Avid Media Browse finds favour in US

Avid Technology have announced the sale of a 70-seat Avid Media Browse system to WLS-TV in Chicago. WLS, an owned and operated (O&O) station in the ABC family, will use the new system in conjunction with an existing Avid iNEWS newsroom computer system to give their journalists the ability to view video, edit stories, and add audio voice-over tracks from their existing desktops.
The Media Browse system allows producers, journalists and writers to share media assets from their desktops. Developed with input from newsroom journalists, the system saves time in the news production process by providing immediate, enterprise-wide access to ingested video.
Staff can also share ingested media with anyone on their team, and also cross-reference scripts with video, drop low-resolution footage directly into the timeline or add voice-over to the story, all from a networked workstation.
"Like many stations contemplating a transition to an all-digital newsroom, WLS wanted to move away from the chaos of tape and into a more flexible production environment," said David Schleifer, Director of Avid Broadcast.
"With Media Browse, WLS can now adjust to stories on the fly because everything they need – from production elements to state-of-the-art tools – is right in front of them on the desktop. This will really hit home when they can deliver late-breaking stories to air as if they were working on them all day."
WLS purchased version 2.2 Media Browse, which now includes tighter integration with Avid's iNEWS system for creating story text. The WLS system includes 36 seats licensed for browse only, and 34 seats licensed for browse and edit.
The new Media Browse system at WLS will be connected to NewsEdit editing and Profile server systems from Thomson Broadcast.
"Connecting Media Browse to existing technology is easy by design," said Mr Schleifer.
"Our solutions are compatible with virtually all the leading newsroom systems so that customers can build a next-generation Avid-enabled news environment at their own pace; a pace that enables them to draw maximum value from their existing investments before upgrading to a new tool or platform."
Avid Technology, www.avid.com
(GMcG)