PIXEL POWER AND RED BEE MEDIA ELIMINATE POST-PRODUCTION WITH AUTOMATED GRAPHICS AT ESPN CLASSIC

Breakthrough In-Programme Graphics and Automated Promotions

May 1, 2006, Cambridge, England

ESPN Classic in Europe is implementing revolutionary automated promo-production and in-programme graphics from Pixel Power and Red Bee Media to eliminate the need for post-production – a first for programme graphics. Pixel Power’s Pixel Promo provides automated promos and in-programme graphics for score updates, branding and historical information for the leading sports broadcast’s 24-hour multi-channel European operations.

Pixel Promo builds multi-language graphics with audio tags from templates for promo creation just prior to air. It overlays the view time and programme titles by searching the automation and listings schedules for the correct appointment to view. This automatic versioning of promos saves time in post-production and ingest.

To increase flexibility, Pixel Power applies graphics live to air rather than burning them to master tape. Working from prepared job files, events such as a score change automatically trigger the corresponding on-screen graphics. Revising the look and feel simply requires a job-file update rather than post-production.

Following its migration to Red Bee Media for playout, ESPN Classic is to broadcast its dedicated sporting content in Italian, French and English with graphics in each appropriate language for additional information and a distinctive on-air look.

Jamie Baker, ESPN Classic’s director of production explains: “In Europe, ESPN Classic sources material from around the world that is typically ‘clean’ of graphics so it’s vital we add our own mark. This exciting, world-first, graphics project allows us to do this faster than has ever been possible and saves us the substantial cost of post-production for graphics.”

“Graphics are the lynchpin of the viewing experience so broadcasters must create them and get them to air easily and cost-effectively,” says Pixel Power’s MD James Gilbert. “ESPN Classic demonstrates that broadcasting across different regions in various languages is not a hurdle to achieving this, given the right graphics equipment. As its graphics look evolves, its entire programme library can be rebranded quickly and easily without time-consuming post-production work.”

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Notes to editor

Pixel Power is a leader in the development and production of SD and HD broadcast graphics systems, news production workflow tools and live interactive content with more than 2,000 installations worldwide. With a local presence around the world the company’s award-winning solutions suit broadcasters, post-production houses and outside broadcast (OB) trucks of all sizes for distinctive, professional, reliable and cost-effective on-air graphics.

Established in Cambridge, UK, in 1987, the company also has a wholly owned subsidiary office in Florida, USA, and a dedicated network of distributors and support offices around the world.

ESPN Classic, which has over 18 million subscribers in more than 35 countries, is one of the fastest growing networks in Europe. During the last twelve months, the channel has rolled out in a host of new territories including the UK, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Poland, Portugal and Bulgaria.

Red Bee Media, formerly BBC Broadcast, specialises in the delivery and promotion of digital media and offers the complete range of services required to promote, playout and provide access to broadcast content across all media, from television to mobile phones. For more information, please visit www.redbeemedia.com