Personalized Media Delivery

Mass communications has traditionally been one-way. But with the introduction of the Internet, two-way communication on a large scale has become a reality. Through the Internet, not only can users receive information from many sources, but also many sources can receive information from many users. And with this information, content providers have a means of understanding their audience in ways that would be impossible with traditional mass communications. Unlike one-way communication that broadcasts widely to a mass audience, Windows Media Technologies and other Internet products provide you with the tools to understand user demographics and target a message directly toward individual users.

The following example, using a fictional company, illustrates how delivery of ASF content can be personalized for individuals.

News Network is a traditional broadcast news organization that has expanded its operations to include a Web site. The main feature of the site is a section where users can create their own personalized newscasts. Instead of viewing a traditional-style newscast that is aimed at a mass audience, a user views a complete news program that contains only topics of personal interest. The following sequence describes a typical user experience.

A new user goes to the site, and clicks Create your Personal Newscast.
A preference form opens. On this form, the user answers questions regarding personal preferences, such as favorite news stories, least favorite news stories, hobbies, and usual method of receiving daily news.
The user sends this information, and a few seconds later, views a complete 15-minute personal newscast: containing program content, transitions, and commercials. Selection of each media element, including commercials, is based on the user profile, and is accomplished entirely automatically with Windows Media Technologies components and off-the-shelf Internet tools.

The following list describes how the various tools interact to create a personalized newscast.

The preference form that the user fills out is an Active Server Page (ASP) (Choices.asp). Data obtained from the preference form is analyzed by two server components. One component uses the information to query a Microsoft® SQL Server database of news stories. The other component is an ad server that uses a complex set of rules based on contractual requirements and demographics to schedule ads appropriate to the user at that time.
The two databases return portions of an .asx file. The news story database returns a set of six or seven appropriate story Entries, and the ad server returns four appropriate commercial Entries. An Entry is the fundamental building block of a playlist in ASX scripting; one Entry defines one media element.
A second ASP page (PlayShow.asp) receives the Entries from the news story database and ad server, and combines those with standard show open, close, and transition Entries. All Entries are then laid out according to the template provided by PlayShow.asp, and the ASP page returns an .asx file to the user.
The embedded Windows Media Player control on the user’s computer plays the playlist from beginning to end, and the user views a personalized newscast.

The following example is a portion of an .asx file that a user might receive. Ad banners, MoreInfo links, and Abstracts have been added to it. For more information on ASX scripting, see ASX Scripting Overview.

<ASX Version="3">
 
<TITLE>Personalized NewsCast</Title>
 
<ENTRY ClientSkip="no">
    <!—- Commercial Element 1 -->
    <REF HREF="mms://172.0.0.1/AdInsertion/Comml200.asf" />
    <banner href="http://192.0.0.1/AdInsertion/images/MoreInfo.gif" >
        <moreinfo href="http://192.133.90.142" target="_blank" />
    <ABSTRACT>Courtesy of Windows Media Technologies</ABSTRACT>
    </BANNER>
</ENTRY>
 
<ENTRY>
    <!—- Program Element 1 -->
    <TITLE>Montage of Princess Diana's Life:: Princess Di lives on in our memories</TITLE>
    <COPYRIGHT>Copyright News Network 6/28/98</COPYRIGHT>
    <REF HREF="mms://172.0.0.1/DailyNews/DianaMontage200.asf" />
    <ABSTRACT>
:: Princess Diana continues to captivate the world, even after death. This recent montage is certain to strike a chord with all of Di's admirers.
    </ABSTRACT>
    <COPYRIGHT>Copyright 1998, News Network -- All Rights Reserved</COPYRIGHT>
</ENTRY>

<ENTRY>
    <!—Program Element 2 -->
    <TITLE>Line of Fire:: Wildfires appear to be just the beginning</TITLE>
    <COPYRIGHT>Copyright News Network 6/25/98</COPYRIGHT>
    <REF HREF="mms://172.0.0.1/AdInsertion/TexasFires200.asf" />
    <ABSTRACT>
:: So far, more than 100,000 acres of Texas have burned in wildfires. Texas Forest Service says that this could be the start of a record drought.
    </ABSTRACT>
    <COPYRIGHT>Copyright 1998, News Network -- All Rights Reserved</COPYRIGHT>
</ENTRY>

</ASX>

For more information, see Using ASX Metafiles in the Windows Media Player Control SDK.

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