NRK modernises production with VideoIPath

NRK is Norway’s public service broadcaster, offering three national TV channels, 14 national radio channels and digital platforms that together reach 89% of Norwegians daily. Its broadcast operations are centred around four main production hubs, including main office in Oslo as well as regional centres in Tromsø, Trondheim, and Bergen.

NRK is currently delivering an ambitious modernisation project, with the goal of making content creation the focus of its operations. The broadaster’s objective is to centralise equipment used for content production into data centres, while also being able to fully support the needs of its regional points of presence. Increasing NRK’s ability to capitalise on new opportunities also means building a flexible and scalable infrastructure to support evolving production workflows.

At the heart of this agile infrastructure is NRK’s broadcast control system (BCS). The solution is based around Nevion’s VideoIPath media orchestration platform. A key component of Sony’s Networked Live offering, VideoIPath 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). The orchestration platform’s open architecture allows it to be readily integrated into existing environments, with interfaces to virtually any device and support for familiar control surfaces. ​

Leveraging Sony’s extensive experience in broadcast control, VideoIPath has an established market-leading position in media network orchestration. Its capabilities have evolved rapidly in recent years to provide enhanced broadcast operations functionality that maximises the benefits of IP-based working – as with the distributed nature of production envisaged by NRK.

NRK’s selection of VideoIPath was based on the platform’s forward-looking design and the high quality of services delivered by Sony and Nevion, as well as the technology partnership approach offered to the broadcaster.

“We are effectively embarking on a business transformation process that also involves a rethinking of our production infrastructure” explains Pål Nedregotten, CTO/CPO at NRK. “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.”

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

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

NRK has also engaged with professional services from Sony for delivery of the major project.

Find out more about VideoIPath