Facebook partners with Rovi to boost media data

Facebook has partnered with video distribution specialist Rovi to draw on information about TV shows, movies and celebrities. 

Facebook will integrate Rovi Video – a database for international TV, movie and celebrity metadata – into its platform to make it easier for users to highlight media they like on their profiles.

The partnership is designed to also give Facebook app developers a standardised entertainment database for creating “meaningful consumer apps and interaction with entertainment-related content.”

In addition, Rovi said the move would make it easier for its other customers to include links to movie and TV show Facebook pages in their products.

“We see the social interaction with movies, TV shows and video entertainment growing immensely over the next couple of years,” said Facebook’s platform partnerships manager Ime Archibong.

“With this in mind, we’ve sought Rovi as a valuable source for TV and movie information to help provide the backdrop that we need to enable developers to create a connected experience for consumers in their apps and services.”

Rovi Video is a subset of Rovi’s entertainment database and includes descriptive information on more than four million TV shows, movies and sporting events from catalogue content to new releases.