MONTREAL, ONTARIO, CANADA — The News 12 team evaluated all the options on the market for upgrading studio automation and went with the latest Grass Valley Ignite Automated Production System with the Kayenne K-Frame Video Production Center.
“We were the first station in the country to use the automation system that preceded Ignite, so Grass Valley has been an important part of our success over the years,” noted Milan Krainchich, vice president of operations for News 12 Networks, the regional cable-only news networks comprising a Cablevision subsidiary. “The Ignite system is capable of cutting live news as well as freeform breaking news for an extended period of time, which is extremely important to us. Our operators value that they can tailor the workflow in a way that works best for them.”
Ignite is designed as a complete link between the control room and the newsroom with single-operator capabilities. It allows one operator to manage control room devices used to produce live newscasts and event programming, making it possible to control on-air timing, accommodate last-minute show changes and direct any type of production on the fly. It also assists in repurposing content for digital multicasting and webcasts, increasing overall production value.
News 12 uses Ignite to control six cameras in its studio connected through a Kayenne K-Frame switcher. The Ignite Katalyst control panel was considered a critical component of the workflow for its purpose-built, tactile surface that enables live productions using Ignite. Another important new component was the Media Object Portal Gateway newsroom control system portal, which provides visibility from Ignite into the control system that details what has changed, where that change is in the rundown, and alerts the director if there are conflicts that require attention.
“The way the whole system comes together, including integration with ENPS and other devices, is one of the biggest benefits for us,” Krainchich added. “Also, we appreciate having choices over control surfaces while being able to operate the system on air with a standard keyboard or with the Katalyst dedicated control panel, but not requiring a full switcher control panel and audio mixing console. It’s the right solution for us.”
Providing 24-hour news coverage to cable viewers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, News 12 operates seven distinct local channels as well as an interactive network of websites and mobile applications. The demands for productivity in a 24-hour news environment are intense, so the group leverages automation solutions to maximize its operation and improve efficiency. Launched more than 30 years ago, News 12 has been using automation solutions from Belden&8217;sGrass Valley, from inception.
