PRESS RELEASE
Citadel
Communications Launches Video Technics Automation
Company-Wide for New HD File-Based Master Control
Workflow
Atlanta, GA (January 9, 2011) – Having made the decision
to convert from their tape-based Master Control
operations to a file-based HD system, Citadel
Communications Ltd., headquartered in Bronxville, NY
sought a company-wide solution to meet the needs of all
of their stations in different markets. KLKN 8, in
Lincoln, Nebraska; WOI-TV-5, in Des Moines, Iowa; and
KCAU TV-9 in Sioux City Iowa are ABC affiliates; and
WHBF-TV 4 in Rock Island, Illinois is their CBS
affiliate. Earlier this year WLNE 6, an ABC affiliate in
the New Bedford, Massachusetts market was purchased by
Citadel Communications bringing the group total to five
stations.
Dan Ackerman, Vice President of Engineering, and his
team started investigating different servers, automation
solutions, and methods to convert their master control
studios into HD and automate them as much as possible.
After inviting several different server manufacturers
and automation providers to give product demonstrations,
Ackerman then went to visit a couple of the stations in
which the server solution from Video Technics was
already in place. “We really liked what Video Technics
was doing and determined that the Apella™ HDS Server and
their suite of software tools best met our HD commercial
playback and automation needs.”
The
Apella HDS is a multi-channel HD/SD media server
that supports a mixed database of DV and MPEG-2 files.
The compact 3RU chassis features front-loading
hot-swappable drive bays with 16TB of internal raid
storage. Virtually unlimited channel I/O can be
implemented simply by networking Apella servers
together. Extensive native codec technology, DVCPRO HD,
and MPEG-2 up to 300Mb/s, and support for mixed AVI,
MOV, and MXF file types, allows media files in the VT
database – regardless of SD/HD standard, compression
format, or file type – to be played back-to-back from
the same output channel.
The Apella video servers offer “out-of-the-box” workflow
solutions for mission critical content management and
automated multi-channel delivery. When fully integrated
with the Video Technics asset management environment,
the result is an efficient, multi-channel broadcast
operation providing high quality and continuous on-air
service, with a minimal amount of manual intervention.
The Apella is designed for flexibility and collaboration
using the native VT software applications to facilitate
the workflow.
VT Proxy Editor™ allows operators to prepare and
segment incoming content using low resolution proxies
from their desktop and does not require the use of a
full baseband channel.
VT HotFolder™ allows file-based media from content
delivery providers like DG Fast Channel and Pitch Blue
to be easily pushed to the server for immediate editing
or playout. VT Director™ provides live production-style
playback for MOS-enabled news production, manual spot
insertion, or emergency playback override. The new
VT Scheduler PRO™ software, which is central to the
Citadel solution, orchestrates fully automated,
frame-accurate multi-channel playout and ingest
capabilities either as a standalone integrated box, or
as part of a complex mixed network of legacy equipment
and functionality. Many features typically found in more
expensive automation products are standard, including
"sub event" controls for precise timing of secondary
triggers relative to the main event, easy manual
triggers, join-in-progress playback, and flexible
traffic list import with extensive reporting for billing
reconciliation. Also available are optional legacy
external device controls for VTRs (Sony BVW protocol),
video switcher/mixers (GVG200 protocol), 32 additional
GPI I/O triggers, and integrated character generator
automation for logo channel branding and EMS.
“We are very pleased to have the complete Apella
solution being utilized at all five stations within the
Citadel Communications group,” said Andy Tuggle, Vice
President of Sales and Marketing for Video Technics,
“With the Apella HDS video servers, VT Proxy Editor, VT
Hot Folder, and VT Scheduler Pro, each station now has
an ideal solution to automate their Master Control
ingest, asset management, and playout needs.
Video Technics worked closely with Citadel to further
enhance the automation software and refine a seamless
workflow complete with the ability to convert traffic
lists into effective playlists, manage and prepare media
assets from any desktop, automate ingest and playback
with traditional 3rd party devices, and
accurately reconcile on air playout back to traffic for
billing.
“The Apella HDS and software from Video Technics
provided the automation solution that responded to our
objectives. While the cost-effective price point did
play a part in the decision process, it wasn’t the most
important thing,” Ackerman said, “What was really
important was how reliable the video server was and the
added benefit that the automation solution was
integrated and supplied by the same company as the
server manufacturer; providing us with a simple, single
source solution.”
Jeff Swanson, Traffic Manager for KLKN concluded, “We
are very happy with how Video Technics customized their
software to match our workflow, and I feel that they
have been more than accommodating in addressing all of
our concerns.”
Ackerman
added, “Since the launch of VT Scheduler Pro automation
we‘ve been able to significantly reduce the man hours
required to prep our program content, and have even
added five more hours of program output a day!” He
continued, “This is file-based automation working as it
should by reducing overhead costs and improving revenue
streams. That’s a significant return on our investment
and certainly makes a positive impact on our bottom
line!”
About Video
Technics, Inc.
Video Technics, Inc., a
pioneer in revolutionary systems development, supplies the
global broadcast industry with innovative, feature-rich
workflow solutions built around the company’s IT-based
media servers. Video Technics’ Apella™ and NewsFlow™
products streamline the entire production process, and
feature inherent proxy editing, embedded ingest/playout
tools, and digital asset management. For more information
visit:
www.videotechnics.com.
About Citadel
Communications Company
Citadel Communications Company Ltd is a private company
that currently owns four Television Stations. Located in
Bronxville, NY, Citadel Communications Company was
established in 1984.
READ MORE
Why choose
Video Technics?
See
Master Control
Automation, Apella Server Overview,
VT Scheduler Pro, and
Storage Overview for more information.
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