NCPower Pro at n-tv - news production around the clock
Type of delivery:
At n-tv, NorCom's NCPower makes a 24-hour continuous news production possible.
In September 2004, n-tv moved their news production from Berlin to Cologne and decided to modernize their newsroom system. NCPower was the ideal solution for the news broadcaster; the successful installations at other RTL stations in Europe had already proven the quality of the system, and would allow them to work in a highly efficient and flexible way.
n-tv broadcasts news around the clock, keeping their viewers informed of all the latest news. News is broadcasted hourly, with a business update presented at half past every hour. The modern multichannel-capable newsroom system supplies n-tv's viewers with reliable and up-to-date information.
Thanks to the high integration capabilities of the system, NCPower allows newsroom staff to prepare content in far fewer steps. In day-to-day newsroom operations NCPower offers:
- a high degree of news automation
- direct management of audio and video mixers, on-air switchers, video servers, microphones, cameras and graphics generators
The task in detail:
- Integration of the Solutions for Media (S4M) Video Production Management System VPMS. MPEG-1 low-resolution copies are made of the high-resolution MPEG-2 4:2:2 videos and the relevant metadata ingested into NCPower. Journalists can view and edit the MPEG-1 material from any workstation (EDL export).
- Automatic detection of scene changes and generation of key frames and time code information.
- Automatic generation of metadata based on OCR (optical character recognition) in single video frames.
- Research facilities and video-navigation.
The following third-party devices/components can be directly controlled via NCPower:
- vizTrio (3D character fenerator)
- vizPilot (graphics and playout)
- Solo news automation (on air switches, mixers etc.)
- S4M
- ADC100 (follow-up videos)
New features for newsroom staff:
The changes resulted in convenient and time-saving work processes for the newsroom staff. Specifically, all research is handled via a single browser/window:
- News agencies (wires)
- Drope-sheets
- Archive content
- Internet content
In addition, all functions are handled in the same browser/window:
- Broadcast sequences
- Fields for commentaries
- Fields for reports
- Fields for graphics/animation instructions
- Fields for production instructions
Further features:
- Video editing with creation of sound track at workstation on low-resolution basis
- Inclusion in broadcasting schedule
Roll-out of the new newsroom system:
- Approx. 100 parallel workstations
- Approx. 300 newsroom employees
- On air since August 2004
- Replacement of Newstar 24 hour newsroom system by NCPower, a new and modern system.
- Full management of all equipment in the news and business studio or consoles.
- Production in half hourly intervals. News is broadcasted hourly, with a business update presented at half past every hour.
Role of NorCom:
- Project management, development and implementation.
- Delivery of products and system integration via EAI (XML-Bus) of many components and devices.
- Video editing with creation of sound track at workstation on low-resolution basis.
