There is provided a method for use by a cloud based content assembly system having a memory and a processor for assembling multiple customized linear channel streams from an assembly template. The method comprises selecting, using the processor, the assembly template from the memory, identifying the customized linear channel streams to be produced using the assembly template, and generating a virtualized assembly environment for each of the customized linear channel streams. The method further comprises provisioning each virtualized assembly environment with content assets corresponding respectively to its customized linear channel stream, and assembling the customized linear channel streams using the respective virtualized assembly environments. The cloud based content assembly system is configured to enable substantially concurrent use of shared infrastructure resources by the virtualized assembly environments.
BACKGROUND(1) Advances in communication technology and network infrastructure have conferred upon the consumers of television (TV) content a level of control over their entertainment options that would have been almost unimaginable to previous generations of viewers. Due, for example, to technology innovations enabling consumers to record programming content for delayed viewing outside of its scheduled broadcast time slot, consumers are no longer constrained by the traditional TV broadcast scheduling paradigm. Moreover, the seemingly ever-expanding selection of programming content available through cable and subscription services, for example, has enabled viewers to be highly discriminating about their viewing choices.(2) The empowerment of TV viewers enabled by technological advances has created substantial challenges for the providers of content attempting to market that content to a national or international audience. For example, regional, or even local differences in history, traditions, demographics, and prevailing social mores may significantly influence a viewer's decision to follow the programming offered by a particular broadcasting network, or to abandon that programming in favor of content offered by a competing network or provider. To some extent, such decisions may be based upon the quality of the core programming content. However, those decisions may also be affected by the degree to which the content, including advertising and/or promotional content delivered
1. A method for use by a cloud based content assembly system having a memory and a processor for assembling a plurality of customized linear channel streams from an assembly template, the method comprising: selecting, using the processor, the assembly template from the memory; identifying the plurality of customized linear channel streams based on respective viewer preferences of each of the plurality of customized linear channel streams to be assembled using the assembly template; spinning-up virtualized assembly environments each corresponding to one of the plurality of customized linear channel streams; provisioning each of the virtualized assembly environments with content assets for inclusion in each of the plurality of customized linear channel streams corresponding respectively to each of the virtualized assembly environments, wherein the content assets provisioned for inclusion in each of the plurality of customized linear channel streams vary based on needs of each of the plurality of customized linear channel streams; assembling, using the assembly template, the plurality of customized linear channel streams each using a respective one of the virtualized assembly environments by merging each of a plurality of instantiations of the assembly template with the content assets corresponding to each of the customized linear channel streams; after assembling the plurality of customized linear channel streams, spinning-down the virtualized assembly environments; playing-out the plurality of customized linear channel streams to a plurality of content distributors; and dynamically changing content assets included in at least one of the plurality of customized linear channel streams during the playing-out by exchanging content assets previously included in the at least one of the plurality of customized linear channel streams with a live content feed during the playing-out.
8. A cloud based content assembly system capable of assembling a plurality of customized linear channel streams from an assembly template, the cloud based content assembly system comprising: a virtual assembly platform having a memory and processor and being accessible over a communication network; infrastructure resources interactively linked to the virtual assembly platform; the processor configured to: select the assembly template from the memory; identify the plurality of customized linear channel streams based on respective viewer preferences of each of the plurality of customized linear channel streams to be assembled using the assembly template; spin-up virtualized assembly environments each corresponding to one of the plurality of customized linear channel streams; provision each of the virtualized assembly environments with content assets for inclusion in each of the plurality of customized linear channel streams corresponding respectively to each of the virtualized assembly environments, wherein the content assets provisioned for inclusion in each of the plurality of customized linear channel streams vary based on needs of each of the plurality of customized linear channel streams; assemble, using the assembly template, the plurality of customized linear channel streams each using a respective one of the virtualized assembly environments by merging each of a plurality of instantiations of the assembly template with the content assets corresponding to each of the customized linear channel streams; after the plurality of customized linear channel streams are assembled, spin-down the virtualized assembly environments; play-out the plurality of customized linear channel streams to a plurality of content distributors; and dynamically change content assets included in at least one of the plurality of customized linear channel streams during the playing-out by exchanging content assets previously included in the at least one of the plurality of customized linear channel streams with a live content feed during the playing-out.