Data Media: story of success in the integration of audiovisual projects

Four years have been enough for a small company founded by two professionals with long experience in the broadcast industry such as Tomas Nielsen and David Martínez to become a reference in the comprehensive implementation of audiovisual projects, covering everything from consulting and advice to support, including the supply and integration of technology. These are the keys to this success.

In just four years, Datos Media Technologies has gone from a small company founded by two professionals with a long history in the broadcast industry such as Tomas Nielsen and David Martínez to being a reference in the comprehensive implementation of audiovisual projects, covering everything from consulting and advice to support, including the supply and integration of technology.

Behind this success story is a group of professionals with extensive experience in integration, installation, supply, implementation, training and maintenance specifically of technology for production, archiving and distribution of audiovisual content. Data Media offers the necessary services to integrate a solution from scratch and complete it turnkey during its entry into production. Its service catalog is divided into four main pillars: project consulting, solution provision, solution integration and quality support.

Currently, the Data Media staff is made up of around twenty professionals with a large weight of technical profiles (70%) versus administrative and commercial profiles (30%).

Tomas Nielsen, managing director at Data Media, admits that "since our birth we have exceeded growth forecasts despite the years of crisis. We have grown exponentially in these years, both in billing and experience."

"When we launched Data Media in the middle of the crisis, in the integration sector everyone was looking outside of Spain, especially towards Latin America. We were clear that where we could offer something different to the market was in Spain because we knew very well its needs and the way of doing things. Our expansion has been towards Portugal for reasons of proximity and knowledge of the market, although I recognize that expansion to Latin America is something that we have latent due to language issues and the close relations between Spain. However, we have no short plans "We will be wherever we can add value to a market, whether it is America, Africa or Europe."

First, the client

Its advisory and consulting services appropriately choose audiovisual technology and investment according to the client's real needs, as well as the analysis of needs and optimization of the work process. To achieve this, Data Media places an essential value on knowledge.

This has been a unique differential value for an integration company that entered a delicate economic moment just four years later to find itself in an enviable position recognized by the entire sector.

David Martínez, Operations Manager, recognizes that the key to this success "has been to remain faithful to our principles and value the knowledge acquired during the last twenty years that we have worked in the sector. We consolidated the company around our core of knowledge in high bay applied to the production of news, programs, continuities and from there we offer the market high-level knowledge in that specific technology and market niche."

Four years later, and once the crisis begins to subside and investments are released, the company is immersed in a considerable number of important projects to which it brings high specialization in post-production, MAM, continuity, archive, storage...

However, the integration business is highly competitive. How has Data Media managed to get its head around and consolidate itself in such a short time? In Martínez's opinion, the reason is that "we are neutral integrators since we do not depend on other audiovisual corporations. On the other hand, we are very focused on offering the best integration service. For us, the first thing is always the client. For example, we do not take two brands and tell them 'talk to each other and integrate your solutions'. We are the ones who take charge and are responsible for that integration, managing the entire project from start to finish."

Otro de los secretos del modelo de negocio de Datos es, según las necesidades de cada proyecto, integrar marcas que, incluso, no están en su amplio portfolio compuesto por referentes internacionales como Avid, Tedial, Ross Video, Quantum, Disk Archive Corporation, MOG Technologies, Glookast, Shotoku, Pebble Beach, FileCatalyst, Marquis, Roots, Panasas, DVS (Rodhe & Schwarz), Cube-Tec, Actus, Store Data, Oracle, IBM, Axon, Ooyala…

"The objective is to always provide the best service to the client with the most appropriate brand, whether we represent it or not. When we face a new project, we always put ourselves in the role of the client, thinking about 'what do I need beyond what a specific integrator can offer me,'" emphasizes David Martínez.

Nielsen adds that "to know the technology very well it is necessary to have a very close relationship with the manufacturer but without losing the independence that a good integrator must have. We constantly consider this balance. Little by little we see that this approach of independence is being accepted, although logically all manufacturers like to have Data Media to sell their product with the maximum reputation. In the end, the manufacturer accepts that the best solution for a client is not always the one that manufactures one. In this sense, working with both manufacturers and clients with total honesty and transparency are values. essential.”

"The market is changing since now the client has direct access to the manufacturer due to the existence of fewer language barriers and the Internet. Therefore, if we want to be in the circuit we cannot be satisfied with just putting the client and manufacturer in contact but we have to add value to each solution we deliver," defends Nielsen.

Starting from this premise, Data adds high value to integration, especially in projects that mix traditional broadcast with new IT environments where workflows become very complicated and interoperability between solutions from different brands is a vital issue.

"We try to be the end-to-end of customer service with knowledge as the basis of everything. When starting a project, we look for the best solution based on our knowledge and the acquisition of new ones as needed. Therefore, in our projects we always assume all the challenges, leaving all the knowledge and experience as another asset before new challenges that may arise," says Martínez.

Tomas Nielsen highlights that "we offer a very high technical specialization. We not only offer solutions to the client but we help them fit them into their workflows and that requires great specialization."

Medium

After-sales is also an excellent source of knowledge. "When you are on the first line of support, our technicians, who are the same ones who developed the project... are up to date with all the techniques and needs of the client. Thus, you do not need to call the manufacturer since we always provide the first line of support," highlights Martínez.

In fact, 95% of cases at the support level find a solution by Data Media on the first line. Only 5% of incidents go to the second line of support. To achieve this, Data tries to cover all the knowledge not only through training and certifications but by getting involved in the day-to-day work during the pre-project, its start-up, integration, installation, training and, finally, after-sales with preventive, corrective and evolutionary support remotely or on-site. "This allows us to keep all the know-how in-house, without depending on third parties. We are more agile when designing solutions because we have the knowledge independently or in addition to the message or knowledge provided by the manufacturer," Martínez admits with complete sincerity.

This line of independence from brands, far from creating suspicion among manufacturers, has earned them recognition at the highest level. A good example is found in Avid. At the last Avid Connect held in Las Vegas during NAB 2017, the American multinational awarded the Spanish company as the best partner in EMEA. "This distinction reflects our commitment to the brand, defending not only the client but also the client before the brand. Many times the vision that the manufacturer may have may not be completely synchronized with the client. We have made those visions synchronize. And by synchronizing them we have allowed us to carry out important projects in which the brand and the client fully trust us," says Martínez.

Data Media thus acts as a bridge and integrator in the not only technical but also human part between the client and the brand, synchronizing the manufacturers' solutions and the clients' needs. For this reason, the opinions of their professionals are taken into account by large brands such as Avid, who know that Data is very sensitive to the real needs of the market.

This close relationship between manufacturer and integrator allows technology giants to streamline structures while ensuring that their systems function perfectly. In the case of Avid, more than 95% of the incidents that may arise with its solutions are solved by Data support.

In the case of other manufacturers such as Quantum, they have also recognized the work of Data as the fastest growing partner in the EMEA region.

Danmon Group

Data Media is integrated into the Danmon Group, made up of companies the size of the Spanish one, each of which is specialized in very specific technologies and markets: studio, graphics, transmission, audio... This adds a greater range of knowledge that comes to Data Media from the international group itself. At the same time, Data exchanges experiences with other companies in the group, further expanding that highly appreciated pillar, knowledge. In fact, projects as complex as the one carried out at Al-Jazeera in Doha would have been difficult to take on without this exchange of knowledge.

The integration with Danmon has made it possible to exponentially multiply the possibility of applying its know-how in new fields and territories with a broader vision in terms of business areas and integration.

Founded in 1981, Danmon Group has developed a long-established group of media and broadcast solutions providers that combine in-depth experience with the ability to implement new technologies quickly and efficiently. The group distributes a wide range of products from the world's leading hardware and software manufacturers and offers bespoke systems including turnkey television and radio studios, newsrooms, post-production rooms, master control rooms, media archives, playback centres, broadcast vehicles and enterprise solutions for high-end audio interfaces, IP infrastructure, telecommunications and satellite communications.

Projects

From the point of view of integration, Data Media is convinced that a high degree of technological integration is synonymous with success in any project in the audiovisual sector. To achieve these high levels of integration, Data Media has the best professionals in this field, with extensive experience in integration and work processes.

Although there have been very numerous projects carried out in its still short life, these are some of the most relevant.

In production and news, the latest projects include the renewal of news programs on Aragón Tv, the sports and program production system of Movistar+ and the digitization of Televisión de Galicia.

Continuing, one of the biggest challenges has been to launch the new 4K Ultra High Definition channels of AMC Networks International Iberia, where an emission control system for these new signals based on Pebble Beach Marina technology has been implemented in its Barcelona center, in addition to various solutions for traffic, storage, editing...

As an example of post-production projects we find the installation carried out for Non Stop Tv for its work in the different editions of Masterchef Spain. Data Media has supplied all the post-production equipment with systems that work 24 hours a day (multi-client and multi-camera HD/10Gb post-production, Avid ISIS, Media Composer...)

As far as corporate environments are concerned, the recording, categorization and archiving system of the plenary sessions of the Spanish Senate stands out, a very complete project due to the intense traffic of material and metadata in which technologies such as Venice (DVS), Panasas, Roots6 and Tedial were implemented. For the Senate, Data Media also supplied the new Shotoku camera control robotics system installed in the chamber.

In robotization systems under study, Data has also implemented seven Shotoku camera robotics on different LaSexta sets, as well as four sensorized robotic pedestals for the main news programs on Antena 3.

Other major projects to highlight are TBN Spain, where Data was in charge of the migration from an analog SD environment to a digital one in HD in all its systems, set, continuity and playout in its center in Madrid, or the implementation of a content management system, QC and continuity in the Portuguese SIC, in a project hand in hand with IBM that has been carried out coinciding with the opening of the new headquarters of the Portuguese broadcaster. Also in Portugal, review the project carried out for the entertainment production company SP Televisão where a production and post-production system similar to that used in MasterChef has been installed.

These latest projects derive from the recent purchase by Data Media of the Portuguese company Vantec, one of the companies with the most experience in onair graphics, branding, virtual and augmented reality. Maintaining their independence of structures and thanks to the exchange of knowledge, they are already winning important projects in Portugal not only in graphics but also in editorials, MAM, files...

Finally, it should be noted that Data Media has been awarded the multicontinuities that the Valencian Corporation of Mitjans will launch, which begins a new stage as regional television after the closure of the defunct Channel 9. This solution has been fully integrated by Data Media with technologies from Pebble Beach, Prodys and Grass Valley.

Advancing the future

VR/AR, 4K, OTT and IP video are four of the main scenarios facing the audiovisual industry. Aware of its impact, Data Media is now prepared for its development. In the case of virtual and augmented reality, its position is solid in this market (even more so after the purchase of Vantec). In OTT they have brands that can provide solutions in this type of ecosystems such as Ooyala or IBM. As far as 4K is concerned, Ultra High Definition is already a reality for Data and they have been prepared for this migration for a long time even in the latest trends such as 12 Gbps or HDR...

Finally, as far as IP is concerned, Data Media is more than prepared for when clients decide to take the step. "Today they are very fearful. But we want to feel comfortable with ourselves, with the consolidation of knowledge, to convey to the client what the reality of an IP environment is and what possibilities it offers," comments David Martínez.

"The audiovisual market is changing a lot, but there is still a need to have added value beyond the manufacturer to implement production systems with media in the cloud, a data center or on a mobile. We understand the workflows and we need very specialized companies that are very knowledgeable about a technology that changes at great speed," says Nielsen.

"We have always been at the forefront of the state of the art, pushing the adoption of new technologies. We want to continue there and our challenge now is to find our position in a new world by offering the best service to both new players or small companies and even technological giants such as Amazon, Google or Telefónica that are fully entering the audiovisual field," concludes Tomas Nielsen.