Increasing Productivity and Flexibility Through Newsroom Automation
The COVID-19 pandemic with its shelter in place orders and social distancing mandates has transformed the flexibility to effectively work remote from a luxury into an operational necessity . Large meetings are now taking place virtually from dining room tables and the morning commute to the office has gone from 45 minutes to just 45 steps—including that pitstop for your morning coffee. Just as boardrooms have moved into the dining room, newsroom operations are also finding their new home outside of the broadcast facility. However, leading technology manufacturers are helping media operations make this transition without skipping a beat.
Sony’s ELC (Enhanced Live Control) Automation System is designed to meet the growing demands of broadcasters for newsroom automation to enhance operational efficiency and newsroom productivity from any location. Faced with the common challenge facing many of today’s industries of needing to deliver more with less, broadcasters are leveraging newsroom automation to increase their production capabilities and overall programming without increasing their costs.
Solutions like Sony’s ELC supports new efficiencies for media operations via enhanced remote capabilities that include full control room operation with as few as a single operator—from any location. For example, let’s say a station in Miami and a station in Denver are both equipped with ELC systems, and a hurricane or even a COVID-19 case forces the evacuation of the Miami facility. These two sites could easily establish a trust connection that would enable the Denver location to have temporary remote control and in order to maintain on-air production.
In addition to these emergency type situations, the ELC also supports a centralized control hub model to improve staff utilization and support a remote workforce. Whether working in a centralized facility or even their home, remote directors can newscast programs for multiple stations from anywhere in the country, bringing more shows and high-level talent to each of the network’s markets.
While solutions that met the immediate need for a remote workforce have certainly taken off in 2020, constantly changing conditions are still pushing an evolution of technology to deliver an enhanced ability to be connected while apart. Solutions like this that promote a hybrid environment and offer a seamless remote and on-site connection will continue to provide lasting value.
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