BBC Wales to install networked digital news system

BBC Wales is installing a networked digital news system, including desktop editing and production servers, based on Grass Valley systems from Thomson.
The system, which will be rolled out during 2006, covers eight regional centres across the country.
The system is the first major installation in the UK of Grass Valley’s K2 Media Server platform, launched at BIRTV and IBC in 2005. K2 uses a radical new architecture, combining standard IT technology such as gigabit ethernet with highly specialised software to deliver the high level of performance demanded for critical broadcast applications such as news.
At BBC Wales the K2 network supports browse resolution as well as online resolution storage. The browse resolution content is distributed over the existing network to NewsBrowse desktop editors, allowing journalists to cut their own stories quickly and accurately. Packages which require additional treatment can be handed over to Apple Final Cut Pro craft editors, which are directly attached to the K2 server. The Grass Valley digital news production system is linked to the BBC’s ENPS newsroom system via MOS, and to a new tape-based archive system.
Wyn Jones of BBC Wales said: “We looked carefully at all the options for streamlining our television news production system. We needed a solution that delivers all the functionality we require, interfaces well with our Final Cut Pro editors, is future-proof should we need to move to HD, and is extremely cost-effective.” (CD/CL)