Digital transformation at ZDF – Development of an innovative metadata platform
From a program-centered to a product-centered media company
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF) is one of Europe's largest public media companies and reaches millions of viewers every day. With the digital transformation, ZDF is facing the challenges of a modern media landscape and adapting to changing user and viewer behavior with regard to the provision of its content.
Digitization and standardization of content processes at ZDF
The media world has changed fundamentally. Today, content must be prepared flexibly for TV, media libraries, and social media, because each channel has specific requirements regarding the type and form in which content must be prepared or packaged for that channel. To meet these requirements, ZDF is focusing on the comprehensive digitization of its core processes. The goal is to standardize and automate workflows and introduce a central metadata platform.
The challenge: flexibility and innovation in the content landscape
The introduction of a central object model and efficient metadata management affects almost all of ZDF's core processes and systems. In addition to technical implementation, this far-reaching change process also requires organizational adjustments and active support to ensure acceptance.
The object model must be flexible enough to map ZDF's complex content landscape and meet future requirements. An innovative and adaptable solution is needed to drive forward the digitization of the value chain and create the basis for a product-centric way of working.
The basis: A central metadata platform and flexible object model
Together with Accso, an innovative solution is being developed to support ZDF in its digital transformation. To implement this model, a central metadata platform is being developed that enables standardized metadata exchange across the entire value chain (planning – production – publication) and the systems involved, and ensures consistent, efficient use of structured, high-quality metadata.
The new metadata platform enables:
- Standardized and automated metadata exchange across the entire value chain.
- Flexible integration with existing ZDF systems.
- Minimization of multiple data entries.
- Efficient preparation of content for different channels.
- With this solution, ZDF has laid the foundation for future-proof content production.
The technical implementation is based on an agile approach that prioritizes flexibility and adaptability. A central GraphQL service has been developed that defines the object model and all structures based on it in a schema. This service uses a graph database to map and store the relationships between objects.
Data management is carried out via various front-end applications, primarily the so-called “product manager.” This tool makes it possible to record, maintain, and search for products, their metadata, and their relationships to other specialist objects.
Collaboration between ZDF and Accso
The project is being implemented by an interdisciplinary team of ZDF employees and Accso experts. Those involved include cloud architects, business analysts, digital designers, and front-end and back-end developers.
Successful digital transformation at ZDF
ZDF has taken a decisive step toward digitalization. Thanks to the new metadata platform, the media company can deliver content more efficiently and in a more targeted manner—a clear competitive advantage in the modern media world.
