NRK picks Nevion VideoIPath as the Broadcast Control System for Unified Radio and Television Production

As part of its modernization initiative, Norwegian public broadcaster NRK has chosen VideoIPath, the media orchestration platform from Sony Group Company Nevion, to control its evolving broadcast operations, as well as professional services to deliver the project. The broadcast control system (BCS) was picked after a thorough competitive evaluation process, based on the modern design of the platform, the high-quality of the delivery services, and the partnership approach that was offered by Nevion.

NRK’s operations are centered around four main production hubs, including its headquarters in Norway’s capital Oslo, with district offices across the country. The broadcaster is now embarking on a modernization project aiming to make content creation the focus of operations. It wants to centralize the equipment for content production into datacenters, while also being more present and available in regional locations. The broadcaster is also looking to increase its ability to change. This of course means building a flexible and scalable infrastructure to support new production workflows. At the heart of this infrastructure is the broadcast control system.

VideoIPath is a key component of Sony’s Networked Live offering and is widely deployed by broadcasters and telecom service providers throughout the world in applications as diverse as contribution, remote production, facilities, OB trucks and GCCG (ground-to-cloud-cloud-to-ground). VideoIPath is also an open system that allows it to be integrated into existing environments, with interfaces to any device and equipment, and support for familiar control surfaces.

Leveraging Sony’s extensive experience in broadcast control, VideoIPath, which has a long-established market-leading position in media network orchestration, has rapidly evolved in recent years to provide broadcast operations functionality designed to maximize the benefits of an IP-based infrastructure – and in particular the distributed nature of production envisaged by NRK.

Pål Nedregotten, CTO/CPO at NRK explains: “We are effectively embarking on a business transformation process that also involves a rethinking of our production infrastructure. Our vision is about being nimbler and more cost-efficient in production of course, but also more sustainable – with less duplication of equipment and a better use of our resources. We were looking for partners who would share our vision and approach, and we found them in Nevion and Sony.”

Thomas Heinzer, CEO at Nevion adds: “VideoIPath obviously has a well-deserved reputation as a premier network orchestration system, but this exciting project underlines the platform’s broadcast control capabilities. Our vision for these is not rooted in legacy, but forward-looking, and optimized for the new workflows enabled by IP, such as those envisioned by NRK.”

Olivier Bovis, Head of Media Solutions, Sony Europe, concludes: “Technological innovation is at the core of our relationship with NRK, which spans more than 30 years. The commitment and confidence that NRK shows in the cutting-edge technology of the Sony group is unparalleled and we look forward to further strengthening television production in Norway.”

VideoIPath will be on show at the NAB Show (Las Vegas, 14-17 April, 2024), in the Networked Live area of Sony’s booth C8201.

Further information about VideoIPath can be found here: https://nevion.com/videoipath/