEVNTS, which has over 400 users at numerous companies. The delivery team was faced with dual challenge of large external user base and also a complex data entry-rich user interface. The solution was a Web-based J2EE solution using rich Swing components. The application utilizes open source components that significantly reduce licensing costs. We also proposed a data migration strategy from three legacy systems which encompassed the migration of sources from both enterprise (DB2) and desktop (SQL Anywhere) databases to Sybase.

Sun and Sybase were the two key technology partners. The other technologies used were Java, JSP, Servlets, Sybase ASE 12.5, Unix shell scripts with Jboss as the application server and Tomcat as the Web server.

• Single system to supply program listing information.
• Reduced client training and support needs for the system.
• Savings of over $450,000 annually on licenses.
• Produced ratings for both time-shifted viewing and normal broadcast television.
• Enter a new market (VOD and DVR).
• myEVNTS provides a high level of security.
• Transitioning from three to a single application eliminated maintenance overhead.