Trusted Partner Network president Terri Davies talks to TVBEurope about the importance of collaboration and certification in ensuring security in the media industry
By Jenny Priestley
Published: September 24, 2024 Updated: September 25, 2024
Trusted Partner Network president Terri Davies talks to TVBEurope about the importance of collaboration and certification in ensuring security in the media industry
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
The Trusted Partner Network (TPN) is a global security initiative, launched by the Motion Picture Association in 2018.
The aim of the organisation is to help vendors and film studios establish a single benchmark for security in various contexts and at various points in the content pipeline, including on-premise.
Before TPN was launched, vendors were often subject to multiple security audits when working with just one studio. As each vendor would often work with more than one studio, that meant lots of paperwork. TPN created a single benchmark built upon MPA best practices and its own questionnaire.
The needle, of course, went over the record when Covid happened, because all of the sites that had been assessed shut down and everybody moved to the cloud, explains TPN president Terri Davies. And really, because the best practices in TPN hadn't included software and applications at that time, the studios had no choice but to go back to the old ways and create their own application and cloud assessments, and therefore the industry became fragmented again.
Davies joined TPN in February 2022 and was tasked with refreshing the programme, reducing the best practices from 365 to around 65. In February 2023, TPN relaunched to include software applications and the cloud.
Coincidentally, in my old job, I had just been through a TPN assessment, so I experienced it firsthand, and it was painful. It was 450+ questions and not super comprehensive either. It took the 365 best practices and set a questionnaire on top, Davies continues, because, frankly, back in 2018 there was no budget, it was a group of well-intentioned people just wanting to follow progress over perfection and help.
Davies admits that the cloud does make things more complex compared to possible physical weaknesses such as doors and windows, but she believes security in the cloud is possible if just a bit more complicated.
TPN used to be very flat, very simple. It was vendor A in Barcelona, here's the site assessment for that Barcelona building, she explains. As we thought about bringing in software applications, which are mostly in the cloud these days, it suddenly made it much more matrixed.
Now, if a technology vendor completes the TPN assessment, any post or VFX house that uses that technology will automatically inherit the TPN assessment. Studios can then see the full technology stack and the fact that the post or VFX house is responsibly sourcing their technology partners.
TPN is not a pass or a fail, adds Davies, first of all, for antitrust reasons, but also because we've got all eight big studios, plus BBC, Canal Plus and Sky Studios now using the data, and they all have very different risk profiles. We provide information from which they make their own independent risk-based decisions. We also don't use the word certify, because that implies pass or fail.
At the time of our interview, TPN had awarded 637 gold shields. The process includes both the Q&A and an assessor who audits the company against their answers. They may have some remediation items and we may require them to update their remediation plan, she continues. Then they get the gold shield which is really an indication to content providers that the vendor is someone they should come and look at.
Our companies are struggling, and we need to find ways to help them, continues Davies. We understand that money is difficult at the moment but any company can come and sign up on our platform, TPN Plus, create an account, create their profile, answer the TPN questionnaire, which we give a Blue Shield for, see where they're compliant with the best practices and they don't have to pay us a penny.
Looking ahead, education and training will be a big focus for TPN in 2025 and even possible expansion into the music industry. We're seeing a lot of crossover with vendors in the gaming business and the music business, as well as the media, movie and TV business, so I think that's probably a natural extension for us, concludes Davies.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
12/05/2026
Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026 If NAB Show 2026 had an underlying theme, it was a quiet, industry-wide pivot from the high-energy sp...
12/05/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D), a Panoptec Technologies Group company, and CT Square, led by Chandresh Shah, have announced a joint venture to distribute G&D and V...
12/05/2026
With 30 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the United States, has announced th...
12/05/2026
The NHL has announced the return of Stanley Pup for its third consecutive year, a 90-minute special featuring adoptable rescue dogs competing on a miniature rin...
12/05/2026
NBCUniversal presented its 2026 Upfront to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall, detailing upcoming programming across NBC, Peacock, Bravo, and Versant properti...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced funding for the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Publ...
12/05/2026
TNDV and Live Media, both divisions of Live Media Group, supported live broadcast coverage around NCAA Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, including the March M...
12/05/2026
The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced a content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel ...
12/05/2026
For the first time, Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S. will have two separate tel...
12/05/2026
CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week, coordinating RF assets across the ...
12/05/2026
LiveU has announced a strategic partnership with DRONERESPONDERS, a 501(c)3 non-...
12/05/2026
Open Broadcast Systems has announced that BMC TV, a specialist in IP transport of broadcast content, has selected the Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway solution...
12/05/2026
NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has announced it will deliver broadcast solutions...
12/05/2026
Grass Valley has announced continued collaboration with Ravensbourne University ...
12/05/2026
Stats Perform has announced the launch of Opta Pulse, an AI-assisted video creation and distribution platform for leagues, rights holders, and broadcasters. The...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to integrate Sesame Street characters into FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 programming. Conten...
12/05/2026
To date, NHL Productions has produced 19 broadcasts with commentary in American Sign Language
NHL in ASL (American Sign Language) may be just one show, but the...
12/05/2026
Google's Brian Albert: creators, athletes, highlights, nostalgia, second-scr...
12/05/2026
A still from Past Lives by Celine Song, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | p...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pi...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...
12/05/2026
Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...
12/05/2026
Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...
12/05/2026
500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...
12/05/2026
CVP, one of Europe's leading suppliers of professional video and broadcast solutions, has appointed Randy Koeman as Sales Manager, Netherlands, marking anot...
12/05/2026
Taiwan Television has expanded its HD content ingest workflow capabilities by investing in the PlayBox Neo Suite - a leading multi-channel multi-server UHD/HD/S...
12/05/2026
Jigsaw24 is strengthening its media team with the appointment of Tom Laker as Client Director and Ashish Chauhan as Project Manager. These strategic hires bring...
12/05/2026
Broadcast playout leader showcases hybrid IP infrastructure and workflow automation with Videoland deployment as regional benchmark...
12/05/2026
dzjinius, the all-in-one production management platform for the media and entertainment industry, will showcase its centralised approach to production workflows...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
NUGEN Audio will debut Version 1.1 of DialogCheck, its intelligent dialog intelligibility and compliance tool, at the 2026 Media Production & Technology Show (S...
12/05/2026
The reactive visuals can adapt to any stage or screen setup and comprise 50 layers of Notch content
Today, Disguise announced that its high performance GX 3 m...
12/05/2026
Snapgrid , Snapbag & Airglow Expand Creative Control for the ARRI Modular LED BarFollowing the launch of the ARRI Omnibar, DoPchoice introduces a dedicated li...
12/05/2026
May 12th, 2026 Press Materials Available Here
TRIBECA FESTIVAL UNVEILS 2026 GAMES PROGRAM
Tribeca Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary With World Premieres and Pl...
12/05/2026
May 12th, 2026 Press Materials Available Here
MADONNA BRINGS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF CONFESSIONS II TO 2026 TRIBECA FESTIVAL
The Global Icon Will Unveil a Cine...
12/05/2026
Customer demand for data continues to grow in the first quarter of 2026 at Magya...
Trusted Partner Network president Terri Davies talks to TVBEurope about the importance of collaboration and certification in ensuring security in the media industry
