Submitted by
Orad Hi-Tec Systems
Runner-up: Scripps
Submitted by: XOrbit
Canada's Global Television Network has a viewership spread across five time zones — with regional broadcast centers in Vancouver, Toronto, Edmonton and Calgary as well as stations in 10 other communities. Global TV recently brought online seven new virtual production studios to pave the way for a cost-effective HDTV transition. Based on Orad's ProSet virtual studio solution, it implemented virtual studio production facilities at its broadcast centers in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. The fourth and final virtual production facility, located in Toronto, will be completed by spring 2009.
Each regionalized newscast uses local talent, while production of the news show is centralized at the virtual studio. Local news items are transmitted to the centers via FTP prior to each broadcast. At airtime, remote-control cameras transmit the image of the local anchor, sitting in front of a green screen, via fiber. The smaller stations rely on a two-camera studio setup, while the larger stations use three cameras; all use Telemetrics robotics and an H-Frame rig.
At the production facility, ProSet provides virtual studio backgrounds and produces images appropriate to the program's location. It then transmits the broadcast back to viewers in the local market. Global TV uses the Orad HDVG (high-definition video graphics) rendering platform to ensure that its virtual sets run in real time without a hitch. Global TV built the foundation for its conversion to HD with a one-time investment in equipment, which can be leveraged across multiple newscasts and time zones. This represents an estimated one-fifth of the capital expenditures that would have been required to upgrade each regional control room. With the virtual studios, local news directors and producers remain in complete control of their programs, but ProSet gives each show a unique look and allows common content to be repurposed across multiple broadcasts and time zones. The best resources of the network can now be brought to bear for any regional news production.
