Discovery Networks Europe opens extensive media transmission centre

Discovery Networks Europe, a division of leading real-world entertainment company Discovery Communications, has opened one of Europe’s most extensive media transmission centres, distributing 48 television broadcast feeds to 104 countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
The 10,000 square-foot centre is located at the company’s European headquarters in Chiswick Park.
Content for Discovery Network’s 12 brands broadcast throughout the region, including the flagship Discovery Channel, will be prepared for transmission at the tapeless facility.
The centre was also designed to accommodate emerging multi-media formats including high definition television, 3G and other mobile technologies and broadband content delivery.
The centre, which will broadcast 31 million minutes of programming per year to 173 million cumulative viewers, was built by Ascent Media and will be staffed by more than 50 Ascent Media employees.
Bob Gentry, senior vice president, Ascent Media Network Services Europe, added:
"Ascent Media is proud to have been chosen as the Global Technology Partner for Discovery Networks. Chiswick Park is the European state-of-the-art Transmission Centre that we are providing for Discovery Networks Europe, building on our experiences with the company’s facilities in the US and Singapore. Together with Discovery, we have created a high quality, high reliability, high flexibility technology platform that will allow DNE to expand and broaden the offerings to it's audience. This is a truly tapeless, file-based environment capable of delivering on all of Discovery's business needs today and in the future."
(CD/SP)