Dentsu Inc. Develops 'TV Live Meta Module' to Instantly Provide Content Linked to TV Programs and Commercials to External Businesses

On January 19, Dentsu Inc. announced the development of "TV Live Meta Module (β)" (TV Live Meta Module Beta Version), a solution that recognizes the content of TV programs and commercials in real time and instantly provides extracted on-air data to external businesses. This enables the rapid delivery of content synchronized with programs and commercials to viewers' smartphones, tablets, and other so-called "second screens." The solution targets providers of services linked to or related to TV programs and commercials, such as portal/SNS platform operators and ad delivery companies.

The development stems from the growing number of viewers who enjoy using these second screens while watching programs. Specifically, this includes increased searches for information related to programs and commercials, more social media comments, and the expansion of e-commerce driven by programs and commercials.

Dentsu Inc. has been advancing its "Second Screen Project" since September 2013, researching the utilization of second screens linked to broadcasts. The TV Live Meta Module (beta version) is one outcome of this project. It rapidly automates operations such as extracting specific keywords from subtitle information within TV program content and identifying advertisers or products from commercial images aired on terrestrial TV. It also builds a mechanism to connect this information with external services. Because the acquisition and operation of information featured in programs are automated, external businesses can provide content that adds value to existing services or develop new services that lead to monetization.
The TV Live Meta Module (beta) is provided to external businesses via an API (Application Programming Interface), offering the following three modules:

1. "Synchro CM Module"

This mechanism synchronizes with TV commercials, displaying banner ads, videos, coupons, or e-commerce site links from the same advertiser on viewers' second screens simultaneously with the commercial broadcast. It employs image matching technology, offering faster identification speeds compared to existing services relying on audio recognition.

2. "TV Live Word Module"

A system that automatically recognizes keywords for places, people, or objects featured within TV programs and displays them in real time. It also automatically generates information related to these keywords. For example, if a celebrity's name appears as a real-time keyword, information related to that celebrity is automatically generated, allowing users to easily access this related content.

3. "TV Live Word Linked Advertising Module"

This system pre-produces advertisements that react to specific keywords. When those keywords appear within a TV program, the advertisements are automatically displayed. For example, if the keyword "hay fever" is mentioned in a program, advertisements for masks or hay fever medication can be promptly displayed on viewers' second screens.

The Live Word Module is only available for programs with subtitles.

As the first initiative utilizing the TV Live Meta Module (β), a proof-of-concept test (*) will commence today for a service integrated with "SyncCast," the second-screen application operated by the Multi-Screen Broadcasting Council.
Currently, "SyncCast" requires broadcasters to prepare information synchronized with programs in advance, limiting the number of compatible programs. This proof-of-concept test will verify the expansion of compatible programs and improvements in user convenience and experience through the use of the TV Live Meta Module (beta), specifically the TV Live Word Module.