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	FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE VIDEO DESIGN SOFTWARE PROVIDES AUTOMATED POLLING-TO-AIR SYSTEM FOR MUCH MUSIC VoteOmatic For Much Music Uses Matrox CG2000 TORONTO, Apr. 8, 2002—Video Design Software (VDS), a leading developer of broadcast automation software, provided Much Music, Canada’s leading music channel, with the VoteOmatic, a software and hardware package that simplifies live televised contest voting and generates the results through an on-air graphics package. After Much Music had developed the concept, it turned to VDS for the implementation of its successful VoteOmatic. “It was important for Much Music that our software/hardware provider be able to work in tandem with our in-house Interactive Department, while still working independently to deliver a turnkey solution that combined maximum flexibility and minimum user training,” comments Neil State, Director of Music Operations, Much Music Canada. “Much Music selected VDS because of its past experience with custom on-air display solutions, and enthusiasm to break new ground.” Designed for music contests, VoteOmatic has viewers cast their votes for a music video from a selection on the Much Music Web page. The VDS Application then periodically collects these votes and graphics are generated on-air based on the vote count. The graphics are output as NTSC video using a Matrox CG2000 video card. Before show time, the broadcaster creates a set of graphics for the particular round. These include a graphic for each band in the contest, a set of bar graphs and a background graphic. Placement and sizing of these graphics on screen is done prior to airtime using the VoteOmatic’s edit mode. As the central visual piece to the contest, the bar graphs remain on screen for viewers to watch the contest’s progress. For easier viewing during the voting process, the broadcaster can disable the band graphics, the percentage scores and the text containing the band’s names. A simple setup screen is available where the broadcaster can select the fonts, font colors and the font size the program will use. Before show time, the broadcaster can easily prep the program by entering the Web address from which the results will be retrieved, in addition to the bar graphs. Two sets of bar graphs are required and draw from 101 TIFF files, with each file representing a percentage score. The first set of bar graphs is shown as the contest is in progress. As the contest closes, the winner’s bar graph is selected from the second set of bar graphs. On screen, viewers see the winning band’s bar graph change from one color to another, or appear radically different depending on the graphics the broadcaster has prepared. The bar graphs can be easily rendered in most 3D graphics programs. The software package supports up to three contests per day, seven days a week. About VDS VDS is committed to providing automation and content design tools for the broadcast, cable television, internet, and post production markets. VDS designs products for the automated control of broadcast television systems, with an emphasis on graphics-related operations, content distribution and automation, and internet-to-video and video-to-internet systems. VDS content creation systems provide industry tools that deliver graphic design, universal file translation and integration capabilities.