SLRC Newsroom
Computer System
Newsroom Computer System installation for Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, connecting news production, ingest, editing, graphics, automation and playout.
Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation
Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) is the National Television Network of Sri Lanka. Its studio complex is located in Colombo, the commercial capital of Sri Lanka.
The complex includes a Master Control Room, four studios, two dubbing studios, digital and analogue post-production facilities, editing suites and four Outside Broadcast vehicles.
Since the 1986 upgrade, SLRC had continued upgrading its systems and was moving from an older tape-based manual workflow towards an IT-based digital and automated system.
Newsroom Computer System Installation
SLRC decided to install a Newsroom Computer System to improve the way its news department prepared and produced daily news.
A tender was issued and several companies participated. After a detailed selection process involving different departments within SLRC, Whiteways Systems Pte Ltd of Singapore was selected as the system integrator.
The newsroom system selected for the project was Octopus. Vector Box was selected for automation and video server functions.
How the newsroom system works
Daily news production involves planners, journalists, camera operators, editors, news readers, producers and studio staff.
A journalist writes the story, the camera operator provides the video, the editor prepares the footage and the news producer prepares the rundown for the bulletin.
Once the rundown is ready, the story text is sent to the teleprompter, the related video is prepared on the video server and the graphics are prepared for playout.
The newsroom system connects these different parts of the workflow.
Main systems and functions
Planning and story preparation
Octopus provides an assignment desk where producers can assign stories to journalists based on planned events, calendars and incoming news feeds.
Stories can be written and edited in the newsroom system. Producers can prepare rundowns manually or from planned schedules and rundown templates.
The system also supports contact and guest management and can connect with CMS platforms for publishing news stories online.
Social media functions can also be used to prepare and publish stories and videos to platforms such as YouTube and Facebook.
Video ingest and preparation
Video from P2 cards, backpack-based feeds and satellite feeds can be ingested into the ingest server.
The system supports both scheduled and manual ingest. Scheduled ingest can be used for planned satellite, IP or other feeds, while camera operators can also manually ingest video.
The ingest system can create clip information and metadata and allows incoming material to be previewed.
Vector Box automation
Vector Box controls the video server and automates a number of media operations.
The automation can monitor folders, execute commands, transcode clips to the required house format, catalogue media and create metadata automatically.
It also supports movement of files between different parts of the workflow and can work with archive systems.
Adobe Premiere editing
Video is retrieved from central storage and edited using Adobe Premiere non-linear editing systems.
After editing, the finished material is saved back to central storage with its unique identification and preview information.
Reporters can then access the available low-resolution clips from the Octopus newsroom system and attach the required video to their stories.
From finished story to playout
The journalist completes the story in Octopus.
The reporter commits the completed story to the appropriate rundown.
The final rundown is sent from Octopus to the integrated teleprompter and Vector Box.
Vector Box takes the required video from central storage and transfers it to the playout server.
The video can then be played manually or automatically at the required time.
After playout, the video can be archived or deleted from the playout server automatically if required.
Vector Box rundown in the PCR
The Vector Box automation client displays the main rundown containing the stories and the different elements required for the broadcast.
This includes the story information, graphical elements, video and routing information used during the production.
Manual and automated playout
Vector Box provides a playlist and catalogue view together with timing information, on-air status and device status.
Operators can preview clips and control playout manually when required. The system also supports automated playout at the scheduled time.
Installation, commissioning and training
After installation, commissioning and testing, Whiteways began a training programme for SLRC's newsroom team.
Dozens of journalists, news producers and operators took part in the training.
The training included hands-on sessions where journalists were asked to go through the complete process of producing a news story from start to finish.
A connected newsroom workflow
Faster news production and easier newsroom coordination
With the new system in place, SLRC can reduce the time and effort required to produce news.
The newsroom can bring breaking news into the rundown quickly and prepare graphics and related video for broadcast.
The assignment and planning functions also help the newsroom prepare for upcoming events in advance.
“We are very happy with this system. We feel that the NRCS will really help us in our daily news production.”
Whiteways Systems
Whiteways Systems is a system integration company focused on providing products and services to broadcasters, TV and radio stations, professional audio/video production and post-production facilities, and organisations requiring complete broadcast systems.
Whiteways is headquartered in Singapore and was established in 2011.
