
What is the metadata meaning? We have discussed metadata and its essential role in media asset management several times in our blogs now. We feel it's time to answer the question about why metadata is important. In the following lines, we'll try to answer that question and spotlight its importance on MAM Systems like VSNExplorer MAM.
Metadata is the master key for every media preservation solution. They allow the system to locate and search for media assets. Its extraction, processing and optimization mark the performance of our media asset management software.
Metadata explanation: Data inside data
Metadata is data that describes other data. Ok, it sounds a bit tricky so let's step back to find the real meaning of metadata. Metadata is just information about any other element. For example, when you take a picture with your phone, the time, location and resolution information that appears on the gallery when you see it is metadata. Therefore, we are talking about information and data about your picture.
So, the solution is very simple. Metadata is the complementary information related to any other element.
Metadata's meaning
Metadata's meaning is straightforward once you understand it, but we decided to visit other definitions to bring some more light to the concept. The Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI) explains metadata as structured data that includes data associated with information about a system or object for the purpose of providing a description. Although all definitions are similar at one or more points, it seems clear that metadata is an important component to help us locate, classify, and understand the objects-whether physical or non-physical-that they are attached to.
When was metadata invented?
It is natural that in the information era, we have concluded that it is essential to have data that allows us to identify, locate and recover any object. However, the pioneers in content preservation were old librarians. They understood the metadata meaning before anyone else.
Already in Ancient Egypt (280 BC), the Great Library of Alexandria offered all its scrolls with a small label attached to each one. They contained the title, subject, and author of the work, allowing readers to locate their search more easily and librarians to organize the catalog without wasting hours of work in the process. These labels would later become bibliographic records, and their digital version would be mentioned for the first time by two MIT engineers in a report entitled ADMINS, where they mention the need to maintain a record (metadata) of the data records'.
Metadata & Video: Why is metadata important?
If we take a step forward into the 21st Century, we will see how any digital element we use in our daily activity contains metadata. Of course, video is not an exception. In this audiovisual content era, this format is essential for different businesses like the educational or the corporate sector. Therefore, metadata on media assets is more critical than ever to avoid chaos in the archives. Thanks to them, we can order and preserve our media assets efficiently.
Metadata: A useful tool
Ok, we already know the meaning of metadata, but why is metadata important? What role does metadata play in a MAM System? For software like VSNExplorer MAM, the metadata of media assets is the key to order and catalog our archive. With this information, the system searches and locates quickly and efficiently the file we are looking for when we search in our archive.
The more metadata on our media, the more information VSNExplorer MAM will have to correctly catalog it. If we go back for a moment to the origins of metadata, a MAM System is like a librarian. It creates the index tags, completes the information, catalogs and manages the archive to find the media. All this with the metadata as the core of the solution.
How to extract metadata from media
The meaning of metadata is now clear and so is why metadata is important. However, we didn't talk about how to extract this gold from a video file. We must have the maximum amount of information about our files for its catalog. Metadata like title, description, the video date, the characters that appear or text transcription are the key.
Logically, the more efficient way to extract metadata is automation via cutting-edge technology like artificial intelligence. A good example is RTVE's project for content catalog of its Archive using VSNExplorer MAM. Thanks to the integration of this system with AI search engines, our MAM system extracts all this information for validation on a single interface.
How to manage metadata
However, metadata extraction is just the first step. For a MAM System it's essential to manage this information and customize the data treatment for each user. In this article, we explained how the metadata rules editor of VSNExplorer enables that feature. Using a simple programming language, our clients can create and manage thousands of data operations thanks to this tool.
Now that we control metadata and why it's important, don't lose the chance to squeeze out all its potential with VSNExplorer MAM. Do not hesitate to contact us and book your demo with our professionals to discover how we can help you with your media asset management.
Most recent headlines
09/11/2025
Dalet today announced a transformative leap forward for media operations: Agentic Artificial Intelligence (AI) that unifies the Dalet ecosystem under one natura...
01/11/2025
Thunderbolt 3 Now Standard on Symphony MkII - Starting November 11 Beginning November 11, all new Apogee Symphony I/O MkII units will ship with Thunderbolt 3 as...
01/11/2025
How to Expand the Apogee Symphony Desktop with Cranborne 500ADAT Want to expand your Symphony Desktop beyond two inputs? Whether you're tracking a full drum...
01/11/2025
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has published the Financial Report for ...
01/11/2025
tvONE is proud to announce a strategic partnership with Matrox Video, combining CALICO PRO's high-performance video processing with the Matrox ConvertIP Ser...
01/11/2025
CJP Broadcast has joined the Grass Valley partner programme as both a Systems Integration Partner and AMPP Partner. The collaboration enhances CJP's ability...
01/11/2025
TAG Video Systems, the leader in software-based IP end-to-end workflow monitoring, deep probing, and real-time visualization, has earned a higher-rated DPP Comm...
01/11/2025
Michael Napodano Appointed New CEO Of Operative Media
Operative today announced the appointment of Mike Napodano as Chief Executive Officer, marking the next s...
01/11/2025
Film industry professionals flocked to Cine Gear Expo Atlanta 2025 at celebrated Trilith Studios in Fayetteville, Georgia, on October 3 and 4. Back for its 6th ...
01/11/2025
Photo courtesy of Peacock and Sky
Christopher Ross, BSC, began his cinematic obsession early. He cites reading Scorsese on Scorsese as a teenager with teaching...
01/11/2025
NEW YORK ITN and the sell-side advertising company Magnite have announced the launch of what they are billing as the industrys first Local Linear TV Private Mar...
31/10/2025
FanDuel Sports Network To Deliver Selected Live NBA, NHL Games to Major Streamin...
31/10/2025
NBC Jumps Out of the Gate in Extended Breeder's Cup Deal With Dual Drones, J...
31/10/2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
30 October 2025
It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of Segomotso Keorapetse, an award- winning South African television d...
31/10/2025
IRVING, Texas As station groups move into an era that promises rapid tech, regulatory and economic changes, Nexstar Media Group said its board has extended chai...
31/10/2025
While some analysts have questioned the ongoing economic viability of broacast-TV late night shows amid ongoing declines in linear viewing, new data from Tubula...
31/10/2025
The contentious contract negotiations between The Walt Disney Co. and YouTube TV have resulted in a blackout of Disney-owned programming on the pay TV operator....
31/10/2025
CINCINNATI Video conversion and AV signal distribution specialist tvONE and Matrox Video have struck a strategic partnership, combining CALICO PRO's video p...
31/10/2025
NEW YORK The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) today released a new industry guide that discusses the urgency of adopting new standards that will help advert...
31/10/2025
While some analysts have questioned the ongoing economic viability of late night shows on broadcast TV amid ongoing declines in linear viewing, new data from Tu...
31/10/2025
Berklee Celebrates the Inauguration of President Jim Lucchese In his inaugural address, Lucchese shared an optimistic vision for Berklee's future as a for...
31/10/2025
Back to All News
Family, Food, and Films: Netflix's Dining with the Kapoors...
31/10/2025
The review highlights DPA 4055 Kick Drum Microphone for its compact design, ease of placement, and authentic tone that captures the true character of the drum p...
31/10/2025
The RT Raidi na Gaeltachta Award 2025 will be presented to journalist P il n N Chiar in at the Oireachtas na Samhna in Belfast tomorrow, Saturday 1 November,...
31/10/2025
RT lyric fm is calling for choirs across Ireland to share their festive music-m...
31/10/2025
Three awards were presented to RT Raidi na Gaeltachta broadcasters at the Oire...
31/10/2025
RT continues its proud tradition of championing Ireland's vibrant arts and cultural landscape through its RT Supporting the Arts initiative. This November...
31/10/2025
RT selects Irish independent production company to produce Christian Worship on...
31/10/2025
Amidst Gyeongju, South Korea's ancient temples and modern skylines, Jensen H...
30/10/2025
Midwich has signed a UK and Ireland distribution deal with X2O Media, a worldwid...
30/10/2025
SVG Students To Watch: Sam Newitt, Kansas State UniversityThe South Dakota native thrives in many roles behind the scenes at K-StateHD.TVBy Brandon Costa, Direc...
30/10/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Swerve Sports' Christy Tanner Explores the Young FAST Channel&...
30/10/2025
SVG Campus Shot Callers: Andy Liebsch, Senior Director, Video Services, Kansas S...
30/10/2025
Diversified Names Paul Lidsky CEO, Expanding Leadership Role After Serving as Bo...
30/10/2025
NBA, Cosm Enter Long-Term Partnership for Shared Reality Production, Distributio...
30/10/2025
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: FanConnect's Brett Crossley on Reimagining the Ga...
30/10/2025
FanDuel Sports Network to Deliver Select Live NBA, NHL Games to Major Streaming ...
30/10/2025
As the year comes to a close, we can feel the invigorating wind sweeping in for ...
30/10/2025
By Bailey Pennick
One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festi...
30/10/2025
The SGL Carbon site in Bonn has a long tradition of training. For many years, young talent has been successfully trained here, regularly achieving excellent exa...
30/10/2025
SBS, NITV and Screen Australia announce 2025 Digital Originals Shortlist
29 October, 2025
Media releases
SBS, NITV and Screen Australia are excited to unve...
30/10/2025
Jon Rambeau, President of Integrated Mission Systems at L3Harris Technologies, speaks about industrial collaboration at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (A...
30/10/2025
MELBOURNE, Fla., October 30, 2025 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) reports th...
30/10/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr said he has circulated a proposal for the agency to auction additional midband spectrum in the U...
30/10/2025
PLANO, Texas Technology solutions provider Diversified has named Paul Lidsky as CEO, tasked with guiding the company's next stage of growth, driving market ...
30/10/2025
CUPERTINO, Calif. Interra Systems today unveiled ORION stream recording support and seamless integration with BATON Media Player, a combination that lets broadc...
30/10/2025
WILMINGTON, Del. InterDigital today announced the acquisition of Deep Render, an artificial intelligence startup with a team of AI experts focused on video code...
30/10/2025
NEW YORK TAG Video Systems has earned a higher-rated Digital Product Passport (DPP) Committed to Sustainability badge and the Aclymate Climate Wise Silver Tier ...
30/10/2025
IRVING, Texas As station groups move into an era that promises rapid tech, regulatory and economic changes, the Nexstar Media Group, Inc. has announced that its...
30/10/2025
Television viewers are spending more time watching streaming content than linear TV, but sports continues to be a bright spot for broadcasters, according to the...