Earlier this week Cisco invited a group of experts from across the media industry to take part in a sector panel discussion. By bringing together a broadcaster (ITV), a post-production house (Envy), an independent body (International Association Broadcast Manufacturers) and a supplier to the industry (Boxer Systems) we could explore the key challenges the industry is facing, particularly in light of a shift away from tape-based production into tapeless, over IP networks.
The Digital Production Partnership The Digital Production Partnership was a natural starting point. This initiative, formed by major broadcasters, aims to accelerate and standardise the way content is produced and transferred. Our panel agreed that this worldwide first has transformed efficiency across the production chain by creating a single format for the creation and delivery of long form video production files.
From tape to IP “Tape had been with us a bit too long when there were other technologies available,” said John Ive, Director of Business Development and Technology, IABM. “The old system worked and was guaranteed to deliver, and it takes a lot to overcome that in a risk-adverse industry.”
This production shift from tape to files transferred via IP has standardised content delivery throughout the chain, meaning that everyone sends and receives content in the same way. “This has been a big step in achieving streamlined efficiency throughout the chain,” claimed Tom Griffiths, Technology Controller, linear broadcast and content delivery, ITV. “Other countries are envious of this and interest is building around this outside of the UK.”
Challenges en-route The move though, the panel agreed, has come with its own unique challenges. Daniel Sassen, Head of Technical Operations, Envy Post Production, explained: “one of the beauties of tape was if you had a credit that’s spelt wrong at the end; you could simply do a thirty second edit. With files this isn’t possible on most systems in the market currently.”
Similarly, companies have had to make large financial investments and carefully assess whether the right infrastructure is in place to support the digital transfer of huge files. The transition has also demanded that organisations adjust to previously manual processes becoming automated.
The overriding sentiment here was that while the technology to facilitate this transformation is present, what is needed is confidence in the system and a real cultural shift across the industry.
The importance of being agile Agility provided an interesting closing point – as viewing platforms continue to explode, the demand for flexibility in both the creation and delivery of content is more pressing than ever. Working to rapidly shrinking timescales, more transient content and the creation of content across multiple platforms are all areas where the cloud can prove beneficial, our panel maintained.
As the format and quantity of outputs continues to increase, agility will become a key focus for the industry. Marc Risby, Director of Technology, BoxerSystems, explained: “we deal with a lot of companies who don’t have a satellite dish or a transmitter but they have an IP [TV Service that] they’re delivering a web or mobile platform. We need to be able to cater for that.”
This session highlighted that it’s a really exciting time of evolution for the broadcast industry, which is only going to evolve as appetite for content across channels continues to skyrocket. And underpinning that content explosion, will be a IP network that’s fully capable of supporting it.
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