From creation to the TV screen: Spotlight on the TV metadata process

In this latest blog post, Holly Cowell, TV Metadata Manager at PA TV Metadata provides insight into the world behind your favorite TV shows and your everyday TV viewing, where every detail matters. In this spotlight on what Holly’s team of Metadata Editors do, she explains the intricate process of creating and managing TV metadata, including the tools and technologies used to deliver TV content for the range of digital and print customers her team serve.

Where does TV Metadata come from? How is it sourced, created, and managed?

TV Metadata comes from various sources but primarily from broadcasters. We are sent documents daily which provide us with schedule information, cast & crew details, synopses, images, and other details. In addition to this the team conduct independent research to enhance our data set and ensure we provide the richest metadata offering possible.

Are there any particular tools or technologies needed for managing metadata?

Our bespoke database systems give us everything we need to manage our metadata, including allowing us to ingest content from  external sources – such as API and XML data feeds which come  directly from broadcasters.

Tell us more about your team? How many editors are needed for the work carried out by PA, and what are their main responsibilities?

We have 40 Metadata Editors working across our two sites, producing content around the clock to service our customers – our teams work evenings and weekends to ensure our metadata is as accurate and up-to-date as possible at all times. The team are responsible for compiling TV schedules from the information sent to us by broadcasters, enhancing it with additional metadata including a selection of high-resolution images, and delivering to our customer base to deadline. Since our customers are both print and digital products the team have to ensure that all needs are met, configuring our data to meet their needs.

What do you think are the core skills and qualities needed for managing and delivering TV metadata efficiently?

Time management and the ability to multitask are absolutely key – TV content is so changeable that we need to be able to respond instantly, which can often mean flipping from one priority to another. But that keeps things interesting, and means no two days are ever the same

What words of advice would you pass on to someone who was keen to pursue a career in metadata management, editing and delivery?

The nature of TV content means you are exposed to the media industry in a way you wouldn’t necessarily in other roles – we work with the biggest broadcasters in the UK (and globally) as well as a range of print and digital publications, and emerging tech companies. It’s a very diverse and demanding industry but gives you experiences you wouldn’t find elsewhere.

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