Transtel helps managing and enhancing information

Digital information specialists evaluate that of all the information measurable in bytes in the world only about one percent ever gets analysed. It’s also been said that of all above information, only 80 percent is secure.

In 2012, the volume of data in the world was appr. 3 zetabytes (ZB). In 2020, the figure is expected to rise to 40 zetabytes. That’s quite a lot, 1 ZB being equivalent to 10²¹.

The volume is astonishing, but don’t let it overwhelm you, says John Evans, Managing Director of the UK-based Transtel Communications Ltd. Transtel Communications develops systems for the publishing, analyses and management of news and information in multi-channel environments. In 2014, Transtel and Apex made a product representation contract regarding the media products of Transtel Communications, such as the NewsManager tool for news production.

“The more companies themselves publish and share information, the more they’ll learn to monitor, analyse and utilise it, too. Today it’s not enough for a company just to exist in a circle of sending out information and sitting back waiting for it to find its way into larger circulation. As information leaves the home plate, it should be directed and fostered.”

Evans says that any large company that needs the attention of consumers or decision-makers or any other stakeholder group must be able actively to “sell” news about itself. The quality and placement of information is crucial.

“Large news agencies such as Reuters as well as popular search engines retain their place high up in the food chain. A piece of news may well reach its recipient via Twitter or Facebook, but it’s the original place and issuer of the information that defines its importance.”

“Of course there are industries which particularly rely on the availability of real-time information. In commercial aviation, for instance, weather-related information is crucial and the same applies to industries that place their decision-making on the constantly fluctuating prices of raw materials.”

The volume of digital information is easily distorted by the fact that it lives on in different channels and gets modified to meet the needs of each said channel. A video clip extracted out of a live news broadcast can be uploaded on YouTube, from which it’s further shared throughout the social media. As the clip is moving around the digital space, it takes on the handprints of each user that handles it. In the past few weeks in Finland, for instance, social media has been infiltrated with “re-touched” political interviews, on top of which a new sound – track complete with nonsense voice content – has been added.

“There seems to be a big wish to monitor news to see how your own PR publication has been received.  By understanding how metadata (data that describes content) is used by search engines and web apps, a company can publish PR in a much more effective way. Metadata is not visible as part of the content, it is attached to the content, and is visible to the search engines and web apps. Really smart companies will be mastering the use of metadata.”

It’s not necessarily a world of front page scoops with stop-the-presses anymore. A piece of news or information that is valuable keeps its news value from day to day and week to week, at the same time generating side streams of added news, views, statements and commentary.

“Gathering of information is important, but no more so than its publication. The best way for a company to maintain visibility in today’s world is to make consistent use of information, to evolve it into content that can be simultaneously published on tv, radio, web, mobile apps.”

Transtel Communications’ flagship product NewsManager is a flexible and cost-effective tool for all media management situations. The software is designed especially for the editorial needs of newsrooms, but it is also suitable for efficient reception, editing and distribution of other communicative information content to end users.