Blackout

1. Scenario #1:
   A national broadcaster’s live channel contains a live sporting event. However, a local broadcaster has superior rights to this event.
   Solution: Blackout may be used to limit the distribution of this sporting event to the local broadcaster.
2. Scenario #2:
   A movie or TV show that has not been licensed for distribution over the Internet has been scheduled in a live channel.
   Solution: Blackout may be used to prevent the distribution of this restricted content over the Internet.

How Does It Work? #

Blackout Notification #

Streaming Request #

1. Blackout ID: A blackout ID has been defined for the requested programming.
2. Live Channel: The live channel has been configured to apply one or more blackout rules for the blackout ID associated with the requested programming.
3. Viewer: The viewer satisfies the criteria defined within the audience for the aforementioned blackout rule(s). This criteria consists of location information (i.e., zip code, DMA, or country), IP address, and/or device.

Setup #

1. Defining one or more audiences.
2. Defining one or more blackout rules.
3. Setting up blackout on the desired live channel.
4. Setting up a media player.
5. Sending a blackout notification to the Live Slicer.

Audiences #

• IP address: Specify an IP address (IPv4) or subnet (CIDR notation).
• Zip code: Specify a 5-digit United States zip code.
• Designated market area (DMA): Specify a United States DMA by its ID. Request Nielsen DMA data.
• Device: Specify a name or description for the desired device. Values defined within the Devices option will be compared against the value defined for the repl.cbdevice playback URL parameter.
• Country: Specify a two-character country code (ISO 3166). Country codes are automatically capitalized. View a list of country codes.

Match Option #

• Any: This match condition requires that a viewer satisfy at least one entry within one or more categories.
  Example:
  If an audience has been configured to match on zip codes, country codes, and DMAs, a viewer will qualify for membership when the request originates within one of the specified zip codes, country codes, or DMAs.
• All: This match condition requires that a viewer satisfy at least one entry within each category that has been defined.
  Example:
  If an audience has been configured to match on zip codes, country codes, and DMAs, then a viewer will only qualify for membership when the request originates within one of the specified zip codes, country codes, and DMAs. If the request does not satisfy all of the defined categories, then it will not qualify for membership.
• None: This match condition requires that a viewer not satisfy any entries within the categories that have been defined.
  Example:
  If an audience has been configured to match on zip codes, country codes, and DMAs, then a viewer will only qualify for membership when the request does not originate within any of the specified zip codes, country codes, and DMAs. If the request satisfies any of the defined categories, then it will not qualify for membership.

Set Up a Basic Audience #

1. Navigate to the Audiences page (Live Channels > Audiences).
2. Click + Create Audience.
3. In the Audience Name option, type the name by which this audience will be identified.
4. Under the Type option, verify that the Single mode has been selected.
   The Multiple mode allows you to create a group of audiences.
   Learn more.
5. Click Create & Edit.
6. In the Match option, select whether a viewer will qualify for membership when the request matches any, all, or none of the specified criteria.
   Learn more.
7. Add the desired IP addresses, zip codes, designated market areas (DMAs), devices, and/or country codes.
   • Click + under the desired category.
   • Type one or more entries. Multiple entries should be separated by a comma (e.g., 90405,90503,90210).
   • Click Add.
   • Repeat these steps for each desired category.
8. Click Save to update the audience configuration with these changes.

Grouping Audiences #

1. Navigate to the Audiences page (Live Channels > Audiences).
2. Click + Create Audience.
3. In the Audience Name option, type the name by which this audience will be identified.
4. Under the Type option, verify that the Multiple mode has been selected.
5. Click Create & Edit.
6. In the Match option, select whether a viewer will qualify for membership when the request matches any, all, or none of the specified audiences.
   Learn more.
7. Add each desired audience by selecting it from the Available Audiences list and then clicking >.
8. Click Save to update the audience configuration with these changes.

Blackout Rules #

• Identifies viewers via an audience or superaudience.
• Determines the alternate content that will be streamed to blacked-out viewers. This alternate content may consist of:
  • Slate: Conditional blackout slate will be streamed.
  • Channel: Content sourced from an alternate live channel.
  • Asset: On-demand content from the CMS library.
  • Slicer: Media processed by an alternate Live Slicer.

Create a Blackout Rule #

1. Navigate to the Audiences page (Live Channels > Audiences).
2. Click + Create Rule.
3. In the Rule Name option, type the name by which this blackout rule will be identified.
4. Click Create & Edit.
5. From the Alternate Content Type option, choose the type of source for the alternate content that will be streamed to blacked-out viewers:
   • Slate: Indicates that conditional blackout slate will be streamed.
   • Channel: Indicates that content sourced from an alternate live channel will be streamed. Set the Alternate Content ID option to the desired channel ID or external ID.
     To find a live channel ID:

     1. From the CMS, click the Live Channels tab.
     2. Select the desired live channel. Basic options and live channel information will be displayed on the Details tab.
     3. Find the live channel’s system-defined ID under the GUID label.
   • Asset: Indicates that on-demand content from the CMS library will be streamed. Set the Alternate Content ID option to the asset ID or external ID for the desired CMS asset.
     To find an asset ID:

     1. Navigate to the CMS library by clicking the Content tab.
     2. Select the desired asset
     3. The asset ID corresponding to the asset selected in the previous step is listed under the GUID label.
   • Slicer: Indicates that media processed by an alternate Live Slicer will be streamed. Set the Alternate Content ID option to the ID for the desired Live Slicer.
     A Live Slicer’s ID is defined by the slicerID parameter within its configuration file.
6. Use the Loop option to determine whether alternate content will be looped.
   This option must remain enabled when broadcasting slate.
   Disabling this option will broadcast slate when alternate content is shorter than the scheduled program.
7. Optional: From the External ID option, type the external ID by which this blackout rule will be identified.
8. Click + Add Audience to display the Select Audience dialog box.
9. From the Available Audiences list, select the desired audience or superaudience and then click Select.
10. Click Save to apply your changes to the blackout rule.

Live Channel #

1. Identifying when blackout should be triggered via a blackout ID.
2. Associating blackout logic with the above blackout ID by adding blackout rules to it.

Configure Blackout on a Live Channel #

1. Navigate to the Audiences page (Live Channels > Audiences).
2. Perform either of the following:
   • Create a live channel by clicking + Create Channel, assigning it a name, and then clicking Create & Edit.
   • Select an existing live channel.
3. Click the Blackout tab.
4. Associate a blackout ID and blackout rules with the live channel.
   • Click + Add Blackout ID.
   • In the Blackout ID option, type the blackout ID that identifies programming that should be blacked out. Learn how to tag programming with a blackout ID.
   • In the Description option, type a brief description for this blackout configuration.
   • In the Rules option, select a blackout rule that identifies the audience and the alternate content that should be streamed when programming has been tagged with the above blackout ID. Click >.
   • Repeat the previous step as needed.
   • Click Done when you have added all of the desired blackout rules.
   • Repeat the previous step for each desired blackout ID.
5. Click Save to update the live channel configuration with these changes.

Set up a Media Player #

Set a Viewer’s Location or Device #

Live Linear Programming #

Apply Blackout to a Program #

1POST /content_start HTTP/1.1
2
3{
4			"meta": {
5			"blackout_id": "br1"
6			},
7			"start_timecode": "00:15:21;09",
8			"title": "Title",
9			"external_id": "1A"
10		}

Apply Blackout to an Asset #

Assign a Blackout ID to an Asset #

1. From the Content tab, select the desired asset.
2. Click + Metadata.
3. In the Enter a key name option, type "blackout_id".
4. Click Add.
5. Set the new blackout_id metadata field to the desired blackout ID.
6. Click Save.

Tutorial #

• Live Slicer
• Live linear channel (CMS)

1. Create an audience.
2. Create a blackout rule.
3. Prepare a live channel for blackout.
4. Set up a media player.
5. Apply Blackout to programming.

Introduction #

• Replace restricted content as needed.
• Tailor the set of blacked out viewers to meet your business needs.
• Easily define alternate programming for blacked out viewers.

Step 1: Create an Audience #

1. Sign in to the CMS.
2. Navigate to the Audiences page (Live Channels > Audiences).
3. Click + Create Audience.
4. In the Audience Name option, type “Los Angeles.”
5. Under the Type option, verify that the Single mode has been selected.
6. Click Create & Edit.
7. From the Match option, select Any.
8. Add a DMA by clicking + under the DMAs section.
9. Type “803.” This ID corresponds to the Los Angeles market.
10. Click Add to add the Los Angeles market to the audience.
11. Click Save to update the audience configuration with these changes.

Step 2: Define a Blackout Rule #

1. Navigate to the Rules page (Live Channels > Rules).
2. Click + Create Rule.
3. In the Rule Name option, type Blackout LA Rule.
4. Click Create & Edit.
5. From the Alternate Content Type option, select “slate.”
6. Click + Add Audience to display the Select Audience dialog box.
7. From the Available Audiences list, select “Los Angeles” and then click Select.
8. Click Save to apply your changes to the blackout rule.

Step 3: Prepare a Live Channel for Blackout #

1. Navigate to the Live Channels page.
2. Select the desired live channel.
3. Click the Blackout tab.
4. Click + Add Blackout ID.
5. In the Blackout ID option, type LA-Sports.
6. In the Description option, type Los Angeles Sports.
7. From the Rules option, select Blackout LA Rule and then click >.
8. Click Done.
9. Click Save to apply your changes to the live channel.

Step 4: Set up a Media Player #

Step 5: Apply Blackout to Programming #

1. Submit the following curl request to assign the “LA-Sports” blackout rule to a new program called “Los Angeles Home Game”:

   1curl --data '{"meta":{"blackout_id":"LA-Sports"},"title":"Los Angeles Home Game"}'
   2      http://localhost:65009/content_start

2. Verify that the Live Slicer is now generating a new asset by performing the following steps:
   • From the Content tab, verify that the asset currently being generated is called “Los Angeles Home Game” and then select it.
   • Verify that this asset contains a blackout_id metadata field set to LA-Sports.
3. Verify that Blackout is currently being applied to the live linear channel.
   • DMA Override: If you are not testing from Los Angeles, override the test player’s DMA to the Los Angeles market by appending the following query string parameter to the playback URL launched in the Step 4: Setting up a Media Player section: repl.cbdma=803
     • Sample playback URL:
       https://content.uplynk.com/player5/6ZpnSRiEmjj3fMdnzDaV00sc.html?repl=aboi&repl.cbdma=803
   • Wait 30 to 60 seconds and then verify that the media player now streams slate.