Telecinco: new era, new news set

Andrés Díaz Díaz, director of engineering and maintenance of television systems at Mediaset Spain, takes an in-depth look at the concepts and technologies that have shaped the new news set of Telecinco, a before and after in the company's technological strategy.

It's hard to deny that Mediaset Spain is crucial for his career in the Spanish audiovisual industry. The undeniable growth of Atresmedia in the Share, as well as an image associated with entertainment more linked to celebritiesSuitors and characters from the universe of La Fábrica de la Tele, ended up leading to the decision to undertake a profound structural change. The end of the era Save me It was the result of a Programmatic renewal, betting on New entertainment formats and a new era of Contests; profound changes in the Management structure, with the Alessando Salem's leadership as CEO and the Borja Prado's resignation, and even a Renewed design of self-promotions and continuity on Telecinco, betting on moving a "lively, cheerful and close" line.

The change has extended to one of the pillars of Mediaset's grid: Informative content. Upon the arrival of Francisco Moreno, once sole administrator of the public broadcaster Radio Televisión Canaria, as the group's news director, was joined by the surprising Signing of Carlos Franganillo to occupy the position of presenter of the edition of Prime Time of Informativos Telecinco after the retirement of Pedro Piqueras. As if this were not enough, this new stage has been marked by a crucial change in the News Study with the aim of establishing "A new audiovisual approach to the informative story"; An ambitious reformulation is largely based on LED screens of large dimensions provided by Alfalite hand in hand with Average Data.

The areas of engineering, technique, production, scenography and lighting of Mediaset Spain worked for months to end up forming what they have called the "most advanced set of all the channels in the country", created with solutions such as the Vega de São Paulo AI robotics control system Vinten, prompter units with an integrated mirror monitor Autoscript EPIC-19 and Autoscript Winplus control and prompter management software (tools supplied, installed and commissioned by Moncada and Lorenzo), or the Spidercam system from Ross Video. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

In this interview, Andrés Díaz Díaz, director of engineering and maintenance of television systems at Mediaset Spain, addresses all the areas covered by this new study, explaining Philosophies, Decision Making and future of a space that will continue to evolve as the months go by.

The genesis of the new news set

How is the transformation of Telecinco's new news studio forged?

A transformation not only in aesthetic terms, but also in the incorporation of advanced technology in this type of scenery. To achieve this, an exhaustive scenographic study was carried out that determined the arrangement and visual function of the screens. For example, the set has a continuous screen of 32 linear meters and another that acts as a lintel, along with three screens suspended as monoliths. In addition, digital LEDs with RGBW technology were integrated, thus forming Three main sets. These sets not only take advantage of the visual capabilities of the screens, but also incorporate color changes when necessary, enriching the entire scenery.

"We carried out an exhaustive study that not only covered Various European channels and sets, but also others from various parts of the world."

As for the finishes and materials, it was sought that they were transparent and visually lightweight to highlight the images on the screens, while at the same time differentiating itself from other news programs that are based exclusively on screens. The table, designed to give the impression of being suspended, contributes to this visual distinction. On the other hand, the choice of a High gloss flooring It was made with the intention of reflecting everything and creating a sense of infinity. The corporate colors of the channel were chosen to maintain visual coherence.

Once the design of the set was finalized, in collaboration with the engineering department, this data was evaluated to select the screens that will best suit the scenic proposal, considering both the technical needs and the lighting requirements.

What are the objectives you pursued when trying to renew technology and staging?

Functionality, according to content, aesthetics and last technology.

The engineering, technical, production, scenography and lighting team was inspired by broadcaster sets in France, the United Kingdom, Germany... What were the main references? What lines or learnings did you extract from this research to apply in your new set?

A comprehensive study was carried out that not only covered Various European channels and sets, but also others from various parts of the world. The objective was to analyze the Aesthetic trends and evaluate what was or was not being successful in the global arena. This research was carried out in order to obtain references that would be useful when shaping the scenography.

An in-house work starring screens

Did Mediaset Spain's engineering team independently develop and install the different solutions on this set or did it have the assistance of another audiovisual integration company?

Initially, as in other projects, we collaborated with Spanish integrators and distributors to acquire each of the elements or systems that are part of the project, but the Comprehensive management and management was carried out by the Mediaset Spain Engineering team.

The screens are the main protagonists of the staging of the new set of Informativos Telecinco. Could you tell us more details about the characteristics of the large video wall that presides over the set?

The built-in screens are Latest generation and stand out for their advanced technology, in addition to having Spanish Patents. The set includes a main screen with remarkable dimensions of 32 m long x 2.5 m high with a pp of 1.9 and a lintel screen also 32m long, but 1 m high with a pp of 3.9, as well as three vertical screens of 1.5 m x 2.5 m each. These vertical screens are Suspended Elements, pioneers in today's television landscape, offering the versatility to hide or show themselves automatically according to the needs of the moment.

"The total surface area of the screens in the studio covers 120 m2, with the capacity to HDR and a brightness that reaches up to 1900 nits, where most do not reach."

The total surface area of the screens in the studio covers 120 m2, with a capacity of HDR and a brightness that reaches up to 1900 nits, where most do not reach. In addition to highlighting the characteristics of brightness, space and depth of color or the viewing angle, which provide exceptional visual quality, they also provide significant energy savings, ranking well below average and generating a 40% electricity savings, a crucial aspect in the sustainability of the project.

They also have three hanging screens with a vertical image. What is the technology of these screens? How has the mechanical process been built to achieve its integration into the emissions and the study?

The additional screens maintain the same technology as the rest, with dimensions of 1.5 m x 2.5 m with pp of 1.9. Are suspended by motors which enable their independent movement, adapting to the specific needs of production and realization. An aspect of particular attention has been the selection of the motors and the control system. Priority has been given to the choice of motors and systems that incorporate the highest safety measures to guarantee the reliability and protection necessary in this type of application.

What software has been chosen to manage and process the images transferred to the screen of this set?

It was the subject of a complex process, mainly due to the time we had to meet the dates of on-air. In this context, the deliberation led us to a solution that would effectively integrate with the Current system of graphics. The objective was to Simplify workflows, design tools, training, among other aspects, in order to guarantee compliance with the required deadlines.

The cameras: robotic dolly, cable-cam...

At the level of cameras, we find innovative solutions such as a mobile camera on a curved rail or a camera suspended by cables. Could you give us more details of both solutions? Which cameras have been chosen in the new setup of Telecinco News, including robotic cameras?

These elements will be integrated soon. The current cameras will be maintained and as for the robotic systems, the pedestals already acquired will continue to be part of the set, improving them with advanced control solutions based on artificial intelligence (AI) with Automatic tracking of the presenter's position. In addition, a Robotic dolly with a double curve and, for the first time on a news set, a Camera suspended by cables. Both will also be equipped with the ability to integrate into augmented and extended reality systems, thus bringing an additional dimension to the studio's capabilities.

The chosen cameras will have an HD resolution base. Have 4K solutions been chosen that are ready to make the leap from UHD and, until then, improve image performance and sharpness?

At the time it was evaluated to fundamentally improve the quality of graphics on screens or virtually, but we concluded that in this case would not benefit significantly from the jump to UHD, which influenced the final decision.

"A Robotic dolly with double curve and, for example, First time on a news set, a Camera suspended by cables. Both will also be equipped with the ability to be integrated into Augmented and extended reality”.

They have advanced that the dual-camera solution could provide the possibility of integrating virtual reality and augmented reality. Have you already equipped the set with a tracking system to carry out these developments? How would you like to apply the issue of AR and RE in the information pieces?

Yes, the set has a Tracking System for all cameras, allowing integration into virtual, augmented and extended reality systems. This provides greater versatility and creative possibilities by enabling the precise synchronization of virtual elements with the position and movement of the cameras in real time.

They have integrated systems for the location of presenters. How did you learn about this solution? Need training time? Is it currently being applied at full capacity in the news?

Indeed, we have positively evaluated these technologies at fairs such as the NAB and IBC, observing a positive evolution in the last two years. Currently, we have Two systems that possess similar technologies, which will allow us to integrate solutions of this type. After a period of learning and adaptation, we hope to gradually incorporate these tools as an additional resource in our daily operations.

Lighting, control and the IP world

The lighting has also been updated with LED systems. Could you provide us with more details of what solutions you have chosen for this set and what benefits it brings to the production?

Indeed, we have equipped the studio with LED technology 100% in lighting. We use state-of-the-art dimmable devices that allow us to achieve exceptionally low consumption and minimal waste heat generation. Despite this, they offer amazing performance in a highly demanding environment.

"The change to IP was not contemplated in the initial scope of the project. (…) In addition, after a Detailed analysis and considering the type of production we do, was not perceived one Significant improvement in production when switching to IP.”

We have meticulously taken care of each set in a differentiated way to preserve the quality of the image on the screens and create Diverse environments that adapt to the time of the program, the edition or the schedule of the news. In addition, in line with the scenographic lighting, we have incorporated Smart LED strips on the floor, profiles, and screen frames. These strips are managed in a similar way to other LED screens, allowing the creation of movements and effects that further enrich the staging.

Has the update of the set (scenery and technology) been accompanied by a renovation from the checkpoint? If so, what new equipment has been acquired ad-hoc in order to overcome all the challenges of its new stage?

A specific position in the implementation control to manage the content projected on the screens. Likewise, a station dedicated to controlling the movement of vertical screens has been set up on the set. A new post will soon be added for the Cable Suspended Camera Control. These adaptations reflect our meticulous attention to the management and coordination of every aspect in the studio to optimize the quality and versatility of production.

At a time when many broadcasters are exploring the benefits of IP versus traditional SDI infrastructures, has the set been renovated in any way to be able to take advantage of the benefits of the IP world in the future, either from its infrastructure or with the compatibility of new equipment?

The change to IP was not contemplated in the initial scope of the project, since the current infrastructure is the one that was implemented during the renovation of Mediaset España's studios in 2015. For video, it is used SDI-HD, while for audio it is complemented by IP-Dante. We also have a TDM network which facilitates a better integration between studies and the outside world. In addition, after a detailed analysis and considering the type of production we carry out, no significant improvement in production was perceived when switching to IP.

Evolution balancing benefits and costs

Is there an innovation calendar that will allow the new Telecinco News set to continue improving its capabilities as the months go by?

Yes, we have already advanced some points, such as the incorporation of virtual, AR/RE, wired suspended camera tracked, as well as a dolly on rail; All these advances will be added.

"More than highlighting a specific technology, it is more crucial for us to Effective and synergistic integration of a set of technologies at the service of the content offered by the news Telecinco"

Is there any other relevant solution from the point of view of broadcast technology that is worth reviewing for its interest or technological relevance?

More than highlighting a specific technology, it is more crucial for us to Effective and synergistic integration of a set of technologies put at the service of the content offered by Telecinco news.

Finally, in view of the audiovisual renovation of this set or the inclusion of large LED screens in other studios of the channel, could it be said that Telecinco is also betting on cutting-edge broadcast technology in this new stage?

Mediaset has always maintained a Featured Position in the exploration of technologies for the broadcast sector. The balanced consideration between benefits and costs, with the fundamental objective of ensuring and improving production and daily operation, demonstrates a sound business strategy, and future-oriented and sustainable operations.

An interview with Sergio Julián Gómez