Why Persistent IDs are Pivotal in TV Metadata

When it comes to television and entertainment metadata, accuracy and consistency tends to be of the utmost importance. Millions of viewers around the world expect to receive correct information on their TVs, tablets and smartphones when searching for something to watch.

Of course, when some television metadata providers fail to have proper quality control procedures, outsource the aggregation of their data and utilize outdated software combined with old databases, errors and mix-ups are bound to happen.

Problems like the following, where these metadata suppliers fail to list the right program title due to disorganization, and confusion ensues as a result.

Robert Redford’s 1974 “The Great Gatsby” is mistaken for the 2013 Leonardo DiCaprio version.

Ummmm, asleep at the switch at comcast guide data entry.

A photo posted by Gregger (@gregger.fafaug) on May 3, 2015 at 12:47pm PDT

The 1941 comedy “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” is listed instead of the 2005 actioner.

So, the Pitt/Jolie version of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" is on TV, and the info on the on-screen guide is for the original. pic.twitter.com/QFICe7Jqlw
— Kurt Zimmer (@thezim69) October 16, 2014

1931 drama “Rebound” is confused with 2005 comedy “Rebound.”

My TV is trying to tell me Megan Mullally is in a movie from 1931. I think the summary and the movie are fighting. pic.twitter.com/zDWtnQhgvI
— susan (@avaria) April 26, 2015

On a network known for airing “classic” movies, 1983’s “The Gold Diggers” is falsely inserted, instead of the similarly named musical “Gold Diggers of 1933” from that year.

@tcm bad guide description on @DIRECTV tonight. pic.twitter.com/RBmrLz2mfL
— Faith Kramer (@blogappetit) September 6, 2014

2003 Cuba Gooding Jr. film “Radio” is mixed up with an old documentary on radios, where the obsolete description of the device refers to it as a “portable-stereo.”

VH1's description of the movie Radio. via /r/funny http://t.co/Vk7J7Tum7u #funny pic.twitter.com/PzG9mQlmGJ

— Reddit Funny (@redditfunnybot) April 16, 2015

In a comparable incident, this metadata supplier thought 2004 Brad Pitt movie “Troy” was a Canadian documentary on the Trojan War.

I think my cable guide is confused. Documentary? pic.twitter.com/XhtxCX3R9q
— Lisa Rowe (@txvoodoo) April 4, 2015

FYI Television’s persistent ID system, which carefully maintains program titles, does not permit such ridiculous blunders and oversights in TV metadata. Contact us to learn more.

Author: Brian Cameron

Image via Shutterstock.

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