CONTENT DELIVERY
Bangladesh’s Deepto TV Launches with Advanced Broadcast Solutions By Phil Sandberg
It is a rare media business that goes from launch to top of the national ratings in just two months, but that’s exactly what Bangladesh’s Deepto TV has done, powered by a combination of HD programme content and a technology platform designed and implemented in conjunction with systems integrator Advanced Broadcast Solutions.
Shooting on the set of Deepto TV drama Oporajita
LAUNCHED ON CABLE AND SATELLITE in November 2015 with a name that loosely translates as “the light or birth”, Deepto TV is the vision of Mr Kazi Zahedul Hasan who, as well as being head of Kazi Media and the Kazi Farms Group, is a Harvard-qualified architect/engineer. Such was Mr Hasan’s involvement in the project that he was even responsible for architectural design of the new station’s headquarters in the Bangladesh capital, Dhaka.
Deepto TV CAR
Kazi Media’s original business plan for Deepto TV was for a 24-hour news channel but it was felt that, with a plethora of regional and international news outlets already available in the Bangladesh market, a better focus would be that of unique programme content. To that end, the company invested in multiple programme studios at Deepto TV headquarters and other studio sites with a total of four drama and series sound stages constructed. In addition, two studios for programmes such as news briefs, talk shows, and morning programs were constructed at the station’s HQ. Hitting the ground running, the station spent over a year prior to launch producing original drama series, including Aparajita (Undefeated), Palki (Palanquin), and Khujey Phiri Takey (He Returned to Find). The station also worked on dubbing Turkish production Sultan Suleyman into Bangla and complemented its offerings with daily news, talk shows, and morning show programmes, as well as cartoons and other family content. Kazi Media has also commissioned several documentaries on Bangladesh which will launch on Deepto TV. Over a period of three years, Advanced Broadcast Solutions Asia and Managing Director Dennis Breckenridge consulted with Kazi Media on everything from equipment selection to building design and construction, equipment supply, and integration.
CONTENT DELIVERY
According to Breckenridge, the relationship with Kazi Media has been a unique one. He says the holistic approach of business consulting, technical advisory, facility advisory and, finally, supply and install helped the station launch with minimal technical challenges.
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Designed by CEO Mr Kazi Zahedul Hasan, Deepto TV’s Dhaka headquarters
we had designed it with three studios - two big programme studios and a news studio. [Mr Hasan] basically ended up changing one of the studios to a very intricate set for a series and building additional studios. So, there was actually an additional two studios built in order to accommodate the drama and series type of programming in addition to entertainment type of programming and a bit of news.” The Deepto TV site includes:
“Originally,” says the ABS Asia MD, “they thought they would be a news channel and about midway through, looking at the market and income possibilities, decided to change it to more of a mixture, doing very specific dramas and series for the Bangladesh market. It was an interesting process as we went through the whole job, continuously changing and trying to adjust the business model, the equipment, everything to meet that growing need.
- Grass Valley Stratus (SAN & K2) for News and MAM
In the technology, we certainly had to adapt. It was very much focussed on large newsgathering and kind of 24-hour news type of operation. Originally,
- Autoscript prompters
- GV LDX cameras for TV production - Sony Cameras for ENG and Drama production - GV Karrera and GV Director for Production Switchers - GV Glue and routing - Jimmy Jib