Microsoft Demonstrates Broad Portfolio of Solutions for Digital Publishing at IFRA Expo 2008

Solutions enable publishers to meet challenges of creating and monetizing print and digital content.

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Oct. 27 -- This week at IFRA Expo 2008, Microsoft Corp. will demonstrate how publishers can use technology to stay competitive in the world of online and digital media and evolve their publications into content service offerings by creating compelling user experiences and adapting their business models. In the RAI Exhibition and Congress Centre, Stand 9003, Hall 9, Microsoft will show a range of solutions dedicated to media search and monetization of archive materials, advertising and the digital content experience.

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"The traditional publishing industry is rapidly adapting business models to make the most of the promise of the online world, and we offer publishers a variety of solutions that can help them effectively manage and monetize content across multiple channels," said Rainer Kellerhals, global media and entertainment solutions lead, Microsoft Communications Sector. "Consumers already expect access to music and video on the move whenever they choose, so it stands to reason they should have high expectations for news and other published media."

Advertising Solutions

5 fifteen, provider of software and consultancy to publishers, is using Microsoft technology to help publishers better support their advertising sales cycle. 5 fifteen is integrating Microsoft Dynamics CRM with ad DEPOT and Atlas AdManager to embed print and online ad bookings, and print ad insertion and online ad serving directly within the ad sales process.

ad DEPOT Media for Microsoft Dynamics CRM adds specific sales and marketing functionality to provide a full multimedia booking engine for all advertising types. Complex, multimedia ad bookings can now be made directly from within the Microsoft Dynamics CRM environment, with full integration of account and contact information.

"The online channel is becoming increasingly important for advertisers, and for publishers to stay competitive, they need the ability to offer cross-media ad campaigns, including print and online media," said Rod Fenwick, managing director of 5 fifteen. "This requires tight integration between print and online ad booking systems, customer relationship management systems, and publishing systems. Working with Microsoft, we have developed an integrated ad sales and booking system for print and online ad campaigns."

Digital Content Experience and Monetization

Microsoft Syndicated Client Experiences (SCE) Reader is a reading application that helps publishers create the best possible on-screen reading experiences. Microsoft SCE Reader is a complete solution that makes it easy for publishers to build and deploy e-publishing services with a rich user experience, either optimized for the Windows platform using Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), or in the future also for Web browsers and mobile devices using Microsoft Silverlight. The SCE Reader makes content available both online and offline, utilizes WPF's advanced text display and layout capabilities to present a high-quality on-screen reading experience, and supports innovative ways of advertising in news content. New customers include Le Monde in France and Jyllands-Posten in Denmark.

"At Le Monde we've recently implemented SCE Reader to give our readers instant access to the latest issue wherever they may be," said Dao Nguyen, general manager, Le Monde interactif. "They can pick up the latest copy on their laptop and it's all automatically updated with the latest news while they are online, but it's also stored locally for them to read while offline. This allows us to extend our reach, as well as expanding the portfolio of digital content services we bring to our audience."

"JP2 is an important part of our digital publishing strategy, providing our news through multiple channels. Our experience so far has proved that very precisely," said Jens Nicolaisen, CEO of electronic media at Jyllands-Posten. "Our ambitions and goals for the JP2 digital edition were to have a powerful tool to communicate that our newspaper is not a conservative, traditional newspaper just 'printing newspapers.' We strongly believe that with our digital edition, JP2, we can attract a somewhat younger audience and an audience for whom flexibility and mobility is important."

Media Search

FAST, a Microsoft subsidiary, is demonstrating its flexible and scalable enterprise search platform, FAST ESP, which allows organizations to create unique user experiences and change the way people interact with information; uncovering new revenue streams, improving business decisions, and increasing productivity. FT.com, one of the world's fastest growing business Web sites, has reported year on year growth of more than 70 percent in online search supported by FAST ESP following the introduction of its new access model in October 2007.

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