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Regional Newsrooms are a breed apart.  There is a huge difference between the type of automation needed for the successful operation of a news gallery and that used for an entire TV station, which is why IBIS has developed two very task focused solutions.
Station automation requires a much broader and more inclusive approach.  Fast and powerful automation and process management control systems are required to provide comprehensive, frame accurate control of all station facilities, devices and media/asset management, including interfacing to scheduling and post transmission reporting systems.

This is automation as traditionally understood by the majority of broadcasters.  But in a gallery playout scenario, such as that of a regional newsroom, it is essential to provide a more straightforward and flexible playout application specifically targeted at integrated process flow.  The IBIS Media Management system still provides all the functionality needed to get news bulletins on air but  its specialist design gives broadcasters the ability to react dynamically to the changing landscape of a news bulletin, along with the flexibility to play the event list up, down - or inside out - if necessary. 

We do not believe, as some other automation providers do, that it is appropriate or desirable to adapt and apply to a news gallery the style of workflow dictated by a station automation controller. This may work for a rolling ‘news’ channel which essentially changes little from hour to hour but a far more flexible and dynamic approach is required for the faster moving, more reactive news workflow that is native to the regional newsroom.

Regional stations provide a mixture of centralised programming supported by news and sports news with regional opt-outs for sub-region news or local advertising. It is essential to have a reliable system comprising a series of flexible and fast server applications which can provide a complete solution for multiple users in the acquisition, management and playout of material. 

The type of system used in this situation needs to put the power of control into the hands of the person - such as an editor or bulletin producer - who is responsible for that action, allowing them a greater degree of creativity and interactivity in a live news environment.


The project

IBIS has completed the first phase, and is currently working on further phases, of the transition to digital for BBC English Regional Newsrooms.  Currently, digital newsrooms are on air in Norwich, Newcastle, Hull, Leeds, Oxford and Birmingham.

The automation system from IBIS provides MOS enabled reactive software operating on standard IT-based open architecture, integrating with Quantel sQ servers. The modular applications deliver seamless integration from journalist workstations to playout, including ingest control, media management and archive.

The BBC recognised that there are significant differences not only between the systems vendors provide, but also between the types of process management required for a regional newsroom as opposed to a centralised one.

The automation had to work efficiently and seamlessly in a live and very dynamic newsroom environment of a 30 minute programme, which may require continual changes to the running order both during the planning stages and once the bulletin is on air.

The BBC decided that what they needed was ’gallery play-in’ or ‘automation-assist’ software – software that would help the news team and the server operation. With a standard automation system the rules that would have to be set to allow this type of operation would be so complex that the margin for error and malfunction would increase to an unacceptable level.

What the BBC didn’t want was an automation solution that would fight for total control, as that would make it difficult - if not impossible - to change the running order in the ways that were needed. It was essential that the gallery staff should be able to operate the software easily and, because human beings can react quickly to change, the automation had to be flexible and intuitive.


The solution

Through IBIS, the BBC English Regions have the best of both worlds. They can have an almost fully automated output - with servers, CGs and sound all being triggered by IBIS via MOS  -  right through to an ‘automation assist’ type of dynamic operation, eliminating the complexity inherent in selecting different operating systems or opening different GUIs.

Central to this flexibility is the dynamic MOS gateway, about which some broadcasters still have concerns – not about the technology but about the loss of control. However, MOS doesn’t take away control.  It helps provide a seamless integration right from journalists writing their scripts, setting captions, marking in/out points etc., through to making sure that all relevant systems – CGs, cameras and prompters are triggered at the right point. 

Having said this however, it should be realised that there is no such thing as a standard MOS layer – there are actually many variants and these will vary depending on the brand of newsroom system, workflow requirements, station style and the broadcast hardware deployed.

Within the BBC Regional newsroom model all seven sites operate in essentially the same way.  With largely the same programme output for each region, the BBC felt it was important to use the same technology and follow the same workflow processes.

When material arrives, IBIS applications ensure it is ingested straight to the news hub so that everyone has immediate access to it.  Early on in this project the BBC, AP and IBIS worked together to ensure that users had access to a sensible naming convention for all new clips – essential to the smooth flow of any digital newsroom system.  All IBIS applications, working in tandem with ENPS, track the ingest, movement, editing, playout and archiving of the material throughout the facility.

Training and processes across the regions are now standardised giving the BBC greater flexibility - not only with their journalists but with their operational staff too.  By having same technology across the board and offering test and training courses centrally at Wood Norton, media asset management, operations and support are much easier.  In a business enterprise with an eye on saving time and expenditure, this is an important factor, as many stations use freelance staff who may move between regions. 

The initial contract was for two sites to assess the system.  At the end of those two projects, the BBC was happy to purchase applications for the next five and beyond,    indicating that the BBC feels they have got their regional story right in terms of their requirements.


By kind permission of Peter King, Head of Technology & Development BBC English Regions