Editing MediaKind

{{More citations needed|date=February 2024}}{{Infobox company | 
  logo   = |
  type   = Public company |
  slogan = LIVE without limits|
  foundation     = 2018 as MediaKind
|location       = [[Frisco, TX]], United States |
  key_people     = CEO: Allen Broome |
  num_employees  = Over 1100 |
  industry       = [[Digital Video]] technology
 | products       = Advanced video compression, linear, on-demand, and interactive television systems|
website = https://mediakind.com/|
}}
'''MediaKind''' (formerly '''Ericsson Television''') is a global video technology company providing [[Advanced Video Coding|MPEG-4 AVC]], [[MPEG-2]] and [[High Efficiency Video Coding|HEVC]] encoding and decoding solutions, as well as stream processing, packaging, network adaption and related products, for Cloud, Contribution & Distribution (C+D), IPTV, Cable, DTT, Satellite DTH and OTT. The global headquarters are located in [[Frisco, TX]], USA, with additional offices in Southampton (UK) and Rennes (France).

The company has its roots in the '''Tandberg Television''' company that was founded in 1979 and acquired by [[Ericsson]] in 2007,<ref>{{cite news |title=Tandberg TV recommends Ericsson takeover offer |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSOSO000427/ |work=Reuters |date=August 9, 2007}}</ref> as well as [[Envivio]]; founded in 2000 and acquired by Ericsson in 2015,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Balderston |first1=Michael |title=Ericsson acquires Envivio |url=https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/ericsson-acquires-envivio |work=TV Technology |date=September 11, 2015}}</ref>

== Company history ==
=== Roots ===
[[Tandberg]] was a long-standing Norwegian company whose history went back to the 1930s when it supplied domestic radio equipment. It grew into other areas during the decades after WW2 including a well-respected audio equipment manufacturer and its [[reel-to-reel tape recorder]]s were sought after by [[HiFi]] enthusiasts.

The Kjelsas factory also started producing TV sets in 1960, and in 1966, a second TV plant was opened in Kjeller in Skedsmo. Color TVs were added to their lineup in 1969. In 1972, Tandberg purchased ''Radionette'', another large Norwegian electronics firm that has just begun focusing on televisions.

By 1976, TVs were Tandberg's major product and their factories employed 3,500. However, that same year a major economic downturn seriously disrupted the company, and by 1978 it was insolvent. A shareholder revolt removed [[Vebjorn Tandberg]] from control of the company, and he committed suicide in August. In December the company declared bankruptcy.

''Tandberg Television'', originally with headquarters in Lillestrom near [[Oslo]], Norway, was formed in 1979 when the original Tandberg company split into [[Tandberg]], [[Tandberg Data]], and Tandberg Television.

===After the breakup of 1979===
In 1999, Tandberg Television entered into a £170 million agreement to acquire all the assets of [[NDS Group]]’s Digital-TV products business, the Digital Broadcasting Business (DBB), a subsidiary of [[News Corporation]]. After the acquisition, Tandberg Television could offer digital video compression encoders, multiplexers and modulation products for large satellite DTH systems, terrestrial networks and mobile news gathering solutions.{{buzzword inline|date=November 2019}}

[[NDS Group]] itself was a merger in 1996 between News Corp's existing News Data Communications (NDC) based in [[Israel]], a company that supplied smart cards to pay TV operators like Sky TV, and Digi-Media Vision (DMV) a video compression company that News had acquired in 1995, and had been the Advanced Products Division [APD] of National Transcommunications Limited [NTL] in the UK.  NTL was itself established in 1990 as the privatised Engineering arm of the [[Independent Broadcasting Authority]] (IBA), the UK commercial broadcasting regulator and operator of all commercial terrestrial television and radio transmitters.  APD was the [[Independent Broadcasting Authority#Engineering Advances|Experimental and Development]] (E&D) department of the IBA.

Much earlier, in 1987, Tandberg Television and the IBA's E&D and Satellite Engineering groups had worked together to build a satellite broadcasting system for the UK based on the ill-fated MAC system operated by Sky's rival British Satellite Broadcasting (BSB).  BSB and Sky merged in 1990 to form British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB) which has become a significant broadcaster in the UK.

Since 1999, Tandberg Television has acquired four US-based digital media companies. In October 2005, they acquired Los Angeles-based Goldpocket Interactive, an interactive technology provider for digital television, the Internet and wireless/mobile networks. Further, in February 2006, they acquired SkyStream Networks, a provider of [[Internet Protocol]] [[MPEG-2]] and [[MPEG-4]] AVC video delivery solutions{{buzzword inline|date=November 2019}}, based in [[Sunnyvale, California]]. Later the same year, they acquired Los Angeles-based Internet TV software developer Zetools.

===2007–2010: Acquisition by Ericsson ===
In April 2007, Tandberg Television was acquired by [[Ericsson]]. Ericsson Television operates as an independent entity.

The company was honored with its first [[Technology & Engineering Emmy Award]] in 2008 for the development of interactive Video-on-Demand infrastructure and signaling,<ref>[http://www.emmyonline.org/mediacenter/tech_2k7_winners.html N2 Broadband part of Tandberg Television Emmy Award's for the development of interactive Video-on-Demand infrastructure and signalling] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509070210/http://www.emmyonline.org/mediacenter/tech_2k7_winners.html |date=2008-05-09 }}</ref> leading to large scale [[Video on demand|VOD]] implementations.
It was also awarded another Emmy in 2009 for Pioneering Development of MPEG-4 AVC systems for HDTV,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.emmyonline.org/mediacenter/tech_2k8_winners.html |title=DirecTV and Tandberg Television Pioneering Development of MPEG-4 AVC systems for HDTV |access-date=2014-07-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327025620/http://www.emmyonline.org/mediacenter/tech_2k8_winners.html |archive-date=2009-03-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref> thanks to the  implementation and deployment of the first HD MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) Broadcast encoder.

In 2010, the company was renamed ''Ericsson Television''.<ref>TVTech: [https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/tandberg-television-now-ericsson Tandberg Television Now Ericsson].</ref>

In 2011, for the Pioneering Development and Deployment of Active Format Description Technology and System.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.emmyonline.org/mediacenter/tech_2k11_winners.html |title=Ericsson Television Pioneering Development and Deployment of Active Format Description Technology and System |access-date=2014-07-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726235257/http://www.emmyonline.org/mediacenter/tech_2k11_winners.html |archive-date=2014-07-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2013, the company acquired another Emmy award for the Pioneering Development Of Video On Demand (VOD) Dynamic Advertising Insertion.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.emmyonline.org/mediacenter/tech_2k13_winners.html |title=N2 Broadband (Ericsson)'s Emmy award for the Pioneering Development Of Video On Demand (VOD) Dynamic Advertising Insertion |access-date=2014-07-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726234056/http://www.emmyonline.org/mediacenter/tech_2k13_winners.html |archive-date=2014-07-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Recently in 2014, Ericsson got its fifth Emmy® Award recognition for its work in developing pioneering JPEG2000 interoperability technology.<ref>[http://www.ericsson.com/news/1849250 Ericsson awarded 5th Emmy® Award for JPEG2000 interoperability]</ref>

===2018–today: MediaKind===
In 2018, Ericsson completed the successful consolidation of all acquired businesses connected to Tandberg Television/Ericsson Television, along with [[Envivio]], [[Microsoft Mediaroom]], Azuki Reach, and Fabrix Video Storage and Processing Platform (VSPP), plus its own Media Delivery Network (MDN). This combined business was rebranded as MediaKind. It was announced that Ericsson has partnered with One Equity Partners, a private equity firm with expertise in media and telecom investments, to further develop Media Solutions. In January 2019, Ericsson transferred the majority of shares in its Media Solutions business (51%) to ''One Equity Partners'' as part of a [[divestment]]. Ericsson itself retained 49%.<ref>Ericsson (1 February 2019: [https://www.ericsson.com/en/press-releases/2019/2/ericsson-completes-divestment-of-majority-stake-in-mediakind Ericsson completes divestment of majority stake in MediaKind]. Press release.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Technology companies established in 2018]]
[[Category:Electronics companies established in 2018]]
[[Category:2018 mergers and acquisitions]]
[[Category:Companies based in Frisco, Texas]]
[[Category:Defunct companies of Norway]]
[[Category:Electronics companies of Norway]]
[[Category:Tandberg]]
[[Category:Telecommunications equipment vendors]]
[[Category:Ericsson|Television]]