Page 34 - AIB | The Chanel | Issue 1 2012

34 | ISSUE 1 2012 | THE CHANNEL
Technological change is fast and ongoing, offering
new opportunities for broadcasters to develop
solutions to problems in innovative ways. Each year,
AIB searches for technology projects that are "game-
changers", offering real innovation that can be used
not only by the people who developed it, but is
transferable to other broadcasters.
This year, our judges have awarded the prize to
UK-based Ideal Shopping Direct for its USA Live
Project.
An excellent concept with simple execution, the
judges said, enabling programmes to be produced at
a remote location and brought back to a broadcast
centre via IP rather than fibre or satellite links. There
are immediate cost-saving benefits, with the remote
trans-Atlantic link costing less than 10c a minute. And
with no degradation in video or audio quality, this is a
technological solution that's ripe for exploitation by
broadcasters around the world.
As more and more of our audiences consume content on
a diversity of platforms and people spend greater
amounts of their time surfing the web, it is essential that
broadcasters produce content that works across multiple
platforms. It's not simply, however, a case of repurposing
content and delivering it on the web that makes a winning
cross-media production. It's coming up with content that
is tailored for each specific platform, harnessing the
power of that platform to engage with the audience.
Our winner is Danmarks Radio for its production
1864. This was story-telling of Denmark's most
famous historical battle at Dybbol Banke recounted for
modern-day audiences with an extremely high level of
integration. DR's radio programmes covered the battle
in real-time using modern-day reporting techniques,
while a comprehensive web site provided context with
maps, timelines and historical information.
In addition, DR invited its audience to contribute
stories and pictures from their families' involvement
in the events of 1864 to build up a comprehensive
picture of Denmark in the 1860s. An engaging way to
bring history to life, said the judges.
Highly commended
Czech Radio
Secret Defence of the Iron Curtain
This multimedia project, delivered on a budget of just
€20,000, was described as truly unique by our judges,
with very good use of multimedia to engage Czech
Radio's audience to compile an extensive database of
the military defence lines of Cold War Czechoslovakia.
One judge said that this was probably a gaming
experience for some users which, combined with the
fact that this project is continuing to deliver results,
means that it receives a high commendation.
Most innovative
technology
Ideal Shopping
Direct
Best cross-media
production
Danmarks Radio
The 2011 AIBs
▼OASYS CEO
Mark Errington
(right) presents
the award to Ideal
Shopping’s Marc
Allen
Eurosport’s
Matt Horler (left)
with Danmarks
Radio’s winning
producers
▼