25 April 2005
Autocue announced on 13 April the sale of their QNet software to Wachovia
Bank, in Charlotte, North Carolina. QNet is a networked scripting and prompting system that provides a comprehensive range of specialized scriptwriting and rundown management tools. All of these are fully integrated with state-of-the-art digital prompting. The system will be implemented second quarter of 2005 at the Wachovia Video Network, their in-house television station, which broadcasts to Wachovia locations.
QNet is appropriate for any speech-based programming, news, production, corporate or political presentation, or any other environment where a number of people work together on scripts and rundowns. Wachovia also purchased flat screen QTV prompter LCD monitors with a TFT screen that delivers clear, bright text, even in conditions of high ambient light, with a smooth scroll that facilitates delivery and legibility. The complete system uses Autocues proprietary Automation Control Center (ACC). Autocue is the only newsroom automation solution provider that automates the entire newscast with all the automation elements built into the software, as well as fully integrated built-in prompting. This enables the airing of CG’s, video clips, still stores, etc. with just the click of a mouse.
Autocue is pleased to be part of Wachovias internal television station as it continues to advance technologically, producing improved broadcasts,” said Peter Gould, CEO, Autocue Systems, “QNet is an excellent solution for Wachovias scriptwriting needs, providing the same state-of-the art productivity and quality advantages used by international television networks broadcasting around the world to millions of
viewers.
In March, Autocue announced the implementation of the Qscore data ingest and presentation system at one of Canadas leading national sports television broadcasters. QScore is a new application from the Autocue development team and is the latest to be designed collaboratively with a broadcast facility. It enables users to organize and streamline the collection and handling of data, including results and league, team and player statistics, either automatically from a number of sources or manually through user input and then automatically populates customizable caption generator (CG) templates for broadcast during the show. Autocue developed QScore from a functional specification designed in partnership with the customers management and production teams in Toronto.
21 April 2005
Sony has won a major contract to construct and equip new High Definition Television (HDTV) studio facilities for British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB), which plans to launch a premium package of HDTV services in 2006.
The deal will see Sony act as prime contractor for the creation of a new studio at the broadcasters Isleworth headquarters in west London and supply equipment for edit and dubbing suites at the same site. Also included in the agreement is a significant professional services component,
including training provided by Sony for BSkyB operations staff to
streamline transition to High Definition production. Sony HD equipment in the new studios will include latest HDC-1500 studio cameras and over 60 HDCAM and HDCAM SR format VTRs, complemented by MVS-8000A series multiformat production switchers and DVS-8000 digital effects plus Sony HD LCD monitors.
Under the terms of a supplementary 12-month contract won after competitive
tender, Sony will also support BSkyB operations staff with an innovative High Definition training package. Three tiered levels of training resources will offer BSkyB operations’ employees a product-independent grounding in High Definition, while a general introduction will provide staff across the business with an overview of HD. Further workshop
modules explore technical aspects of High Definition in more depth, while a
complementary series of specialised modules has been created to complement
specific craft skills from camera work and set design to make-up and quality control. A web-based interface developed by Sony will allow hundreds of BSkyB staff at Isleworth and other sites to log on and access HD training materials simultaneously.
21 April 2005
CNN has announced changes to its newsgathering operations with a number of key appointments to strengthen its global newsgathering team. Changes include a new managing editor in Hong Kong, the creation of two new reporting roles in Africa and a new international correspondent for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Jill Dougherty, CNN’s Moscow bureau chief, has been appointed managing editor for CNN’s operations in Asia Pacific, based at CNN’s newsgathering and production centre in Hong Kong. She takes up the new position in May 2005. Moscow bureau chief since 1997, she now oversees all of CNN’s programming and production facilities in Hong Kong and also coordinates coverage from all of CNN’s correspondents and bureaux across the Asia Pacific region.
In Africa, Jeff Koinange, CNNs Lagos bureau chief, has been appointed to the role of Africa Correspondent in order to significantly increase the coverage of Africa across all of CNNs services. Koinange will lead CNNs coverage of Africa in this new position, supported by Alphonso Van Marsh who will be based in Johannesburg as a CNN Video Correspondent. Alphonsos brief is to find, develop and deliver compelling stories from inside South Africa.
In addition, CNN has appointed Jennifer Eccleston as a new international correspondent for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, based in Rome. Eccleston will work across all of CNN’s services internationally and in the US.
In March 2005 CNN also appointed Max Foster from BBC Breakfast to join the London-based team of anchors and correspondents covering news and business from the international networks European headquarters.
21 April 2005
Mr. David Johnson has joined Wohler Technologies as Chief Operating
Officer. A San Francisco native, Mr. Johnson has held senior management
positions with several high-technology companies including Maxtor,
Iomega, and Amdahl.
At NAB 2005, Wohler Technologies announced the release of a complete high quality audio/video monitoring system concentrated in a space-saving 2 RU by Wohler Technologies. The VAMP2-S8MDA offers premium quality 8 channel Analog, AES/EBU, HD-SDI/ SD-SDI digital multi-channel audio monitoring & conversion with professional level metering.
Wohler also introduced a uniquely designed full broadcast quality HD test signal generator that has all the functionality for most HD standards and several other user friendly features. The Penpal-HD is ideal for checking signal path integrity or to determine system performance and calibration.
Another new Wohler Technologies product is the series of high resolution HD-SDI LCD video monitors. The HR-3270W and HR-T170W feature as many pixels as you will find in most modern HD plasmas, but in 7 LCD. The high resolution HD-SDI LCD video monitors are ideal for mobile trucks, news and transmission control rooms, duplication and post production applications. The two series of high resolution LCD video monitors give you the benefit from the crystal clear picture and high resolution from the all digital signal features. The HR-3270W has 16:9 aspect ratio, fits in the standard 3U rack space, with 2 HD-SDI Inputs with reclocked HD-SDI outputs, 2 outputs for your computer monitor in the original input resolution. The HR-T170W conveniently fits in the standard Tektronix half tub form factor alongside your scope or other HD monitoring equipment. The 1 HD-SDI input with reclocked HD-SDI output.
Wohler Technologies also showcased a sunlight viewable LCD Video Monitor LCD monitor, the Daylite Series, which gives exceptionally, clear picture quality in all sunlight conditions.
21 April 2005
VOA Director David Jackson has announced that every day between midnight until 7 a.m., Washington time, the Voice’s new state of the art multimedia newsroom will be closed. The news will be contracted out to a team of eight editors and writers (reportedly Americans, British and Australians) in Hong Kong, Peoples Republic of China. Some sources project cost savings at about $300,000 annually, in a VOA budget of approximately $168 million.
The VOA Office of External Affairs commented:
Simply put, VOA is taking steps to expand its presence in East Asia, an
increasingly important part of the world for us. In the months ahead,
VOA will hire a half dozen or so new writers in Hong Kong and move
writers currently on Washington’s overnight newsroom shift to other
shifts in Washington.
We believe that the move will position VOA to offer better and
faster-reacting coverage of news from Hong Kong, and the rest of East
Asia. The move will also include adding internet staff in Hong Kong who
will enable VOA to update its web presence 24 hours a day, something
that is sorely needed.
No jobs will be eliminated. Members of the current overnight shift will
be moved to day and evening shifts in Washington. Three editors and five
writers will be hired as contractors in Hong Kong to handle the
news operation in our bureau there.
Stories produced in Hong Kong will be edited by full-time VOA staff
editors currently based there and also overseen and vetted by their
counterparts who will remain on the midnight shift in Washington. So the
news room here is not exactly going dark. Final editorial responsibility
will remain in those overnight editors in Washington.
The overnight shift in Washington has long been the least popular among
employees, and vacancies have been difficult to fill. The unpopular
hours also have been a recruitment obstacle. People are reluctant to
come here once told about the prospect of having to put in overnight
hours.
Hong Kong’s day of course coincides with Washington’s overnight hours,
and the city has a skilled local English-speaking workforce of
journalists who can be hired to write and edit the same news stories now
produced in the Washington newsroom, following the same high
journalistic standards that have long distinguished VOA broadcasts
around the world.
VOA has had foreign stringers throughout the world for many years, just as have most other major international news organizations. So there is nothing new there. Also, VOA has had a bureau in Hong Kong for many years, as have many other international news organizations.
There is already in place total communications and computer connectivity between VOA’s Washington headquarters and its Hong Kong bureau. Since we already have a bureau in Hong Kong, no new office space will have to
be acquired.
The Hong Kong move and resulting savings will allow VOA to add two
people to the Hong Kong staff to edit the English-language Web site
during U.S. overnight hours. This will be an effective and efficient way
to keep our Web site up to date seven days a week.
At current Hong Kong rates for local hires (no benefits or other perks
required), the staff would cost about $380,000 per year. Although this
shift will result in a small savings, that is not the main point of the
move. It is rather to extend and enhance our presence in Asia, assure
quality coverage during Washington’s overnight hours, and achieve true
24-hour web coverage. We think the move makes sense, and we also think
that now is a good time to make it.
21 April 2005
On Thursday 5 May, which is the 60th anniversary of liberation at the end of World War II, the Dutch service of Radio Netherlands will be recreating the historic broadcast of Radio Oranje that announced the end of German occupation. The programme will be broadcast at 1415 UTC on shortwave in Europe, and worldwide via satellite and Internet.
Radio Oranje was set up in London shortly after the German occupation of the Netherlands, and broadcast daily until shortly after liberation. The broadcasts were designed as a counter to the censored Dutch press, and to give Dutch people hope.
On 5 May 1945 at 8.15 pm Dutch time, Radio Oranje broadcast a special 30-minute freedom programme which included an address by Prime Minister Gerbrandy. The audio of 19 minutes of this historic broadcast remain in the archive. The other 11 minutes have been lost. But Peter Veenendaal, head of the Dutch service of Radio Netherlands, explains that “since we have the full transcripts of all the Radio Oranje broadcasts we’re in a position to make an accurate reconstruction of the original transmission. Sixty years of freedom seemed an appropriate occasion to do that.”
The news summary will be read in the style that was normal in 1945. Breaks in musical fragments will be replaced by original recordings from that time. The famous poem De Achttien Dooden [The Eighteen Dead] that was read by a Radio Oranje announcer in the original transmission, will be played from a later recording made in 1946. By using specialised production techniques, the substitute pieces are seamlessly mixed with the original material.
