A woman of influence: Teresa Phillips

July 9, 2021

Editor’s note: This is an interview with one of the outstanding Silicon Valley professionals selected to be in the 2021 class of Women of Influence. The Business Journal will celebrate the honorees at a special virtual event on June 30; get tickets here.

Teresa Phillips

Title/position: CEO

Company: Spherex

Location: Santa Clara

How has the pandemic changed how you lead others? We take for granted the synergies that in-person teamwork affords. When everyone is working remotely, the cost of juggling multiple projects increases.

The first thing we did was reorganize teams around fewer initiatives, which allowed us to work faster, fail faster, scale faster and move on. As a result, 2020 was a very productive and efficient year for us. We delivered on client commitments as well as achieved our technology and innovation goals.

How has the pandemic changed your outlook on life and work? I would characterize 2020 as the year of vulnerability. Family members, friends and colleagues fell victim to the coronavirus. Our healthcare providers and systems, the guardians of our safety, were repeatedly stretched to the near breaking point. And at all levels and in all areas, our government did not meet the moment in dealing with the pandemic.

Yet, through it all, we were not alone — the entire world’s population felt vulnerable in 2020. Nearly 8 billion people, all connected by feelings of insecurity and loss.

Yes, we were gripped by fear and uncertainty, but we were also connected by courage. We showed up for one another. My hope is we remember that it is in the giving that we are filled.

What’s your strategy for getting your business back to normal after the pandemic? We remain agile and prepared to support our clients who are some of the largest brands in the global Media & Entertainment industry. We have always had remote teams and have been operating seamlessly during the pandemic. As with other companies, office hours will be more flexible as we settle back in.

What would you like to accomplish in the next year? Every streaming platform is racing to expand internationally. We will play a defining role in helping global storytellers culturally adapt their film and tv shows to better connect with local audiences worldwide.

What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received? General Galvin of the U.S. Army once told me, “Great leaders don’t aim to attract more followers. They strive to create more leaders.” I’m proud of the difference I’ve made in many young leaders’ careers and lives. If I could leave only one leadership legacy, it would be “to inspire.”

What is the biggest challenge facing women who want to take on leadership roles? Women in leadership roles often face gender or subconscious bias, no matter the industry. Society rewards men who push boundaries and don’t take “no” for an answer, while women are expected to soft pedal their authority. Women who want to take leadership roles must step into their own power by knowing who they are and playing to their strengths.

A female CEO or business icon you admire? I admire Safra Catz, CEO of Oracle, and Ginni Rometty, former CEO of IBM, because I can imagine the courage and sacrifice that was required of them.

Something about you that would surprise others? I went to clown school so I could volunteer as a clown in children’s hospitals.

A moment in your career you are most proud of? My military service. It was the end of the Cold War, and serving at NATO during such a pivotal point in history was an incredible experience.

How many hours a week do you average at work? I can’t even count! I love what I do, and our team is building something very special.

How do you unwind after work? I play basketball or take a walk with my teenage boys.

What was your first job? During the summer while in high school, I worked for the school district to prepare the schools for the coming year, which entailed a lot of painting and waxing hardwood floors.

What was your favorite pop-culture discovery during the pandemic? Subscribing to all of the streaming platforms.

Source: Silicon Vally Business Journal

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Spherex Classification Tool Now Approved for Home Entertainment Content in Australia

By Spherex • October 11, 2024

The Albanese Government has updated the Spherex Classification Tool approval to include ratings for theatrical releases, home entertainment, and streaming content in Australia. Spherex was previously approved to classify online films. The update underscores the Australian Classification Board’s confidence in Spherex as a tool to help Australian viewers make informed choices about the content they consume. This means Australians can now access a range of new films sooner than they might across all formats and windows. Spherex has a longstanding relationship with the Australian Classification Board. Since 2020, Spherex has collaborated closely with the Australian Government to ensure its technology reliably generates classification decisions that meet Australian standards and viewers' expectations. As the world’s only commercial provider of local age ratings, Spherex has successfully produced classification decisions for high volumes of online content in over 100 countries. Since 2018, Spherex has issued over one million age ratings for digital content, including films, TV shows, and trailers, distributed by its clients worldwide. Spherex customers, including Umbrella Entertainment, Madman Entertainment, and Sugoi Co., rely on its AI-based platform to obtain local age ratings in Australia and significantly improve efficiency, cost reduction, and market reach. Discover how Spherex's cutting-edge AI-based platform can streamline your content classification process and enhance your market reach while reducing costs. Visit spherex.com today and see how we can support your content distribution needs.

nScreenNoise – Interview Spherex: Avoiding the cultural dead zone

By Spherex • October 2, 2024

One of the conundrums of streaming is that although a service can deliver content globally, it is not guaranteed to be acceptable in a particular local market. Netflix found this out when it announced global availability in 2016 at CES and was quickly banned in markets like Indonesia , where some of the content was deemed too violent or sexual. In 2016, without boots on the ground in a local market, it wasn’t easy to assess whether a show or movie would be culturally acceptable. Today, global media companies are acutely aware of the importance of their content’s cultural fit. Moreover, they have a company like Spherex to help them prepare their content to ensure it fits with any country of interest. I interviewed Teresa Phillips, the Co-Founder and CEO of Spherex, at the recent OTT.X Summit in Los Angeles. She explained how the company is leveraging AI and its massive cultural profiling database to help companies prepare content for target markets. She also explained how, in the near future, AI would aid the company in measuring a movie or show’s cultural distance from a regional market and help it avoid falling into the failure zone between cultural fit and novelty interest. Listen to the full interview here .

Spherex Featured in the DPP’s IBC 2024: Demand versus Supply Report

By Spherex • October 2, 2024

Spherex was featured in the DPP’s IBC 2024: Demand versus Supply Report, a comprehensive look at how the M&E industry is meeting key customer demands. The report focuses on the topics of empowering creators, understanding audiences, engaging users, and innovating the newsroom. It also highlights many of the technical innovations seen at the recent IBC Show. An article by Spherex’s CEO Teresa Phillips titled "Navigating Cultural Resonance in Global Media: The Art and Science of Culture Mixing" was featured in the report, exploring how Spherex is pioneering the future of culturally informed content. Teresa shares how cultural mixing has become a critical strategy for creating content that appeals to diverse audiences in today's global media landscape. This phenomenon involves blending elements from different cultures to craft films and television shows that resonate globally while adhering to local regulations. However, the process of culture mixing is fraught with risks. Superficial or stereotypical representations can lead to accusations of cultural appropriation or insensitivity, alienating audiences and damaging a company's reputation. For example, imposing Western concepts on Eastern content without proper context can feel inauthentic and jarring to local viewers. These missteps highlight the need for a nuanced understanding of cultural elements to ensure that content is respectful and engaging. To address these challenges, M&E companies are increasingly turning to data-driven solutions. Platforms like SpherexAI utilize artificial intelligence to analyze visual, audio, and textual elements, providing insights into how well content aligns with cultural and regulatory standards across over 200 countries and territories. This approach helps media companies understand the "cultural distance" between a title's origin and its target market, enabling them to make informed decisions about global distribution. By leveraging these advanced tools, M&E companies can go beyond traditional content localization. They can create media that actively engages and resonates with diverse audiences. As the industry continues to evolve, those companies that embrace culturally informed, data-driven approaches will be better positioned to succeed, fostering cross-cultural understanding and trust while delivering globally appealing content. Download the report here .

Spherex CEO Teresa Phillips Discusses AI's Transformative Role at the OTT.X Summit

By Spherex • September 26, 2024

Spherex’s Co-Founder & CEO, Teresa Phillips, spoke at the recent OTT.X Summit in an insightful fireside chat titled "Unlocking AI: Driving Growth in Global Media Distribution" with Colin Dixon, Founder & Chief Analyst at nScreenMedia. The conversation provided a deep dive into how Spherex is leveraging AI to revolutionize media distribution on a global scale. Teresa began by highlighting Spherex’s core mission of helping media companies navigate the complex landscape of compliance and global regulatory acceptance. She detailed how Spherex works with clients to ensure their content adheres to regional regulations and cultural norms, enabling seamless distribution across different markets. Introduction to SpherexAI The conversation turned to SpherexAI, our cutting-edge AI platform for generating age ratings and ensuring video content complies with local regulations and cultural norms. Teresa explained how SpherexAI provides analysis of visual, audio, and textual elements in content to enable smarter global distribution decisions by evaluating how well a title aligns with the cultural and regulatory standards of over 200 countries and territories. AI's Limitations and Future Potential Teresa and Colin also addressed the limitations of current AI models, particularly their Western-centric training data. Spherex is at the forefront of developing training AI models to understand and interpret cultural norms from various perspectives, ensuring a more inclusive approach to content distribution. Cultural Distance Another exciting aspect of the chat was discussing Spherex's patented approach to measuring the "cultural distance" between a title's origin and its target market to help media companies anticipate potential challenges and opportunities. Teresa explained how these metrics, which include the tags materialistic, symbolic, and sacred, predict content appeal across different regions. This innovative approach helps media companies tailor their content to specific cultural contexts, enhancing global reach and engagement. Future Capabilities Looking ahead, Teresa shared Spherex's vision of integrating cultural norms into AI models to better predict content success and advise on necessary adaptations. The balance between global and regional content was also discussed, emphasizing the need for a nuanced approach to media distribution in the future landscape. The fireside chat at the OTT.X Summit highlighted the transformative potential of AI in media distribution, with Spherex leading the charge. By leveraging advanced AI technology and a deep understanding of cultural norms, Spherex is paving the way for a more inclusive and globally resonant media landscape.

SpherexAI Wins Best of Show Award at IBC2024

By Spherex • September 16, 2024

We are thrilled to announce that TV Tech honored SpherexAI with the prestigious Best of Show award at IBC2024. The awards recognize the best media and broadcast technology products and solutions on display at IBC2024, with hundreds of products and solutions considered. A panel of industry experts and editors at the RAI reviewed all entries. Factors considered include how diverse and comprehensive our product's features are, how easy it is to use and integrate with other products, how well it solves a problem for the user, and how innovative and unique it is within the market. The awards' editorial team stated that "IBC2024 has been busier than ever this year, with over 1,300 companies showcasing their latest innovations. Our awards followed suit with this popularity and had more entries than ever before." They continued to say "judging and winner selections were extremely difficult this year, feedback from our judges confirmed that the standard across the board was incredible. To all those companies who have won, you can be truly proud of your companies' achievements in standing out among the crowd at IBC2024." In the coming weeks, you can read more about SpherexAI on the TV Tech website , in their regular newsletter, and through other promotional channels from the brand.

Experience SpherexAI at IBC2024

By Spherex • August 23, 2024

IBC2024 opens September 13 at the Amsterdam RAI, and Spherex will demonstrate its groundbreaking content compliance and analysis platform, SpherexAI, at stand 5.F78 in Hall 5

IFCO’s New Film Classification Guidelines

By Spherex • August 2, 2024

The Irish Film Classification Office (IFCO) has recently released new draft guidelines for film classification for public consultation. These guidelines reflect contemporary social values while balancing the need to protect children and young people from harmful content and upholding adults' freedom to choose what to view. Critical aspects of the draft guidelines include: 1. Context and Tone: The classification considers the context in which the material is presented. For example, content in a fantasy or comic context may be rated less strictly compared to realistic presentations of the same content. 2. Consumer Advice: Detailed consumer advice will accompany classifications to help parents and guardians make informed decisions about the suitability of films for their children. 3. Parental Responsibility: The guidelines emphasize the importance of parental responsibility and encourage parents to use the classification system and consumer advice to guide their viewing choices. The guidelines are a part of IFCO's ongoing efforts to adapt to societal changes and gather feedback from the public and stakeholders to ensure that film classifications remain relevant and practical. The film industry's response to the new draft guidelines has been positive. The updated guidelines, which emphasize context and tone in classification decisions, are welcome for their modern approach and flexibility. Industry stakeholders appreciate the focus on providing detailed consumer advice to help parents make informed viewing choices for their children. One notable collaboration arising from the new guidelines is between IFCO and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). This partnership aims to streamline handling complaints about cinema advertising and ensure that advertising content adheres to high standards. Both organizations are committed to protecting consumers and maintaining trust in advertising, highlighting a shared commitment to safeguarding audiences from inappropriate or harmful content. Overall, the industry's response reflects support for the guidelines' efforts to balance protecting young audiences with respecting adults' viewing choices and the emphasis on parental responsibility and public engagement. Visit the IFCO website for more detailed information on the guidelines.

Embracing AI for Media and Entertainment: A Journey Beyond Automation

June 28, 2024

Source: M+E Journal

StreamTV 2024 Recap

By Spherex • June 28, 2024

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