France Télévisions reduces its costs by 65% with the TVU network

Cloud workflows TVU Networks, powered by technology AWS and satellite solutions Starlink, will allow France Televisions cover the route of the Olympic torch with a reduction in production costs of 65%, as confirmed within the framework of NAB 2024.

TVU Networks has seen its vision of cloud production culminated after years of extensive development and R&D with a project that anticipates, in the words of Yoni Tire, head of marketing for the firm, “the future of the industry.” France Televisions will broadcast from next May 8 until the beginning of the Olympics on olympic torch relay with a cloud workflow that will extend for 69 days. Romuald Rat, director of innovation and artificial intelligence at France Télévisions, explained in a conference at NAB 2024 some of the keys to this highly demanding workflow.

Starting from a reduced budget compared to coverage such as the Tour de France, and with the intention of preserving pillars such as the sustainability o to audiovisual quality, the French broadcaster has decided to explore the market to find methodologies that would allow them to fulfill their vision. The result is coverage enabled by TVU Networks' cloud production and broadcast solutions that has already been tested with satisfactory results.

In it, eight cameras, which include traditional broadcast systems, drones or iPhones, are responsible for providing a total of 10 hours of daily live broadcasts. These signals overcome challenges such as saturation of 4G and 5G mobile networks through the TVU aggregation technologies, the use of a private 5G network and the deployment of satellite connections such as Starlink to ensure coverage in remote environments as well as a backup throughout the broadcast. All this workflow reaches the cloud to various platforms TVU Networks housed in AWS, to later be produced in the cloud with the system TV Producer operated by two professionals from Paris. Once the program signal is ready, it is integrated into the program signal programming. TVU Channel. Skander Ben Attia, engineering director at France Télévisions, finds multiple benefits in this way of operating: network security, dedicated frequency, stable service without interruptions or a low latency of 50-80 ms.

The acid test will arrive on May 8, but the first studies by France Télévisions indicate that this workflow gives them significant benefits that make them rethink the way they approach similar coverage in the future: a 65% less costs production, 12 times less CO2 emissions and the elimination of frequent resources in this type of coverage such as airplanes or helicopters.

News from TVU Networks at NAB 2024

TVU Networks has anticipated artificial intelligence initiatives at NAB 2024 “human-centered” whose objective is to expand “what is possible in broadcast.” Among these developments is the chatbot Media Solution AI, a tool already accessible through the TVU website that allows users to enter their specific challenges, such as the implementation of remote production (REMI), and receive tailored solutions. TVU technology can be seamlessly integrated into various workflows, such as TVU MediaMind, TVU Producer and TVU Channel, allowing professionals to work from procurement to distribution.

In the words of TVU, by adopting these initiatives, broadcasters and content creators can “unlock new levels of efficiency and creativity.” Other improvements in AI will be the automation of advertising reports, he clipping content or transcripts.