By adding SRT support to its encoders and decoders, the company can now bridge SDI and ST-2110 environments on the ground, with cloud processing environments that use the SRT protocol. SRT support sits alongside the company’s support for Zixi and RIST, allowing customers to use a wide range of industry-supported formats.

The implementation has been extensively tested against numerous third-party products for interoperability.

“Many content providers are using the SRT protocol to send and receive video over the internet,” said Kieran Kunhya, Founder and CEO of Open Broadcast Systems. “By creating a highly sophisticated in-house implementation, we are able to provide the highest reliability possible for our customers”

The SRT implementation will be shipped to customers starting today.

Open Broadcast Systems is a leading-edge manufacturer of encoding and decoding for B2B video contribution and distribution. Its software-based solutions are deployed to deliver premium video content over any network, from satellite to IP. High-quality solutions developed by Open Broadcast Systems deliver services to millions of people every day, including many major sporting and breaking news events.

Encoding and decoding solutions from Open Broadcast Systems are high quality, cost-efficient and agile, able to be developed and installed in extremely short timeframes.

The post Open Broadcast Systems releases high-performance SRT implementation appeared first on NewscastStudio.

This collaboration will allow Ross to incorporate the most up-to-date AV networking features of NDI across its portfolio through NDI Advanced, ensuring enhanced video connectivity, flexibility, and workflow efficiency across the ecosystem.

NDI, a proprietary connectivity standard, supports a range of video codecs and enables seamless interoperability for devices and software across standard IP network infrastructures. NDI Advanced offers product developers all the benefits of NDI technology, like seamless device discoverability, bi-directional remote control, and embedded metadata streaming, but also unlocks an additional set of features for enhanced video connectivity, including:

• Sending and receiving all NDI formats, from NDI High Bandwidth to NDI HX3, the most advanced format yet, which allows for visually lossless, low-latency video with minimal bitrates.
• Access to the NDI Certified program, enabling products to be certified by the NDI team for guaranteed interoperability, performance, and reliability
• Custom-packaged SDKs for Hardware or Software, including reference designs for major FPGA models from Intel or AMD.
• Extended personalization of connection settings for each sender, finder, and receiver.
• AV Sync, Genlock APIs, and KVM Support.

Ross Video will incorporate NDI Advanced features broadly across its portfolio, including the following product lines:

• XPression graphics solution
• Ultrix hyperconverged platform
• PTZ broadcast video cameras
• Media I/O capture and playout solution
• softGear  Streaming Gateway
• Vision[Ai]ry Ft facial tracking and recognition solution
• PIERO sports graphics analysis system
• DashBoard production and facility control solution

The post Ross Video, NDI announce agreement for advanced adoption of protocol appeared first on NewscastStudio.

With the integration of IP and Information Technology (IT) into the core of broadcasting operations, the industry finds itself grappling with new vulnerabilities and threats – threats that are vastly different from those a decade ago.

Then, the biggest fear was a rogue employee or stolen content. Today, ransomware hacking and larger denial-of-service (DoS) attacks are more than a threat – they’ve been experienced firsthand by major media organizations such as Sony and Sinclair.

Q&A: Navigating cloud security challenges in the broadcast and media industry

From SDI to IP

At the heart of this change is the shift from SDI to IP. This transition is more than just a technological upgrade; it’s a fundamental change in how broadcast media operates. SDI, the long-standing standard for transmitting video and audio over coaxial cables, is giving way to IP, a more flexible and scalable solution that leverages the power of the internet.

The shift to IP is not just about adopting new technology; it’s about embracing a new way of thinking. In the traditional broadcast model, each piece of content was tied to a specific medium. With IP, content becomes platform-agnostic, capable of being distributed across various platforms and devices. This shift opens up new possibilities for content creation and distribution, but it also introduces new challenges, particularly in the realm of cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity in broadcast media

As the broadcast media industry becomes more intertwined with IP, it also becomes more connected with IT, bringing both innovation and inherent challenges. One of the most pressing of these challenges is cybersecurity.

Historically, the broadcast media industry operated in a relatively isolated environment. Traditional broadcasting methods relied on closed, proprietary systems, which, by their very nature, offered a degree of protection against external threats. The content was transmitted through dedicated channels and the risks of intrusion or unauthorized access were minimal.

However, the advent of digital technology and the internet has dramatically altered this landscape. Today, broadcasters are increasingly leveraging IP-based technologies to produce and distribute content. This shift to digital platforms, while offering enhanced flexibility and scalability, also exposes the industry to a broader spectrum of cyber threats. From hacking and data breaches to digital piracy and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, the threats are multifaceted and ever-evolving.

Furthermore, the way audiences consume content has diversified. The rise of streaming services and on-demand viewing has expanded the broadcasters’ digital footprint. While this has enabled broadcasters to reach audiences globally, it has also increased the number of potential entry points for cyber attackers.

Analysis: Unpacking the changing dynamics of television consumption

Another critical aspect to consider is the vast amount of data that broadcasters now handle. Beyond the content itself, media companies collect and store a wealth of user data, from viewing preferences to personal and payment information. This data, if not adequately protected, can be a goldmine, leading to breaches that can have severe financial and reputational repercussions.

Integrating third-party services and tools into the broadcast chain further complicates the cybersecurity landscape. Collaborations with external vendors, cloud-based services and third-party applications are now commonplace in the industry. While these integrations offer operational efficiencies, they also introduce additional vulnerabilities if not properly vetted and secured.

In essence, the transition to a more connected, digital-first broadcasting model has amplified the importance of cybersecurity in the broadcast media industry. It’s no longer just about protecting content; it’s about safeguarding an entire ecosystem that spans production, distribution and consumption. As the industry continues to evolve, a proactive, comprehensive approach to cybersecurity will be paramount, ensuring not only the protection of assets but also the trust and confidence of audiences worldwide.

Potential impact of cyber-attacks

Cyber-attacks, if not adequately addressed, can have far-reaching consequences for broadcasters. The implications aren’t just technical; they can affect every facet of a media company’s operations and reputation. Here are some of the potential impacts:

• Loss of intellectual property:
  • Broadcasters invest significantly in creating original content. A cyber-attack can lead to unauthorized access and theft of this content.
  • Leaked content, especially if it’s unreleased, can result in significant revenue loss and can compromise contractual obligations with partners and distributors.
• Financial losses:
  • Direct financial losses can result from ransomware attacks where cybercriminals demand money to restore access to data or systems.
  • There can be indirect financial implications too, such as loss of advertising revenue due to service interruptions or decreased viewership following a breach.
• Legal and regulatory penalties:
  • Broadcasters are often subject to various regulations, especially concerning the protection of customer data. A breach can lead to non-compliance, resulting in hefty fines.
  • Legal actions can be taken by affected parties, leading to lawsuits and further financial penalties.
• Damage to reputation:
  • Trust is a crucial element in the broadcaster-audience relationship. A cyber-attack can erode this trust, leading to a loss of viewership or subscribers.
  • Negative publicity following a breach can have long-term implications, affecting partnerships, sponsorships and future business opportunities.

Understanding the potential impact of cyber-attacks underscores the importance of robust cybersecurity measures. For broadcasters, it’s not just about protecting systems and data; it’s about safeguarding their brand, reputation and relationship with their audience.

Security concerns in media companies

In the broadcast media industry, security concerns are not a one-size-fits-all issue. They are multifaceted, encompassing a broad range of areas that extend beyond the traditional realm of IT. These concerns can be broadly categorized into two areas: enterprise IT security concerns and broadcast media security concerns.

Enterprise IT security concerns

Enterprise IT security concerns are common across all industries. These concerns revolve around protecting data centers, networks and applications from cyber threats. In the context of the broadcast media industry, these threats can take many forms, from malware and phishing attacks to data breaches and denial-of-service attacks.

Data centers, which house the servers and storage devices that hold a broadcaster’s valuable data, are a prime target for cybercriminals. A successful attack on a data center can lead to the loss or theft of sensitive data, causing significant financial and reputational damage.

Network security is another primary concern. Broadcasters rely on their networks to transmit data and content across different parts of the broadcast chain. If a network is compromised, it can disrupt the broadcast chain, leading to service interruptions and potential loss of revenue.

Applications, too, are a critical part of the broadcast infrastructure. They are used for everything from content creation and editing to scheduling and distribution. If an application is compromised, it can disrupt the broadcast workflow and potentially lead to unauthorized access or content alteration.

Broadcast Media Security Concerns

Broadcast media security concerns, on the other hand, are unique to the industry and relate to the core business activities of broadcast media companies. These concerns are tied to the specific processes and technologies used in the creation, management and distribution of content.

One of the primary concerns in this category is content security. Broadcasters must protect their content from unauthorized access, copying and distribution. This is particularly important for premium content, such as movies and TV shows, which can be a prime target for piracy.

Another primary concern is the security of the media supply chain. The chain is a complex system that includes multiple stages, from pre-production and production to post-production and distribution. Each stage has its own unique security challenges. For example, during the production stage, broadcasters must protect their systems and equipment from physical and cyber threats. During the distribution stage, they need to ensure that their content is delivered securely to the intended recipients with proper DRM, etc.

Finally, there is the issue of customer data security. Broadcasters collect a wealth of data about their customers, from viewing habits and preferences to personal and payment information. This data is a valuable asset, but it’s also a prime target for cybercriminals. Broadcasters need to ensure that they have robust measures in place to protect this data from theft and misuse.

Taking proactive steps and implementing best practices

In the face of evolving cyber threats, the broadcast media industry cannot remain passive. Proactive measures, even ones as simple as having a game plan in case a problem arises, are essential to safeguard assets and maintain trust. Some best practices to consider include the following:

• Regular Audits and Assessments: Periodic cybersecurity audits can help identify vulnerabilities in the system. By understanding where the weak points are, broadcasters can take targeted actions to bolster their defenses.
• Employee Training: Human error remains one of the most significant vulnerabilities. Regular training sessions can ensure that all employees are aware of the latest threats and know how to respond to potential security incidents.
• Multi-factor Authentication: Implementing multi-factor authentication for accessing critical systems can add an additional layer of security, ensuring that even if passwords are compromised, unauthorized access can be prevented.
• Data Encryption: Encrypting sensitive data, both in transit and at rest, can prevent unauthorized access and protect content and customer information even if there’s a breach.
• Regular Software Updates: Keeping software and systems updated ensures that known vulnerabilities are patched, reducing the risk of exploitation.
• Incident Response Plan: Having a well-defined incident response plan ensures that in the event of a security breach, the organization can act swiftly to mitigate damage and recover.

Cybersecurity also means broadcasters must learn to work together.

Being mindful of current challenges

While the need for robust cybersecurity is evident, implementing these measures in the broadcast media industry is not without its challenges:

• Budget Constraints: Comprehensive cybersecurity solutions can be expensive. Especially for smaller broadcasters, allocating sufficient funds for top-tier security measures can be a challenge.
• Lack of Skilled Personnel: The cybersecurity field is specialized and there’s a global shortage of experts across security and IT. Hiring or training personnel with the right skills can be a significant hurdle.
• Complexity of Broadcast Systems: The broadcast media industry uses a mix of legacy and modern systems. Ensuring compatibility and security across such diverse systems can be challenging.
• Resistance to Change: In any organization, change can meet resistance. Implementing new security protocols or tools might face opposition from staff accustomed to older systems or workflows.
• Rapid Technological Evolution: The pace at which technology evolves means that today’s security solutions might become obsolete tomorrow. Keeping up with this rapid change, while essential, is a constant challenge.

The security concerns in the broadcast media industry are complex and multifaceted. They encompass many areas, from traditional IT security to content and customer data security. Addressing these concerns requires a comprehensive, industry-specific approach that considers the unique challenges and risks of the broadcast media industry.

The post Exploring the cybersecurity landscape in the broadcast industry appeared first on NewscastStudio.

The station has been based at 2824 Palm Beach Blvd. in Ft. Myers, Florida, since 1954. That building, branded as “Broadcast Center,” sits closer to the heart of the city, but is also situated close to the Caloosahatchee River and a small inlet, both of which contributed to extensive flooding of the station in 2014 during Hurricane Ivan.

The station, which is owned by the family-run Fort Myers Broadcasting Company, has agreed to pay $18.5 million for the new facility. 

The new space has 57,260 square feet and a 5.6 acre parking lot and was previously a Comcast Xfinity service and dispatch center, though it did not contain any broadcast production facilities.

The station also considered another property but settled on the 12641 Corporate Lakes Drive spot because it has a higher ceiling height and more parking.

It also sits southeast of the city center and well away from any major body of water, which should reduce the likelihood of flooding.

WINK is planning to complete the move to the new facility within a year. Images shown on the station’s newscasts showed a building outfitted with an open office concept that could be ideal for a variety of TV station operations, including a newsroom.

The station will have to build out a new studio and associated support facilities, however. 

The new building will serve as the corporate headquarters for Fort Myers Broadcasting Company, Sun Broadcasting Company and Gulf Shore Life Media.

Sun Broadcasting runs three stations through SSAs with their owners: CW affiliate WXCW, low-power Univision station WUVF-LD low-power Azteca América affiliate WANA-LD.

WINK itself also carries Antenna TV and MyNetwork TV programming plus a handful of audio-only radio feeds on its subchannels.

No plans were announced to move the station’s transmitter or radar tower near Babcock Ranch, Florida.

Flooding triggered by severe weather is a common headache for TV stations across the country, though shifts in broadcast facility design and placement are changing that.

It had been common for TV stations to occupy buildings close to heart of the cities they serve, which also put many of them in prime flooding zones thanks to the nearby bodies of water that originally attracted settlers to a region.

There has been an increasing trend of stations leaving city centers for space on the outskirts of town or even suburban cities. Other stations owners, wanting to stay closer to the city core, have opted to move into the upper floors of buildings.

Industrial and office complex park-like settings such as the one WINK bought are attractive prospects for stations because they tend to have a large, open spaces that can either be built-out or modified to meet the needs of broadcast stations fairly easily.

Single-floor facilities are often more attractive because they tend to have higher ceiling heights, giving stations more flexibility for building out studios and running cabling. 

Other stations have opted to renovate former commercial properties that once housed mid-size tenants in shopping centers, again thanks to the open space and high ceilings.

It’s also been a common trend in the industry to build new broadcast facilities from the ground up, often in office park-like settings. 

While there are advantages to a purpose-built facility, new construction can also take more time. Real estate trends since the COVID-19 pandemic have also seen more commercial office space become available, which could make retrofitting space more appealing to stations.

Modern TV broadcast facilities typically require at least some open-concept space with relatively high ceiling space for a studio. Open plans also work well for newsrooms and workspaces for advertising, marketing and other departments. 

Due to the amount of technical infrastructure, TV facilities can also benefit from higher ceiling heights so raised flooring or ceiling tracks can be installed to handle the miles of cables often required to deliver signals from various equipment around the building.

Parking for employee and fleet vehicles can also be a concern, as well as space for installing backup generators that can supply the building with electricity in the event of power failures.

Broadcast facilities also often come with a heavy amount of security requirements, including gated parking lots and secure entries. As media outlets, TV stations can attract unwanted attention from trouble-makers and also need to be able to defend high-profile talent and the millions of dollars worth of equipment inside the building — not to mention protecting the integrity of the public broadcast signals it is outputting. 

The post Ft. Myers station buys new home appeared first on NewscastStudio.

On prem versus cloud

Historically, the video industry hasn’t been very much concerned about sustainability. Traditional workflows with large on-premise hardware, poor scalability and huge demands on processing power are of course adding to that. Over recent months the video industry has begun to look more seriously at becoming more sustainable. While there could be some arguments that the transition to the cloud is having a positive impact, it is challenging to determine just how much that is helping.

There are various reports, though mainly from the main cloud providers, that would suggest the potential for significant energy savings by moving to the cloud. A report commissioned by Microsoft cites its cloud between 22 and 93 percent more energy-efficient than traditional enterprise data centers. Meanwhile AWS claims to be 3.6 times more energy-efficient than the median of the surveyed US enterprise data centers and have an 88% lower carbon footprint than enterprise data centers.

There does seem to be some evidence to back up this claim and it stands to reason. Broadcasting requires a huge amount of infrastructure and traditional on-premise setups involve large racks of equipment sitting on site, which is of course all consuming vast amounts of energy. There are two main arguments for why cloud is more sustainable than on-premise. Firstly, cloud is much more scalable. Cloud services have processes that will enhance server usage to the maximum by leveraging demand from their multiple customers. At the same time the cloud model of pay per use also encourages more sustainable consumption, as any unnecessary workflows would incur cost, and in turn energy consumption. The other major argument is that the biggest cloud providers in our industry are running on renewable energy, if not fully, then close to it, as we will discuss later.

However, despite that, it is not as simple as saying the cloud solves that as it of course still requires energy-hungry data centers. It may be less energy-consuming than most on-premise solutions but it is not, by itself, enough to make the video industry sustainable or carbon neutral. To achieve that, we need further commitment from the cloud providers to become much more sustainable.

Commitment to renewable energy

One thing is for certain, the cloud providers do at least seem to be taking sustainability seriously. As mentioned, most have at least begun the transition to renewable energy and have also set out commitments to increase that over the coming years.

In 2021, Google Cloud claims to have been the only major cloud provider to match 100% of the electricity consumption of its operations with renewable energy purchases. It aims to be operating on 24/7 carbon-free energy by 2030. Microsoft Azure is also planning to shift 100% of its supply to renewable energy by 2025. Similarly, Amazon Web Services says it reached 85% renewable energy in 2021 and announced renewable energy projects across 18 countries.

They are not there yet but this is a really important step in the right direction. Indeed, if these giants all operate with 100% renewable energy, then suddenly the difference between on-prem and cloud becomes even more pronounced. That said, it is still not enough to claim we have a sustainable industry.

Renewable energy isn’t the holy grail

There is no doubt that switching to renewable energy is a huge leap forward. However, even these energy sources produce emissions (albeit much less than ozone depleting sources) that need to be reduced if the industry is to at least achieve Net Zero (reducing emissions as much as possible and offsetting the essential emissions that remain). There are already some initiatives in place aimed at helping in this area. One example is the move to push video content to a server that is closer to the user. This reduces both cost and emissions, as well as of course reducing latency. The fact that many things that will reduce emissions come with other benefits will make it much easier to get these implemented.

Ideally, as an industry, we should be aiming further still and working towards climate neutral (net zero but also making sure we are not contributing to any other negative impacts on the environment) or even carbon negative (where we are removing more carbon than we emit). All of that will of course take time and a lot of collaboration.

Tracking emissions

The biggest stumbling block by far is that it is very difficult to track emissions from cloud usage and the cloud providers are not making this easy. Our experience with Amazon Web Services sees data available with a three-month delay, which means that it takes three months to see the impact of any changes you make and that is just not quick enough. Not only that, but data is also extremely high-level, only focusing on a handful of services. Without a breakdown of data, it is also difficult to evaluate any areas for improving the carbon impact. I know that experiences with other cloud providers vary slightly but are broadly similar.

We are currently working with Humans Not Robots to plug the gap of this data so that we can get a timely and accurate view of our carbon impact for services in the cloud. That is really helping us, but it is something that the cloud providers should be providing themselves. While the figures might currently not be as favorable as perhaps they would like, having much more transparency will enable everyone throughout the chain, including the cloud providers, to improve for a more sustainable video environment.

The post Is the cloud always more sustainable? appeared first on NewscastStudio.

Channel 4 notes this addition affirms its commitment to geographic diversity in its coverage.

“It will bring more authentic regional voices to our news coverage, deliver more opportunities to people in the region and help ensure we continue to provide the best news coverage for our audiences,” said Louisa Compton of Channel 4 News.

“ITN’s newsrooms are committed to reflecting the experience of people across the UK and our investment in Channel 4 News’ Leeds operation and the content teams based there will significantly deepen our roots in communities across the north of England and enrich our coverage for viewers right across the nation,” said Rachel Corp, CEO, ITN.

Operating from a temporary setup since early 2022, the transition to a permanent hub in Leeds city center represents a significant increase in Channel 4 News’ regional presence. Backed by a larger newsroom team and new broadcast studio space with windows overlooking the city, the expansion gives Channel 4 the latest in broadcast tools and a home for its FactCheck data journalism unit.

A remote production for Channel 4

A standout feature of the new Leeds studio is its incorporation of actual windows into the set, mixed with large LED display technology. This design choice necessitated ND window treatments to reduce glare with a series of vertical LED displays also helping block some potential sunlight. 

Simon Jago and the Jago Design team worked with Channel 4 on the new studio design, having also designed Channel 4’s London studio.

Broadcasts from Leeds and London are managed out of PCR 6 at the ITV Network Centre, with Vizrt’s Viz Multiplay utilized remotely to control the studio displays from London with tight integration in Vizrt’s automation platform.

To achieve connectivity between Leeds and the existing London facility, Channel 4 News is using Riedel’s Bolero for talkback, Ross Video’s Ultrix routing platform, and EVS’s Cerebrum for remote control routing.

The Channel 4 team, along with vendor ES Broadcast, has also made efforts to integrate cloud infrastructure for contingency planning. In the event of an issue, broadcasts from the Leeds studio can be produced via Grass Valley’s GV Ampp platform with TinkerList handling the rundown and script. 

The temporary studio and select broadcast technology will continue to see usage through a donation to the University of Leeds School of Media and Communication.

The post Channel 4 News extends regional footprint with Leeds studio, newsroom appeared first on NewscastStudio.

Programs including “Servus Nachrichten Deutschland” and “Guten Abend Deutschland” are now broadcast from Berlin using the secondary studio of Welt.

Welt was chosen by ServusTV to handle both the editorial realization and technical production of these programs, with ServusTV retaining editorial control and licensing while focusing more intently on content creation. Welt was the perfect partner for ServusTV because of its 2021 facility upgrade, moving to a new broadcast facility built with software-defined switcherless workflow for the production control rooms. 

WELT automates production, workflows in new facility with Vizrt tools

“By partnering with Welt as a strong production partner, ServusTV is able to bolster its plans for the German market, while Welt is further strengthened as a producer of high-quality television formats in the long term,” wrote Pedro Sugasti, Vizrt specialist at Welt, on LinkedIn. 

One key element of this partnership is integrating three Vizrt products – Mosart, Multiplay, and Content Pilot Edge – into ServusTV’s operations to create an automated program pipeline. 

Mosart, an automation system, simplifies control of all production equipment and processes through a single user interface. This helps streamline the workflow and makes switching between different content sources easier. Similarly, Multiplay provides a flexible platform to manage content displayed on the studio’s large LED video walls.

This allows the creation of custom layouts and templates adaptable to different types of content, such as live video feeds and graphics necessary for a daily news program.

Meanwhile, the integration of the software with ServusTV’s newsroom system, Octopus Newsroom, allows staff to create and manage graphics content within the system. This further optimizes the workflow, reducing the time and effort required to create and publish graphics content.

The centerpiece of this partnership is the automated video IP infrastructure and video wall solution, a visually engaging element of ServusTV’s broadcasts that reflects the sophisticated integration of Vizrt’s products.

ServusTV Deutschland plans to continue linear operations through the end of 2023. The network will switch to a digital-only format in 2024 with distribution through ServusTV’s web platform and various applications. 

The post Case Study: How Welt is producing ServusTV’s German output appeared first on NewscastStudio.

The garage, which Carlson purchased in 2019, was stocked full of Fox property, including video panels a small full set and desk. There was also lighting, camera gear and a cache of supporting gear to get the studio signal from Woodstock, Maine, to Fox’s headquarters in New York, a source told TheWrap.

The space was originally used for “Tucker Carlson Today” starting in 2021, a show the primetime host hosted on the network’s Fox Nation streamer.

However, select editions of “Tucker Carlson Tonight” began originating from the space soon after, including editions that were produced remotely as part of COVID-19 precautions.

Carlson spends much of his summer at a nearby property, and he reportedly worked out a deal with Fox that would let him work remotely from the state rather than having to come into a studio owned by the network or local station for select broadcasts.

Previous reports noted that Fox paid for all the equipment, set and links between the studio and New York.

So between pics of Tucker toting around an ax, this is just tossed into this Daily Mail piece:

"An insider told DailyMail dot com that several Fox employees have already quit to join the startup."https://t.co/hsdpoa6A7A

— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) May 24, 2023

The Daily Mail also published photos of Carlson and others around the property, appearing to be unloading gear and other items into the space, presumably to re-outfit the space for broadcasting.

Carlson was also spotted carrying a large axe. 

Despite being embroiled in a legal battle over his contract, which runs until January 2025 and that Fox is reportedly committed to paying him for, Carlson has announced intentions to return to his fans, most likely via Twitter.

A new show like that could be in violation of his contract with Fox, which reportedly contains a hefty non-compete clause.

However, Carlson’s legal team reportedly is contending that Fox breached the contract first for a variety of reasons, including failing to shield private exchanges between the former host and others, including the infamous “not how white men fight” message that reportedly was the last straw for Fox management in making the call to fire him.

The text was obtained by the New York Times and was part of evidence that was gathered for the Dominion Voting Systems trial that Fox settled at the last minute for $787.5 million in April 2023.

The Telegraph also interviewed Patrick Feeney, who is identified as a construction manager, who claims that “there’s no hardware in place at all. There’s not even an infrastructure for a TV studio for along time.”

It’s not immediately clear if Feeney has experience in broadcast facilities. 

It also isn’t clear how long it would take to rebuild the space as a studio. In theory, assuming the correct gear is readily available on the market and the space doesn’t require significant structural work, the space probably could be back up and running within a week or so — or even less.

Many network broadcasters transitioned to home studios with at least some professional grade gear in a matter of weeks or days at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. These setups became more advanced at the outbreak wore on.

Many of these remote setups did not have a full set like Fox built for Carlson — but rather simply had hosts sit in front of large TV screens with a video feed showing a graphic or animation behind them.

If Carlson is planning to take his show to Twitter, this could require significantly less gear to broadcast, especially if it’s recorded locally rather than having to link up with a control room in a remote city. 

Carlson’s Fox’s show also largely only featured a single shot focused on him, unless he had guests on-set (which would likely be more challenging to do from Maine, given that guests would need to travel there), so a single, locked-down camera setup could likely work just fine for a streaming offering if his new show uses a similar format.

Carlson originally send his show would launch within a month of May 2023, though Feeney said he doesn’t see how that would be possible from a broadcast gear standpoint.

Meanwhile, Carlson’s broadcasts weren’t the only ones in live cable production that originate from the host’s home — “Morning Joe” co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski frequently appear on camera from their home in Florida. Sometimes they both appear from a small set the network built for them, while other times only one will be remote.

Scarborough is required in be in Florida a set number of days each year in order to qualify as an official state resident. He changed his voter registration in 2018, reportedly as a way to save on state income tax over his former home state of Connecticut. Florida has no personal income tax.

The current version of the “Morning Joe” remote studio is actually the second location MSNBC built, with a smaller setup previously installed at a different property in the state. 

The post Fox yanks its gear from Tucker Carlson’s Maine studio appeared first on NewscastStudio.

In this Industry Insights roundtable, industry vendors discuss the challenges, opportunities, and benefits of adopting cloud technology in various stages of the media production pipeline. The conversation delves into topics such as the agility, flexibility, and cost-efficiency offered by cloud solutions, the impact of cloud-based workflows in the news environment, the role of automation, and the aspects of the media pipeline that the cloud best serves.

Join us as we explore the innovative ways in which cloud adoption is transforming the broadcasting and media sectors, paving the way for greater collaboration, scalability, and efficiency.

Industry Insights: Cloud adoption, pain points and security in broadcast

Beyond collaboration and scalability, what is the biggest benefit of the cloud today?

Geoff Stedman, CMO, SDVI: The greatest benefit of the cloud is the agility it gives users to react to business demands. Cloud users can quickly and easily spin up an environment for whatever work is needed (such as a cloud edit session) and then spin it down when that work is done, only paying for the actual usage of the cloud infrastructure.

Chris Kelly, solutions manager for production workflows, Ross Video: What excites me most is lowering the cost-of-entry barrier to live production. There is a lot of risk to starting a new production, especially when it requires commitment to new control room gear and the infrastructure to support it. Cloud can lower that risk, by making it something you try for a while, but didn’t invest a ton of time in building and maintaining.

Charles d’Autremont, CEO and founder, Cinedeck: The cloud offers unparalleled flexibility. Live production teams are able to work remotely with minimal hardware, and footage captured goes directly to the cloud. Once it’s in the cloud, it can be accessed, processed and distributed by users from any location, at any time. But there is more to be done to achieve interoperability between solutions and vendors.

Frederic Petitpont, co-founder and CTO, Newsbridge: Flexibility — cloud users are not limited by input-output on hardware. There’s also the OpEx and sustainability element; we are running AI indexing on CPUs instead of GPUs. We reduce our cloud processing pipelines and media transit weight by 80%, this means cost efficiencies for our customers, and makes our products an ally in organizations’ missions to reduce their energy consumption.

Raúl Alba, director of solutions marketing, media and cloud, Avid: The biggest benefit to media companies adopting the cloud is their teams’ ability to remote access their workflows from anywhere. This gives companies access to a global talent pool that is not limited by geography. Reducing a company’s real estate footprint, especially in costly, prime real estate locations, is another key benefit of the cloud.

David Rosen, VP of cloud applications, Sony Electronics: One of the biggest benefits is the ability to try things quickly without massive investments. You can test out ideas and learn so much faster when you don’t have to think about large capital expenses and amortization schedules. There is a real opportunity cost of not having your content in the cloud.

Julián Fernández-Campón, CTO, Tedial: The quick time to market as new services can spin up really quickly and users have the flexibility and freedom to choose which ones to implement. Here is where our NoCode Media Integration platform can really help test and integrate new systems in just a few clicks.

Miroslav Jeras, CTO, Pebble: The cloud enables broadcasters to easily launch a temporary pop-up/event channel or an experimental one where they want to pilot a channel to see if it will become popular with audiences. Broadcasters can also deploy IP-based channels without the need for racks of proprietary hardware and keep their desired workflows in place.

Jonathan Smith, cloud solution area expert, Net Insight: Commercial flexibility; consuming resources and service on demand alongside pay-as-you-go commercial terms are exceptionally well suited to event based broadcasting and ad-hoc contributions.

Rick Young, SVP and head of global products, LTN Global: We tend to think primarily about cloud production being a revenue-enabler in terms of its ability to power creativity and customization of live content and channels targeted at consumers across a wide variety of platforms. This is all made possible through flexible cloud workflows as traditional on-premise only methodologies do not have these capabilities.

Stephen Tallamy, CTO, EditShare: Access from anywhere. Take the example of a reality show, shot on location over a period of weeks or months, with nightly broadcasts. In the past, you would have had to move post-production facilities and people to the location, with all the associated costs in accommodation, catering and additional staff payments. If you upload all the content to the cloud, editors can work from their usual facilities, or from their homes, where they are more comfortable and therefore more productive, and save all the additional costs.

Sam Peterson, COO, Bitcentral: Remote access, which is related to collaboration, but is also its own unique function. Giving all users access to the tools from one access point makes management simpler from an implementation point of view.

Grigory Mindlin, general manager of broadcast, Disguise: I think a lot of people are realizing that while there are upfront costs to cloud adoption, once you get it all set up it does save you money. If you work in the cloud then things like support, upkeep and upgrade is much faster and easier, which will bring down your overall costs.

Venugopal Iyengar:, deputy COO of digital, Planetcast International: More flexible pricing models on a pay-as-you-use basis provide game-changing benefits for media companies and drive cost-efficiencies. The cloud is all about agility, from both a business and technology perspective. Organizations can reduce their time to market and spin up services easily and quickly with a cloud-based approach — critical in a fast-evolving and diverse global media market.

Jon Finegold:, CMO, Signiant: Elasticity still remains one of the biggest benefits of cloud technology allowing companies to spin up the resources they need when there are surges in activity and spin them down quickly when they are no longer needed.

How are cloud-based workflows adapting for the news environment?

Geoff Stedman: In news environments, speed is the priority. With the cloud, content can be uploaded from wherever the news is happening, and journalists and editors can access that content from anywhere.

Chris Kelly: I would say we’re still in the exploratory phase of cloud-based workflow in the news environment. One of the biggest challenges of news gathering has always been the journalist’s time away from the office, and the effort required to update the status back to the newsroom of the story in-production. NLEs and cellular technologies have gone a long way to improve that from the days of tape and pagers, but I think a gateway in the cloud has enormous potential to bridge the news gathering teams and the newsroom.

Frederic Petitpont: Through cloud-based workflows, journalists and news producers have real-time access to content and remote editing capabilities. The average bitrate we see in news production is around 7 or 8 Mbps — meaning editing in the cloud does not require a super high bandwidth to be smooth. The dream is to get the news to come to them (through notifications, smart collections, live clipping, etc.), and the cloud makes this possible.

Raúl Alba: News workflows require remote working by definition. Advances in IP streaming technologies and cloud deployments are making it easy for news gathering teams to collaborate in real time with everyone else in the organization.

Rick Young: News-producing broadcasters are harnessing cloud technology across multiple elements of the production chain, from content aggregation and live feed management through to playout workflows. We’re seeing major broadcasters utilize cloud-based playout to efficiently create multiple versions of a primary news channel, spinning up localized versions for distribution across digital, OTT and FAST platforms, with altered programming to fit cross-platform requirements and deliver tailored experiences for diverse audiences.

Stephen Tallamy: News has always led to remote access: journalists on location access the news archive to enrich their stories. Cloud hosting simply makes this more flexible.

Grigory Mindlin: We’re now seeing some options for cloud-based newsroom systems, switchers, automation and graphics systems. News workflows are all about 24/7, and working in the cloud can reduce any chance of downtime as well as make it far easier to work remotely. That brings huge benefits to people working in busy news stations.

Venugopal Iyengar: News-producers are experimenting with different service models on cloud, harnessing it to seamlessly spin up pop-up channels or to enable production control room (PCR) functionality. Customers are utilising cloud-enabled systems for content storage and archive, as well as deploying more flexible, commercially viable cloud-based playout disaster recovery to ensure business continuity and protect high-value live news content.

Do cloud and automation go hand-in-hand?

Geoff Stedman: By using a strong cloud automation platform, users can automate both the cloud infrastructure deployment as well as the application needed for each individual task. This means their operators can concentrate on using the system to create or shape the content, not spending time on infrastructure or workflow management.

Chris Kelly: I’m not sure “hand-in-hand” is the right term, but both have roots in improving efficiency. One improves the utilization of their people, where the other improves the utilization of equipment and infrastructure. With those efficiencies, the flexibility is there to put more people and resources into creating more compelling content.

Charles d’Autremont: Absolutely. Automation enables the seamless transfer of media files and associated metadata to the next stage in the chain. When ingesting direct to the cloud, content is automatically duplicated and stored in backup cloud storage which saves time and resources. Automation reduces manual intervention, and the cloud provides the ideal base to automate tasks.

Frederic Petitpont: If you work with cloud-native SaaS that has access to API and webhooks, yes, most of the time. The flexibility of the cloud allows for automated media logging and automated workflows to bring about overall business efficiencies. We’ve seen video ingest productivity gains of as much as 80 percent.

Raúl Alba: Both cloud and automation are important tools to increase efficiency, but they are not necessarily correlated. Obviously, moving workflows and media to the cloud makes it easier to access AI and ML tools that help automate processes to increase efficiency.

Miroslav Jeras: Yes. Leveraging automation and using the cloud, particularly in conjunction with remote monitoring solutions, has risen since the pandemic for obvious reasons. However, not all broadcasters/media companies are ready to use fully cloud-based solutions/workflows in their operations. These are time critical, with real-time complex graphics and if you throw UHD resolutions and HDR into the mix then you require a hybrid approach that provides flexibility and improved redundancy. 

Jonathan Smith: Only as hand in hand as automation sits for any given deployment strategy. Cloud does not fundamentally change the relationship and need for automation.  As has been the case for many years appropriate automation should be employed to drive efficiency, this is an operational strategy and not one of underlying architecture.

Stephen Tallamy: Moving to the cloud but doing the same things you have always done is probably not going to gain you much, and certainly is not opening up the full potential. One of the great advantages of moving to the cloud is the ability to call upon almost infinite processing resources, so it makes sense to automate as much of the routine as possible. An editor, for example, simply wants to cut pictures together not worry about camera formats, so use the power available in the cloud to provide resolution independent editing while automatically generating proxies if needed, along with canonical storage, archiving according to your business rules, and all the various deliverables.

Grigory Mindlin: Absolutely. We see a lot of automation systems and switchers moving to the cloud. At disguise we have some master control projects that we’re discussing with customers that want to automate and operate their entire production control and master control from the cloud.

Venugopal Iyengar: Cloud and automation can absolutely go hand in hand, provided the technology partner meets a customer’s design requirements accurately, including enabling real-time workflow integration. Cloud can also help fuel machine learning and artificial intelligence innovation, unlocking new functionality in media asset management (MAM) and post-production, such as AI-assisted editing, captioning, highlights creation for live sports, and quality checks and compliance.

Jon Finegold: Every media company is trying to generate more and better content with less or the same amount of resources where cloud technology and automation can help in that journey. There are increasingly more opportunities and tools available to enable automation using cloud technology. An area we see companies having success is using modern tools like AWS Lambda to quickly write workflows that connect off-the-shelf products together to automate workflows.

Which phase of the pipeline is the cloud best serving? Acquisition? Production? Delivery?

Geoff Stedman: The cloud is equally capable of serving all phases of the pipeline, but what we’ve seen work well for customers is to start at one end and move across as they gain cloud experience. Perhaps most important is to build a media production pipeline where content is moved to the cloud and processed in the cloud to avoid egress costs associated with moving content into and out of the cloud repeatedly.

Chris Kelly: Today, I believe delivery is the most well established. While not termed “cloud” as such, our customers have been centralizing delivery for more than a decade. Much the same way REMI parallels with the cloud for production, hubbed distribution shares similar parallels to cloud delivery, making the path to cloud adoption a cleaner and smoother transition.

Charles d’Autremont: There are solutions and tools for every part of the media chain now, so it’s difficult to choose a single phase that the cloud serves best. The cloud can provide value throughout, but it’s down to individual companies to ascertain how and why it’s the best option for them in any stage. From an ingest perspective, it is now possible to manage, encode, schedule ingest, and playback, whether that’s from a single stream or multiple ISOs.

Frederic Petitpont: Any phase of the pipeline, except if you are a colorist that has to work on original content, and if this content is of a very high bitrate (i.e., RED footage) — bandwidth and virtualization are key to providing a good experience. That being said, we have seen providers such as Flaneer and Parsec push the boundaries and provide 4:4:4 BT2020! So it would even be possible to work on HDR content remotely.

Raúl Alba: Cloud technologies are well suited to all phases of the production chain. Adoption is however easier on the “Edges” of the pipeline, that’s why many media companies started cloud adoption at the Media Delivery stage.

David Rosen: Being able to scale immediately without long procurement cycles and implementation delays is a huge advantage. Cloud is increasingly being leveraged in production and post production where teams are working remotely. It has enabled everyone involved to have a “central” place to work even when they are physically separated. Cloud based editing and cloud accessible content lakes are powering workflows that 5 years ago would have seemed impossible.

Julián Fernández-Campón: I’d say delivery first, as content can be distributed from the cloud quickly and more efficiently. Production second, for all related to localization, collaborations and even some kind of remote editing. And acquisition will be viable if the rest (or part) of the operation is done in the cloud too.

Jonathan Smith: The cloud is a means of deploying and consuming services in a well-connected, easily accessible and flexible way, this approach finds its appropriate use cases in all areas of the broadcast chain.

Rick Young: The best way to look at this is through a slightly different lens. In order to really enable effective cloud based production you need to solve the acquisition and delivery challenges first. At LTN, we are highly focused on these parts of the workflow as we know they will then drive more innovation and creativity when it comes to production workflows and associated tooling.

Stephen Tallamy: The question needs to be turned on its head. We need to stop thinking of production, post and delivery as separate silos but as a single continuum, achieved through seamless connectivity and high levels of automation in the cloud. This is where the real benefits lie.

Grigory Mindlin: Acquisition of content and users. Today, so much user content is in the cloud and a lot of things, especially live events, are all moving there. This is why we launched disguise drive to help and speed that adoption.

Venugopal Iyengar: Distribution was clearly the first to leverage the advantages of the cloud. The advantage of faster and wider reach with low CapEx and reduced entry barriers drove distribution for players big and small. More recently, production is seeing the increasing impact of partial or entire workflows moving to the cloud. Access to better technology and talent enabled by cloud-based workflows is improving production quality, processes and costs.

Jon Finegold: We see cloud being used all throughout the supply chain but more and more in aggregation and distribution workflows. If you need to get content sent to multiple places simultaneously, for example, leveraging the cloud provider’s massive bandwidth for that short period of time is a great use for cloud.

Industry Insights: Cloud adoption, pain points and security in broadcast

The post Industry Insights: Embracing cloud solutions for enhanced media production workflows appeared first on NewscastStudio.

In this Industry Insights roundtable, we speak with industry vendors to discuss the current pain points, the progress of cloud adoption by broadcasters and the significance of security in the journey towards cloud production.

We delve into the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead as broadcasters and media companies navigate the ever-changing landscape of cloud technology. 

Industry Insights: Embracing cloud solutions for enhanced media production workflows

What are the current pain points for cloud media production?

Jon Finegold, CMO, Signiant: The biggest challenge we see is around the economics — not just cloud storage, compute and egress costs but many underestimate the costs of homegrown solutions. Engineering teams lean towards building it themselves and the cloud providers offer many powerful tools to build anything you can dream up but media operations teams need speed and agility. Working with off-the-shelf SaaS solutions can help make costs much more predictable and, if designed right with modern APIs, still offer engineering teams the ability to extend and integrate products to meet specific business requirements. 

Venugopal Iyengar, deputy COO of digital, Planetcast International: The pain points of moving to the cloud include security issues, latency issues, bandwidth and storage capacity. However, technology providers with proven expertise and gold standard, proprietary infrastructure are building solutions that overcome all these hurdles, ensuring a greater sense of trust in cloud workflows among the media and entertainment community. It’s also important that cloud solution vendors deliver predictable project costs and seamlessly enable multiple plug-in integrations for cloud production and support workflows to enable a better customer experience with more transparent pricing.

Grigory Mindlin, general manager of broadcast, Disguise: We’re in a transitional period, companies are trying to switch to the cloud, but they also have a lot on prem. From a preparation and cost standpoint, many broadcasters may not be ready to move the whole system to the cloud yet, so lots of the current pain points are around working on prem and the cloud at the same time.

Sam Peterson, COO, Bitcentral: Every organization will have a different answer to that. Certainly, many of our customers have very unique use cases. Ultimately, our main focus is on the production and delivery component. Of course, the cloud is absolutely essential where consumer delivery is concerned.

Stephen Tallamy, CTO, EditShare: Cloud technologies are now mature — that is not the issue. Where we still see resistance is in seizing the opportunities that the cloud brings to transform workflows and business processes. Whilst you can lift and shift to the cloud as a first step: you need, as a business, to re-evaluate what you need to do to serve your users creatively and cost-effectively, and develop the workflows that will achieve that. 

Rick Young, SVP and head of global products, LTN Global: There are two key pain points that I think are posing challenges for organizations across the value chain. One being the ability to reliably and predictably deliver low latency feeds into cloud environments, and the other being able to affordably deliver produced events and linear channels from cloud environments to final destinations. Both scenarios can be neatly handled with a mission critical global IP network.

Jonathan Smith, cloud solution area expert, Net Insight: There are three competing technical parameters that productions fight with, latency, quality and bandwidth.  Latency and bandwidth are often detracting factors when using a cloud environment, so maintaining quality in a cost-effective way can be a challenge.

Miroslav Jeras, CTO, Pebble: As a technology partner we understand one of the pain points is the potential for security breaches and the need to protect sensitive media content while it is stored and shared in the cloud. Additionally, the lack of standardization of cloud services can make it difficult for media production teams to manage live signals and minimize latency.

Julián Fernández-Campón, CTO, Tedial: There are many, but the two more important pain points are cost: How much I will have to pay for my cloud media operation and what are the variable costs, and efficiency? Will it work as seamlessly as on prem does?

David Rosen, VP of cloud applications, Sony Electronics: Two major challenges are moving big files around and finding them when you need them. Big files and unpredictable internet conditions make that a challenge. Solutions like Sony’s Ci Media Cloud reliably deal with these conditions by using file transfer acceleration, built in retry mechanisms and delivery notifications. 

Raúl Alba, director of solutions marketing, media and cloud, Avid: While media production in the cloud is gaining traction, there are still several pain points in increasing its adoption. These include not only in-house knowledge about cloud technologies to maintain production systems, but also media companies’ recent investments in on-prem technology and understanding or the true total cost of ownership of on-prem systems. There are also concerns about security and reliability and the complexity of hybrid workflows, particularly in the way media is ingested and egressed.

Frederic Petitpont, co-founder and CTO, Newsbridge: Discoverability of media assets is a large pain point. Many customers want the ability to search through their content in the same way they use Google. However most MAMs lack the full text (semantic) search capability to enable this.

Charles d’Autremont, CEO and founder, Cinedeck: Bandwidth limitations present challenges in remote work and disrupt workflow continuity, but external issues like this aren’t always easy to rectify. At the ingest end of the chain, it is important that delays are minimised so that editors can get to work straight away. By recording ISO streams directly to the codec required for editing and file delivery, it is possible to dramatically reduce the time taken from capture to initial editing.

Chris Kelly, solutions manager for production workflows, Ross Video: Pain points are mostly a function of expectations for how the system will behave. There’s an expectation that there will be delay; this isn’t like SDI or IP in an on-prem control room where signals are sent and received within a frame of delay, and I think that’s mostly accepted. Where it gets complicated is when you have on-set displays being fed by a cloud resource, and then fed to the ground only to be shot by a camera that’s then sent back to the cloud for a program output; that delay profile gets a lot trickier. 

Geoff Stedman, CMO, SDVI: The most often mentioned challenges with cloud media production are related to latency, especially for live production. Depending on location, limited connectivity to the cloud, particularly for moving large media files, can also be a bottleneck.

Where are we in terms of adoption?

Jon Finegold: Prior to 2020, we saw steady growth of cloud adoption year over year. Then when the pandemic hit we saw an explosion of cloud adoption with nearly five times the amount of data being moved into and out of the cloud on the Signiant Platform. Most media companies are now using the cloud in some way and most remain in a hybrid state with some workloads in the cloud cloud and some on-prem — a trend that looks like it will be the norm for the next several years.

Venugopal Iyengar: Increasingly, traditional broadcast customers are looking to migrate to hybrid models that build on the security of on-premise solutions with the flexibility and scalability of cloud. This approach can also have OpEx benefits over fully cloud based approaches. While we’re seeing media brands embrace hybrid models as a flexible and logical approach to cloud adoption, it’s worth noting that the technology is mature — cloud-based production, media management and distribution workflows are in action today, and proving to be successful on the global stage.

Grigory Mindlin: The world’s biggest broadcasters and media companies lead the way as they have the budgets to adopt first and take chances. I believe those companies are somewhere like a third of the way, meaning they’re doing some things in the cloud. It’s not ubiquitous, I can’t think of a single broadcaster that’s moved everything 100% onto the cloud, they’re all somewhere along the journey.

Sam Peterson: We’re in the early stages of cloud production, certainly compared with archive and asset management, which are much further developed. We’ve seen some experimentation with limited live workflows, such as production switching, but it’s early days for sure.

Stephen Tallamy: Inevitably we are in a time of transition. We have users who have enthusiastically embraced cloud workflows — including the remarkable power of cloud-hosted editing — while some see the cloud as a backup and archive for now, and others prefer to keep their media on premises. As production and post companies are challenged to find new solutions, so the advantages of the cloud will become more attractive.

Rick Young: Cloud workflows have evolved considerably over the past couple of years. Broadcasters are no longer just experimenting with new ways of working, they are embracing and deploying cloud-based solutions across real-word, live production environments. Customers are adopting cloud-enabled solutions to drive scale and flexibility, and increasingly, as a means of enabling efficient content versioning to cost-effectively reach fragmented audiences through global multi-platform digital distribution strategies.

Jonathan Smith: In recent years we have seen a massive increase in the number of live events produced by our customers; a lot of these increases have been associated with lower end productions.  In many cases these have been completed in a cloud environment, so the adoption has accelerated quite rapidly.

Miroslav Jeras: With the advent of remote productions, broadcasters are leveraging the cloud to increase operational efficiencies — since a reduction in costs is a natural by-product of no longer sending staff out on location. As experts in playout automation, we know there is also a desire to use virtual playout in the cloud for offering greater flexibility and spinning up pop up channels quickly. However, we also know that for now many broadcasters want to adopt hybrid workflows that leverage the use of legacy equipment on-premises whilst deploying cloud-based technologies.

Julián Fernández-Campón: It really depends on the use cases. Some use cases like localization, collaborations and remote production are widely used already, and other use cases that are quite dependent on the size of the media post-production are getting less adoption.

Raúl Alba: Many broadcasters have already adopted cloud technologies for some parts of the workflow, like distribution or playout, and now they are slowly expanding adoption to other parts of the workflow, like media production. Cloud adoption is not running at the same pace across all geographies, with North America and Northern Europe at the forefront of adoption.

Frederic Petitpont: Not where we would expect it to be. The hybrid approach of part-cloud and part on-premises remains popular with broadcasters. We know from the International Federation of Television Archives’ latest annual research that more than 35% of respondents fear the cloud will be more expensive, almost 30% believe they already have sufficient storage, so have no need for the cloud, and almost one-quarter of respondents had concerns about data protection.

Charles d’Autremont: The media and entertainment industry has seen a rapid growth in the adoption of cloud technology for all aspects of workflows. Production and post-production organisations have shifted to cloud because of its flexibility, scalability, and accessibility. The industry is still in the early stages of cloud adoption, but with the development of more solutions and tools, this will only increase and eventually become the norm.

Chris Kelly: I’d say we’re in the early adopters’ portion of the curve as we’re all watching things produced in the cloud, and most viewers wouldn’t know the difference. REMI has been around for several years, and many of those principles are at least parallel with cloud production which has I think accelerated some adoption. I think mass adoption is still in our horizon though it’s getting closer, and how we think about cloud will probably shift and adjust as we get closer to cloud production being a common reality. 

Geoff Stedman: Where we see a lot of adoption of the cloud for media production is with edit workflows. There has been a lot of innovation with cloud-based editing software so that an editor can access and edit content from anywhere without having to move content to a local computer.

Where is security in your customer’s mindset?

Industry Insights: Security and APIs in broadcast media asset management

Jon Finegold: Security concerns are at an all-time high and we hear it over and over from the market. In fact, it’s been a good growth driver for the Signiant Platform, driving companies to finally retire legacy solutions like FTP, harddrive workflows and older software. Customers require cloud and SaaS services that are built with a “security first” mind set.

Venugopal Iyengar: For an existing linear channel, security can require a paradigm shift when moving to cloud, as customers may need to re-validate compliance with security requirements. Security will always be a top priority for media companies, especially when handling unreleased content. Increasingly, it’s possible for cloud to be at least as secure as on-premise and hybrid production models.

Grigory Mindlin: Security is really important. As it moves to the cloud, there’s been even more secure protocols. Some of our customers have increased their security and adjusted how they provide access to their network for vendors accordingly.

Stephen Tallamy: Concern over security is perhaps the biggest reason for the reluctance to move further into the cloud. It is really important to develop very strict protocols not only to protect against intellectual property theft but also against commercial cyber threats like ransomware. That may mean doing things which are counter-intuitive: remote editing is a standard today, but post houses are finding they need to establish connections from the center out rather than opening up portals for editors to log themselves on.

Rick Young: Security has been at the forefront of the agenda for our customers dating back more than a dozen years when we first started enabling cloud based, IP transmission workflows. This continues to this day but with the right core technology and understanding of business needs, security can remain a concern but not a blocker for our customers.

Jonathan Smith: Security is at the front of most consensus customer minds.  As we move into the IP transport domain, especially when over public connectivity, the need to secure feeds and hand-offs is of the utmost importance.

Miroslav Jeras: Security is at the top of the priority list. The current political landscape means cyber security threats and concerns of being on the receiving end of a hacking attack are at an all-time high. Customers want security of their content, especially content they can monetize, and they want full transparency around what measures are in place for disaster recovery when placing a system in the cloud, where their on-premises infrastructure is also protected.

Julián Fernández-Campón: They are all aware that security is a must and they are always looking for solutions where security is embedded within the system and the vendor itself.

David Rosen: We’ve seen a dramatic shift in customers’ perceptions of the security of the cloud. There used to be a sense that if your content wasn’t in your own facility then you couldn’t be sure it was safe. Time and experience has taught us that on premise facilities are no safer than cloud infrastructures. 

Raúl Alba: Security is top of mind, and delegating this to third party vendors like cloud providers is not something all of them are ready to do. One interesting thing is that the security of the average broadcaster is less strict than the standard security in the public cloud. Cloud infrastructure vendors have a business because their solutions are secure.

Frederic Petitpont: Security in the mind of our customers relates to trust when working with SaaS. Pentesting can be quite expensive, and that’s also why they are working with SaaS. Security issues are much less likely with cloud editing workstations, and customers are able to use the RBAC (Role-based Access Control) authentication mechanism to provide access to content.

Chris Kelly: It was a lot harder (though not impossible) to hijack an analog signal. In recent years, there have been some high-profile and not-high-profile incidents that influenced the on-air product. I believe all customers see these incidents and recognize that we’re living in a new world where people don’t necessarily work within the four walls of their office, but that very special attention needs to be put in place to mitigate the security risk that’s introduced when you open that door.

Geoff Stedman: Security is always top of mind for our customers. All media companies want to protect their content as well as tightly control who has access to their content. Fortunately, there are well-architected methods for securing cloud-based content and workflows to ensure that work can be done by only those who are authorized.

Industry Insights: Embracing cloud solutions for enhanced media production workflows

The post Industry Insights: Cloud adoption, pain points and security in broadcast appeared first on NewscastStudio.