Special Report
digital environment and Abit has continued to
Ten years of
enhance its system to drive the evolution of
broadcasting utilising file based media and
channel branding to link the channels
seamlessly with the corporate requirements of
the Norwegian broadcaster.
automating NRK
Most recently, Abit was selected to supply a
file based workflow and streaming solution for
the launch of NRK 3. The bespoke software now
works with the existing Abit Present-it
RICHARD
automation system already installed to control
the distribution of all material, the playout,
THOMAS,
recording and archiving of live events and the
software automatic transcoding of material for streaming
development
to mobiles, new media and the Internet. The
objective is to make all NRK’s content available
director at
to a wider audience in different formats.
Abit, The main benefit of the new Abit workflow
reports.
and streaming solution at NRK is the flexibility
of the software design that allows a significant
degree of customisation to handle the complex
integration issues associated with the broad
spectrum of systems that now form the
broadcaster’s domain. The internal workflow
and timing differences within the systems need
to be taken into account while maintaining the
underlying frame accurate processes that allow
the automation of many operational tasks. In
this way, repetitive operator actions are
n July 1998 NRK - the Norwegian autumn of 2007 - in addition to the provision removed while maintaining the quality control
I
government owned radio and of broadcast services over the Internet, podcast aspects associated with a state broadcaster.
television public broadcaster - and via mobile phones. As an example, the cropping of material for
upgraded its transmission suite and Over the past ten years automation provider playout is handled in a different way by the
began broadcasting its TV channel NRK1 and Abit has worked alongside NRK to manage all editing and media management systems with a
its latest channel NRK2 from its two new digital the playout automation for NRK1, NRK2 and, variable number of frames inserted before and
presentation control rooms based in Marienlyst most recently, NRK 3. The Present-it after the material and the Abit system
in Oslo. At the time, it was intended to have a automation platform installed at NRK is automatically takes this into account.
mixture of live, on-air programmes and designed for multi-channel broadcast In addition, live programmes are also now
programme material transmitted from Tektronix operations of any scale. Tailored to the needs of an important corporate asset and the
Profile videoservers, Digital Betacam VTRs and leading broadcasters around the world, the broadcasting, formatting, time delayed playout
graphic sources for each TV-channel. NRK was Present-it system offers no single point of and archiving of the media needs to be handled
looking to be able to transmit with minimal failure with its hot standby capability. Its seamlessly by the automation system while
interaction from operational staff in each flexible, customisable design has helped NRK to incorporating mechanisms to allow last minute
control room. minimise station running costs over the years changes with automatic rescheduling and
Ten years on and NRK’s ambitions have through the routine automation of day-to-day linkage of the follow on events.
grown. Its current aim is to create a completely activities such as the transfer of schedules The original Abit system transmitted all
digital broadcast environment for Norway. smoothly and seamlessly in addition to finding NRK1 and NRK2 programmes with an optional
Often described as the ‘small giant’ (and and managing video and handling errors before ‘Record Feed’ function on the workstation. As
compared with the major media houses of transmission. part of the ongoing digitisation plan at NRK the
Europe NRK is a small broadcaster), NRK has Abit was chosen originally after staff - who new set-up now allows live events to be
always managed to hold a leading position in had experience of using the system when recorded and looped back into the new Omneon
technology and methods for providing the working in another Abit installation in Europe - Media Server which acts as a databank for all
audience with the best content. Today, 8 out of recommended it to NRK. At that time NRK was broadcast material for redistribution and
10 Norwegians use NRK's programme offering, looking to reduce errors while automating a streaming.
whether on TV, the radio, the Internet or mobile more complex playout process and Abit’s "As the leading Norwegian broadcaster, NRK
phones. solution was able to demonstrate it was more - with the help of Abit - is now on its way to
These days, NRK consists of three main TV than capable of matching these needs. create our vision of a completely digital
channels - NRK1 and NRK 2, and its new Since the original install, NRK has taken broadcast environment for Norway," said Terje
channel NRK3 which was launched in the great strides towards creating a completely Klevsand, senior engineer/advisor at NRK.
42 IBE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008
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