BENEFITS

With media centralized in the cloud, the system provides a single destination for contribution and a single collaboration site for processing of media, which then serves as a single point of distribution for that media. All tasks can be performed in one production control room in the cloud and the entire workflow can be managed from anywhere, at any time. The centralized repository and control structure minimizes storage costs and duplication of media, reduces errors, enables increased security, and eliminates duplicative tasks (e.g., eases distribution of content across multiple channels). It also mitigates the complexity of a non-centralized approach which would have required duplicate infrastructure and workflows at multiple locations.

The dynamic workflows with a single storage pool mean that there is no file movement to manage, giving NBCU the ability to bring cloud-based applications to the media and allowing anyone to contribute from anywhere. Cloud-based applications including channel origination, channel distribution, live contribution and AI/ML services are assembled to fit the specific needs of the content strategy and business. With channel origination software based in the cloud, NBC can take local products to any platform capable of receiving a stream, all from a common platform and interface. They can also activate new channels, with a pool of media to recombine and reconfigure into tailored experiences. NBCU also leverages a common metadata format across all FAST channels from established industry partner, Gracenote, to act as a standardized syndication partner for metadata distribution.

The original workflows established to populate schedules in NBCU’s cloud environment proved increasingly cumbersome as the product grew. In order to act on daily ad format changes, there had to be a lot of communication between several groups within a short timeframe. To improve workflow, NBCU reconfigured in-place and cloud-based metadata and interfaces to automatically record ad durations and update formats with minimal intervention. As a result, NBCU Local was able to automate much of the process around changes to ad breaks and formats, eliminating a great deal of manual work for the programming and scheduling teams., The new automated workflow also enabled NBCU to act upon audience engagement and other analytics feedback more quickly and easily. Near real-time response to that feedback has increased efficiency with the ability to operate and scale channels with greater ease.

Overall, the solution has enabled NBCU to:

1. Deliver 15 local FAST channels into distribution using the new platform and cloud infrastructure.
2. Centralize production and collaboration on virtualized infrastructure in a cloud-based environment.
3. Streamline content distribution across all FAST channels.
4. Operate and scale operations to fit dynamic requirements with greater ease.
5. Maintain a single repository for contribution, collaboration and distribution.
6. Take local news products to any FAST-capable platform, all from a common interface.
7. Adapt channels to distribution platforms – e.g., Roku requires eight 2-minute fixed ad breaks per hour. The platform automatically creates conforming ad breaks based on platform requirements.
8. Reduce time to market for new FAST channels. The creation of new channels takes 3-6 months depending on partner capabilities and specific media strategies. In a traditional broadcast model a new channel launch could cost millions and take years.

NBCU creates, produces, and manages these FAST Channels with a fraction of the operations and support teams required for traditional broadcast offerings. The original 15 FAST channels envisioned by NBCU and Accenture are programmed through an aggregation of content from 25 stations, pulled in 5 variations (live, live-to-tape, pre-taped segments, social media cuts, and standalone digital series and docs). In a typical news show, there are around 10 operators in play to make the show happen – firing ad breaks, firing graphics, loading clips, switching cameras, operating cameras, etc. In the new automated workflow model, NBCU essentially piggybacks off the station work to produce the FAST product, effectively doubling the output of those operators. The same can be said for programming and scheduling, playout engineers etc. The new FAST channels are fully supported by a team of 7. In traditional news a single station producing and distributing 1 form of content has a team of 50+. The FAST Channel team produces over 100x more content than a traditional news team with 15% of the resources.

Lessons Learned

One key learning was around the skills required to operate a centralized cloud-based solution, which proved to be less those of a broadcast engineer and more focused on operations, i.e., monitoring, alerting, triage. There also was a key learning around the interaction between cloud and on-prem environments, i.e., implementing a cloud-based system does not mean the end of on-prem production. Instead, it requires the on-prem production environment to be architected with automation in mind to ensure smooth interaction with the cloud-based production environment.

Industry partners would do well to invest heavily in engineering and digital product teams up front, enabling a more automated and streamlined operations team to rely less on engineering support on a day-to-day basis. Proper Continuous Integration (CI)/Continuous Deployment (CD) pipeline implementation is critical to surviving in the FAST world, as these channels need to be created and delivered at a blistering pace.

Next Steps

There are several expansions under consideration by NBCU Local:

1. Improve accuracy and automation of recordings by tying the record logic more directly to the timing of the individual station broadcast control rooms rather than relying on scheduling data.
2. Integrate NBCU Local’s digital Content Management System (CMS) to create more content contribution paths
3. Attach a virtualized edit solution and a Product Asset Management (PAM)/Media Asset Management (MAM) system to create a more robust post-production ‘facility’ on-cloud.