Challenge
In a highly competitive market, WideMedia Group needed to support its newsgathering and productions with a broadcast workflow that was as simple and seamless as possible.
Workflows had grown around existing technology, which meant that staff were spending too much time on side tasks. The broadcaster wanted to move to a modern automation platform that was efficient and supported operational simplification, and which integrated well into other technology platforms.
As a news broadcaster with a very high proportion of live output, the system also had to be extremely resilient to eliminate the possibility of going off air.
Solution
WideMedia Group worked with Pierides Technosystems (PTS), the leading Greek systems integrator and Pebble partner in the region. Together, they designed a system that would provide the functionality required but also fit seamlessly into the rest of the WideMedia Group infrastructure.
The solution used Pebble Automation 2.0, the latest iteration of the playout platform that has been highly respected globally for close to 30 years.
The core automation platform met the expectations of WideMedia Group, particularly round asset management and metadata enrichment, asset control and support for multiple playlists, vital for rapidly changing news agendas and delivery to many broadcast and online platforms. It also provides SCTE signaling and soft segmenting for multiple output platforms.
Rather than re-implement a multi-vendor system, WideMedia Group elected to use the Pebble Integrated Channel solution, which puts all the required playout functionality into a single device. Each channel pipeline incorporates sophisticated signal processing, multi-format handling, and graphics capabilities to provide a complete channel in a box. PTS specified a redundant architecture with automatic failover to provide the high availability that the broadcaster demanded.
The open integration design of Pebble Automation allows PTS to rapidly develop and prove tight interworking with the existing Ross asset management and Bright Media traffic systems. Throughout the project, WideMedia Group , PTS and Pebble collaborated closely to ensure the new architecture precisely met the requirements, and was installed, commissioned and trained without disrupting operations.
Result
News broadcasters face unique operational pressures. Playlists change often and at short notice, reflecting breaking stories and developing debates. Incoming content must be evaluated rapidly, and extensive metadata added, not just for current requirements but to build a valuable and accessible archive.
Because of the complex workflows, this metadata is also critical in streamlining content movement. Journalists, editors and producers can prepare stories and build programmes without wasting time, ensuring that the material is in the right format and in the right place. Pebble Automation also takes care of content and metadata management through to the archive, ensuring everything that must be protected is secure, while auto-purging when safe to ensure efficiency.
All this means that operators are now free to focus on the demanding task of outputting back-to-back live programmes, without the distraction of these vital but time-consuming side tasks that the previous architecture forced upon them. The result is streamlined workflows, greater efficiency, and more creativity and dynamism on screen.
Pebble and PTS have a long and strong working partnership, which has seen installations at a number of Greek broadcasters. This gave WideMedia Group the reassurance that this was the right solution for them. They now have a robust, redundant and future-proof playout platform that supports their needs now and in the future.
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