28 September 2007
Autocue, the leading provider of newsroom automation and prompting solutions, is today announcing a new range of prompting solutions designed to meet the requirements of smaller and non-traditional broadcast segments. The new Starter Series Prompters (SSP) and QStart software will be demonstrated on Autocues stand 7.229 throughout IBC2007.
The Starter Series offers users the opportunity to benefit from renowned Autocue design and build quality at entry-level prices. The range comprises 10 and 17 prompters. The Starter Series will be bundled with Autocues new entry-level software, QStart, part of the QNxt product suite.
Autocue is a versatile company that prides itself on providing prompting solutions for all customers regardless of their size. There are many people in Education, Religious and Corporate institutions, and in developing markets, that want to purchase prompting solutions from a trusted Broadcasting brand but are currently inhibited by our prices. By trading off some of the features of our more professional systems, Autocue can offer these customers a solution that cant be beaten in terms of quality or price, commented Frank Hyman, Autocue CEO.
The Starter Series and QStart packages provide users with their first taste of Autocue solutions and service. As their needs become more demanding, Autocue offers simple and affordable upgrade paths.
These entry-level packages have been specifically designed to allow easy upgrade if our customers needs change. The Starter Series uses the same hood, mounting and bracket systems as our Professional and Master Series prompters. Consequently, when the customer decides to upgrade, they need only pay for a replacement monitor, rather than a complete new system. Special pricing will be offered to our customers wishing to upgrade their software. A move from QStart to QPro is delivered via a simple download from our website. This modular upgrade path provides customers with significant lifetime value, concluded Hyman.
28 September 2007
Al Jazeera Network announced today that its Training and Development Centre will launch a training partnership with the Syrian International Academy. A senior Al Jazeera delegation headed by the Director General of the Al Jazeera Network, Wadah Khanfar and comprised of Abdullah Al-Najjar, Commercial Director and Abdulaziz Al-Horr, Director of the Al Jazeera Media Training and Development Centre visited the Academy to inaugurate this relationship.
For the first time since its inception in 2004, the Al Jazeera Media Training and Development Centre will launch a number of training courses in Damascus starting from September 2007.
Abdulaziz Al-Horr, Director of the Training Centre said: “After four years of its existence, Al Jazeera Training and Development Centre is now ready to expand globally. We have the experience and expertise to move forward and widen our scope of partnerships. In addition to the various courses and activities we are initiating worldwide, the four courses our trainers are instigating in Damascus this weekend will mark the first step of this move in Syria”
Director General of the Al Jazeera Network, Wadah Khanfar commented on the visit: “I am delighted that in such a short time our Training Centre has achieved this much. It has attained an international status for the training of journalists and media professionals in the Arab world. This expansion will strengthen the Centre’s ties in the Arab world and give broader access to Al Jazeera’s unique media approach.”
Business meetings and seminars will also be held throughout the visit with media professionals and management of the Syrian International Academy.
28 September 2007
Pharos announces the integration of Apple’s Final Cut Pro 6 editor into its Mediator V3 broadcast workflow management system. This new option, which will be introduced at IBC 2007, adds SD, HD and multiformat editing, multichannel audio editing and graphic effects processing to be performed within the Mediator V3 working environment.
“The combination of Mediator and Final Cut Pro offers a huge increase in the efficiency of broadcast post-production,” comments Russell Grute, Director of Marketing at Pharos Communications. “A central part of Mediator’s role is to ensure that the right job is performed at the right time: projects are completed according to compliance, approval and transmission priority. In multi-channel and particularly multi-language operations, Final Cut Pro makes high throughput non-linear desktop editing extremely easy as operators have the correct source files immediately to hand.”
Once all the required clips have been selected, Mediator automatically uploads all relevant information to a new Final Cut Pro project and opens multiple preconfigured timelines if required. Mediator then fetches the source-resolution files from the appropriate location. If media are in a different format, Mediator performs the entire transfer process, including any required re-wrapping or re-encoding, completely automatically.
After editing, the system forwards the final version with the correct ID to the right destination for compliance, approval or transmission.
Mediator manages the naming, saving and transfer of all finished versions. Multiple versions are processed as required by transwrapping/transcoding within Mediator and any other third-party processing to be ready for archiving, presentation and playout.
When an editing project is completed, audio files are repositioned or tagged within Mediator to be presented in the correct channel for transmission. This process greatly simplifies transmission system configuration and removes the need for unnecessary re-embedding or audio shuffling.
Mediator with Final Cut Pro also supports direct attachment to an intermediate storage system such as Apple XSAN, Isilon iQ or Omneon Media Grid. This suits architectures where simultaneous access to source files is acceptable, files are available in the nearline storage and straightforward video compression and aspect ratio choices are possible. In this case, jobs are commissioned, scheduled and edited with no other transwrapping or transcoding required.
Pharos is focused on developing software architecture to deliver better broadcast process management for service providers in television broadcast, radio, IPTV and telecommunications. For over 10 years Pharos has continually developed the unique Mediator, Playtime and Pilot desktop broadcast management solutions to offer a next-generation platform to better manage the flow of media through broadcast facilities.
28 September 2007
RRSat Global Communications Network Ltd., a rapidly growing provider of comprehensive content management and global distribution services to the television and radio broadcasting industries, announced today that it has signed an agreement with Loral Skynet to offer distribution of video content to the Asian Market via a powerful digital platform using Loral Skynet’s Telstar 10 satellite.
Through the multiplexed content delivery platform, RRSat customers will gain access to over 80 million cable households across 33 countries in Asia using Loral Skynet’s Telstar 10 satellite. RRSat will complement its video offering by supplying comprehensive, content management and distribution services.
“We are extremely excited about this new cooperation with Loral Skynet. This platform will offer customers a total end-to end solution, from broadcasting through distribution, enabling channels based out for the US, Europe and Middle East the ability to further expand their services to new regions in Asia.”
Commented Mr. David Rivel, CEO and Founder of RRSat, “Through this shared platform customers will have access to the leading Loral Skynet Telstar 10 satellite and RRSat’s comprehensive content management platform”.
28 September 2007
Host broadcaster TVH calls on GlobeCast for end-to-end SD and HD contribution services
GlobeCast is putting HD in the spotlight at the 2007 Rugby World Cup, providing end-to-end satellite and fibre contribution services for host broadcaster TVH as well as other major broadcasters, and experimenting with uncompressed HD signal transmission, an exciting development that promises to make life easier for telecoms wishing to transmit HD footage in a timely and cost-efficient manner.
To service its clients at this major event, GlobeCast will deploy a fleet of 15 SNG vehicles to matches in every corner of France, including three trucks dedicated to HD. It will also provide on-site production, dedicated facilities and network capacity to deliver High Definition coverage of the games.
Host broadcaster TVH asked GlobeCast to transmit coverage in SD and HD from the matches to its International Broadcast Centre (IBC) outside Paris. Additionally, for the first time in Europe, GlobeCast will provide long-distance, terrestrial transport of non-compressed HD signals a development that promises to help telcos transport HD video without modifying infrastructures, updating equipment or compromising quality. This experiment will be held at matches in Marseille.
As a security measure, GlobeCast will also ensure the transport in SD of all backup feeds via satellite.
The Rugby World Cup, which starts at the Stade de France on 7 September, will be one of the biggest sporting events of the year and GlobeCasts expertise in providing broadcast services from major competitions such as this will ensure secure and flawless quality of coverage.
28 September 2007
Al Jazeera Sport Channel (JSC Sport +1/ JSC Sport +2) announced today that it has reached more than one million subscribers, an unprecedented figure in Arab television subscriber history.
I and the entire Al Jazeera Sport Channel staff are delighted by this achievement which we have accomplished in only a few years since the Channels launch in 2003. This is a testament to the Channels superb content which our subscribers recognize and value, said Ayman Jada, the Managing Director of the Sports Channel.
The Channel has acquired a long list of TV rights for top quality regional and global sporting events including the Qatari, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Argentinean, Portuguese and Japanese leagues. In addition, Al Jazeera Sport has the TV rights to some of the most important European football competitions such as the English, Spanish, French and German Cup, not to mention the European League Cup, the competition that Al Jazeera Sport has had the exclusive rights to since last season.
On September 1, 2007, three subscribers (Ibrahim Yousef, Naser Al-Qahtani, Muftah Al-Hajiri) who had entered the Channels One Million Subscriber Competition were announced as the lucky winners of the draw and will drive home with their prizes from Ford: Focus, the new Escape and Edge.
The cars will be given to the winners today at a celebration held in Dubai, UAE, to mark the one million subscriber figure. The celebration will be attended by the Channels senior management and stars including Ayman Jada, Rabeh Madjer, Tarek Dhiab, Said Aouita, Karim Alami, Hichem Khalsi and Yousef Saif.
Hussein Murad, Sales and Marketing director of Ford Middle East said: “We are proud to support Al Jazeera Sport Channel and congratulate them on their unprecedented accomplishment, surpassing the one million subscriber mark. Ford Middle East and Al Jazeera Sport Channel are one in reaching out to the youth. While Al Jazeera Sport provides quality programming through its premier sports programs, Ford is relentless in its commitment to provide cutting-edge products that connect well with the youth, complementing their lifestyles and giving them the total ownership experience.”
