TG4 selects Pharos Mediator to build better workflow across the business
2 year selection and qualification process chooses combined Pharos and Sony based solution to deliver end-to-end workflow; New desktop workflow and fully HD compliant, file based system opens door to new services and helps broadcaster to focus on programming and creativity
The benefits will be felt across every department and will ultimately let our staff focus on their production and content preparation jobs and less on the time consuming administration duties that have gradually taken up more of their valuable time.
Neil Keaveney, Director of Technology for TG4
Reading 3rd September, 2009 - Pharos, a leading content management and workflow provider, announces leading Irish Language Broadcaster TG4 has selected Pharos Mediator as the foundation for a major initiative to pave the way for new services, delivery mechanisms and long term archiving. The selection of Pharos Mediator was based on an intensive EU procurement process in accordance with Government funded organisations.
As Neil Keaveney, Director of Technology for TG4 explains, "We looked at media management solutions roughly 5 years ago. At the time, we felt, that the available technology and solutions were not mature enough and our needs could still be met by a combination of file and tape based systems."
However, since its launch in 1996, TG4 has grown its audience substantially and was an early pioneer of broadband-based TV services, which it launched in 2003.
The multi award-winning Broadcaster is also part of the scheme run by the BCI to archive media content in high resolution for future generations as well as providing programming to schools in 32 counties via the HEAnet national high speed network.
The multi award winning broadcaster has a remit under broadcasting legislation to preserve and grant access to its programme archive. The BCI or Broadcast Commission of Ireland are currently developing an Archive scheme for national channels. TG4 coincidentally shares the same broadband infrastructure as the HEAnet, which could facilitate University and Schools access on a 32 county basis.
As John Higgins, Systems / Project manager for Media Asset Management systems at TG4 explains, "With more content required for on-demand, a strong in-house production team and high definition TV just over the horizon, we were starting to feel the strain on our people and resources."
Following extensive research at several industry trade shows and backed by a six-month project to catalogue their existing workflows, Keaveney and Higgins began the formal EU tendering process in late 2007. The procurement project reduced the number of prospective suppliers from 6 to just 2 with a combination of Sony and Pharos proving the best fit based on a tough final assessment criterion grading features, reliability and flexibility.
"It is a balancing act between all the different criteria but we were particularly impressed by the way Pharos manages workflows, the strength of Mediator' desktop user interface and the fact that Pharos provides an open API," comments Higgins, "We are a pretty self sufficient organisation and we felt that a system that would allow us to make modest changes in-house without recourse to external developers fitted well with our ethos."
The project is currently going through final equipment testing with the first ingest phase due to go live in September. The Pharos solution will act as our key integration platform between other key technology systems from MediaGenix, Omneon and Sony.
"The system is going to have a profound and positive long term effect on our organisation" explains Keaveney, "The benefits will be felt across every department and will ultimately let our staff focus on their production and content preparation jobs and less on the time consuming administration duties that have gradually taken up more of their valuable time."
"TG4 entertains nearly a million viewers every day, producing everything from live news and sport, as well as highly popular in house shows such as Paisean Faisean." Says Russell Grute, Marketing Director at Pharos, " An award winner for its promos and idents, TG4 also offers the TG4 BEO VOD service. Pharos and Sony have worked closely to devise one of the most tightly integrated systems ever, to improve productivity and allow TG4's creative and technical teams get the most out of every piece of content and equipment."
Pharos solutions help multi-channel broadcasters and service providers quickly adopt and benefit from file based multi-platform distribution. With Pharos, organisations can simplify workflow processes, unify operational teams and better utilise the technology infrastructure across the entire broadcast value chain. Millions of media assets across hundreds of television channels are powered 24/7 by Pharos' software architecture, integration expertise and comprehensive support services.
Final roll out of the complete solution is planned for mid 2010.
About Pharos
Pharos delivers content management and workflow to broadcasters and service providers in television, radio, VOD and mobile distribution. Pharos solutions help global media companies rapidly adopt and benefit from file based multi-platform distribution. With Pharos, organisations simplify workflow processes, unify operational teams and better utilise the technology infrastructure across the entire broadcast value chain.
phpr-206
Published on 3 Sep 2009