TVBEurope July 2024 eBook

JULY 2024 EBOOK

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I WANNA BE ELECTED

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hen someone told me at NAB in April that there are around 80 elections due to take place around the world this year I was really surprised. That’s probably because so much of my focus has been on those happening in the UK and United States, but actually there are elections taking place from Algeria to Venezuela.

That means millions of people around the world will be glued to their TVs to watch the outcome of their votes, and so it’s imperative that broadcasters have the technology required to bring them the latest results as they happen.

In this special guide, we take a look at the technology available to help ‘cover the counts’ and hear from broadcasters in the UK and Europe about how they are using that tech to deliver the news to their audiences.

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CONTENTS 4

Sky News’ plans for the UK election

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Virtual sets come of age

17 Broadcasting the ballots 19 Managing the feeds 20 The quay to Downing Street

MANAGEMENT SVP, MD, B2B Amanda Darman-Allen VP, Global Head of Content, B2B Carmel King MD, Content, Broadcast Tech Paul McLane VP, Head of US Sales B2B Tom Sikes Managing VP of Sales, B2B Tech Adam Goldstein VP, Global Head of Strategy & Ops, B2B Allison Markert VP, Product & Marketing, B2B Scott Lowe Head of Production US & UK Mark Constance Head of Design, B2B Nicole Cobban All contents © 2024 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/ services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any other changes or updates to them. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein.

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Sky News' on-air election team

UK broadcaster Sky News tells Jenny Priestley about its election night coverage, which will include augmented reality, BATCAM, LED screens and more

K broadcasters always knew the country was likely to face a General Election in 2024, it was just a matter of when. Rumours circulated on social media and in Westminster as to a possible date, but almost everyone was surprised when Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on 22nd May that voters would go to the polls on 4th July.

Sky News immediately announced its plans for election night and the following morning. Kay Burley will anchor Election Night Live, the overnight results programme, from a 360-degree immersive studio normally used by Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football.

The broadcaster has spent months working on its plans for the vote, explains Nick Phipps, editor of Election Night Live. “One of the things we’ve learned from elections is that you don’t necessarily know when they’re coming, especially after what happened in 2017 when Theresa May surprised the country,” he says.

“We’ve had an ongoing election project that has been bubbling away in the background, and we maybe meet once every six weeks. We ramped it up this year because we knew there had to be an election by the end of 2024 or the beginning of 2025.”

Sky News had plans in place for multiple eventualities. The team initially planned for a vote on 2nd May as well as later in the year. “We were already building towards what we were going to deliver for the autumn when the announcement came,” explains Phipps. “It was a coincidence that the team was doing a photo shoot with all of the presenters on 22nd May. Beth Rigby and Sam Coates were getting messages and saying they needed to get to Westminster.”

The broadcaster was always going to use the MNF studio even if the election took place during the football season. Most UK elections take place

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on a Tuesday or Thursday so it was unlikely to impact Sky Sports’ schedule.

“That studio is brilliant, as you’ve seen from the way Sky Sports have used it over the last year,” states Ben Fisher, head of studio output at Sky News, and director of Election Night Live “With the tech they’ve got, the storytelling environments and various screens, it is a perfect space for an election in our view. I worked very closely with Ben Wickham, who is the creative director for Sky Sports, and we’ve collaborated pretty much from the get-go.”

CONNECTING THE STUDIO TO THE GALLERY However, there was one big challenge. Sky Sports’ galleries are in use almost continuously for remote productions, which means Sky News will be using its own galleries for Election Night Live. “We do a lot of work remotely anyway with a lot of long cable runs and a lot of stuff happening over IP,” adds Fisher. “This is not too much of a physical rejig really, it’s a lot of clever people in the engineering departments and the graphics and data departments and technical supervisors who have figured out various patching and over patching to allow the cameras, the camera chains, the racking, the screen control. We’ve built an entire graphics area in the newsroom, which will control all of the screens. This has been a really impressive piece of work and it does mean going forward, if we ever want to use the studio again, it is now connected to our gallery.”

The workflow will employ differing levels of automation, which Sky News uses more than its sport counterparts. “If the election had been in October or November, we may have been able to automate a little bit more. But we’re going to use it to drive the screens and the augmented reality,” explains Fisher.

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The studio elements are going to be manual, but the rest of the programme, full frame graphics, all of the straps, the ‘vidiprinter’, the furniture, tapes, everything is all going to be through automation. It’s quite exciting because we’ve never done that before in an election.

“This will be our first election without a vision mixer, for example,” he continues. “Before, we’d always have the director, the vision mixer, the DA. Now we’re going to have a team of directors essentially. We’ll have me as the event director, an OverDrive director running the automation, and a studio director who will be in charge of the cameras and the screens.”

In terms of cameras, the broadcast will use a jib, Steadicam and BATCAM, a smaller version of Spidercam, operated by two pilots sitting in a room overlooking the studio, one working the wires, the other pan/tilt. “We’re hoping for a Steadicam for Ed Conway,” adds Fisher. “We’ll have four pedestal cameras, and everything is manually operated for the election night show.”

Cameras will also be around the country capturing the major events of the night. “Most of the production in a way happens outside of the building because of the number of cameras that we have out and about,” states Phipps. “We’re going to have stringers at every count in the country. We’ll have cameras in about 90 locations, which actually means more constituencies because lots of places count more than one seat, which will all need to have producers at them and/or correspondents and presenters.”

Each of the stringers will have an app created by Sky News’ development team in Leeds, which allows them to submit numbers from their counts in real-time.

However, no matter how much you plan, there’s always a chance that technology can let you down on the night. In case of any issues, Sky News has contingencies in place. “With the OBs, if we have one of our presenters out with a big truck, we’ll be able to send them lower thirds, full frame graphics, should there be any incidents,” adds Fisher.

AUGMENTED REALITY Sky News is particularly excited about its use of graphics and augmented reality to tell the story of the election. Work has been an ongoing process as the creative team is constantly looking to improve what they’ve done before, explains Harry Ward, creative director, Sky News. “We’ve never had better-looking graphics. I’m really proud of what the team has achieved.”

The 360-degree studio includes traditional LED screens and an LED floor as well as a canopy above the presenters to cover up the lighting rig. A fourth wall is created by covering up the cameras. “That creates a 360 studio for Ben’s teams to have lots of fun and provide all the opportunity he wants for presentation,” explains Ward.

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“There’s also a big high-resolution screen in the middle just above the LED screen and that will be Ed Conway’s main data presentation point.

That’s where the graphics team have really gone to town with maps, charts, dynamic infographics. The floor is going to have a big map which will update throughout the night. It’ll start empty and then as the night goes on, it will be this living, breathing infographic on how far we’ve gone on the election night between the different parties.”

The broadcast will also include an augmented reality Downing Street created in Unreal Engine and connected via Viz with Mo-Sys’ StarTracker in the studio. “For the 2019 election, we put Downing Street in Sky Central, which was the big presentation space that we used last time,” explains Ward. “We took that idea into this studio, albeit we’ve taken it up a few notches and rebuilt quite a bit of the model and re-rendered it with brilliant lighting, so it changes between different times of the day. It offers a great blank canvas really for all of those moments that we want to present. It’s where we’re going to put our showbiz moments, the big moments of the night.”

The LED screens will also offer viewers what Fisher describes as a “window to the world”. The LED curved screen will include a mosaic of the 90 counts where Sky has cameras which will animate in and out.

“The big middle screen, when A look inside the studio Ed’s not using it for data, will be where we put a lot of live pictures, live declarations, the party leaders arriving at their counts, things like that. We will probably do guests down that screen like they do on the football as well,” he explains.

All of this gives Sky News a point of difference to other broadcasters covering the counts, believes Phipps. “As an organisation, we have really emphasised in recent years and in recent elections, the level of detail when it comes to different ways of cutting up the election results. This fantastic studio gives Ed Conway this bigger canvas than he’s ever had before to do that analysis.”

Ward adds: “Nick said our USP is brilliant data presentation. I think we’ll go into that detail in a more interesting way than anyone else.

We’re really aware you can’t just do that all night. You have to add a bit of showbiz, a little bit of entertainment to really engage our audiences.

So to balance that out, we’ve got some really exciting plans for the big moments using AR primarily to make it an exciting night to watch.”

For Fisher, the studio and graphics give him the opportunity to tell the story of the election in new ways. “If the presenters and guests are talking about Scotland, we can put the latest SNP figures in one of the totems but still see Trevor Phillips or whoever talking about it in the background. That is something we just haven’t been able to do before.

It’s going to wwbring the whole thing together, I think.”

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Robert Szabo-Rowe, SVP engineering and product management, The Switch, explains why Europe’s election cycle will vote big on cloud-based production t the time of the last UK general election in 2019, remote production was starting to gain traction in the sports production world but had yet to penetrate other areas of television. Cloud-based production was still in its infancy. Fast forward to today, and the technology has evolved at an astonishing pace.

What seemed like a peek into the future a few years ago is now becoming the norm, and for this year’s election cycle, it will be deployed on an unprecedented scale. The result of these fast-moving technological innovations is that coverage of this year’s election cycle – with more than 80 elections taking place across Europe this summer, plus the United States – will be broader, more inclusive, and more comprehensive than ever.

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REMOTE PRODUCTION AND CONNECTIVITY One of the unique characteristics of election cycle coverage versus other areas of live media is the often remote nature of interviews and productions. There is a pressing need to establish connectivity from diverse locations – be it a chocolate factory in Birmingham, a farm fair in Iowa, or a small-town food festival in Provence.

National broadcast news teams, regional operators, and other media building an online streaming or social media presence are increasingly tapping into bonded cellular and cloud-based production technologies to capture and deliver these feeds, whether for a live remote or as part of a studio package.

The flexibility offered by these technologies for ‘occasional use’ news set-ups means that no location is too remote. This connectivity allows for real-time broadcasting or streaming from virtually any corner of Europe, ensuring that every voice can be heard, and every perspective covered. This is a significant leap from the limitations of previous election cycles, where logistical challenges often meant that only more accessible areas received extensive coverage.

THE VOTE FOR CLOUD-BASED PRODUCTION The most significant difference between the last major election cycle and the

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one we see now is the rise of cloud-based production. This technology has revolutionised how news outlets, broadcasters, production houses and now, increasingly, citizen journalists and social media influencers produce and deliver election reporting. Commentators – whether senior political figures, industry executives, celebrity voices, or social media personalities – can be easily brought into a production via a weblink from anywhere in the world. It doesn’t matter if the feed is coming from a full-service studio in London or Los Angeles, or directly from the interviewees’ homes, this capability ensures a diverse range of voices and opinions can quickly and easily be brought into live election discourse.

Additionally, cloud-based production offers unprecedented scalability and flexibility. Production teams can quickly adapt to the fast-paced nature of election coverage, responding in real-time to breaking news, unexpected events, or changing circumstances. This means broadcasters can provide continuous, up-to-the-minute coverage without the traditional constraints of physical infrastructure.

The ability to rapidly deploy resources and integrate various media

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formats – from live video feeds to social media updates – allows for a richer, more interactive viewer experience. This not only enhances the depth and breadth of election coverage but also increases audience engagement and participation, making the entire process more dynamic and inclusive.

media, cloud platforms offer clipping and editing tools to create and publish event highlights as they happen. For instance, during a national election night, social media teams can clip and edit key moments from candidate speeches, exit poll announcements, and voter reactions in real-time, ensuring that the most engaging content reaches the audience immediately.

EMPOWERING SMALLER MEDIA AND CITIZEN JOURNALISTS The cloud’s transmission capability provides IP delivery of feeds from One of the key differentiators of this year’s election cycle will be the any location to multiple destinations via the internet, ensuring high-quality increasing involvement of niche and local media titles, citizen journalists, transmission that can support HD and UHD broadcasts. For events in and social media influencers in reporting, commentating, and swaying remote locations with limited internet access, cloud-based transmission voters – particularly younger generations. In the can be supported with UK, the Labour Party has appointed a dedicated bonded cellular services for employee to work with influencers to seed either the primary feed or positive messages about Keir Starmer’s party on as a backup, leveraging 5G YouTube, TikTok or Instagram – underlining the where available. growing impact of election coverage on these The comprehensive types of platforms. range of capabilities and The cloud will enable smaller media flexibility offered by cloudtitles and influencers to rapidly produce based production platforms and generate election content, even using a give producers of political phone as a camera feeding signals to a cloudevents unmatched agility. based production platform. This approach They offer broadcastdrastically reduces production costs, making quality production, highlight it inexpensive to create highcreation, and delivery quality videos. Smaller news not only for live national operations and influencers and regional elections Cloud-based production tools allow crews to work from almost anywhere with but also for streaming posting their own news a laptop and WiFi connection items can produce broadcast-quality political debates, ‘town content for less than $100 per hour. hall’ meetings, and press This shift fundamentally changes the economics of election coverage. briefings. This technology complements existing remote production and Voters can view, share, and engage with a far broader spectrum of political delivery services, allowing content producers to choose the level of service voices and commentators than ever. The democratisation of production they need to effectively cover the political landscape. technology ensures that not only the major players but also smaller, Cloud-based production is revolutionising how elections are covered, independent voices can participate in and shape the election narrative. providing the tools necessary for comprehensive, high-quality broadcasts and streams that can engage audiences across multiple platforms. As we move CLOUD-BASED PRODUCTION IN ELECTION COVERAGE into a future where technological innovation continues to accelerate, the role of Whether it’s an event related to a national election, a regional referendum, cloud production in election coverage will only become more integral. a local council race, or a hard-fought political debate of any size, cloudbased production services offer the versatility and efficiency needed to A LANDSLIDE VICTORY FOR CLOUD meet diverse broadcasting requirements. Cloud video services provide an The rapid evolution of production technology has made this year’s election cycle end-to-end solution that includes remote IP video production, clipping and coverage more expansive and inclusive than ever. With the advent of cloudediting, and transmission. These services enable broadcasters to produce based production, even the most remote locations can be brought into the and deliver broadcast-quality live programming to and from anywhere in the conversation, and a diverse array of voices can be heard. Smaller media outlets world, including near-real-time social media highlights. and citizen journalists now have the tools to produce high-quality content at a For production, cloud-based platforms handle all aspects of the workflow, fraction of the cost, ensuring a broader spectrum of political discourse. from editing and graphics creation to communications and talk-back.

As we move forward, innovative development technologies such as cloud This cloud-based production-as-a-service model gives content producers and AI will be crucial in shaping the future of political broadcast streaming. By the flexibility to use their own crew or rely on external providers to supply broadening access to high-quality production tools, these technologies are not experienced operators who can deliver high-quality programming. only enhancing election coverage but are also paving the way for a wider and As an increasing number of viewers follow election events via social more diverse media landscape.

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VIRTUAL SETS COME OF AGE James Careless looks at how broadcasters are tapping into technology to tell stories in new and immersive ways t has happened: The realistic virtual sets and advanced news graphics that have been wowing TV viewers for years have become accepted elements of broadcast production.

“It’s no longer a gimmick,” says Ray Ratliff, Vizrt’s product evangelist, XR. “Broadcasters and media producers are leveraging these technologies to help them tell their stories, expanding the depth and richness of their stories in new and powerful ways.”

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BETTER QUALITY, EASIER TO USE Just because virtual sets and advanced news graphics have come of age doesn’t mean that these technologies are standing still. In fact, advances in both technologies explain why they continue to impress viewers and news producers alike.

“The improvements in tracking technology for virtual sets have been a game-changer,” states Mike Paquin, Ross Video’s senior product manager, virtual solutions, “These systems are now incredibly precise and reliable, which means they require less maintenance and can be used daily without the need for constant recalibration. The improvement in control systems is also significant: in the past, there were standalone control systems which required a dedicated operator, but with technology like Voyager and Lucid, the control side can be easily integrated with existing workflows, eliminating the need for dedicated operators and extensive training.”

Advanced news graphics have also become easier to use, accelerating the adoption of virtual sets and augmented reality (AR) in TV news production.

“One factor driving this trend has been increasing simplicity in use for day-to-day graphics,” agrees Aldo Campisi, Chyron’s vice president for Latin America, Caribbean, Spain and Portugal. “We’ve focused on simplifying and deskilling daily use of virtual sets and/or augmented reality, even enabling our customers to extend the CAMIO newsroom automation workflow they use for traditional graphics into the world of virtual sets and virtual graphics,” he says. “With this functionality, producers can use a familiar toolset to build graphics in 3D space,

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CBS News' data-driven AR floor graphic during the 2022 US Election in augmented reality, and in virtual sets all while maintaining data visualisation functionality.”

According to Ratliff, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into virtual set and news graphics systems, means achieving “real-time photorealism is easier and more cost-effective than ever before.” At the same time, the ability to format these effects into templates is simplifying and speeding up the production process “without impacting staffing requirements.”

THE IMPACT Collectively, advances in virtual sets and news graphics are allowing broadcasters to explain stories to their viewers in new and visually exciting ways.

For instance, when Thailand’s Amarin TV wanted to explain the progress of an election during a results broadcast, “they visualised the candidates as runners on a race track,” explains David Dowling, chief revenue officer with Pixotope Technologies. “Depending on how well they were doing or how big their numbers were, the graphics showed their positions on the track, plus whether they were still fresh or tired, or about to give up the ghost.”

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Thailand’s Amarin TV visualised the candidates as runners on a race track

Meanwhile, when Iceland’s RUV TV wanted to explain the latest volcano that had erupted on that island nation, “they incorporated an AR volcano onto their news set,” Dowling says. “It was a story-telling element that really helped their presenters explain what was going on.”

Across the TV broadcast industry, “we see customers using immersive graphics to put their presenters in the middle of the action,” states Ratliff.

“Broadcasters place their people in fully virtual environments, bringing more significant presence and context to their stories, helping viewers understand the content better. We’ve seen incredible examples of this globally on a variety of coverage whether it’s elections, sports or other major news.”

“Graphics are now truly telling the story in an immersive way, and they’re not just being used in virtual sets, where talent is in front of a green screen,” adds Campisi. “Visual storytelling is also being enhanced with augmented graphics. The presenter might be standing in front of a true LED video wall with graphics that are brought into extended reality, creating an immersive experience that empowers the newsroom team to demonstrate, visualise, and story tell with much greater detail and emphasis.”

WHAT’S COMING NEXT As impressive as virtual sets and news graphics are today, they are likely to wow viewers even more in the years to come. At the same time, the trend in these technologies is to make them less obvious to the viewer, rather than more.

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“I think that photorealism is something that people are crying out for and I can certainly see that trend having an impact on the way in which graphics are presented,” says Dowling. “Even if it’s just a lower third or a bug, the look will be as close to real life as possible.”

Meanwhile, the technologies that have revolutionised the look of TV news appear destined to break out of this niche.

“At Chyron, we’re increasingly being asked for solutions that help our customers commercialise their productions,” explains Campisi. “By its very nature, a 3D virtual set offers more spaces that may be digitally branded than with simpler 2D graphics. Looking ahead, we can see how advanced skeletal tracking and visualisation — to the point that it’s highly representative and realistic — could be translated across sports and entertainment.

“For example, a match targeting a younger demographic could feature all the well-known athletes on a team stylised to look like characters from a popular animated series or an epic space opera,” he continues. “In other words, properties and brands could be marketed and monetised in remarkable new ways to realise exponential returns.”

Advances in GPUs, AI tools, and decreasing LED prices are now blurring the lines between virtual and actual reality, according to Campisi.

“These innovations will enable hyper-realistic, immersive sets and interactive presentations, enhanced by AR and MR integration. Cloud-based flexibility, real-time automation, and lifelike virtual characters will revolutionise newsroom graphics, pushing the boundaries of visual media.”

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CAPTURE UNRIVALLED LIVE ELECTION COVERAGE elebrating its 20th anniversary in 2024, Haivision is where production teams head when the broadcast schedule gets busy and they are on the road reporting and recording at various locations and need the latest tech. Sometimes renting the equipment to keep production rolling is the best option for everyone.

Thankfully, Haivision and its rental options are always on hand to provide the latest tech and 24/7 premium support for all those last-minute questions.

Known as a leader in live video contribution over any network, Haivision sits centre stage for helping its customers offer unrivalled and seamless broadcast content for today’s demanding audience. The company offers peace of mind for everyone working behind the camera lens.

Haivision provides custom rental packages that include live broadcast contribution equipment, access to cloud services, and roaming data solutions. After two decades in the business, the company has pretty much thought of and dealt with any situation that could arise both on and off air.

When it comes to live broadcasts, it’s vital to have exactly the right piece of equipment at that crucial time so the show can go on. Offering both short- and long-term programs available at competitive pricing, Haivision rental packages are the seamless fit for broadcasters looking for reliability when they’re covering sport, news or entertainment. Haivision can also help you go live from anywhere, fast and is your best choice when covering the latest elections.

The rental products available include a suite of high-end tech that includes Haivision Pro, StreamHub and MojoPro. So, what do you get?

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HAIVISION PRO - MOBILE VIDEO TRANSMITTERS Haivision Pro mobile video transmitters are designed for ultra-low latency, reliable live video contribution over bonded cellular and IP networks from anywhere. Ideal for sports broadcasting, live event production, and newsgathering, the Haivision Pro series offers a range of options for all broadcast situations.

Easy to use and in a portable form factor, the mobile video transmitters provide pristine-quality live video and 5G reliable cellular connectivity – which are ideal when you’re not sure of the location of your next broadcast.

STREAMHUB - BONDED CELLULAR AND IP STREAM RECEIVER The Haivision team designed StreamHub to meet the demanding

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requirements of field-based camera operators and live broadcast producers. Built to receive, decode and distribute live video streams using any Haivision mobile transmitter, the kit allows crews to share live video contributions and return feeds over mobile and IP networks. Supporting both H.264 and HEVC with resolutions up to 4K UHD, StreamHub can be deployed on-prem or in the cloud for integration with all types of live production workflows.

MOJOPRO - PROFESSIONAL CAMERA APP MoJoPro enables journalists to instantly and easily contribute live and recorded HD video into on-premise and cloud-based production workflows for broadcast television, online streaming, and social media.

Packed with advanced camera settings, and video editing features, MoJoPro is available to rent by the hour when used with StreamHub. Its professional broadcast camera features, as well as support for on-screen video returns and audio intercom, enable TV professionals to report on breaking news, cover live sports, and conduct interviews from anywhere at any time.

MoJoPro boasts an intuitive and simple interface that is both versatile and easy to use when in a high-pressure setting. The MoJoPro live streaming app guarantees that mobile journalists are always running the latest version with the correct setting.

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CAPTIVATING THE AUDIENCE overing elections goes beyond just presenting raw data from official sources. It involves captivating the audience with a dynamic showcase that not only presents results in an appealing and comprehensive manner but also provides entertaining content to keep viewers engaged for extended periods. Regardless of the interest level in any given election, data can feel “boring” to viewers if presented without proper processing. Broadcasters must display information in an engaging and understandable format to seize the audience’s attention and avoid overwhelming them with disconnected numerical sequences. Therefore, in addition to raw data, coverage incorporates attractive imagery, real or virtual backgrounds, remote connections, and augmented reality to convey information in a captivating manner.

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It’s essential to recognise that elections are unique events, and broadcasters, especially smaller regional or local TV stations, may lack dedicated teams for such coverage. Furthermore, the complexity of data and the urgency to deliver results promptly render many existing graphic solutions inadequate. Additionally, the technology landscape, design trends, and audience preferences evolve between election cycles. The complexity of the data and the need to present results immediately make many existing graphic solutions inadequate or too time-consuming to set up for such tasks.

Brainstorm began its journey over 30 years ago as a provider of election data graphics. Over time, it has evolved into a comprehensive service provider for clients worldwide, including large broadcasters such as RTVE, NHK, CNBC, BBC, CMTV or RTL, as well as many smaller and regional stations. Leveraging this extensive experience, Brainstorm offers advanced graphics systems like InfinitySet and Aston, perfect for creating bespoke, data-driven election graphics shows. These solutions seamlessly integrate real-time 3D and augmented reality graphics with external data sources, enabling broadcasters to deliver comprehensive and visually engaging coverage, with a vast set of tools that allow designers and producers to unleash their creativity.

Brainstorm empowers broadcasters with a myriad of options to display election data, automatically updating information from external sources for live and real-time updates. Whether the show is hosted on a physical stage,

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Virtual and augmented reality allows for displaying complex data in a comprehensive and engaging way virtual set, or a hybrid setup, Brainstorm can supply real-time graphics and virtual content, from background scenes to dynamic playlists for display on real or virtual screens. Additionally, the versatility of the Brainstorm solutions allows for last-minute changes, even while on-air.

For smaller or local broadcasters seeking an accessible solution, AstonElections offers a customisable and user-friendly platform. With just three simple steps—connecting to the official data source, customisation, and playout—AstonElections enables smaller and regional broadcasters, or even internet content providers, to deliver captivating election graphics that can be run with a minimal production team. Even after the elections conclude, AstonElections remains a valuable tool, capable of generating various statistical graphics and leveraging its CG capabilities for tickers and titling templates.

Using in-context visualisation also makes data more attractive

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ACHIEVE MORE WITH MOTION t is a universal truth understood by anyone who works in broadcast that no two projects and workflows are the same. All broadcasters are looking to achieve the same results – to have an engaged and loyal audience, do more with less, and empower engineering and operational teams to work efficiently and creatively – but every business has a different way of achieving these results.

There is however one common aspiration, to capture as many camera angles as possible. Studio sets and live news productions are primarily designed around the potential camera angles that can be captured. They are the key to unlocking powerful storytelling and creating content that is engaging for the viewer, but the needle really begins to move when you add motion control tools The MRMC team is exceptionally proud of its ability to provide a motion-led answer to a specific problem when a customer has been unable to find a solution elsewhere. With over 50 years of industry pioneering motion control heritage, MRMC Broadcast are unrivalled experts when it comes to solving customer issues around camera positions, automated motion, and putting cameras where people traditionally cannot go.

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Curved Rail and ATLAS PTZ setup with Digi 24 HD

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Studiobot at Al Jazeera

Working with the likes of NRK, Shanghai Media Group and FOX News, MRMC helped to establish robotic arms as a camera-motion workflow that enables broadcasters to drastically increase their production value and improve efficiencies. These powerful workhorses have multiple motorised joints that provide a range of precise and versatile camera movements across multiple axes. They can pan, tilt, roll, and extend to capture more dynamic shots, and be programmed to ensure accuracy and consistency for complex moves. Robotic solutions can also integrate into automated workflows and synchronise with other production elements, such as virtual sets or graphics systems.

From the fully automated StudioBot robotic arm system to the nimble AFC family of robotic heads and the RLS-1 Rail Lift System for PTZ enablement, MRMC Broadcast offers a full range of class-leading solutions that capture every camera angle and move possible, while providing smooth, quiet, and repeatable motion.

MRMC Broadcast solutions are established in high-profile use cases, such as ESPN’s groundbreaking Catalyst Stage, Al Jazeera’s new news studio, and other verticals, such as houses of worship with the impressive Prestonwood Baptist Church installation. Our range of broadcast technology is also an integral part of sports and outside broadcast workflows and is available to rent.

With the intense programme of elections taking place over the coming months, we are working with several high-level broadcasters to provide camera motion solutions that can be installed on a temporary basis.

Whatever your requirements – a rail solution to capture smooth motion of candidate debates, an automated, remotely controlled jib solution for studio production, or a fully-automated robotic arm for VR-based news reports – MRMC can help you design a workflow that fits your needs and drastically increases your creative output.

Learn more about our full range of camera robotic solutions at www.mrmoco.com.

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With over 50 years of class-leading motion control heritage, MRMC Broadcast is unrivalled as an expert in camera movement, automation, and control. Whatever your requirements, MRMC can help you design a workflow that fits your needs.

ADVERTORIAL

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LIVEU TAKES CENTRE STAGE IN GLOBAL ELECTION COVERAGE hen it comes to fast-paced live news events, election coverage represents one of the most complex productions in the news cycle for all broadcasters, and with more than two billion people heading to the polls, and the biggest global election year in history, broadcasters must be confident they have reliable, efficient and flexible production workflows in place.

News outlets have to be meticulous in their planning. Crews spend weeks following campaign trails, debates, primaries and conventions, working long hours, with lots of travel, quick turnaround times, and coordinating with different political parties. At LiveU, we’re supporting our customers with everything they need, helping news teams and embedded multimedia journalists (MMJs) deliver stories in real time in the most creative, agile and cost-effective manner. We’ve been at the forefront of election coverage for over 16 years, supporting the biggest The LiveU EcoSystem names in global broadcasting.

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MORE THAN BACKPACKS…THE LIVEU ECOSYSTEM Live video production is now faster, easier, and more cost-effective with our expanded EcoSystem, for news, sports and other live events.

From contribution, through cloud production to distribution, our IP-video solutions cover the entire video production workflow, incorporating multiple first-party modules and third-party integrations. This hybrid EcoSystem supports both on-prem and cloud deployments combining hardware and software, underpinned by our LRT (LiveU Reliable Transport) protocol for rocksolid reliability and performance.

We have solutions to suit all requirements, from field units for real-time live storytelling on the campaign trail to cloud-based solutions for speeding up time-to-air and engaging wider audiences. The EcoSystem’s open architecture enables users to seamlessly adapt the workflow with their existing set-up (see our EcoSystem technology partners for information on our collaborations).

Our reliable 5G/4G bonded encoders (portable and fixed, multi-cam and single-cam) are essential components of the MMJ toolkit, used to cover the candidates, press conferences, interviews, speeches, debates and more. Our field units (backpacks and pouches) are highly portable live transmission solutions enabling camera crews to follow candidates wherever they are, and transmit live from any location with broadcast-quality live video. No production truck is needed – everything’s available in an affordable pack.

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Complementing the hardware encoders is our LU-Smart mobile app, a simple app that enables the highest quality video transmission from a smartphone. LU-Smart includes LRT bonding of internal WiFi and 4G/5G cellular connections for optimal video quality and resiliency allowing newsgathering capabilities to easily and cost-effectively be expanded across news fleets.

Our LiveU encoders are supported by our rich production tools. These include: IP Pipe, letting operators remotely control a wide variety of network-based equipment; Video Return, enabling field crews to see current programme feeds and/or receive teleprompting information during live sessions; Audio Connect, cloud-based audio solutions allowing news anchors and producers to communicate easily with camera operators and talent in the field; and Tally Light, enabling field reporters and camera operators to know instantly when they’re live on air.

Also playing a key role, our cloud solutions add efficiency, automating and shortening production workflows, increasing the value of assets – all natively compatible with users’ resources. These include: LiveU Studio for 100 per cent cloud video production; LiveU Matrix for cloud-native IP video distribution; and LiveU Ingest for automatic recording and story metadata tagging.

Complementing our remote production (REMI) solution, our On-site Production solution brings new efficiencies to the workflow and is not dependent on local resources – no need for line-of-sight infrastructure, cabling and pre-sourced internet capabilities. The production is completely selfcontained, set-up is minimal and you can go live in seconds.

In places where network conditions may be challenging or in areas with no cellular reception, these solutions can also be combined with our tried and tested suite of live IP-video bonded connectivity solutions, including private 5G for dedicated bandwidth, network slicing (both of which were used for the UK Coronation coverage) and Low Earth Orbit satellites, such as Starlink.

Working in lockstep with our customers over many years has provided us with the unique insight required to develop a rich set of solutions, optimised for the fast-paced rigours of news and election coverage. By supporting embedded journalists, addressing budget constraints, and providing adaptable technology, LiveU’s poised to play a crucial role in global elections.

Learn more about our UK election packages.

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ORF used two studios across its coverage of the results

BROADCASTING THE BALLOTS Sebastian Blaha, head of newsroom operations, tells TVBEurope how the broadcaster put together its coverage of the recent European elections hile much of the UK has been focused on the General Election on 4th July, voters across Europe headed to polling stations to elect Members of the European Parliament.

Between the 6th and 9th of June, around 373 million Europeans cast their ballots for 720 new MEPs. The European block is the second largest democratic electorate in the world. That also meant a busy time for European broadcasters as they brought the results from their own country to viewers, as well as across the region.

Sebastian Blaha, head of newsroom operations at Austrian public broadcaster ORF says planning for the election began last year, with work commencing on a specially designed studio in September. “We started planning for our TV coverage in January,” he adds.

ORF had 15 reporters out and about covering the counts, all using LiveU technology to send video and audio back to the broadcast centre. It also employed an outside broadcasting truck at the broadcast centre to deliver feeds back to ORF’s gallery.

All of ORF’s OB van cameras are Ikegami, while its ENG cameras are

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from Sony. Vizrt’s HTML5-based templated graphics solution Viz Pilot Edge, and its control system Viz Trio helped tell the story of the election to viewers, adds Blaha.

ORF used two studios across its coverage of the results on 9th June.

As well as the specially designed studio, ORF utilised the home of its Zeit im Bild programme. Both studios included LED screens, but ORF decided not to use augmented reality for the EU elections.

According to Blaha, the broadcaster deployed a traditional production team setup for the election show and a different one for its own news programme, both of which employed automated technology via VIZ Mosart.

To tell the story from other countries, ORF utilised highlight cuts from the European Broadcasting Union in its news bulletins.

As with all broadcasters, ORF’s biggest challenge was keeping its viewers engaged after the polls closed at 5 pm as they waited for the results to start being announced at 11 pm, states Blaha. “Viewers in Austria are used to getting information on the ballots shortly after the last polling station closes.”

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ADVERTORIAL

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VOTE FOR TVU NETWORKS TO COVER THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS T

here’s a bustling energy on election day. Polling stations are filled with citizens exercising their right to vote, campaign headquarters are abuzz with strategy sessions, and rallies are packed with passionate supporters. For broadcasters, capturing every significant moment and conveying the excitement and gravity of the event to viewers is a monumental task. This is where TVU Networks comes into play, successfully supporting major election broadcasts for 20 years, and providing innovative tools that make comprehensive election coverage not only possible from anywhere but also seamless.

Picture this: a journalist standing outside a rural polling station, ready to report live as voters cast their ballots. In the past, this might have required bulky equipment and complicated setups. Now, with the TVU Anywhere app, all that’s needed is a smartphone. The journalist goes live instantly relying on bonded cellular technology, capturing real-time voter turnout and reactions with high-definition video. The flexibility to move and broadcast live from any location ensures that no moment is missed.

Meanwhile, back at the campaign headquarters, another team is gearing up for a remote live broadcast. The atmosphere is electric with anticipation. Using TVU Producer, the production team effortlessly switches between multiple live feeds, integrates graphics, and manages the entire broadcast from a cloud-based platform. This allows for a dynamic and engaging live stream that can include interviews, on-theground reports, and expert analysis, all produced professionally without the need for traditional studio infrastructure.

Connectivity is crucial on election day. Advanced live video transmitters that can connect with, and aggregate, private 5G, public networks, and low orbit satellites (Starlink), ensure the best transmission reliability in any condition with the lowest latency. This capability is essential for real-time reporting, allowing broadcasters to cover every corner of the election landscape.

In the past, covering a sprawling election landscape like that of India’s general election would have posed significant logistical hurdles. However, with TVU’s field-tested transmitters, broadcasters have successfully provided high-quality live feeds from rural areas, overcoming connectivity issues and ensuring that every voter’s story is told.

No location is too remote and no event too challenging.

One of the unique advantages is the ability to offer both cloud-based and on-premises solutions, providing flexibility and scalability. Broadcasters can manage their operations from anywhere, ensuring that even the most

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unexpected developments can be reported promptly and effectively. Whether it’s a breaking news event at a remote polling station or an impromptu interview with a candidate, the right tools make it all possible.

On election day, grid views of several voting places and candidates allow broadcasters to follow the action like never before. In a year of heated political tension worldwide, these elections could change a lot, not only in the way the world is currently shaped but also within broadcasters’ organisations as they are highly dependent on who is governing the country. It’s a big year where no one wants to miss any of the action.

Remember the Capitol being taken over in 2021? TVU’s technology captured it in prime time via partner networks, using IP distribution services that allowed broadcasters around the world to share this unprecedented moment in real-time.

Let’s not overlook AI, which has become indispensable in election coverage, making automated content creation for all digital and broadcast platforms essential. With the ability to ingest unlimited feeds in the cloud, scale up and down easily, and automate the clipping of specific candidates using facial recognition and speech-to-text, real-time content creation becomes seamless. This automated generation of digital content, combined with the capability to exchange feeds over IP with virtually no latency worldwide, ensures comprehensive and timely coverage. Real-time clipping triggered by keywords and faces, along with automated tasks such as transcribing audio/video, summarising content, and generating social media posts, frees up editorial staff to focus on higher-value activities, enhancing the overall efficiency and depth of election reporting.

Covering elections is a critical task that requires more than just technology; it requires a partner who understands the complexities and nuances of major live event production. TVU Networks has consistently proven its ability to meet these demands in major elections worldwide.

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Inside the gallery at the Palatino Studios in Rome

MANAGING THE FEEDS Staying on air with the latest news during the European election results was no mean feat for Italy’s Mediaset. Head of broadcasting engineering and operations Marco Di Concetto tells TVBEurope how they pulled it all together or Italian broadcaster Mediaset, the biggest challenge of covering June’s European elections was staying on top of all the different live feeds going in and out of the production control room.

The broadcaster began planning for the elections in February, explains Marco Di Concetto, head of broadcasting engineering and operations at Mediaset Italia. “Most of the final planning was in the month prior to the elections,” he adds.

Mediaset delivered continuous coverage of the results from Sunday afternoon until Monday evening, including a special edition of its political talk show Quarta Repubblica on Rete4 as well as news programmes TG5, TG4, Studio Aperto and TGCom24.

Around 15 reporters were out and about around the country, contributing to the broadcast via ENG backpacks and file transfers, with a further 10 guests dialling in from home using either the internet or cellular networks. “ENGs typically use IP contribution via SRT or other proprietary streaming protocols, with SRT-based video return and FTP for file transfer,” explains Di Concetto.

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The main outside broadcast was based at Italy’s Ministry of Home Affairs in Rome, with the team employing a Flyaway unit. “For all contributions, crews were equipped with professional cameras,” adds Di Concetto. “Raw material was edited either directly by those on site or added to the newsroom system, which is Dalet Galaxy five.”

Mediaset’s coverage was broadcast from two studios, one at its Safa Palatino Studios base in Rome, the other in Milan. Hitachi cameras were deployed in the studios alongside an LED wall in Rome, with RTS providing intercom, and Sony vision mixers and SSL audio mixers in the gallery. Adobe Premiere was used for editing content quickly alongside Dalet CubeNG for graphics.

To cover counts across Europe, Mediaset took feeds from international agencies via both IP and satellite.

Di Concetto admits this year’s coverage wasn’t that different to previous years, apart from the length of the broadcast. “We had to deliver continuous production for a considerable number of hours per day,” he concludes. “The number of live feeds dramatically increased compared to a typical news production.”

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LIVE PRODUCTION

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THE QUAY TO DOWNING STREET dock10’s head of technology operations John O’Shaughnessy tells Matthew Corrigan how the team worked to a very tight deadline to deliver ITV’s leaders’ debates ince first appearing in 2010, television debates have become Julie Etchingham on set an essential part of the process in UK election campaigns, with leaders’ performances seen as potentially game-changing in the race to Number 10. While this year’s General Election was not unexpected, its timing came as a surprise to many. The team from dock10 studios needed to respond rap idly.

Based at the heart of Manchester’s MediaCity, dock10 was chosen to host the two debates produced by ITV and MultiStory Media. “At dock10 we are used to working to late production requests and tight deadlines,” says dock10’s head of technology operations, John O’Shaughnessy. “The hugely skilled team and highly flexible facilities enable us to achieve this. Having worked on many Leaders’ Debates for ITV, stretching back to 2015, as soon as we were aware of the election date we started to design and plan based on previous events. We engaged with the ITV production and news teams as The technology used across both debates included: soon as feasible and adjusted the plans to suit desired variations.”

• Sony HDC-3500 cameras with assorted Primarily tasked with providing technical facilities and staff, dock10 also lenses, pedestals, Jimmy Jib and Furio Dolly delivered diverse transmission and connectivity lines to ITV and third-party • Sony MVS-8000 Vision Switcher providers, along with all ancillary facilities (production offices, green room, • Calrec Apollo Audio Mixer and assorted Hydra2 I/O boxes and network audience handling and seating, dressing rooms etc.) for both of ITV’s debates.

• Riedel Artist and Bolero comms system “Also, bespoke and shared ‘pool’ feeds and communications were distributed • Tait facility-wide comms system across the MediaCity site and to ITV’s ‘spin’ room housing the press and • EVS XT3 candidate support teams,” adds O’Shaughnessy.

• Autocue Given the importance of the debates in the democratic process, the • Multiple centralised facilities (incl. routers, multi-viewers, broadcast fact that they might very well have an influence on who forms the next UK network, glue) Government, it was crucial that everything workws as On-screen graphics included Ross XPression planned. “For the main transmission days, the total for simple name captions etc with Perpetual team varied from 56 (head-to-head) to 70 (7-way) DOG/watermark keyed via the vision switcher. personnel,” adds O’Shaughnessy. “This was made The most challenging aspect of working on up of operational crew, technology team, back-office the debates (apart from keeping the fact that management, co-ordination and scheduling, audience dock10 was the location under wraps, prior to handlers and local security. These numbers exclude the event), says O’Shaughnessy, was the speed ITV production staff and the multiple external teams at which the team had to deliver the broadcast, The full production team of security personnel.

“The request to deliver within a few days along The debates were held in one studio and its with an already busy studio schedule over a halfassociated three galleries (production, lighting/vision and term school period resulted in challenges over equipment and staffing sound). All technical facilities were controlled through a master control room resources,” he states. “Both were accomplished through precise planning, linked to two central technology areas, hosting 100+ racks of equipment. organisation and a fantastic team effort.”

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PRODUCTS

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE THE SWITCH MIMIC PRODUCTION – CLIPPING & EDITING MIMiC clipping & editing is part of The Switch’s end-to-end cloud video services platform, which also includes remote IP video production and transmission. As more people view and follow a broader array of political events via social media - from live debates to user-generated content - MIMiC offers the clipping and editing tools needed to create real-time and post-event highlights. For the multitude of elections taking place this year, MIMiC allows social media operators to clip and edit all key aspects of live election coverage in the cloud, including debates, speeches, campaign stops, and live results.

TELEMETRICS

BRAINSTORM INFINITYSET InfinitySet is Brainstorm’s advanced virtual production, XR and AR solution, which can power complete election coverage with realtime graphics and virtual content, from background scenes to dynamic playlists for display on real or virtual screens, for any kind of environment, real, virtual or hybrid.

In combination with Aston, InfinitySet can integrate virtual reality real-time 3D and augmented reality graphics created from external data sources, delivering visually engaging coverage with a vast set of tools that allow designers and producers to unleash their creativity. On top of that, Brainstorm allows for last-minute changes, even while on-air.

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OMNIGLIDE Now installed and on-air at hundreds of TV stations and news outlets around the world, the Telemetrics OmniGlide Robotic Roving Platform is quickly becoming the de facto standard for news production studios. Among the latest customers is CBS News in New York City, which will use it to cover the US elections in November.

A unique three-corner design and a number of operational and safety features make this rover the safest and most manoeuvrable in the industry. Artificial intelligence-assisted remotely controlled features include Path Planning and Absolute Positioning, which is accurate to the millimetre with no homing required.

There’s also a wireless option that eliminates cables and the challenges they bring.

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PRODUCTS

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LIVEU LIVEU ECOSYSTEM LiveU has been at the forefront of election coverage for over 16 years, supporting the biggest names in global broadcasting. Fast-paced news calls for dynamic, scalable workflows that provide seamless and efficient live video production. LiveU’s expanded EcoSystem is a set of innovative IP-video solutions that cover the entire video production workflow, from contribution, through cloud production to distribution, incorporating multiple first-party modules and third-party integrations. Using LiveU EcoSystem, news teams and embedded multimedia journalists can deliver stories in real-time in the most creative, agile and cost-effective way.

LiveU’s hybrid EcoSystem supports both on-prem and cloud deployments combining hardware and software, underpinned by its LRT (LiveU Reliable Transport) protocol, which guarantees unwavering performance and reliability.

From field units for real-time live storytelling on the campaign trail to cloudbased solutions for accelerating time-to-air and engaging wider audiences, LiveU’s EcoSystem open architecture enables users to seamlessly adapt workflows with existing set-ups.

ANTON/BAUER TITON MICRO The Anton/Bauer Titon Micro packs powerful performance in its compact design, ideal for modern ENG camera systems. With a continuous 10A current, it powers cameras like the FX6 for over seven hours and lasts up to 18 hours for cameras such as the Canon C100 and Sony a7R. An optional Dual Micro Plate doubles runtimes and allows seamless hot-swapping for uninterrupted shooting during full-day events.

Titon Micro powers cameras, monitors, and lights, offering both Gold-Mount and V-Mount options. It features a P-Tap and USB port for rapid charging, ensuring reliable power for accessories. A 5-step LED fuel gauge provides clear battery status. Compatible cameras can display remaining runtime in the viewfinder, enabling operators to focus on capturing events.

For longer days, the optional Dual Battery Micro Plate maximises space efficiency, providing 300Wh in the space of a single regular 14V battery and enabling continuous hot-swapping for uninterrupted coverage.

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IMAGINE COMMUNICATIONS VERSIO Election coverage, especially at the local and regional levels, brings a special challenge into the master control and playout realm — the need to integrate real-time data into the graphics and present it fast. The Imagine Communications Versio integrated playout system supports feature-rich graphics templates that are rendered in high quality in real-time — literally as the data comes in — enabling fast presentation of breaking news, race results, and other live data feeds.

Often used for local news crawls or up-next banner info from the playlist, these dynamically rendered graphics can be fed from a multitude of data sources to air the latest information as it happens. These templates can include graphical elements, dynamic squeeze-back of content, and live scrolling text regions, ensuring the best on-air look for your channel during fast-moving election coverage.

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SONY PDT-FP1 Broadcasters looking to stay ahead in the fastevolving media landscape are discovering the capabilities of Sony’s latest innovation, the PDTFP1 - a portable data transmitter that enables low-latency live streaming and high-speed video and still image transfer over 5G networks.

As a camera companion with external viewfinder, this wireless communication device is proving invaluable in situations where speed is required from image capture to delivery, broadcasting, and distribution, such as news or events photography and broadcast video production. It is suitable for outdoor or indoor environments where a Wi-Fi connection is unavailable, enabling broadcasters to create efficient and simple cloud workflows.

LAWO CRYSTAL BROADCAST CONSOLE With two distinct modes of operation—Power Core and Controller— and available in light and dark finishes, the new crystal is the perfect ­companion for a variety of live broadcast applications. crystal’s design feels instantly familiar and straightforward, giving broadcast professionals a highly intuitive mixing console. While it is a true production workhorse for small to mid-sized on-air studios, its applications go far beyond radio. Its IP-native, high-density 6- or 14-fader control surface is amazingly configurable.

Directly derived from diamond, for which Lawo’s designers studied the way that producers, hosts and talent work, crystal makes moving from a large to a smaller studio or MCR seamless.

In Controller mode, the Main and Fader modules of a crystal console operate independently over IP. This mode turns the new crystal into a convenient OSC-compliant hardware controller for Lawo mc² systems and digital audio workstations (DAW).

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THE SWITCH MIMIC TRANSMISSION MIMiC’s cloud transmission capability offers IP delivery of feeds from any location to multiple – up to hundreds – of destinations via the internet and, where available, The Switch’s private network.

MIMiC enables cost-effective, high-quality compressed video transmission which enables HD and UHD broadcasts. For events in remote locations with limited internet access, The Switch supports cloud-based transmission with bonded cellular services for either the primary feed or as a backup – leveraging 5G where possible.

With the volume of election coverage taking place this year, MIMiC Transmission’s high-quality, low-latency video delivery will keep camera feeds, audio channels and remote production workflows running with minimal delay.

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PRODUCTS

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RIEDEL COMMUNICATIONS The upcoming US elections will showcase the crucial role of advanced video distribution technologies and communications. Riedel Communications, in partnership with East Shore Sound and ATK, a Clair Global Brand, is poised to play a significant role at both the Republican National Convention (RNC) and the Democratic National Convention (DNC).

East Shore Sound will utilise a comprehensive MediorNet TDM deployment to streamline video distribution and real-time routing in advance of OB trucks arriving at an offsite broadcast location. The video distribution setup will be preconfigured, featuring eight MediorNet MicroNs, nine MediorNet Compact Pros, and a MediorNet Modular Frame, ensuring rapid deployment and operational readiness. Routing control will be overseen using 30 Riedel SmartPanels, with communication and coordination support for the video trucks managed by Bolero.

At the primary convention venue, ATK will provide an extensive network including 40+ Bolero wireless beltpacks, 30 SmartPanels, and an Artist-1024 intercom matrix for seamless unified coverage.

APPEAR

ROSS VIDEO ARTIMO ROBOTIC CAMERA SYSTEM The Artimo Robotic Camera System offers a versatile solution for dynamic camera movement in broadcast studios. Designed to operate smoothly across virtually any studio floor, Artimo provides a range of motion from low angles to overhead shots, eliminating the need for additional equipment like dollies and jibs. Its geofencing and LiDAR technology ensure precise navigation around obstacles, enhancing safety and efficiency.

Artimo supports a full broadcast payload, including cameras, lenses, teleprompters, and monitors. It also supports virtual studio, AR and XR production workflows by providing precise tracking data. With its sleek, modern look and integrated cable management, Artimo creates engaging, dynamic shots and looks good on-air, helping producers use more of their studio to tell the full election story.

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APPEAR X PLATFORM The Appear X Platform is a high-capacity, versatile, ultra-low latency platform with high-speed networking, enhanced IP security and advanced compression for the remote production, contribution and distribution markets. Deployable in 1RU (X10) or 2RU (X20) chassis, the X Platform fulfils the highly demanding requirements of elections and news coverage and can be used as a compression head-end of OTT, IPTV, broadcast and for high-density satellite turnaround or monitoring.

Satellite, fibre, and SRT contribution links powered by the Appear X Platform are currently deployed in OB vans and across broadcast networks to support the delivery of live news coverage worldwide. With full support for multiplexing and scrambling, including L2TP delivery options, the X Platform is also an ideal video core in remote PHY wireless deployments. A high-capacity IP gateway, it supports any input formats to any output formats with built-in firewall and traffic policing.

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AUTOCUE PIONEER 17” PORTABLE TELEPROMPTER The Autocue Pioneer 17” Portable Teleprompter travels well and performs in every location. Ideal for dynamic broadcast settings, it offers a highspec monitor with a medium-sized hood for studio-quality performance in any setting. The teleprompter’s adjustable mounting kit and included counterweight guarantee easy setup and balance on camera supports.

Featuring high-bright monitors, the Pioneer Series excels in any lighting condition, keeping presenters on script. The durable metal housing of Autocue monitors is built for longevity, and the 17” monitor offers portability and a 6m/20’ reading range, suitable for various spaces. It supports 3G-SDI, CVBS, VGA, and HDMI inputs, ensuring compatibility with both simple and complex setups.

The Pioneer Portable Teleprompter’s lightweight composite hood accommodates all but the widest lenses. It incorporates Autocue’s 70:30 beamsplitter glass, presenting text clearly to the presenter. For transport, the Pioneer Portable Prompter Wheeled Case provides robust, hard-shell protection.

BLACK BOX

AVID MEDIACENTRAL The Avid MediaCentral platform enables journalists to create the stories audiences need to stay informed about elections.

Be the first to publish breaking news across multiple digital platforms with a single click, with Avid MediaCentral | Publisher, a cloud-deployed fast way to provide information to audiences online and on social media.

All transcoding, content staging, and publishing is handled automatically, enabling you to spend more time creating high-value content that drives traffic and revenue.

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EMERALD DESKVUE WITH AV WALL Optimising workspaces, Emerald DESKVUE with AV WALL gives users simultaneous access to a multitude of information, processes, and alarm systems, plus video feeds from any location.

The IP KVM solution enables better ergonomics with bespoke workspaces and visualisation landscapes for each operator desk.

By limiting switching between systems, DESKVUE allows monitoring of just the needed systems. AV WALL, DESKVUE’s new software feature, supports collaboration within the control room team by sharing source contents to a video wall through the same device.

DESKVUE with AV WALL is easy for operators to use within a comfortable individual desk space, reducing information overflow and stress. The resulting environment empowers users to make quick, informed decisions. When security and safety are on the line, DESKVUE with AV WALL enhances visualisation and clarity to deliver accurate and clear information so control room operators can act fast to avert crises.

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PRODUCTS

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CALREC ARTEMIS For 60 years and counting, the world’s most successful broadcasters have relied on Calrec to seamlessly put sound in the picture, shaping how people listen to historical events. Calrec continues this trend in 2024 assisting broadcasters with fast-paced election coverage.

ITN has three 40-fader Calrec Artemis+ consoles, each with a pair of ImPulse IP processing cores and an Artemis on a hybrid network with a Hydra2 core connected via Gateway. Three surfaces will be in use overnight on the 4th and into 5th July, two for ITV’s results programme with Tom Bradby and one declaration mix for international clients. The fourth will produce the 5 News bulletins on the day. The facility is based on SMPTE ST 2110 and NMOS network protocols, with Arista media network infrastructure and EVS Cerebrum for IP orchestration and control.

BBC News’ main election studio will be using a Calrec Artemis with Hydra2 core to mix their election content.

CINEGY CINEGY NEWS Cinegy News is an all-in-one software solution for live news production that enables broadcasters to quickly and efficiently create high-quality news content. It offers integrated tools for news gathering, story creation, video and audio editing, graphics, and real-time playout, within a single, intuitive interface.

Built on Cinegy’s MAM solution, Cinegy Archive, it allows collaborative work from anywhere, streamlining the entire production process using Cinegy Desktop. Able to handle automated news feeds, rundown creation, and lastminute changes by incorporating Cinegy Air PRO, Cinegy News is an ideal choice for delivering up-to-the-minute coverage of the latest elections.

The package includes award-winning solutions, Capture and Multiviewer as part of its offering. Its cost-effectiveness and ability to run on commodity hardware make it accessible to broadcasters of all sizes. Cinegy News empowers newsrooms to create relevant, engaging content quickly and efficiently, ensuring viewers stay informed during this critical election year.

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DALET DALET PYRAMID Dalet Pyramid for news operations employs a modern story-centric approach that centralises planning through an intuitive dashboard, providing news producers/directors visibility across global broadcast, digital, and social news teams and assets. With a holistic view of the operation and evolving stories, they can assign tasks, monitor story progress and results much more efficiently from anywhere. The mobility and elasticity of Dalet Pyramid allows organisations to easily cover large evolving global stories such as elections with greater ease, speed and efficiency.

An evolution of the traditional newsroom, Dalet Pyramid transforms every aspect of news operations, from ingest and planning to editing and rundown management to playout and multiplatform publication.

Comprehensive metadata management and automation capabilities, along with tools for collaboration and mobility, bring significant operational efficiencies to multi-site, multiformat news operations.

World-class cloud services and a globally distributed customer success team offer a 24/7 support model in 12 languages.

PRODUCTS

DEJERO DEJERO GATEWAY 3220 Dejero has developed a compact and robust mobile network aggregation device in collaboration with Dell Technologies to provide remote news crews with unmatched reliability for mission critical mobile connectivity.

The GateWay 3220 has a ruggedised and fanless chassis designed for installation in broadcast production vehicles and portable kits to provide resilient connectivity to the internet, cloud applications, and private networks.

EBOOK JULY 2024

Ideal for election coverage, the GateWay 3220 provides vital access to reliable, resilient internet, whether you’re looking to produce election news stories for traditional and digital platforms, enable crews to do additional research for a story while in the field, or remotely send in edited packages.

The device supports critical communications at the edge and was developed in response to customer requests for a compact device that integrates its resilient and reliable GateWay network aggregation solution with its patented Smart Blending Technology for diverse environments.

DISGUISE Disguise is ideally placed to drive the next generation of broadcast workflows during election season. With end-to-end solutions, it offers a single platform for content experience and graphics production. Disguise produces high-performance, hyper-realistic graphics that are fully dynamic, such as its Emmy-winning AR version of Washington DC for the US midterm election broadcast.

NBC News and MSNBC showcased the midterm results in a way that provided viewers with an election night experience like no other. By using a digital representation of Washington DC’s National Mall area and The Capitol, combined with Disguise’s powerful PX+ hardware, a virtual setting was created that displayed election data in real time. Through effective use of augmented reality assets with a green screen environment, NBC News and MSNBC transported viewers from the studio to Washington DC - allowing them to view the live election results in a truly immersive experience.

GLOBALM The GlobalM software-defined video network (SDVN) orchestrates resources for video transport services, scaling to multiple endpoints globally - crucial for a year focused on elections around the world. GlobalM features cloud, on-premise, and hybrid capabilities, through the most advanced gateway technology on the market. One key solution for any broadcaster covering the elections is its mobile news-gathering solution, which brings together stories, breaking news, and future planned events as both live streams and

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EMG / GRAVITY MEDIA EMG / Gravity Media is one of the largest broadcast technology and production companies in the world, and is perfectly positioned to support key elections. The organisation has significant capability, with more than 100 outside broadcast trucks and flypacks, as well as 40 studios and production facilities globally. It offers unparalleled technical expertise, working on some of the biggest live broadcasts, ranging from major sporting events to the Coronation of King Charles III. EMG / Gravity Media specialises in political coverage and high-profile events, including work for the Australian Labor Party’s Special Platform Conference and The European Parliament. EMG / Gravity Media’s combined experience on productions at a global scale is perfectly aligned with the elections happening around the world this year.

file-based content, providing assignment desks with a simple overview of what’s happening and what’s available. As demand for content grows in a 24-hour news cycle, media organisations need to quickly verify stories and distribute them with confidence. GlobalM can geolocate network resources for each origin and destination and scale to multiple takers with a unique stream URL for each destination. It can be used with any SRT, RIST or RTMP-compliant encoder or decoder, as well as with the SRT mobile app.

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PRODUCTS

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GLOBECAST The US National Conventions, Republican in Milwaukee and Democrat in Chicago, will be facilitated by broadcast service solutions including BlaCon’s on-site production and Globecast’s international distribution solutions.

ENG crews will be on-site producing customers’ news contribution feeds: 1) produced programme feed available, 2) clean feed, and 3) packaged feed. Political party notables, delegates, convention participants and man and woman on the street interviews, as well as a daily show Join The Conversation via a 3-camera switched shoot will be available.

Contribution signal delivery from Globecast’s media centre is available via HLS, RTMP, SRT internet protocols for streaming media content and via Globecast’s NeXt Generation (GCxN) or Backbone fibre (GCBN) networks, or managed satellite platforms.

INTINOR

HITOMI BROADCAST HITOMI MATCHBOX Hitomi Broadcast’s MatchBox ensures perfect synchronisation of audio and video feeds in live news broadcasts. The MatchBox Analyser accurately measures latency and lip-sync discrepancies across multiple cameras and audio sources, working in conjunction with either the MatchBox Generator, a hardware device situated in the OB truck or MCR, or the MatchBox Glass app, which generates test patterns and tones directly from an iOS device in front of the camera.

MatchBox is invaluable in remote production scenarios, where varying latencies from different sources can be a challenge. By providing precise measurements and adjustments, MatchBox enables broadcasters to deliver a seamless, high-quality viewing experience, regardless of the complexity of their setup.

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DIREKT LINK COMPACT BACKPACK Designed for professional live video streaming, the Direkt link compact backpack by Intinor is your ultimate solution for seamless and reliable broadcasting on the go. Perfect for covering dynamic events like the UK and European elections, this compact powerhouse combines portability with performance, ensuring you never miss a moment.

Featuring Intinor’s innovative transport protocol “Bifrost”, the Direkt link compact backpack guarantees stable and high-quality video transmission by bonding multiple network connections, including 4G and 5G. This advanced technology ensures uninterrupted streaming even in the most challenging environments. The intuitive interface and easy setup mean you can focus on capturing the story, not the equipment.

Ideal for journalists, broadcasters, and content creators, the Direkt link compact backpack empowers you to deliver live coverage with confidence and ease.

PRODUCTS

LAWO LAWO VSC FOR MACOS Meet a virtual audio device for macOS that runs as a service without any internal constraints, turning your local audio into clean, pristine RAVENNA/AES67 streams that can be shared on any AoIP network, also allowing you to receive audio streams.

Today’s broadcasting and audio infrastructures rely on AoIP networks, multi-channel audio as well as desktop and laptop computers. Lawo VSC is a powerful audio application designed specifically for macOS workstations and laptops.

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Supporting sampling rates of up to 96kHz, Lawo VSC is pure software built around a professional, low-latency driver with up to 128 audio channels per virtual audio device. Lawo VSC carries uncompressed, bi-directional audio channels for up to 128 streams per virtual audio device—either in multicast or unicast mode.

With Lawo VSC, users can connect any studio hardware or software they choose from the ever-expanding ST2110/ RAVENNA/AES67 universe. The free version (2 channels, mono or stereo) has just been released.

LITEPANELS ASTRA IP The Astra IP bi-colour LED panel range is the latest evolution in Litepanels’ durable ENG lights designed to meet the rigorous demands of outside broadcast. Building on the legacy of the Astra series, with over 80,000 fixtures in use industry-wide, the Astra IP range raises standards for performance and reliability.

The panels are IP65 rated, weatherproof to withstand extreme conditions like rain, snow, and humidity. This robustness makes them ideal for outdoor use in unpredictable environments. The ultra-efficient LEDs can match various lighting conditions, delivering intense, precise white light with a colour temperature range of 2,700K to 6,500K. Available in three sizes—the traditional 1x1 and now with half size and 2x1 options—these panels offer a versatile option for any assignment. Integrated power supplies and optional battery mounts enhance their dependability, providing seamless power solutions for lighting anywhere.

NXTEDITION nxtedition is a comprehensive microservices-based production platform designed to streamline video production for broadcasters, OTT platforms, publishers, and corporate entities. Its story-centric approach integrates various functionalities such as scriptwriting, media management, live broadcasting, and content publication, making it highly adaptable to different production needs.

For election coverage, nxtedition offers significant advantages. Its ability to handle complex workflows

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MEDIAPROXY LOGSERVER Mediaproxy LogServer records and monitors live video and audio feeds, along with associated metadata to ensure both compliance and quality control for broadcast television and OTT services.

LogServer captures live feeds from various sources, collecting metadata related to these feeds. By comparing this data to automation and playout information, broadcasters and regulatory authorities can easily verify compliance and efficiently monitor content. LogServer also employs the concept of ‘monitoring by exception’, focusing on specific events or anomalies rather than continuously monitoring all channels.

LogServer seamlessly integrates with Mediaproxy’s interactive Monwall multiviewer, enhancing the efficiency in managing multiple TV outputs.

LogServer supports multiple formats for both linear broadcast TV and OTT services including 4k, HD, IP, SDI, HEVC, SMPTE 2110/2022-6, NDI, SRT, Zixi, HLS and MPEG-DASH.

and real-time data integration ensures that election results and updates can be broadcast quickly and accurately. The platform’s automation capabilities allow for efficient management of graphics, camera cues, videos, and audio, which are crucial during fast-paced election night coverage. Additionally, nxtedition’s support for remote collaboration enables production teams to work seamlessly from different locations, providing flexibility and ensuring continuous coverage regardless of the situation on the ground.

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NXTGENBPS NXTGENBPS FOX S NXTGENbps specialises in sustainable, silent, zero-emission batteries designed for demanding environments. The NXTGENbps Fox S (Fox Solar) is an ideal solution for news and OB crews covering elections. Delivering 1kW continuous and 2kW peak power, it ensures reliable, uninterrupted field reporting. Its highly portable design, with integrated handles and wheels, suits diverse locations from urban centres to remote areas.

The Fox S is solar-ready, compatible with an additional solar panel that captures up to 400W in a compact, weather-resistant form. Fast-charge USB and USB-C connectors keep essential devices powered. The Fox S guarantees efficient power for seamless reporting in any location while providing an eco-friendly, zero-emission solution that allows crews to operate sustainably and without noise disruption.

OPERATIVE AOS Broadcasters face the difficult challenge of covering many elections at the national and regional level in several countries this year. Producing the right content that will attract audiences and advertisers is a huge task and will not be profitable if the sales team is unable to monetise it. Operative’s AOS converged media platform empowers media companies to create a centralised product catalogue that makes it easy for sales teams to sell advertising against political coverage in real-time.

The revenue management system ensures that pricing and inventory availability are easy to access and streamlined, and that targeted ad delivery is seamless. Operative AOS means broadcasters can make the most of the election coverage without drowning in the complex work that goes into ad sales, delivery and optimisation.

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PERIFERY Perifery, a division of DataCore, leads the charge in offering innovative storage, asset management, and workflow solutions for the elections this year. It provides rapid, secure, and scalable media infrastructure, optimising asset search with cutting-edge AI tools. Widely adopted by media and news organisations globally, it streamlines the preservation, protection, discovery, and monetisation of digital assets.

Its transformative solutions redefine the optimal utilisation of storage resources, and its advanced AI-driven capabilities leverage unique learning models to improve searchability. Its approach significantly improves the efficiency, accuracy and impact of media asset search. AI+ features intelligent content recognition that helps users quickly find relevant assets based on content rather than relying on assigned metadata, enhancing the accuracy of content recommendations. Users can also perform complex searches using conversational queries, filters, and contextual information. Clear justifications accompany search results, ensuring users understand why each piece of content matches their query, helping news organisations stay ahead of the curve.

PRODUCTS

PHABRIX RX SERIES The PHABRIX Rx Series, available in three form factors (2RU, 1RU and ½ 1RU), delivers advanced 2K/3G/HD/SD signal generation, analysis, and monitoring. These rack-mounted rasterisers are designed for faster compliance testing and fault diagnosis of both video and audio signals. Fully customisable, flexible instrument display layouts allow up to 16 instruments to be displayed simultaneously on a single 1920 x 1080 screen. Advanced diagnostic tools

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include up to four simultaneous Real-Time Eye and Jitter physical layer analysis instruments plus closed caption, loudness, Dolby monitoring and AV Delay generation and analysis. With simultaneous signal generation and analysis, the Rx toolset includes a multi-format waveform, vectorscope and video display, plus an advanced ANC toolset. The Rx Series also offers metering of up to 16 embedded audio channels as well as bitstream generation and analysis of Dolby DE, DD, DD+ and decoding of metadata for Dolby DE, DD and DD+.

PIXEL POWER

PIXOTOPE

CREATE Pixel Power, a Rohde & Schwarz company, offers advanced broadcast graphics solutions ideal for election coverage. In a multi-channel, multiplatform environment, the importance of channel branding and unique on-air looks cannot be overstated. The CREATE graphics solution ensures frame-accurate playout graphics, running on COTS hardware for flexible deployment on cloud-deployed graphics or on-premises.

CREATE delivers sophisticated software for automated playout graphics. Utilising industry-standard tools and techniques, it combines intuitive graphics templates with 3D design and animation, giving graphic designers comprehensive creative capabilities. CREATE also facilitates faster, easier collaboration with a smart user interface.

Pixotope virtual production solutions are designed to empower broadcasters with the tools to uplevel election coverage by offering a blend of realtime data integration, striking visuals, and interactive elements.

Pixotope Fly allows users to generate camera tracking and add augmented reality (AR) graphics from virtually any location with its markerless through-the-lens tracking. Whether using a studio camera, handheld camera or drone, Pixotope lets you create AR overlays to enhance speeches, highlight moments, and showcase data with interactive elements.

With Pixotope Living Photo, static candidate images become dynamic, 3D AR experiences.

This cutting-edge solution empowers broadcasters to tell a more compelling story and redefine how audiences experience the electoral race.

Pixotope also offers robust remote production capabilities that ensure seamless real-time collaboration across teams. This makes it easy to produce cutting-edge content with teams across the globe, focusing on the story instead of the technical aspects of the show.

PROJECTIVE STRAWBERRY Projective’s post production collaboration platform, Strawberry, empowers editorial teams of all sizes to easily scale their post production capabilities and meet the fast-paced demand of election coverage. The platform brings editorial structure and automation to any newsroom, providing a framework for shared projects and integrating with commonlyused creative tools such as Avid MediaComposer and the Adobe Creative Suite.

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Strawberry’s Contextual Search enables producers and editors to find raw material based on project context. Remote reporters and editors can leverage cloud-powered Strawberry Skies to collaborate on creative projects in real-time, using any application, securely and flexibly, from anywhere.

Strawberry accelerates the post production supply chain with proxy support for video and graphics formats, plus easy review and approvals with Strawberry’s Gallery function.

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PRODUCTS

ROSS VIDEO VOYAGER TRACKLESS STUDIO Voyager empowers broadcasters to create stunning virtual environments for augmented reality, virtual studio, and XR virtual LED workflows. Leveraging Unreal Engine by Epic Games, Voyager provides photorealistic graphics with dynamic textures, reflections, and shadows. This flexibility allows for highly detailed virtual sets, allowing reporters to interact with election data visualisations in the studio or put them into the parliament buildings themselves. It integrates seamlessly with Lucid Studio, offering a user-

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friendly control platform that simplifies operation and supports customisation across multiple cameras and graphics engines. Compatible with Ross Video’s robotics and major tracking systems, Voyager ensures smooth integration into existing workflows. With native MOS integration through Lucid Studio, broadcasters can easily incorporate virtual graphics into election segments. Voyager’s native Datalinq capabilities enhance real-time data visualisation, enabling compelling and interactive election night storytelling, keeping viewers informed and engaged.

SACHTLER AKTIV FLOWTECH TRIPOD SYSTEM Sachtler’s aktiv flowtech tripod system has revolutionised news gathering with its rapid setup and versatility. Available in 75mm and 100mm versions, this system adapts to various needs with options for mid-level, ground-level, or no spreader configurations.

The flowtech 75 model supports up to 20kg (44lb), while the flowtech 100 handles up to 30kg (66lb).

Made from high torsional stiffness carbon fibre, the 2-stage flowtech tripod is lightweight and robust. Quick release brakes allow swift deployment and quick adjustments on uneven terrain.

Its ergonomic design includes quick attach rubber feet and an adjustable mid- or ground-level spreader.

Magnetic locks secure the legs for safe transport.

The aktiv fluid head features SpeedLevel technology for one-handed levelling and SpeedSwap for rapid transitions from tripod to slider. No bowl clamp, combined with the flowtech hinge lock, enables extreme low-angle shots offering exceptional perspectives for dynamic news capturing.

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TELESTREAM TELESTREAM LIVE CAPTURE Trusted by leading news organisations and broadcasters worldwide for comprehensive and dynamic election coverage, Telestream Live Capture excels in recording live broadcasts and ingesting off-air and field contribution feeds. With its robust capabilities, Live Capture integrates diverse media sources into production workflows, including live events, debates, and polling station feeds. Its versatility allows broadcasters to adapt quickly to evolving election reporting demands, providing accurate and engaging content.

Supporting formats including ST 2110, SDI, SRT, NDI, and RTMP, Live Capture automates complex workflows and keeps pace with the volatility of election coverage. It integrates seamlessly with other Telestream solutions, including Vantage for media processing and workflow automation, GLIM for clipping and QC inspections, and Live Play for browser-based video playback.

Whether deployed on-premises, software-only, or cloud-native (coming soon), Live Capture empowers broadcast teams with unmatched flexibility, scalability, and reliability for remote election coverage and real time collaboration.

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The OmniGlide Is Roving The World!

The innovative Telemetrics OmniGlide® Robotic Roving Platform has literally taken the industry by storm, bringing new freedom of movement and accurate remote control to every production. The rover is allowing production studios to easily and precisely program unmanned, on-air camera moves not possible before. And the OmniGlide makes a nice set piece, offering viewers a high-tech look that’s sure to keep ‘em coming back. Telemetrics’ got all the right moves. Find out what it can do for your studio.

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