PMG Names Azita Manson Head of Cloud And Software Infrastructure

Technology infrastructure company PMG has hired Azita Manson as its new EVP, leading PMG’s software and cloud platforms. In connection with hiring Manson, PMG has acquired the media management and workflow orchestration software that she has developed over the past seven years in anticipation of ATSC 3.0.

With the addition of Manson and her software platform, PMG will provide broadcasters with a comprehensive, end-to-end orchestration solution to manage content workflows across platforms. PMG is now engaged to design, build and operate the Public Media Education Platform (PMEP) on behalf of public broadcasters across five states.

PMEP is a national education datacasting service that will be initially deployed in ATSC 1.0 but is already optimized for 3.0. PMG’s software and cloud architecture will ingest educational content from stations, content producers and educators, and then deliver that targeted content to students across the country, with a focus on students that lack broadband connectivity. As PMEP affiliates transition to ATSC 3.0, PMG’s software and cloud architecture will allow stations and educators to leverage new interactive and addressable features to further enhance the service.

“Bringing Azita and her software to PMG added another crucial piece to the PMG platform. Her software combined with the reach of our Single Frequency Networks allows us to provide both our commercial and public broadcast clients with an end-to-end solution to drive new ATSC 3.0 innovation and revenues,” says Joe Chinnici, PMG CEO.

In the coming months, PMG will be announcing the launch of an open architecture application layer to allow for greater 3.0 innovation and use cases. By powering edge devices with PMG’s open architecture middleware and application software, the industry will benefit from a more entrepreneurial environment in which a greater number of businesses and industries participate in 3.0, driving greater value to, and demand for, broadcasters’ spectrum. As part of this open architecture, PMG will make its application authoring tools available so that stations can customize their own NextGen TV apps.

Earlier in her career, Manson was the director of technology at TiVo and senior director of architecture at SeaChange International. For Comcast, TimeWarner and CableLabs, Manson designed the first connected home protocol, and the security for the first downloadable microchip software. And most recently, Manson founded OpenZNet, where she helped author significant elements of the 3.0 standard and architected a dynamic workflow management system for broadcasters. This software has been used by commercial and public broadcasters throughout the country.

Manson earned a Master of Science degree from Emory University in computer science and mathematics and completed Ph.D. coursework at Georgia Institute of Technology in computer science.